Electronic File

1

Register to use IRS e-Services Tools (first year only).
The registration process takes about a week to complete. See Step 1 on the following Web page for more information: https://www.irs.gov/for-Tax-Pros/Software-Developers/Information-Returns/Affordable-Care-Act-Information-Return-AIR-Program

2

Apply for a Transmitter Control Code (TCC) with the IRS (first year only).
See Step 2 on the following Web page for more information: https://www.irs.gov/for-Tax-Pros/Software-Developers/Information-Returns/Affordable-Care-Act-Information-Return-AIR-Program

3

Import data for IRS communication test (first year only).
If, for example, 2018 is the tax year, add tax year 187T: Entity @@, Code ID TAXYR, Code Value 187T in PYACUPCD. Download ACA Test Scenario csv file found on PowerSource and use it as input to PYACUTIF. Use Tax Year 187T and entity ROOT.

4

Create test files for the IRS communication test (first year only).
This should only be needed the first time you use BusinessPlus to submit to the IRS. Any year after that, you should be able to go straight to production (Step 8).
Run PYACPFTS. The utility prompts for Test Scenario ID. This is a predefined test scenario created by the IRS. Contact PowerSchool for the correct test scenario for the tax year you are processing.
The two xml files are referenced in the 1094-C report. The first file ending with "Z.xml" contains the data being reported to the IRS that includes both 1094-C and 1095-C information. The second file ending with "Z_Man.xml" is a manifest file with identifying information about the file and your organization that is required by the IRS. The name of the data Z.xml file is dictated by the IRS. The BBXXX will be replaced with your TCC number as defined in the ACAR/1094C2 common code. The rest of the file name indicates the date and time the file was created. BusinessPlus adds the _Man.xml to the Manifest file to make clear which manifest file goes with which data file. Both files will be submitted to the IRS.
If you are using a file transfer utility such as FTP to move the files before uploading to the IRS, it is very important that you transfer the files binary. In addition, clients should ensure no punctuation or special characters such as "#" are used in their entity name in PYUPGN or override the name without punctuation or special characters in ACEM/xxxx common code. The IRS only allows letters, numbers, or spaces.

5

Submit communication test files to IRS; use IRS link to "AIR UI Channel Login - AATS (Testing)" (first year only).
To submit communication test files to the IRS, browse to the IRS test submission site.  Use the "AIR UI Login - AATS (Testing)" link. Select the "Upload ACA Forms" button. On the following page, browse to the two xml files that were created by the PYACPF process. Make sure the _Man.xml file is used as the Manifest file, and the .xml is used as the Upload Form file. Click Transmit.
If you get an error here, you will need to resolve the error before proceeding. The Receipt ID is very important. We encourage you to record the ID on the 1094-C page. The Receipt ID is your reference with the IRS for this file submission; you will need to supply it to verify the file has been 100% accepted.

6

Record the IRS receipt number on 1094-C page (PYACUPF4) (first year only).
Copy and paste the IRS Receipt ID into the appropriate place next to the file name that will was recorded already on the screen. Each time you run PYACPF, the file name will be recorded on this screen in the next available slot. If you run it more than 5 times, it will replace the earliest file name that does not have an associated IRS Receipt ID.
IMPORTANT - Be sure to record the IRS Receipt ID on this screen. If you ever need to go back and make corrections, you will need to have this information. The software to create the correction files needs the Receipt ID to be here as well.

7

Check status of the IRS Submission.
Call 1-866-937-4130 to get your TCC updated to production status (first year only).
Click the "Home" link of the IRS web page and select the "Check Transmission Status" button. Enter your TCC number and the IRS Receipt ID for the appropriate transmission. Keep checking back until it has been either accepted or rejected. If rejected, you will need to make the necessary changes and run PYACPF again to create a new test file. This is very unlikely to happen with the test scenario.
Once accepted, you will need to call the IRS at 1-866-937-4130 to have your TCC placed in Production status.

8

Review common codes.
ACAR/1094C and ACAR/1094C2.
Review ACEM, ACGV, and ACOT categories if needed.

9

Create initial 1094-C statistics ( PYACUTUS - Update 1094C Statistics).
The utility prompts for Tax Year and Entity. This process will populate the 1094-C information that can be viewed on the PYACUPF4 page (database table yr_1094_mstr).

10

Review and update the 1094-C information (PYACUPF4).
The 1094-C information is calculated based on the common codes and the information stored in the ACA tables for the given tax year and entity. Update the information as needed prior to reporting to the IRS. Use the override indicators to override a given month or to override the entire screen. If flagged as overridden, subsequent running of the Update 1094-C Statistics utility will leave any manual changes in place.

11

Create the production file for IRS (PYACPFPR).

12

Submit the files to the IRS.
Use IRS link to "AIR UI Channel Login – Production."
Use the process outlined in Steps 5 and 6, except use the "AIR UI Channel Login – Production" link, to submit the production files to the IRS.

13

Create replacements and corrections as needed.