News and program updates

October 31, 2007

Update - Electronic Services - 2008 Program

When completing your renewal form, please ensure that you complete the "Title" area in part D. This field is mandatory.

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Represent a client – Service update

About Represent a client

Represent a client is a service that provides authorized representatives with secure and controlled online access to their clients' tax information. Since February 2006, individuals have been able to authorize their representatives to deal with the CRA on their behalf through this online service.

Business owners are now able to authorize their employees or third-party representatives (such as a tax services or payroll business) to deal with the CRA on their behalf through this service. Representatives of businesses will be able to access business tax information by logging in to Represent a client.

How does it work?

Representatives log in with their epass to access Represent a client. If needed, they may get an epass after authenticating (verifying their identity) with the service. On their first log in, representatives register themselves to obtain a RepID. The RepID is used by the representatives’ clients to authorize online access.

Business owners can register their tax services or payroll business to be a representative. The equivalent of the RepID for a tax services or payroll business is its Business Number (BN). Once a tax services or payroll business is registered, its employees can give their RepID or the BN to clients for authorization. Representatives only have access to the client's tax information online after the client authorizes them.

Representatives who have previously registered for this service do not have to re-register for a RepID to access their business clients tax information online.

Key enhancements for October 2007

Business owners are now able to authorize their representatives to access their business clients’ tax information.

Authorized representatives will access their business clients’ tax information by logging in to Represent a client and entering the BN of the client. Representatives will be able to obtain information for as many of their clients as they want during a session by simply entering each client’s BN.

Another enhancement for October 2007 will allow representatives to view the transactions they have performed online for their individual clients.

Where can I learn more about Represent a client?

More information is available at Represent a client.

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October 23, 2007

Electronic Services - 2008 Program

To maintain your access to our electronic services for the coming year you have to renew your participation online. This will allow you to use the following electronic services:

• EFILE On-Line
• EFILE On-Line Plus
• System for Electronic Notification of Debt (SEND)
• Corporation Internet Filing

To renew your participation, make an online request, click on "Renewal" link on the side menu and follow the instructions provided. To log on, you will need your current EFILE number and password.

You only need one EFILE number to file all your clients' income tax returns. Only tax preparation businesses that operate more than one location are required to have multiple EFILE numbers. If you are in that situation, remember to complete a separate renewal request for each EFILE number.

If you have lost your EFILE number or password, DO NOT try to file a new application by using the "New Registration" link. Instead, contact your EFILE Help Desk for assistance.

Seconds after you submit your electronic renewal request and it is validated, you will receive a confirmation page with your new password. Until we complete the required suitability screening, you will be restricted to account maintenance activities and, on a temporary basis, the filing of corporate returns. We will send you an email or letter to let you know the result of our screening.

As an electronic filer, you have to comply with Canada Revenue Agency procedures. We explain these procedures on our Web pages. You should become familiar with the topics listed on the side menu, before you use EFILE or SEND.

If you have any questions about this letter or our electronic filing services and can't find the answer on our Web pages, call your EFILE Help Desk. You can find their phone numbers at Support .

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October 22, 2007

Email Messages

With the full migration of our EFILE applications to the Internet, it presented a unique opportunity for the Tax Filer Services Section, Individual Returns and Payments Processing Directorate, to communicate important messages directly to the tax professional community.

The email capabilities provide us with the opportunity to inform electronic filers of system changes, maintenance schedules, filing deadlines, suitability screening status, etc. and other noteworthy issues from other organizations within the agency.

It is imperative that all efilers access the Account Maintenance feature of our on-line registration system should there be a change in their email address. It is the email address that is provided during the registration process that is used to direct messages to you.

On a regular basis, our EFILE Help Desks are contacted by electronic filers and advised that they are not receiving emails from the Canada Revenue Agency. In many cases the addresses differ and corrective action is taken. However, we have noticed with increasing frequency that the address quoted by the efiler is the same one we have on record. In these situations it is not a question of an incorrect email address but rather, the recipients' computer is recognizing incoming emails from efile-ted@ccra-adrc.gc.ca as spam and is dumping those emails into a junk folder. In other situations, firewalls may be configured in such a manner to prevent the receipt of these messages.

Electronic filers wishing to receive our messages should access their own software programs to ensure that their spam filters, junk mailboxes, firewalls, etc. are not configured such that they prevent you from viewing the tax messages.

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Changes to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Web site

Important changes will be made to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Web site on September 11, 2007, as the CRA implements Common Look and Feel (CLF) 2.0.

The CLF standards are issued to keep up with modern Internet practices. They are established by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat to promote a uniform and predictable appearance of government sites and their content. Version 2.0 must be implemented by December 31, 2008.

The CRA will implement CLF 2.0 in two phases:

• In the first phase from September 11 to 30, new visual requirements will be applied t