Copyright: Copyright © Which?-IDP 1999
Citation: ©Which?-IDP 1999


Enter data
Entering data in TaxCalc

Creating/opening a tax document

Entering data into a tax document

Saving your tax document

Entering dates and figures

Status lines

Flyover text

Button bar

Help

Creating/opening a tax document

Create a new file by clicking on the 'New' toolbar icon or by selecting File|New from the menu. Open an existing file by clicking on the 'Open' toolbar icon or selecting File|Open from the menu.

Entering data into a tax document

Enter data by moving the cursor into the appropriate field and clicking on it. You can then use the tab key (or your mouse) to move to the next field. Use the forward and back buttons or the Navigator to move between screens of the tax document.

Saving your tax document

Give your .tax file an appropriate name (for example, phil99.tax) and save it at regular intervals by using the 'Save' toolbar icon or selecting File|Save from the menu.

Entering dates and figures

Dates should be entered in the format 'dd/mm/yy' where d=day, m=month and y=year, so that the 15 August 1995 would become 15/08/95. You do not have to enter the separating slashes ('/'), TaxCalc will do this for you.

Do not enter pound signs ('£'), TaxCalc will do this for you. When filling in details of your income, round down each total to the nearest £. Round up amounts for tax credits and tax deductions.

Status lines

The status line lies across the bottom of the application window. It is used to show messages relating to what you are doing on the screen. When you click on a field or move there using the tab key the status line shows you a brief message about what information is required for that field.

Flyover text

When you move the mouse pointer over any data input box, menu, icon or other TaxCalc control, brief instructions will appear in a 'flyover' text box. These will help you to enter the correct data in the correct format.

Button bar

The button bar lies underneath the main menu and contains the TaxCalc icons. Each icon allows you to perform commonly used actions (for example File|Open, File|Save) with one click of the mouse.

As you drag your mouse over the icons on the button bar you will see a message appear on the status line telling you what the functions of the buttons are. See the TaxCalc User Guide for a full explanation of the icons.

Help

If at any point you are not sure what data to enter, check with the Help files. Pressing F1 or using the menu on your right-hand mouse button will take you straight to the relevant place in the Help files. If you want to keep any of the tax information you can print out this Help.


Explore the Help files

Context-sensitive Help

Other Help files

Other help

Searching the Help files

If you are unfamiliar with how to use Windows Help, select Help|How to use Help from the menu in the context-sensitive Help screen, this gives very detailed information on how to use Help.

Context-sensitive Help

A significant part of the value of TaxCalc is its comprehensive context-sensitive Help.

This can be accessed by clicking the right-hand mouse button or pressing F1 when you are using TaxCalc. In all cases you will receive a relevant Help screen which should cover any queries you have about what to enter on each screen. From these screens you can also access relevant Tax Guide Help. Tax Guide is a new Help section which gives a detailed overview of tax rules in many different situations.

Help can also be accessed from the main TaxCalc Help menu. This will take you to Help or Tax Guide contents, allowing you to explore the file.

Other Help available

As well as the extensive context-sensitive Help, TaxCalc contains:

Leaflets, a brief description of many Inland Revenue leaflets so you can decide which is the right one for you, plus the full text of several of those most commonly requested.

Help Sheets,  a brief description of many Inland Revenue Help Sheets, plus the full text of several of those most commonly requested.

Notes, the text of the Inland Revenue's notes on self-employment, capital gains and non-residence.

Checklist, a list of all the records you may need to complete your tax return.

Glossary, brief descriptions of commonly-used tax terms. Available from the button bar on the main Help screen.

These features are accessible from the main TaxCalc Help menu. You can also access them from the button bar on the context-sensitive Help screen.

Other help

Flyover text

When you move the mouse pointer over any data input box, menu, icon or other TaxCalc control, brief instructions will appear in a 'flyover' text box. These will help you to enter the correct data in the correct format.

Status bar text

When you move the mouse pointer over any data input box, menu, icon or other TaxCalc control, a concise description of the item and instructions about it appear in the status bar along the bottom of the screen. Always ensure that you are reading the correct help for the item you are using or completing.

Searching the Help files

To search the Help files for any particular topic please use the 'Find text' button (not the 'Search' button) in the button bar on the main Help screen. This allows you a full text search.

Context-sensitive Help also has a browser function which displays the structure of the Help file in a 'tree' format. You can use this to see how the Help topics relate to each other and to go directly to topics.


Forms - viewing and printing

Once you have saved all your data and TaxCalc has optimised your tax position to your satisfaction you can view and print out your facsimile tax return form. You can select the basic eight-page return by clicking the 'View' menu and selecting Tax return forms. The 8-page return appears first. You can then select supplementary pages by clicking on the drop down box..

You can test the form printing and print yourself a draft copy for checking or for your records by using draft mode, by clicking the icon on the tool bar.

Important Note
Although TaxCalc offers you this draft printing facility, a draft copy will not be acceptable to the Inland Revenue as a tax return form.

You must send them either a colour or black and white copy of the facsimile form, which has been approved.

If you have a colour printer, you can print the forms out in colour, though a black and white facsimile is equally acceptable to the Revenue.

If you wish to print your return form on coloured paper (so as to be able to readily distinguish originals from photocopies, for instance), it will be acceptable for a cream or other pale pastel coloured paper to be used. It is important, though, that all printed matter (background text and data entries) is clear and easy to read on coloured paper. The form must be suitable for producing clear photocopies. Dark or bright colours of paper must be avoided. The Inland Revenue are happy to advise on the acceptability of any coloured paper which you might be considering, if a specimen printed page can be supplied prior to usage.

