Process Refunds for Payment or Write-Off

Last Updated November 19, 2014

The following roles and user entitlements should be set in the Tax Collection System for users needing to process refunds in TaxLedge.

Refund Screen Roles

GLTAXLEDGE_FOUNDATION - Allows access to the TaxLedge database tables. Restrictions are made by removing entitlements to users.

Refund Screen Entitlements

ACTGL_REFUND – Allows access to the Refund screen.

GLCOMBINE_REFUNDS - Enables the Combine Payments checkbox.

GLREQUEST_REFUNDS - Activates the Process and Cancel Request buttons.

GLWRITEOFF_REFUNDS - Shows the Write Off All checkbox and activates the Write Off option.

Click here to see what parts of the screen these entitlements cover.

Once the refund load has been reconciled with the TC536, it is ready to process in the Refunds screen. If the entire load is to be processed, no change in Date Range is necessary.  Only one user at a time can work on the same refund file (created from the same TC536).

If refund monies have been processed in the Tax Collection System's Transfer Escrow Outstanding for 3 Years option, you can now write-off those refunds by clicking the Write Off column next to the desired account(s). These refunds will not appear in the Check Writer screen, but will be available for posting back. When these refunds are posted back to the Tax Collection System, the write-off will be complete.  

Any individual refunds that need to be split into two or more recipients must be processed through the Manual Payment Requests screen, and then posted back manually in the Tax Collection system.

If you need to withhold payments, add manual refunds, or change account information for specific refunds, you must do this before beginning the steps below:

  1. If you are processing refunds to be paid out, make sure the Remit column is selected for each refund account.

If you are writing off one or more of the refunds, click the Write Off column next to those account numbers.

  1. The right column of each refund line has a drop-down box in which you can select whether the refund will be paid by check, wire, or ACH.  Only the types permitted by your tax office will be listed there.

To change the payment type for all refunds at once, select the desired type from the Set All Payment Types drop-down list, then click Set All.

  1. If a refund should be mailed to a fiduciary agent, two radio buttons appear. If the Payee Address radio button is selected, the payer's name and address are displayed. If the Mailing Address option is selected, the fiduciary's name and address will appear. If a fiduciary agent exists, checks can be mailed to the fiduciary address but be made payable to the certified owner.
  2. The Payee Address may be changed by double-clicking on the line containing the refund. A popup window appears where you can make your changes. If you clicked the Mailing Address button in the step above, this address cannot be changed.
  3. At the bottom of the refund screen there are three blank lines for References, Comments, and Reasons. References and/or comments will be printed on the checks, although references are not printed on Permits checks. Reasons do not show on the checks, and so may be used to add a note for tax office use.
  • Enter the desired reference, reason, and/or comment.  If you want separate information for each check, highlight the appropriate account number first, before entering the comment, etc.  Any information you enter in the Reference Line is also entered into the Notes in the ACT 7 Tax Collection System after posting back the refunds.  The CONSOLIDATE_POSTBACK_NOTE client preference in the Tax Collection System must be set to N for this to occur.
  • Click the Check the Box to Apply to All button to have the reference and/or comment appear on every check stub.

Note: If the Apply-All box is not checked then it will show only for the highlighted account.

  • A reference line will appear next to each account number on the check stub. The comment will also appear on the check stub. If the comments are the same for multiple permits, only one check will print for each comment. (Normally, in the Permits system, only one check is printed for the entire batch).
  1. There are three options for combining refunds into a single check.
  • If you want each refund to print on its own check, leave the Do Not Combine Payments option set.
  • If you have many refunds (or permits funds) going to the same owner and address (and comment) and you do not want the check stub to print on multiple pages, click the Combine Payment Override Max. Allowed box.
  • If you want all checks going to a particular owner and address to be combined into as few checks as possible, click the Combine Payments box below the total amount.  On the checks the amount for each year will be displayed on a separate check, although the check amount will be the total of the years selected for payment.
  1. If the Year field is not populated and you wish it to be, double-click the desired refund line (in the center of the screen).  A popup window will appear.  Enter the year, then click Update Account.   If you want the same year to be entered for all the refunds, click Yes to the confirmation question "Do you want to apply this year to all refunds."
  2. If the PRINT_WIRE or PRINT_ACH client preferences are set to N or if the Payment Type is changed from Check to ACH, the Print Date, Bank, and Bank Account fields appear on the Refund screen. The Bank and bank Account fields default to the information associated with the Payment Type. The Print date defaults to the current date. These can be changed if needed. If the preferences are set to Y, banks can be changed on the Check Writer screen.
  3. In the Refunds (Payment Remittance) screen, click Process.
  4. If you have clicked the Deleted button, this message will appear: "Any deleted records will be unavailable for future use.  Are you sure you want to continue?"  Click Yes after verifying the refunds you wish to delete, if any.
  5. If you have clicked the Hold or Write Off buttons, you will get a "Do you want to continue?" message. Click Yes to process the requested refunds. Note the status line at the bottom of the screen as processing takes place.

WARNING!  Once you request checks, you cannot return to this screen and modify individual selections.  Be sure you have already withheld checks or changed addresses as necessary.  You can, however, cancel the entire refund load and re-query it, then re-process that load if you wish.

Notes: You can print a report of the requested refunds by selecting Refund Register from the Reports menu.

If you withhold a refund, it will not reappear in the Refund module upon a re-query.  You must process it through the Manual Refund tab when you are ready to submit it.

  1. Click OK on the "Check Request Submitted" message.
  2. If the processed records are correct, the user can exit the Refund (Payment Remittance) screen. The processed records will now be available in the Checks Writer module, where the payments can be completed.

Note: Clicking the Request Checks button does not produce a check payment for a refund. This step occurs in the Check Writer module. A refund is considered PAID only when the Check Writer module process is complete.  However, once processed, the check number will appear in the History screens in the Refunds module.