Table of Contents

VA Web Upload for Return Filing

Greg Hatfield Updated by Greg Hatfield

Electronic Filing and Payment Requirement

Every Virginia withholding tax filer is required to file all withholding tax returns and payments electronically.  Employers can meet these electronic filing and paying requirements without purchasing tax filing software. Virginia offer several online services at no cost:

  • eForms is a free online service that allows you to file and pay tax returns by Debit Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). No separate sign up is required. Entering your tax return and banking information is as easy as or even easier than completing a paper return. eForms also allows you to save your information and reuse it with each filing.
  • Business iFile is a free online service that allows you to file returns and make payments by Debit EFT. Once enrolled in Business iFile, you enter (key) your tax information, bank information and schedule the date of the payment.
  • Web Upload is a free online service that allows you to file returns and W-2 wage statements and make payments by Debit EFT. Web Upload is “file driven” with the ability to save all return and payment information into a single file layout to submit to the Department. The system supports Excel, fixed-width (column based) and delimited files. Once you sign-up for Web Upload, you create your file layout and submit your return, payment and bank information. CFS supports Web Upload.
  • ACH Credit is used to make electronic payments directly into the state’s bank account. You must contact your financial institution and make arrangements to credit the state’s bank account with funds from your bank account. Your financial institution will advise you of ACH origination services offered and any associated costs.

CFS Payroll System supports Virginia's Web Upload method of electronic filing. See below for details.

The VA Web Upload screen is accessed from the VA Online Services Web Upload Files entry in the Module Library list.

This module only prepares comma-delimited files for VA Web Upload filing on the VA Tax Web Upload website. The user is responsible for learning how to use the VA Web Upload system to file returns. Use the information below as a guide.

The Virginia Department of Taxation provides a secure file upload process for taxpayers to send return information to the Department using the Virginia Tax Web Upload. These files are validated immediately and any errors are displayed.

You can upload your clients returns by registering as a preparer or your own returns by registering as a business taxpayer.

STEP 1

First create and save the selected form data files as if you were submitting them on paper using the appropriate form module. If you want to include an electronic payment with the file, then click the button in the form module to enter "Payment Info for Web Upload Files". Enter the bank routing and account numbers. Be sure to verify that the routing and account number is correct and there are sufficient funds to make the payment. Virginia can only accept payment from a checking account. Check the box to tell the program to use this account to include an electronic payment with each of this employer's Web Upload files. If the box is not checked then no payment will be included.

STEP 2

Create a Web Upload formatted file. On this screen, select the filing quarter and the form in the dropdown lists. Employers with saved form data files will be marked ''Ready'' and automatically checked to be included in the file. Uncheck the box next to the employers you do NOT want to include in the file.

The "Pay in File" column indicates if an electronic payment will be, or has been, included in the Web Upload file. See the Step 1 explanation of how to include an electronic payment. If payment is not included, then the taxpayer must make payment electronically online separate from the file upload. If payment is included, then it will always be for the total amount due.

The status column lists the status of the selected form for each employer for the selected period. The meaning of each status is listed below.

Ready

One form data file has been saved for this employer for the selected period and it may be included in the Web Upload file.

None

No form data file has been saved for the period.

Duplicate

More than one form has been saved for this employer for the selected period and the program cannot choose which to include. To include a file for this employer you must delete the extra files. Only one file may be saved.

MM/DD/YY - File Name

The selected form for the period was included in a Web Upload file with the specified file name on that date. The form data file may NOT be included in another Web Upload file unless the status is reset. See STEP 5.

Only those marked "Ready" can be included in a file. Check the box next to the employers you want to include in the file. Normally all ''Ready'' files will be checked automatically. The user can check the box "Only check "Ready" if payment will be included in file" to automatically uncheck the "Ready" returns where payment information is not available. This box is checked by default for Form VA-15. Form VA-15 is a payment voucher used to submit payments so, in general, it should only be submitted electronically when making the electronic payment with the form.

Click the "Create File" button, navigate to a directory where you will save your VA Web Upload files, enter the file name and click OPEN to save the file. We recommend you use the default directory created by the program to save all your VA Web Upload files. When the file is successfully created, the file name will be copied to the computer clipboard. This allows you to use CTRL+V to paste the file name into the browse window when selecting the file to upload. To use this shortcut, the file must be created right before uploading it.

STEP 3

The "Store Login Info" button allows you to save your website login Email and Password information. After saving the login information, click the ''Login to Web Upload'' button to load the VA Tax Web Upload website into your internet browser. Do not click the screen or type any characters. After a 5 second delay the program will automatically attempt to type your login information into the login screen. If the program does not successfully enter the login information there could be several reasons. 1) There could a delay when loading the website. Try increasing the number of seconds delay field on the "Store Login Info" screen. 2) The cursor may not be starting in the correct field when the website is loaded. Be sure not to click anything or type anything after clicking the "Login to Web Upload" button. If the automatic login still fails, then type the login information manually.

STEP 4

Once logged in, if you have not previously created File Layouts, click the ''File Layouts'' link on the website. Read the VA Web Upload User Guide for detailed instructions on creating file layouts (see the User Guide link on the VA Web Upload login website). CFS uses the default comma-delimited file layouts with no field changes.

To create a file layout, click the File Layouts link on the VA website. Click "Create New File Layout".

Select the desired form type from the dropdown list (VA-15, VA-16, VA-5, etc). The VA VEC unemployment insurance quarterly report has three choices. Select "FC20&FC21 SUI Quarterly Tax and Wage Report". Do not select the VEC form with "MMREF" or "ICSEA" in the title.

Select "Delimited" from the File Format list.

Select "Comma" from the Delimiter list.

No changes are necessary.

Click the "Create" button near the bottom of the website screen.

STEP 5

To upload files, click the ''Upload Files'' link on the website. Click the ''Upload a New File'' link. Select the File Layout from the dropdown list on the website. Click the Browse button and locate the Web Upload file. If you created the file immediately before logging in, then you can press CTRL+V to copy the filename into the browse window. Click Open. Click the ''Upload'' button at the bottom to validate the file. Any errors must be fixed and the file must be created again and uploaded before you can continue.

If the file must be corrected, first correct any errors in the form module data files. Then, on the VA Web Upload Files screen in Payroll System, click the employers for which you want to reset the status to "Ready". Click the "Reset Status" button. Then the file can be created again as in Step 2.

STEP 6

After a valid file has been uploaded, follow the instructions in the VA Web Upload User Guide to submit the file or schedule a submission. The user should read all the literature provided by Virginia so they can properly use Virginia's Web Upload system to file returns.

Remember, if an electronic payment was not included in the file, then the taxpayer must make separate arrangements for electronic payment. If a payment is included, then the user must be sure that there are sufficient funds in the account to make the payment.

How did we do?

Utah Form TC-941PC, Payment Coupon for Utah Withholding Tax

Virginia Forms VA-5, VA-6, VA-15, VA-16

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