Box 12 and 14 Overflow

Common Codes

The Box 12 and 14 common codes (PYW2/BOX12-xx, PYW2/BOX14-xx) associate your value definitions with the required codes that are to be entered in Box 12 and 14. The common codes are set up as a range 01-99. The first one for each box would be PYW2/BOX12-01 and PYW2/BOX14-01. The last two digits may vary from 01 to 99 to create additional setups. Each common code may specify up to five Code and Value Definition pairs for the Box 12 and Box 14 items. Each site may set up as many as are needed.

If Box12 overflow is needed, common code PYFG/PY601C will also need to be modified (Associated Number Value 4 = 2.00000).

For example, value definitions 401A, 401B, 401C, 401D, 401E, 401F and 401G all apply to Box 12. These would require two common codes (each common code can specify five entries). The first common code would hold 401A, 401B, 401C, 401D, and 401E, and the second would hold 401F and 401G. These value definitions are entered into the associated descriptions. The corresponding alpha reference code for each (A-H, J-N, P or Q as defined by the Social Security Administration) is entered into the corresponding Associated Code field for each. The Associated Code for Box 14 can be up to a 4-character description.

The common codes and the overflow feature are implemented by using reserved words in the Form Field Definition tab of the PYW2UP page.

The value definitions for Box 12 and 14 (401K, 403B, etc.) must be unique and used only in the common code setup. They cannot be used elsewhere in the W-2 setup.

When set up for overflow, box 12 or 14 items are not restricted to designated fields on the tax form; if a code item is not used, the remaining items are moved up on the form. In some cases, this will eliminate the need for a second W-2 page.

Functionality

Using the following example, these codes for box 12 are defined in common code PYW2/BOX12-nn: 

• D to 401K-PLAN
• E to 403B-PLAN
• G to 457B-PLAN
• DD to HEALTH-COVERAGE
• F to 408K-PLAN
• T to FRINGE-BENEFITS

(Box 14 works the same as box 12, using common code PYW2/BOX14-nn instead.)

On the W-2 form, there are generally up to four slots for box 12 information (12a – 12d).

Vertical Alignment

In the case of a 2x2 W-2 form, box 12 and 14 items are stacked vertically. Using the common code, it is not necessary to define each box 12 in the W-2 definition file (PYW2UP). Instead, they can use keyword "BOX12" for the first line, which is then automatically repeated vertically up to four times for each box 12 value the employee has.  Similarly, when defining box 14 items, the user would use keyword "BOX14."

If an employee has more than four form items, BusinessPlus automatically prints a second W-2 page for that employee with the remaining box 12 (or box 14) items. 

Horizontal Alignment

On W-2 forms where box 12 items are aligned horizontally (e.g., 1x4 forms), other keywords are used to achieve the overflow functionality.

Keyword "BOX12-x" (where x is A, B, C, or D) tells the W-2 definition where to print each box 12 on the form:

The above entries refer to the following box 12 fields on the W-2 form: 

You can see on the Form Fields Definition that line 14 holds value definitions DEPENDENT-CARE and NOQUALIFY-457, followed by keyword BOX12-A in the character string. It is then repeated for the second occurrence on that same line 14.    
On line 16, we have BOX12-B, BOX12-C, and BOX12-D.  It then repeats for the second occurrence. 
You can repeat BOX12-A as many times as box 12a appears on the form. The same goes for BOX12-B, BOX12-C, etc. In the above example, the entire sequence is repeated for lines 54 and 56 since the W-2 form itself is repeated four times on one page. 
If an employee has more than four applicable box 12 items, another W-2 page is generated until all box 12 items are included.  
Since box 14 on these forms is vertical, it only needs to be defined for one line that represents the top of box 14.  The other entries will automatically repeat vertically until we include all box 14 items (as defined by common code PYW2/BOX14-nn) that are applicable for that employee. It will print a second W-2 if all applicable box 14 items cannot fit on one form.