Using the Prior Year Data Transfer in the Information Return System

How to transfer data from the prior year to the current year in the Information Return System (IRS).

Before you start:

1. If the company does not show up on the company Selection screen or is listed twice, use ALT B to rebuild the list.
   • Never delete one of the multiple companies on the Company Selection screen, as the additional is a ghost and deleting one deletes them both.
2. This utility can only be used between consecutive year programs.
   • For example, the prior year data utility in the 2019 IRS program only transfers from the 2018 IRS program.
3. The Prior Year Transfer utility transfers 1099 recipient and employee information, such as SSN's, Federal ID's, names, addresses, phone numbers, etc.
   • Amounts are not transferred.

The Information Return System (IRS) provides a utility to conveniently transfer prior year return data to the current year program.

1. Open the IRS program.
2. At the System Navigator, select Prior Year Utilities.
3. In the Current Data Path field, enter the location of the prior year returns (i.e. C:\IRS2019\DATA).
4. Highlight the company (or companies) to transfer.
5. Select Transfer Data in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
6. In the Destination field, input the location to store the current year data (i.e. C:\IRS2020\DATA).
7. Click OK to initiate the transfer.
   • You may print a list of the companies transferred.
8. To begin processing returns, select Goto, Company Selection and select a company.
   • The Current Data Path AFTER the transfer should display the current year.