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Integrate with 3rd party

Use a third-party bank product vendor with UltraTax CS

Thomson Reuters uses EPS Financial and Refund Advantage (Pathward) as its preferred and integrated bank product provider. UltraTax CS users have the option of using a third-party bank product provider.
The 2 options available when using a third-party bank product include:
  • Purchase a third-party e-file transmission software that integrates with 1 or more bank product companies, that also complete and transmit the bank product application automatically (depending on the vendor) based on taxpayer information contained within the electronic file.
  • Enter into a contract with a third-party bank product provider, manually complete and submit bank product applications on behalf of taxpayers per the provider's specifications, and change entries within UltraTax CS per the provider's specifications before e-filing the return

Use a third-party e-file transmitter to provide third-party bank products

Several companies operating today offer software designed to transmit e-files created using a separate tax preparation application such as UltraTax CS to the IRS. Many of these companies integrate with 1 or more bank product companies, similar to the way in which UltraTax CS integrates with Refund Advantage. This means that the applications can (in most examples) extract taxpayer data from the e-file generated by UltraTax CS, and use that data to complete and transmit the bank product application automatically, changing the contents of the e-file to insert the bank-specified account information, and transmitting the e-file to the IRS.
Follow these steps to provide bank products in this way.
  1. Select, purchase, and install a third-party e-file transmitter software package that integrates with 1 or more bank product companies.
  2. Enter into a contract with 1 of the integrated partner banks to provide bank products to taxpayers.
  3. Purchase a Third-Party e-file Transmitter License for UltraTax CS. To purchase this license, contact your Account Representative at 800.968.8900.
  4. After purchasing the license, update it within UltraTax CS. Open CS Connect, mark the
    Retrieve licenses
     checkbox, then select
    Call now
    .
  5. Select
    Setup
    ,
    User Preferences
    ,
    Misc
     and clear the
    Use Thomson Reuters as the ELF transmitter
     checkbox.
  6. In the
    User Preferences
     window, select the
    File Locations
     tab, then
    Other
    .
  7. Select
    ELF: third-party data
    , then
    Modify Location
    .
  8. Review the third-party transmitter software package's documentation to find the location where the application checks for newly created electronic files.
  9. In the
    Modify Location
     window, specify the data location found in Step 8, then select
    OK
    . Select
    OK
     again to close the
    User Preferences
     window.
Follow these steps for each e-filed return.
  1. Complete the return in UltraTax CS.
  2. Eliminate all e-file and other diagnostics, review the return, and select
    File
    , then
    Print Returns
     to create the electronic file.
  3. At this point, the e-file won't appear within the
    CS Connect
     window. You'll need to open the third-party transmitter software package to find the e-file.
  4. If the taxpayer is applying for a bank product, complete the application per the vendor's specifications.
  5. Transmit the e-file within the third-party transmitter software package.
  6. Use the third-party software to monitor for and retrieve acknowledgments, and perform other e-file-related actions.

Provide third-party bank products without using a third-party e-file transmitter

Several bank product vendors let tax preparers use their existing tax preparation software, such as UltraTax CS, for both preparation and e-file transmission. This is normally done by completing each client's bank product application separately from the tax application (usually through the provider's website), then changing entries within the UltraTax CS client per the bank's specifications before e-file creation and transmission.
To provide bank products in this way, you'll need to first enter into a contract with a bank product provider that accepts application submissions outside of tax preparation software, such as through its website or via fax.
Complete the following steps for each taxpayer applying for a bank product.
  1. Complete and review the taxpayer's tax return, but don't create the electronic file before completing the following steps.
  2. Submit the taxpayer's bank product application using the method specified by the vendor (through its website, for example).
  3. After the completion and acceptance of the application, the vendor will provide a bank account to use in place of the taxpayer's within the electronic file. Make sure to note this account information before proceeding.
  4. Go to the ELF screen in the Electronic Filing folder. In the
    Other bank product
     field, select
    Code 1 (pre-refund (loan) product)
     or
    Code 2 (post-refund (non-loan) product)
    . Loan products include RALs and Quick RALs (terms may vary between vendors) and non-loan products include Electronic Refund Deposits (ERDs) and Electronic Refund Checks (ERCs).
  5. Go to the Bank screen in the General folder. Replace the taxpayer's primary bank account information with the bank account and routing number from the vendor in Step 3. This is the vendor's intermediary account where the IRS will deposit the refund.
  6. Eliminate all diagnostic messages, create the electronic file, and transmit it using CS Connect.
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