Flexgen Business License – 2014 Changes Local Government Corporation

1. Flexgen Business License – 2014 Changes Local Government Corporation

2. 1. Fiscal Year End Licenses 2. Minimal Activity Licenses Two Big Changes

3. Let’s take a look at how the menus and screen have been updated New Menu Options

4. There are a few new options

5. Zero Dollar License This creates a ‘zero’ license when the tax clearance file from the State for a business cannot be imported or when it appears on the state website but not in the SBT file. (You don’t have to wipe out all the amounts anymore - a popular request) Only use this for licenses with Year beginning 2014. For all previous year licenses, use LEGACY License Tax Payment option.

6. For the TAX YEAR, use the tax year one less than the tax year that the license will expire. Example, Business has Fiscal Year 12. Issuing a license for the period 1/1/2014 – 12/31/2014, expires 4/15/2015. For the Tax Year, enter 2014. After creating and printing the license, Master Inquiry will show the Period as 2015, which is the year the license. When entering a Zero License

7. License Tax Inquiry This screen now matches the zero dollar license format.

8. Void Business License This is used for voiding ‘zero’ licenses.

9. Legacy Tax Use the Legacy tax options only for licenses PRIOR to January 1, 2014. These screens work exactly like they did previously.

10. What about imports and exports? Has anything changed?

11. The options run exactly the same way as before.

12. After importing tax clearance files, the licenses for those businesses must be printed through the Batch License forms in order to create the period and expiration date on the Master Inquiry form.

13. What happens if I have to void a clearance file?

14. When voiding clearance files, we need to MANUALLY change Period, Next Tax Due on and Fiscal Year End Flag.

15. 1. Key in Business2. F2 Lookup on License number field3. Select License to void4. Answer Yes to “Are you sure” question5. Enter when message pops up about updating fields on master maint6. F2 lookup on void reason in the void reason screen7. F4 Update to Select Void Reason8. F4 Update in the Void Reason Screen9. Yes to Print License question10. Select Printer

16. Master Inquiry1. Key in business you just voided license for2. F5 – View Tax3. Page down in lookup until you see the license you voided. 4. Write down the beginning and ending dates that are in the lookup • Master Maintenance • 1. Key in business you just voided license for • 2. Key in beginning and ending dates that you wrote down from the lookup • 3. F4 Update

17. What about Minimal Activity Licenses?

18. Can be collected by city or state 2. The $15 annual fee is kept by city (not on State Annual Report.) 3. For renewals, confirm that the business still grossed less than $10,000. 4. Renewal letters will not be sent by the state. What about Minimal Activity Licenses?

19. Master Maintenance License Flag is R for Regular M for Minimal

20. Receipt Minimal License

21. Receipt Minimal License

22. Master Inquiry/Maintenace Changes

23. Master Inquiry/Maintenance Changes Active Tax Year has been changed to Period. For all new businesses and renewals done starting 2014, the Period will now match the year that the current license is due in. License Flag R-Regular M-Minimal Fiscal Year End Month Number Defaults to 12 for December Tax Period is the dates the license is valid for.

24. Adding a New Business Zip Codes – Domestic and International Periods

25. Adding a New Business – Domestic Zip Type 1 – Domestic 2 – Foreign Out Country Code 320 - USA Zip – Standard 5 or 9 Digit code

26. Adding a New Business – International Zip Type 1 – Domestic 2 - Foreign Out Country Code F2 – Select country code OOC Zip – Allows up to 10 character in international formats

27. Adding a New Business – Master Screen New businesses added in 2014 should have a PERIOD of 2015. License Flag R-Regular M-Minimal Fiscal Year End Month Number Defaults to 12 for December Do not enter anything in the TAX PERIOD fields nor the EXPIRE DATE field; these will be populated after the initial license is receipted.

28. Adding a New Business – Next Tax Due When adding new businesses, the Next Due on will be calculated based on the Period and Fiscal Year End Flag ONLY the first time you enter through those fields. If you go back and change the tax year or the fiscal year end flag, it will not recalculate the Next Tax Due on, you must change that manually. This was necessary to keep the date from changing every time you were in Master Maintenance.

29. That you don’t have to import all the files as the state sends them? You can edit and delete specific records. Did you know..

30. LGC is created new maintenance forms for the Import processes to assist with correcting information in files received from the State.

