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T4 Setup

  1.  Review the Employer Constants Database. There are two screens you will need to review for each payroll account number (formerly referred to as, employer (RP) number). On the first screen ensure that the correct employer and other contact information are up to date. On screen two, ensure the transmitter number is filled in as well other contact information. If you have never filed your T4s electronically before then you will need to contact CRA and receive a transmitter number (six-digit number that starts with MM. Ex. MM999999).
    You may have more than one payroll account number. In our software, each payroll account number (Ex. RP0001, RP0002) is represented by a separate group of statutory deduction codes. The group 6 deduction codes most commonly represents the one and only payroll account number for a particular payroll ID (Ex. Teacher payroll). However, if you have more than one payroll account number on the same payroll, then you will also have a group 7 and even a group 8 if you have three payroll account numbers on the same payroll. Group 6 will not necessarily be the same RP number across all the payrolls. Therefore, you will need to review the employer constants database for all applicable tax Groups.

    The T4 Merge process uses the employer constants database to determine how it will merge T4 information from other payroll IDs. That is, T4s that refer to the same employer (RP) number will be merged together when you run the Merge Creation process.

  2. Review the T4 Tax Forms Format Profile for each of your tax groups (I.e. 6, 7, 8) on each payroll. The Report icon can be used to print a copy of each T4 profile for each tax group from each payroll. If you are going to use the T4 Merge process, then ensure this profile contains all of the print positions you will require on the payroll you intend to print merged T4s from (Ex. OTHER 77 might be defined on your support payroll; but if you are planning to print merged T4s from your teacher payroll, then ensure the print position for other 77 is also defined on the T4 profile for the teacher payroll).
    Check the profile against an actual T4 (Figure 5.) to ensure that the correct pay codes and deduction codes are being reported in each box. For example, on the T4 Profile, the system wants to print 'E01' (eligible earnings) on line 04 column 56, which pertains to Box 14 on the T4 Form. The 'E' in 'E01' stands for eligible (you might also see D, deduction amount; S, employer share amounts; P, pay code amounts; B, taxable benefit amounts).
    Refer to the Payroll Manual for the estimated T4 and T4A print layout for the pre-printed laser form, the form overlay (using DDS), and self sealer laser form.
    Figure 5. (T4 Forms Format Profile & Actual T4 Form)

    The T4 Tax Eligible Reconciliation used in the T4 balancing stage will help you balance your payrolls, ensuring that no earnings or deductions are missed or double reported by validating the Eligible Income Tax earnings. We recommend that you change the T4 profile to use the code "E" for Box 14, Eligible Earnings for all payrolls (example E01). "E" indicates eligible earnings as defined by your deduction code I/E list.
    NOTE:Brand new atrievePayroll Clients processing T4s for the first time will be doing so using converted data from your old software provider. Therefore the "E" functionality that normally pulls the Employee's eligible earnings from the Income Tax Deduction Code, is not active.
    Therefore, you MUST specify the specific Pay Codes that comprise Eligible Earnings for reporting on Box 14.
    Subsequent tax year, please change BOX 14 to read 'E##'

  3. How do you intend on distributing your T4s (print, email, post to the web)? Ensure that Field 03, T4 STATEMENT, is setup correctly for each employee (Figure 6). Field 03 on the Pay screen of the Employee Record Master tells the system how you intend to notify the employee of their statement. Choose the setting that is appropriate for you based on the following logic: M, if you will notify by printed copy or posting to the web with NO notification email; E, to email the statement as an attachment within the email; W, to send an email notifying the employee that their statement is ready for viewing on the web. Release 2016-1 new the Mail Only option M N will include the statement in the print file, and the employee will not have the PDF version created. If you would like to change this field for all of your employees in one transaction, you can use the Employee Email Statement Field Changes process. Individual employees can be changed in employee record changes.
    Figure 6. (Employee Master, Pay Screen)
    T4 TIP: Run Employee Email Statement Field Changes process twice, applying different settings. Run the process the first time selecting 'F'ull Employees and omitting no one, setting T4 statement field on all employees to 'M' so all employees are included in the print file. Run the process a second time, selecting 'A'ctive employees and omitting those that do not have an email address, setting T4 statement field to either E, or W, or M E, or M W. Running the employee email statement field changes process in this manner accomplishes the following: employees who terminated, went on leave or on leave with benefits during the year, or have no email address, are put in the print file only; and new and active employees are ensured of the correct setting.