Tax software can achieve 100% data import reliability
by implementing these 3 import technologies

1. Industry-Standard JSON File Import

Supplement TXF (Tax Exchange Format) file import with JSON file import in desktop tax software and add JSON file import to online tax software.

Popular desktop tax software applications support TXF file import even though the TXF standard has not been updated since 2013.

The Financial Data Exchange (FDX) standard setting organization has defined standards for JSON representation of over 50 tax documents. The FDX JSON standard is up-to-date and includes support for newer forms such as 1099-DA, 1098-VLI, and 5498-TA.

JSON documents are simple to produce and simple to consume. Download sample JSON documents.

If you need assistance processing JSON documents, contact us.

2. PDF with Embedded JSON File Import

Inspect uploaded PDF files for embedded JSON in "Document Properties".

Example Intelligent Tax Document

Download

Example Java code

import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDDocument;
import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDDocumentInformation;

import java.io.File;

public class PdfFdxJsonReader {

    private String fdxJson;
    private String fdxVersion;
    private String fdxSoftwareId;

    public String getFdxJson( ) {
        return fdxJson;
    }

    public String getFdxVersion( ) {
        return fdxVersion;
    }

    public String getFdxSoftwareId( ) {
        return fdxSoftwareId;
    }

    public void read( String pdfInFilePath ) {

        try (
            PDDocument document = PDDocument.load( new File( pdfInFilePath ) );
        ) {

            PDDocumentInformation info = document.getDocumentInformation( );
            if ( info == null ) {
                return;
            }

            this.fdxJson = info.getCustomMetadataValue( "fdxJson" );
            this.fdxVersion = info.getCustomMetadataValue( "fdxVersion" );
            this.fdxSoftwareId = info.getCustomMetadataValue( "fdxSoftwareId" );

        } catch ( Exception e ) {

            System.out.println( e.getMessage( ) );

        }

    }

}

 

 

3. Industry-Standard Rest API Import

Join the Tax Data Exchange Network and retrieve tax data via API from network members.

Simple JSON Payload

Returns FDX TaxStatement object as application/json. Download sample payloads.

Document Credentials

The FDX standard provides for authentication using document credentials in lieu of user credentials. Document credentials are shown on the tax document to be imported and consist of two pieces of data that, between the two pieces, identify the document and are difficult to guess.

Simple REST Interface Using HTTP GET Request

curl --request GET \
  --location "https://host-domain-here/fdx/v6/tax-forms/6199514461372416" \
  --header "Accept: application/json" \
  --header "X-ApiKey: api-key-here" \
  --basic --user 6199514461372416:36059831

See also /docs/fdx/v6.6.0/paths/getTaxForm_get.html for more technical information.