Has everyone been informed that to electronically file your W2 information with SSA will cost extra? I did not know that until today. The company we are forced to use is Aatrix. The file created is full of errors that must first be corrected by the user.

I don't understand what you mean. Is the SSA charging you or is Aatrix? When we print our W-2s in Blackbaud it automatically creates a magnetic media file to send. Then, per Blackbaud's instructions, I downloaded a program from the internet called AccuWage that tests the data and then asks you if you want to connect to Business Services Online website to send the data. This is the SSA website and we've been doing it this way for the past five years with no problems and no charges. The only thing you have to do is register with Business Services Online and get a pin # and also download the new AccuWage program each year which is also free. On the upside I have not once had any errors with the magnetic media file after we set it up correctly the first year. Tonya Miller Christ Church Episcopal School

Aatrix is the one charging. This is for payroll 7. Are you still on payroll 6?

Yes we are and we will only go to Version 7 kicking and screaming when we absolutely have to. Especially if we have to pay for this. Are you having a lot of problems with 7? How long have you been on it? We process about 260 w-2's and I can't imagine trying to fix a magnetic media file with a lot of errors.

We are also still using version 6.42 payroll with Financial Edge. The electronic W-2 file produced from version 6.42 Payroll passes the AccuWage testing. As a backup, and to keep W-2 information readily available from past years, we use a product called 1099etc, which is relatively inexpensive (about $250/yr). This enables us to keep each year separate, print W-2's and 1099's on blank paper in a variety of formats, save W-2's and 1099's in PDF, accepts data import from all the popular sources (CSV, IRS e-file format, xls, etc), produces a wide variety of reports and produces an e-file for both 1099 and W-2. I guess this is similar to paying for e-filing, but I like the control we have using the 1099etc product. We use Queries to export the data from FE and Payroll to 1099etc.

We have been on version 7 for about 7 months now and it has been a nightmare. Stay on version 6 as long as you can. Printing the W2s was never a problem with version 6. I quess someone at Blackbaud decided we wanted to do more work when processing W2s and that we would not mind paying extra for the privilege. The move to version 7 has been only slightly less painful than a root canal.

I agree with you, it's a nightmare. It cost almost $200 to do something that previously we were able to do for free using a magnetic media file. I've also had to call Aatrix twice for technical support. They are rude and impatient. The tech person asked me what I was looking at and I said something about the reports screen, and he said he didn't know what I was talking about, he had never seen FE. I needed to make an amendment to a W2, and he said I would need to refile and pay again. They would delete the first file since they had not filed it yet, and I would have to ask for a refund of the first payment. After asking someone else, I found out all I really needed to do was file a form that I could order online and file for free. I really hope Blackbaud gets rid of Aatrix, it's not at all user friendly. Stay on payroll 6.

My experience with Aatrix has been horrible.  We first started using FE for payroll in 2007, so I can't compare my experience to Payroll 6.  But I'm wishing I had never done e-filing.  I should have printed and mailed everything in-house.

After I submitted our W-2s to Aatrix, I discovered that our 403(b) contributions weren't showing up on the W-2 forms (because of an initial configuration error--my fault).  The process to submit the corrections to Aatrix was poorly documented and non-intuitive.  (You can't open the data in your tax report history and then edit it, even though the software will let you.  Do that and you'll get an error much later in the process.  Instead, you have to start from scratch.)  Then, the W-2 forms they posted on their website for our employees to download had only the correction.  (Imagine a W-2 with only one number on it in Box 12!)  I had to buy extra software to produce valid W-2 forms for our employees.

Last week, they sent me e-mail telling me that I have to resubmit all my data now because of an "employee count mismatch."  Grrr---I thought I was done with this mess for the year!  But I went ahead and called them to confirm the directions.  Then I was told that I had to start with my initially filed data, then make all the corrections (again!) manually and submit the data.  That was fine until I got to the point where it displays the W-2 forms; it popped up an error message and tossed away all my work.  It's been 23 hours since I sent them my data (at their developer's request) and I haven't heard anything.  (Let's not even think about the fact that they asked me to e-mail them all that private employee data.)

Then there's the long hold times for support, the hit-or-miss quality of that support, the incorrect charges to my credit card (later corrected), and the incorrect estimates of e-filing charges presented in FE. 

When I started this whole e-filing/online W-2 fiasco, I saw that Aatrix had this nifty option to generate opt-in letters for staff, so they could agree to get their W-2 forms online.  I was amazed, though, that I had to manually enter my name and address (as the company contact) on each form.  I have over 280 employees in my databases.  Imagine typing your name and address again and again over 280 times.  Don't you think this would be a good thing to automate?  Apparently Aatrix didn't.  And I guess Blackbaud didn't either, as they let it ship to us.  I imagine some would say that I shouldn't blame Blackbaud for Aatrix's faults.  But I didn't pick Aatrix.  Blackbaud made that choice for me and didn't give me any say in the decision.  I don't know what other options Blackbaud had, but this experience has led me to question its ability to choose good partners.

Has anyone tried to create the EFW2 file by exporting from Payroll 7?  I would prefer not to pay Aatrix if I can do it myself but I am having a difficult time fiquring out the SSA specifications.  Has anyone on Payroll 7 used the E-file direct software from AMS(1099-etc.com)? 

Bryan,

Can you provide the URL for the EFW2 file specification?  I'd be interested in seeing if there's a way to file directly with SSA. 

After eleven years in this job, away from programming, my scripting skills are a bit rusty, but it might be good to exercise that part of my brain again.

Paul

Here are the links.  The 91 page document is a little confusing to me but I don't have any programming experience and I am just not familiar with some of the language used.  Let me know if you have any luck.  Thanks.

http://www.ssa.gov/employer/how.htm

http://www.ssa.gov/employer/08EFW2.pdf