View Returns
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View Returns is a feature that allows you to select a single or multiple returns for viewing preference. To access this feature, select File > View from the Home window or press CTRL+V while in a return's data entry screen. The "View Mode" dialog opens to either the Basic View mode or Enhanced View mode, whichever was used last. All of the forms in the tax return are displayed in the View Mode window.
To view forms, follow these steps:
- Select File > View; the "Return Selector" dialog opens.
- Select return(s) to view and click View. The "View/Print Client Return" dialog opens.
- Click on any tab.
- The selected tab’s tree view is presented in the left-hand panel. The default settings for each tab sets the focus to the first form in the list. This is the form in the viewing panel.
- Navigate the tree view and select forms for viewing by:
- Using UP ARROW ↑ and DOWN ARROW ↓ (moves up and down through the forms).
- Using LEFT ARROW ← and RIGHT ARROW → (expands and collapses the categories).
- Clicking on a form’s description.
- Continue to view forms as needed. As you view forms, click the corresponding check box to mark it for printing. Press CTRL+Q to print the current form in view. This s a quick way to print a single form when you have selected several forms to print, but are not ready to print the full return.
To view and print sets, follow these steps:
- Within the "View/Print Tax Return" dialog click the Sets tab.
- Select the branch and sub-items needed. Click on the branch's upper level item to select all sub-items under it. You can have a mixed selection of sub-items, some selected and some unselected within the tree view.
- Click Print. The "Print Sets" dialog opens with the selected set(s) showing a check mark in Print This Set. If needed, you can change the printer for the set(s). When the selected printer is Drake PDF Printer, you can assign a password.
- Click Print to print the set(s) selected.
- Data Entry – This button returns to data entry for the current return.
- Print – opens the "Print" dialog. The print action assumes Print Selected Form(s).
- Print Selected Form(s) – This option prints all the selected forms (check marked) on the selected tab.
- Print Selected Form(s) to PDF – This option opens the "Print" dialog with Drake PDF Printer selected. If you keep the Drake PDF Printer as your PDF printer, you are able to Password Protect the PDF file. To do this, simply select the check box to enable this feature. The tax software defaults to the last five digits of the taxpayer's SSN/EIN as the password. This can be changed, but it is important to note that the password should be something that both the preparer and the taxpayer can easily remember.
- Email Selected Forms – This action uses an external email software, or the internal Drake Email to send client emails from within the Enhanced View/Print mode. For Individual return types, the email process uses the information entered on screen 1. You can manually type in any email address needed.
- Quick Print – This feature prints the form currently in the view, no other selected forms print using this feature.
- Sign – Print and digitally sign selected forms.
- Setup – This item displays options for View/Print configurations.
- Mask SSNs in View – Masks SSNs in Enhanced View mode.
- Form Properties – This option displays and allows changes to the currently selected form. Form more information review Editing Form Properties.
- Form Colors – This option opens the "View Mode Color Selection" dialog, that allows color changes for the form border, background, and text.
- Form Order – This option opens the "Sort Form Order" dialog, which allows drag and drop placement of forms by return type. For more information, review Sort Form Order.
- Allow Drag/Drop Form Ordering – Select this option to enable drag and drop actions to set a new form order.
- Drake Documents – Select this option to open and update the Drake Documents Integration Options.
- Pricing – This option opens the "Pricing Setup" dialog, which allows customized pricing per form or per item. For more information, see Pricing Setup.
- Printing – This option opens the "Printer Setup" dialog, which provides a way set up printers for use with the tax application. For more information, see Printer Setup.
- Sets – This option opens the "Copies Per Set dialog," which provides a way to establish how many copies of each form print in each different set. For more information, see Printer Sets Setup.
- Archive – This button provides access to archive and restore features. For more information, see Archive Manager.
- Drake Documents – Select this option to open Drake Documents.
- Archive Client Return – Select this option to archive the client return.
- Archive Manager – Select this option to access the archived data for the client.
- Email – This action uses an external email software, or the internal Drake Email to send client emails from within the Enhanced View/Print mode. For Individual return types, the email process uses the information entered on screen–1. You can manually type in any email address needed. Use the semi-colon to separate email addresses on the To, Cc, and Bcc fields. Click Email to initiate the default email software, or the available drop list to override the default settings for this one time only.
- Email Client – this setting overrides the default email software selection and send this email using an external (Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, etc.) software.
- Email Client (using Drake Email) – this setting overrides the default email software selection and send this email using the internal Drake Email software.
- Email to Drake Support – this selection initiates the Drake Email software regardless of default email software, and allow use of the Drake Email Address Books.
- Email Setup – choose this selection to open the "Email Setup" dialog to change the View/Print Email configuration settings.
- Select Email Method – Choose from the internal or external email software available. Please note if you select Use My Email Software, you need to ensure that you have completed the setup needed for the program outside of Drake Software.
- Email Description – gives a brief summary of the selected email method.
- To... – allows entry of the email address(es) for the main recipient(s).
- Cc... – allows entry for a carbon copy email addressee.
- Bcc... – allows entry for a blind carbon copy email addressee.
- Subject – The shipped default is [current year] Tax Return Information, but this can be changed.
Note:
Changing the Subject text changes it for all future email sent from within View/Print Email.
- The body of the email is shipped with default text. This can be changed.
Note:
Changing the Body text changes it for all future email sent from within View/Print Email.
- Refresh – Select this option to refresh the client’s information and update the view.
- Basic View – Select this option to return your viewing preference back to the separate Print Mode and View Mode settings.
- K1 Export – This item is only visible for business returns where the K1 List is in the Setup Options settings.
- 8615 Export – This item is only visible when the taxpayer's return has eligible child dependents.
- Attach PDF – When the return requires an attachment in order to be electronically filed, this option is displayed on the toolbar menu options. Click this button to attach the needed documentation.
- Help – Opens Drake Software Help.
- Exit – Exits the "View/Print Tax Return" dialog.
The tabs represent categories of information within the tax application.
Tabs provided are:
- All Forms – presents a tree view of all forms and documents created for the return.
- Sets – presents the forms created for the return in the order configured in Printer Sets Setup.
- EF – presents the forms needed for e-filing and any MESSAGES and NOTES pages.
- Banking – presents the forms created for and needed by the banking institution(s).
- Federal – presents all the forms needed for the federal filing of the return.
- Worksheets – presents all worksheets created for the return.
- Miscellaneous – presents all the miscellaneous (bill, statements, summary, etc.) created for the return.
- States – each state pertinent to the return has a tab and within each of the state tabs presents the forms needed for the state filing of the return
When a form is selected from the tree view, it is displayed in the viewing panel.
