Plan: Available: All plans
Users: Not Available: All users Available: FYI Admins or User Group permissions
Practice Management Source: Available: All sources
The Xero - Tax Return Automation Process automatically files newly issued tax returns received electronically from Xero Tax. FYI checks Xero Tax overnight on a scheduled daily basis and retrieves newly issued returns since the process was last run.
Tax returns that have been automatically filed are displayed in the Client - Tax tab and in the Documents list, including the Client - Documents tab and the main Documents list. For information on what is automatically created in FYI from Xero Tax and where it displays, refer to Displaying the Auto-Filed Tax Returns.
The Xero Tax Return process is only triggered when the return is a refund or nil, or if it has a date payable populated. If it is a payable notice but does not have a payable date, the process will not be triggered.
Before you begin
Before using the Tax Return AutoFile process:
- The Xero Tax app must be enabled by an FYI Admin. To automatically file and process tax returns and assessments from Xero Tax using the tax automations, enable the app using the relevant setup article:
- The Xero Tax automation does not process tax returns retrospectively. The automation will only run for updates after either the Start From date selected in the automation or the date the automation was set to "Active", whichever is later.
Using the Tax Return AutoFile process
Enabling the Xero - Tax Return process
- From FYI, click the Automation menu option.
- Go to the Processes tab.
- For Xero - Tax Return, select the cog icon to edit the process.
- Review the settings and steps, and make any changes if needed.
- To make this process active, change the Status to "Active".
Once the process has been set to Active, returns are imported overnight.
Process controls
The following process controls are used in the Tax Return AutoFile process.
| Field | Details |
| Trigger | The Trigger for the Tax Return AutoFile process is "Scheduled Daily". |
| Filter | The Filter for this process is "All tax returns". |
| Owner |
Select the name of the Owner of the process. If the process fails, FYI sends the owner an email notification. Select "Me" to set yourself as the owner. |
| Start From |
Start From allows you to enter the date FYI starts retrieving documents from. If you enter a date in the past, FYI imports documents from that date. FYI will only import documents that have not already been imported. The automation will only run for updates after either the Start From date selected in the automation, or the date the automation was set to "Active", whichever is later. |
| Last Run | Last Run displays the date the process was last run. It includes a green tick or a red X icon to indicate whether the process ran successfully or with an error. Refer to Automation History. |
| Reset | If you need to reset the process, for example, if the step was deleted, click Reset. This restores the process to the default configuration. |
Process steps
The Tax Return AutoFile process imports from the application Xero Tax, with the action set to Import Tax Return. The following table shows how these are set by default.
Filing
The Filing section determines how the document is filed. These are set up with Merge Fields to include the from and to tax periods in the file name, and to file the document in the relevant Year category.
| Field | Details |
| Name | The Name includes the following merge fields for the tax return: {{ Tax_Type }} | {{ TaxPeriodFrom }} - {{ TaxPeriodTo }}. |
| AutoFile | AutoFile is disabled, so the document will be filed using the settings in this process step. |
| Cabinet | Cabinet is set to "Final Reports & Returns" by default. |
| Year |
Year includes the merge field, {{ TaxYear }} so the document will be filed in the relevant tax year for the Year category. |
| Filing | Filing defaults to "Filed", so the document will be filed automatically. |
Workflow
In the Workflow section, the Owner is set as the client's Manager, and the status is set as "Client Signed".
The workflow status options available in the Workflow drop-down depend on the Approval Level assigned to the user in their user profile. For example, a user with an Approval Level of None will not be able to view or select "Pending Client Signature". Refer to Workflow Basics and Managing Users.
Other sections of the drawer
You can change any options for the other sections of the drawer, for example, create a task or comments. You can also add steps if required. Refer to Automation Process Steps and the articles in the Process Step Details section.