You should print your return form on A4-sized paper.

The sheets of must be assembled in the correct sequence and be wire-stapled together. Loose sheets will not be acceptable to the Revenue. Stapling should be in the top left-hand corner or in the left-hand margin. Care should be taken to ensure that all text on each page is visible after printing.

Note
As the Revenue insists on a close facsimile of the tax return form, TaxCalc has to create a very large bitmap file and sometimes printing can take longer than we would like. You should select a portrait A4 page with the smallest margins your system will allow.

Crown copyright forms are reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office.


Quickstart
Getting to know TaxCalc

Read the User Guide, it gives you information about everything from registering and installing your program to support and troubleshooting. There's also an overview of the self assessment system and frequently asked questions about tax.

Experiment with the controls to get a feel for how TaxCalc works, how to enter data and how to navigate between fields and screens. Don't use the file in which you experiement as your tax file - you may leave residual data there that might cause problems.

Explore the Help files. As well as telling you what to enter in each screen, they provide a wealth of tax information.

Using TaxCalc

When you run the program you will either need to create a new tax file or open an existing file.

Create a new file by clicking on the 'New' toolbar icon or selecting New from the File menu. You will see that the screen has two windows: the Navigator and the Personal Tax Document.

To open an existing file, click on the 'Open' toolbar icon or select Open from the File menu.

The Personal Tax Document window

TaxCalc is based on this personal tax document. It occupies most of the screen. This is where you enter your details.

At the top right-hand side of this window are back and forward arrows. We strongly recommend that you use these arrows (rather than the Navigator) until you are familiar with the program. Using the arrows will ensure that you don't miss anything out (very important as this could result in an incomplete return).

The Navigator

The Navigator window on the left of your screen shows the titles of each section of the tax document. It works in a similar way to the Windows File Manager/Windows Explorer functions. Clicking on any heading takes you to that part of the document. A double-click expands the Navigator to show sub-headings in that section. This gives you a quick route to any part of the document and also provides a handy overview.

The Navigator can be switched off to obtain a larger display of the personal tax document.


How to use TaxCalc for Windows

The correct sequence for getting the best from TaxCalc is as follows.

Step 1

If you haven't used TaxCalc before you should take a few minutes to familiarise yourself with the program and read the User Guide - available as a printed booklet or a .pdf file on the TaxCalc CD.

Step 2

Explore the Help files and print out any relevant topics.

Step 3

Read and print out the check list and collect together all the data you will need to complete your tax return.

Step 4

Enter data in the boxes relevant to you.

Step 5

Save your data, giving it an appropriate name, for example, phil99.tax.

Step 6

View and print your personal tax summary.

Step 7

View and print out the facsimile tax return form and supplementary Pages

Step 8

Check your tax return form and supplementary pages, taking care to review any new or additional data before sending them off to the Revenue.

Step 9

Make a backup copy of your final return and store it in a safe place.

Much of the information asked for by TaxCalc may not be applicable to you, but those parts which do apply need to be completed accurately and honestly. You should try to understand the areas which do apply - reading the relevant Help files (available by clicking the right-hand mouse button, pressing F1, clicking on the Help button or using the Help item on the menu bar) will help.

Married couples

TXF import

What TaxCalc can't do

© Which? Ltd & IDP Ltd 1999


Married couples

Although the tax system generally taxes husband and wife as separate individuals, there are still ways in which married couples may be able to save tax, for example, by transferring between them allowances or various income-producing assets. To find out if you can save tax in this way, you should complete a TaxCalc document for each of you. When you have finished and saved them, open both documents at the same time and then run TaxSaver.

The command Window|Tile in the menu bar allows you to see and work on two documents at the same time:

The transfer of allowances applies even in the year of separation, divorce or one spouse's death so, if possible, you should complete two documents in these situations.


TXF import

TXF (Tax Exchange Format) files are used to transfer some information between money manager programs (for example, Microsoft Money and Intuit Quicken) and tax software programs.

If you wish to import a TXF file into TaxCalc, follow these steps.

1.	Create a new .TAX file.

2.	Choose File|Import TXF from the TaxCalc main menu.

3.	Select the TXF file you wish to import.

4.	Save the .TAX file.

Please note that the .TXF file does not contain all the information needed to calculate your tax nor to complete a tax return. You must make sure that the imported data is complete and correct before running a calculation or printing a tax return form.

WARNING
When you import data from a TXF file into TaxCalc, as well as checking that entries appear in the correct places, please ensure that what is entered is consistent with the data that TaxCalc requests (for example, that gross figures appear where TaxCalc requires them).


Tax summary

When you have saved your tax document TaxCalc will generate your own personal tax summary, partly based on the Inland Revenue's tax calculation working sheets. You can view your summary by clicking on the 'View' menu and selecting Tax summary.

The first two pages are a summary of your tax. From here you can click on highlighted text to see how the figures were worked out. The last page is a savings and investments breakdown.

Clicking on your right-hand mouse button or pressing F1 whilst viewing the summaries will take you to the Help pages which explain the more complicated parts of the calculation.

You can print out the tax summary for your own records. Do not send it to the Revenue.


What TaxCalc can't do

TaxCalc has been amended and updated to deal with most people's self assessment. However, there are some situations which it cannot deal with.

Ministers of religion.

Lloyd's underwriters.

Members of Parliament.

Partnerships which need to complete the 'full' unabridged version covering all possible types of partnership income.

Foreign gains. TaxCalc will not compute the capital gain on foreign assets or give the tax credit relief thereon, but you can use the input screen to enter details of your own calculation of the gain.