|
A. Equipment and Software. Transmitters
and state revenue departments can use the same asynchronous modems and
software that they use to communicate with IRS computers. AKSYS can connect at any standard transmission speed between
2,400 bits per second (bps) and 53,000 bps. The
equipment and software should be set as follows:
Transmission speed:
2,400 to 53,000 bps Unless
you specify another protocol, AKSYS will assume that you will use ZMODEM
file transfer protocol. You
can change the protocol you use by giving AKSYS two hours notice, and you
can change speed at any time without prior notification. You should use the fastest speed, not greater than 53,000
bps, that your system can support. AKSYS's
modems are set to negotiate the best error control, data compression, and
speed (up to 53,000 bps) and automatically will fallback and fall forward
to compensate for varying circuit conditions.
That means that if your modem connects with one of ours at 53,000
bps and during the exchange of data the telephone line conditions
deteriorate to a level that will not support that speed, our modem on that
system will go to a lower speed. If
the conditions improve, our modem's speed will increase. If
your modem can connect at 28,800 bps with V.42bis data compression, throughput (the effective rate of data
transfer) can be very high -- theoretically, up to 115,200 bits per
second. At that rate, a file
of 1,000 acknowledgements could be transferred in about a third of a
second. In actual
transmissions, the rate will be substantially slower; however, even
without compression, at 28,800 bps a file of 1,000 acknowledgements will
transfer in about eleven seconds over a good telephone line. At speeds
higher than 28,800 bps, file transfer will be even faster. If
the connection with AKSYS is made at a slower speed, the transfer rate
will be lower and the time required to transfer files will be
correspondingly longer. B. Problems That You Might Encounter. During
your first calls to an AKSYS computer, you could experience one or both of
the following problems. 1.
If AKSYS disconnects almost immediately (1 to 10 seconds) after you
have connected with it, the probable cause is that the access code that
AKSYS received is not recognizable. Usually, that can be corrected by
changing parity. It is
important that you know how to make such changes to your communications
software settings in case you have to call AKSYS for technical assistance. Your
tax software or communications software should provide you with a means of
changing certain communications settings.
Although the exact procedures for making changes differ among the
different software products, most software will produce a screen that
shows the current settings, and it will ask what settings you want to
change and what you want to change them to.
If you have called AKSYS for technical assistance, make the changes
that were recommended by the technician. 2.
If AKSYS disconnects, without sending a file to you or receiving a
file from you, approximately 30 seconds after your computer has made a
connection, the most likely cause is that AKSYS did not receive an access
code, or AKSYS received from you a code that it did not recognize. If you call AKSYS technical assistance, the technician most likely
will ask you to call your software company to find out how their software
can send the access code for you automatically.
If you know how to send the code manually (from the keyboard),
AKSYS will accept that. Make
sure that the code that you send manually or that the computer transmits
automatically is correct and that the case reflects the response you want
from AKSYS: The code must be all in UPPER CASE or
all in lower case if you want to receive your current file, and in
mixed case -- the first
character in upper case and rest of the code in lower case -- for an
online reposting. C.
Recommendations and
Observations. During
past filing seasons, after they had made their initial tests, AKSYS
received very few requests for assistance from software developers or
large transmitters. Nearly
all requests for assistance came from smaller direct filers who might not
have understood their modem and communications software. You
should understand your modem and communications software manuals, or find
someone who can explain them to you.
Understanding how your modem and communications software work can
eliminate most of the problems you can encounter in communicating with
AKSYS. The following are some of the more common problems reported after a
transmitter had connected with AKSYS and had sent his access code
successfully. 1.
The records print on the screen too fast to be read.
Some transmitters do not know how to set up a capture file in which
to store the acknowledgement records downloaded from AKSYS.
Before you attempt to retrieve files from AKSYS, you should have
established a procedure for storing the acknowledgements to a file on your
computer's hard disk. Trying
to read the records as they flash across a monitor screen, or printing the
data to a printer, no matter how fast it is, could prove to be
unsatisfactory. Capture the
acknowledgements to a file. Study
them later. 2. The access
code must be in the correct case. AKSYS
will send your current file only when it receives the access code in UPPER
CASE or lower case (ABCDEF or abcdef), and it will receive a file of
social security numbers, ETINs, EFINs, or Return Sequence Numbers from you for a reposting only when the first
letter of the access code is in upper case and the remainder of the code
is in lower case (Abcdef) 3. Some
electronic filing software packages include procedures for connecting with
AKSYS and for transferring files. You
should make sure that your software will let you use all of the features
that AKSYS offers to transmitters. Some
software only will let you receive current files.
Your software might not let you request online repostings. Ask your software company if their product will let you use
all of AKSYS's features.
4.
AKSYS is automatic. It
communicates very well with other computers.
It is less adept at communicating with humans. You will find your
sessions with AKSYS much more productive and shorter if you can automate
the procedure on your end. Design
batch files (or have someone do it for you) to automate the process of
calling AKSYS, connecting, sending the access code, downloading an
acknowledgement file or sending a file to AKSYS (for an
online reposting), and disconnecting. 5. If you get an
error or alarm condition from your computer the instant that file transfer
should begin, make sure that you do not already have in your computer a
file with that name. AKSYS
names files after the transmitters' access codes.
If your access code is ABCDEF, your current file of
acknowledgements for state personal income tax returns always will be
named ABCDEF.01. If you already
have file ABCDEF.01 in your computer's download directory, depending on the type of computer and
software you are using, and the file transfer protocol, you might not be
able to download another file of that name. Rename, relocate, or delete
the file in your computer. D. General Instructions. Since
different brands of communications software and modems have their own
unique features, the following instructions are general. You should adapt them to your specific situation. 1. Use the
telephone number provided under "Systems Status" at the AKSYS
Internet site, http://www.gacaksys.com.
Call an AKSYS computer manually or use the automatic dialing
features of your communications software.
All AKSYS online computers will respond to the same system number.
Your call will be answered immediately by the next available computer. Enough computers are kept on line to insure that callers will
not get a busy signal. 2. When your
computer indicates that a connection has been made, not earlier than five
seconds -- and not later than fifteen seconds -- following connection send
the access code. 3.
As soon as you have sent the access code, you should prepare to
receive or send a file. You
will not receive a sign-on message or prompts from AKSYS.
Once you have sent the access code and AKSYS has validated it,
AKSYS will send an acknowledgement file to you within fifteen seconds, or
it will prepare to receive a file of social security numbers from you. 4.
After it has sent a current file to you (or received a file from
you), AKSYS will disconnect. 5. If you did not
receive a file, although you were supposed to receive one, a probable
cause is that your hardware and software were not set up quickly enough to
receive a file. Automating
the procedure on your end can eliminate that problem. 6. If you are unable to
receive a file from AKSYS, call AKSYS technical assistance.
A technician will monitor your call into the system.
He will help you to correct problems, or he will advise you of whom
to call for assistance. AKSYS
never can make corrections to your tax software, and only rarely to the way in
which your computer is set up. Only
your software company should do that. In the past, some transmitters have followed our
advice for a day or two then continued with the same procedures that had
caused problems earlier. You
should make sure that you correct the problem in your system.
If that requires changing a software setting, you should call your
software company for help. 7. AKSYS
works best when it communicates automatically with other computers.
Some communications software will create an automatic procedure for
you. Check your software manual to see if your software has that
feature. |