31. After running the BL IN process, files are loaded from the State server to your server. We then run the correct import option for the type of file: SBN####CCYYMMDD.txt – New Business files OR a return file of a new business you added that contains the State Tax Account number and will be updated to your system. LBE####CCYYMMDD.txt – Error files that contain error code(s) that kept a new business from being opened at the State. The error must be corrected and the new business resubmitted to the State. SBC###CCYYMMDD.txt – Change files that can contain any type of information change or business closing information. SBT####CCYYMMDD.txt – Tax Clearance files contain clearance that a business has paid a tax at the State.

32. After running the BL IN process, files are loaded from the State server to your server. We then run the correct import option for the type of file:

33. When running the New Business/St Acct Import option, enter the SITUS number and the Date of the file. That date comes from the report generated during the BL IN process. Remember the format of the filename is SBN####CCYYMMDD

34. You will be prompted to print or display the Edit report. Print this. This report will show you any possible issues, such as missing information, Local Number exists, duplicate State tax account number, etc. Use this information to help you know what your next step will be.

35. Immediately after the report, you are given 3 options: • 1) Import the file exactly as it is. Records that cannot import will not. All others will import even if data is missing. • 2) Edit & Import. This will allow you to maintain the information in each record. You must go through all of the businesses in the file to correctly edit it and import. • 3) No Import. This will not import anything and leave the file intact at is it. Escaping will do the same as No Import.

36. Edit & Import option – this is new and still being developed. When this is selected, all of the information from the file is loaded into a screen that you can maintain. The purpose is to allow you to see the information and edit or add to it as necessary. You have access to all fields except the State Tax Account Number and the Situs number. 1st Part Business information

37. Edit & Import option –The purpose is to allow you to see the information and edit or add to it as necessary. You have access to all fields except the State Tax Account Number and the Situs number. 2nd Part Owner information

38. Edit & Import option – You can delete the record from the file to be imported using the Delete button. This allows you to remove a business that might already exist or you have other reasons not to import it. Then you can still import other business record(s) that were in the same file.

39. Edit & Import option – To save this record (if changes were made or even if there were no changes made) and move to the next record in the file or if the last record to Import, use the Page Down button.

40. Edit & Import option – If this is the last record you will be prompted to IMPORT FILE?

41. Edit & Import option – If you choose to Import the file, for a New Business, it will add the new business to your records at this time. If you choose NO to Import, you will then be given the option to Revert to Original. Yes will dismiss any changes you made and put the Original file from the State back in your IN folder for you to start the Import process over with. If you choose No to revert, this will save your changes and leave that updated file in the IN folder for you to go through the Import process again.

42. That you can view the import files as spreadsheets. You will not be able to edit the records but you can see all the information before you import it. Did you know..

43. This option currently exists and this will cover the basic operation. This allows you to create a file from the State file that can be opened in a spreadsheet format. This is available for New business, Change and Tax Clearance files. If your office uses a server, you will need access from your workstation to the folder on the server: \FILES\EXTRACT LGC help desk can usually make this available, but they may need the assistance of your IT department to set up the necessary sharing permissions. You will need to have a program such as Excel, CSVFileView or other CSV readers to open this file. This will not allow you to make changes, only to view all of the information in the file.

44. Run your BL IN process as normal and get the File name from the report generated in that process. On the State Processing Menu, under the headings for Spreadsheets are the options. You will not use the 2nd option unless directed by LGC support.

45. Enter the SITUS (or take default) and the File date from the report from BL IN. After entering this information and pressing Enter, the file will be created and you will be returned to the menu. Nothing in this process updates your data; this only creates a file.

46. Outside of the LGC software, you will need to browse to the FILES\EXTRACT folder, however it was set up for you to access using Windows explorer. The files you are looking for are as follows: New Business – BLST.CSV Change – BLCS.CSV Tax Clearance – BLST.CSV

47. You should then be able to open those files and view the information. All of the columns have headers to explain the field. A reminder that this cannot be used to edit the information. It is only to allow you to view the contents of the file from the State better.

48. The contact is Jane Lacy (615) 532-6164.  You will need to fill out and sign disclosure forms and then Jane will forward their information to their IT department to generate login credentials. Do you need access to the state website for clearance website?

49. This concludes our presentation for today • Questions? Bye Bye!