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Exemption Certificate Software
General Overview:
Because of the alliance partnership between TaxAutomation and Saltech solutions, exemption certificate management is easier than ever to maintain.
SALT*IQ Forms Express ä is a tax certificate management software system, with an emphasis on sales and use tax. It was created by sales tax and technical professionals experienced in other sales tax software products. It is the most proactive tool with the most available features on the market. SALT*IQ Formsä Express takes the guesswork and the unknown out of certificate management. It also greatly reduces the number of hours and dollars spent looking for and requesting from customers missing certificates.
Features of SALT*IQ Forms Express™ The prevsious sentence is a link to the information listed below. Features of SALT*IQ Forms Express™
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•FEATURES OF SALT*IQ FORMS EXPRESS™
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•BUSINESS
PROCESS FLOW (GENERAL OVERVIEW)
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•Customer
Document Association
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•ARCHITECTURE
AND PLATFORMS DATABASE
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•GENERAL
INFORMATION
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•SOFTWARE
INSTALLATION AND SETUP
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•DATA
IMPORT
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•SECURITY
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•MEDIA
MANAGER
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•WRITE
LETTERS 8 REPORTS
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•MAINTENANCE
MODULES
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•WEB
REPORTS
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•HELP
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Business Process Flow (General Overview)
Customer Document Association
Process:
1. Import Organization and customer data (required for certificate association).
2. View/Edit data within the maintenance modules.
3. Associate scanned customer certificates to stored data using the Media
Manager. Optionally save documents in error to suspense. 4. Retrieve certificates
very easily and quickly through the Media Manager or Reports.
An optional, but proactive process after customer document association
is generating letters for customers to inform of expiration of certificates,
invalid certificates on file or missing certificates that are deemed exempt
and should have a certificate on file. Write Letters then prepares a letter
that can be emailed or printed and sent to the customer with an optionally
attached certificate. The reports can then be used to track which customers
have received requests for certificates.
Architecture and Platforms
| Feature | Description |
| Multi-platform compatibility (software and database) | AIX, Windows, Linux, Solaris |
| Development Language | Java (JDK 1.3) Supports the Java 2 Enterprise Edition |
| Architecture | Client/server model (except for the web enabled WebReports) - thin client. Allows for flexibility, scalability, and distribution of processing. |
| Web software compatibility | IBM Websphere, Apache |
| XML | Supports XML |
| Communication Protocol (LAN/WAN) | TCP/IP |
Database
| Feature | Description |
| Database software compatibility (core) | SQL Server, DB2, OracleRequires JDBC Compliance |
| Type | Relational: about 50 tables |
General Information
| Feature | Description |
| Field Shading | Database required fields are shaded green. |
| Grid flexibility | Grid columns may be sorted by clicking on the column heading as well as moved around to fit the users preferences. |
| Smart buttons on every screen | These buttons provide a method for the user to easily access functionality - such as add, deleting, editing and searching for information. |
| Right click functionality | User may also right click to perform common tasks. |
| Ease of use | Provide an easy "point and click" front-end - offering Quick Access buttons as well as menu options to get to features. |
Software Installation and set up
| Feature | Description |
| Set up multiple database profiles | A database profile can be set up for an Oracle and SQL Server database, for example, then easily connected to the profile. This |
| will be useful for a variety of reasons including accessing customer data on two different host systems. | |
| Easy initial database connection | User connects to a resource file (set up by Saltech Solutions and client DBA) then enters User Name and Password. |
| Quick Connection to software and database | Once an initial database connection is established the user can utilize the Quick Connection button to simply enter a user name and password |
| Install Anywhere setup | SALT*IQ Forms Express™ is very easily installed on a client workstation by running an InstallAnywhere install program. |
| File Server Files | Various components are stored on a client file server (customer images, state PDF forms, saved forms and documents, and tax reference documents. |
| Flexible install | Supports deploying applications in multiple stages (for migration from development to staging to production environments). |
Data Import
Data can be imported through a mapping process, into the SALT*IQ Forms Express™ relational database.
