BEFORE YOU START
- Engagement past organizer phase (organizer 100% complete)
- Source documents (W-2s, 1099s, K-1s, 1098s, prior-year return) uploaded to the binder
- AI Brain has at least one provider connected (Gemini recommended for vision/OCR)
- Tax software target chosen (Drake / Lacerte / UltraTax / ProConnect / CCH Axcess / ProSeries)
STEP BY STEP
- Open the tax engagement → engagement detail tabs
- Verify Docs tab — all source documents present in the binder, categorized
- If at "Missing Info Q&A" stage: open the per-form Q&A modal — 1040 has 10 questions; business returns have entity-specific question sets — answer them all
- Once Q&A is 100%, click Generate Import File — exports .TAX (Drake), .ut2 (UltraTax), or pushes via OAuth (ProConnect/CCH); fallback Copy CSV available
- Optional: click Prepare with AI — streams a line-by-line return draft using 14 auto-rules (W-2, 1099 types, crypto, §199A QBI, schedules) plus IRS Tax Code DB
- Import the generated file into your tax software; review and adjust there
- Back in ProDeskCPA: engagement moves to Manager Review; manager adds review notes
- Click 🤖 AI Binder Review for partner-level review pass (completeness, arithmetic, AMT exposure, state requirements)
- Resolve all manager notes → send 8879 → after 8879 signed, click Submit E-File
- Ack arrives within 24-48 hours: ACCEPTED → engagement to "Filed" → Create Invoice
TIPS / GOOD TO KNOW
- AI never auto-files — you always review and approve
- Click on a task starts a timer automatically — your time tracks against the engagement for billing
- Sync IRS Tax Code DB at start of each tax season to update current-year limits
- For state returns: ProDeskCPA tracks state ack status but you transmit through your tax software
TROUBLESHOOTING
- AI output looks unreliable: re-run on a different provider via the Brain fan-out; rate ✗ to feed quality signal
- Import file format mismatch: regenerate after fixing source data; don't manually edit the import file
- E-file rejected: see the rejection reason; common ones are PIN mismatch, duplicate SSN, prior-year AGI mismatch — see the rejection handling article
RELATED ARTICLES
- Add a new client (tax engagement starts here)
- Connect AI providers
- Send an engagement letter for signature (8879 collection)