On this page

• Tax software
• Auto-fill my return for the CVITP
  
• EFILE procedures
• Getting help with UFile and EFILE

Tax software

Setting up the tax software

The UFile tax preparation software is usually available in late January. When you get an activation key from your organization, install the software on your computer. An activation key is a string of letters and/or numbers used to register and activate your UFile CVITP software.

Step 1

Download the software at UFile CVITP.

Step 2

Register the tax software by entering the activation key received from your organization.

Step 3

Set your tax software to automatically check for updates. From the UFile Start page, click "Get Latest Update".

Step 4

Set up Efile on the tax software. From the UFile Start page, click the gear icon on the top banner and select "EFILE-NetFile setup."

Learn how to use the tax software

To learn how to complete a return using UFile, go to the UFile Start page and then start the UFile tutorial.

Auto-fill my return for the CVITP

Auto-fill my return is a secure online Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) service that Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) volunteers can use to automatically fill in parts of a taxpayer's 2017, 2018 or 2019 income tax and benefit return. It uses the information that the CRA has available for the taxpayer at the time of filing.

When you registered with the CVITP, you were asked to provide your RepID if you wished to use the Auto-fill my return service. Even if the CRA has approved your participation with the CVITP this year, you cannot use Auto-fill my return until your organization confirms that you have given them a valid police records check that you have obtained less than 3 years ago. This is necessary because the Auto-fill my return service increases your access to taxpayer information.

Why you need to give the CVITP your RepID

We need your RepID so we can add it to a CVITP GroupID within the Represent a client service. A GroupID identifies a group of registered representatives. As a volunteer opting to use Auto-fill my return, you will be part of the “CVITP Group”. The CVITP GroupID will be listed as the authorized representative on the taxpayer's account and will allow you to access the taxpayer's information while keeping your personal information confidential.

Why you need to use the tax software for CVITP

The UFile CVITP software includes a customized Authorization request – signature page, which is submitted electronically to the CRA through the software. This page is required to authorize you as the taxpayer's representative under the CVITP GroupID, and allows you to use the Auto-fill my return service on the taxpayer's behalf.

You will be able to access the taxpayer's information and use the Auto-fill my return service until 11:59 pm (EST) on the day the Authorization request – signature page is submitted.

Auto-fill my return procedure

• Using the UFile CVITP software, submit the Authorization request – signature page
• Print this page and ask the taxpayer to sign it and keep it for their records along with the TIS60, Community Volunteer Income Tax Program Taxpayer Authorization form

EFILE procedures

• Fill out Section II of form TIS60, Taxpayer Authorization, before you transmit the return (do not fill out form T183, Information Return for Electronic Filing of an Individual’s Income Tax and Benefit Return)
• Transmit the return within 48 hours of preparing it
  • record the document control number in Part F of Form TIS60
• Log in to your EFILE account to verify that the return was successfully transmitted and accepted
• Format your USB drive no later than 48 hours after the CRA has accepted the return

If the EFILE transmission or retransmission is not successful, give a paper copy of the return to the taxpayer and ask them to mail it to the CRA.

Verifying that the return has been successfully transmitted and accepted

You must use EFILE to verify if the CRA has accepted the return, even if the tax program provides a report showing that the return has been successfully sent. Follow these steps to verify that the CRA has accepted the return:

Step 1

Log into your EFILE account.

Step 2

Select "Accepted transmission(s)."

Step 3

Verify that the transmission was accepted by entering the transmission date and clicking on "Submit".
A list of accepted transmissions is displayed, with the most recent at the top.

If you do not see the transmission in the list, follow these steps to find the error and retransmit the return:

1. Click on the "Select action" button to go back to the main menu of your EFILE account
2. Select "Rejected transmission(s) requiring correction(s)"
3. Enter the transmission date and click on "Submit"
4. Select the file name to see the acknowledgement file
5. Take note of any error clues or activity codes
   • if there are error clues, get an explanation in chapter 2 of Guide RC4018, Electronic Filers Manual
   • if there are no error clues, note the activity code and contact the dedicated help line for volunteers
6. Correct the errors on the return
7. Retransmit the corrected return
8. Verify that the retransmitted return was accepted

Formatting your USB drive to erase the data

Format your USB drive no later than 48 hours after the CRA accepts the return. When you format your USB drive, you will erase all of the data on it. To format your USB drive, carry out the following steps:

1. Connect the USB drive to your computer
2. Click on the start menu icon and select "Computer"
3. Right click on the USB drive and select "Format" from the pop-up menu
4. Select the "Quick Format" option and then "Start" to format the drive
5. Select "OK" to confirm that you will erase all data on the drive

Getting help with UFile and EFILE

Go to UFile CVITP to get answers to frequently asked questions and other helpful information for volunteers.

If you have an error message with no suggested fix, try the following:

• Go to the UFile Forums page and copy the error message into the search bar
• Go to the UFile virtual support agent page and ask for help

EFILE help

Go to chapter 2 of Guide RC4018, Electronic Filers Manual to get an explanation of EFILE errors.

Go to the EFILE Helpdesk support page for questions about the status of your EFILE registration or renewal, EFILE errors and/or authentication problems for EFILE numbers and passwords. Identify yourself as a volunteer EFILE transmitter and be prepared to give your EFILE number.