| Feature | Description |
| Data Import Methods | Direct database connection and ASCII (flat) file import. |
| Allows Creation of profiles | 1. A profile is named, a SALT*IQ Forms Express™ database table is selected, a flat file is selected (for example), primary and foreign key information is established.2. A detailed, but user-friendly mapping process to assign incoming fields to database fields. Foreign key definitions are connected. 3. User tests the connection then imports.4. Profile is saved for next use (just need to point to a new file). |
| Error checking and reporting | Import errors and the actual record(s) that failed can be viewed before an import takes place. |
| View incoming file | User can view the records that will be imported. |
| Divide Values | User can divide a data value that is being imported to meet the requirements of the SALT*IQ Forms Express™ database. For example, host database might have first and last name in one field, but with this feature, the values may be separated. |
| Merge Values | User can merge data values being imported to meet the requirements of the SALT*IQ Forms Express™ database. This feature is particularly useful for creating a concatenated key for import record uniqueness. |
| Change data values | User can change the value of incoming data, for example, change a Y to a Yes to meet the requirements of the SALT*IQ Forms Express™ database. |
| Export | Data may be exported to a flat file or XML. |
Security
| Feature | Description |
| Support of a single sign-in | User just needs to sign in once to get access to software and database |
| Four levels of security | 1. Administrator - There are typically 2 administrators in the system, in case one is not in the office the other can perform necessary administrator functions. The administrator has access to any of the screens and functions within the software, including creating new users and deleting records.2. General User - The general user can access most of the screens, but cannot delete data or certificates.3. Viewer - The viewer can only view the data and certificates. The view does not have the authority to make changes to any data. A viewer might be a credit manager or some one in accounts receivable.4. Auditor - The auditor user has even less access. The auditor is restricted to viewing certificates only for a specific filing entity within a specific state. Any additional information the auditor tries to access will be grayed-out. |
| Password Encryption | Passwords are encrypted to prevent illegal access. |
Media
Manager
Media Manager is the tool used to associate scanned customer certificates
to stored database data so they can be viewed again in the case of an
audit or internal review. While associating the scanned document to the
fields within the SALT*IQ Forms Express™ database is required to retrieve
the document, there are only a 7 required fields to perform this association.
We gage that it will take a seasoned user approximately 15 seconds per
document to associate.
| Feature | Description |
| Multiple criteria fields to 'drill-down' to the desired certificate | Enter anything from a name to a form id to get to the desired document. |
| Three easy to use categories | 1. Scanned (associate scanned images to customer data.)2. Suspense (view images saved to this category).3. Customer (Images that have been associated to a customer record(s). |
| Customize your result set | User is able to set up within SALT*IQ Forms Express™ how they would like to see the data result set (all of their customer certificates for example). |
| Easy to fill out data tabs | Use when associating customer certificates. |
| View images within an Adobe Acrobat Viewer | Zoom in and out, as well as scroll up and down. |
| Ease of association | User may associate one document to a customer or multiple documents to a customer. |
| Defined process flow | The process of document association and retrieval follows a streamlined process flow. |
Write Letters
This feature is a very proactive tool for a sales and use tax professional and can significantly save time and money. In most tax departments of large corporations, it is rare for the tax professionals to be able to easily identify missing certificates. This tool enables the user to identify missing certificates for customers that are deemed exempt and request those certificates in 5 easy steps. One missing certificate can cost a client millions of dollars during a sales and use tax audit.
| Feature | Description |
| Very user-friendly 'wizard' | A wizard guides the user through the whole process from selecting data to sending the letter(s). |
| Two categories for letters | 1. Expiration Notification: Utilized to inform a customer that an expired document is on file.2. Standard Letter: Utilized to inform a customer that they are classified as exempt but a document does not exist. |
| Multiple letters can be sent at one time. | A user has the flexibility to select multiple customers, specify email addresses, notate states in which they have nexus, and link blank forms all in one easy to use screen. |
| Easy editing of final letter. | User may edit the letter, if desired, within the HTML editor. |
| Multiple distribution options. | Email, print, fax. |
Reports
There are over 25 reports in SALT*IQ Forms Express™.
| Feature | Description |
| Parameter Prompts | All reports contain comprehensive parameter prompts. |
| Multiple categories | 1.
Listing Reports (company, customer, product, forms, etc.). 2. Certificate Reports - sorted in a variety of ways. 3. Write Letters - tracks letters that have been sent and statuses. |
| Direct connection to Adobe Acrobat | Many of the report links open actual certificates and forms in Adobe Acrobat, which may then be emailed, saved or printed. |
| Export capability | Export report data to a flat file. |
Maintenance
Modules
The Maintenance modules provide a vehicle for the user to view data
that has been imported as well as add and edit information.
| Feature | Description |
| Categories | 1.
Organization - storage of company, filing entity and filing entity
location data. 2. Customer - storage of customer and customer detail data. 3. Product - Product information by company. 4. Taxability References - Storage of data that includes state policies, procedures, rulings, etc., which can support an exemption. Linkage to the actual document (in MS Word) is included. |
| Association of contact information | Each level of data can optionally contain two contact records. For example, a customer detail location can have two contact records and the main customer record can have the same two or a different two. |
| Capture of data to the lowest level. | Data is stored at the very lowest level, which provides maximum accuracy when ultimately associating customer certificates. For example, Customer data is stored by customer, then by customer location, then by customer detail within the location. |
Web
Reports
Add-on feature that includes the ability to view all of the reports
via a company intranet. This feature is especially useful in a decentralized
organization where employees need access to certificates and forms
| Feature | Description |
| Security | Single sign-on to WebReports. Password is Encrypted. |
| Direct Hyperlink to customer certificates and blank forms. | User just needs Adobe Acrobat Reader (free). |
| Ability to export data. | User may export report data to an XML format. |
Help
| Feature | Description |
| Three methods of Help | 1.
Screen Specific 2. Online 3. Adobe PDF Manual (General and Technical Guide). |