CenterPoint^® Accounting for Agriculture - W-2 Forms for Basic Payroll Users - Prepare and Print or eFile

Related Help

This document describes how to print and eFile W-2 forms using CenterPoint Accounting for Agriculture and Federal/State Tax Forms (Aatrix). You can print and eFile forms in any combination. For example, many people choose to eFile the federal and state copies and then print the employee copies. An increasing number of people are using the complete eFile process in which Federal and State copies are eFiled and the employee copy is printed and mailed by Aatrix. The W-2 printing/efiling process includes multiple steps which are detailed below.

Exporting Data form From CenterPoint Accounting for Agriculture

Forms Update

W-2 Setup

Prepare W-2s

Print/eFile W-2s

Frequently Asked Questions

Exporting Data from CenterPoint Accounting for Agriculture - Basic Payroll

Begin processing W-2s by selecting Reports > Federal & State Payroll Forms & Reports > Basic Payroll Tax Forms .

Note: If you do not have an internet connection and/or your registration has expired, you will be prompted to register. Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to manually register Aatrix.

Forms Update

If you have internet access and the latest version of Federal/State Tax Forms (Aatrix) is not installed, the following Aatrix Update screen will display when you select the menu selection above.

If you want to immediately install the update, click Yes and follow the on screen instructions. A progress bar will display as the update continues.

If you do not want to immediately install the update and continue processing without the required update, click No.

The Federal Tax Forms screen will display.

Select the appropriate Company and Report Method. When you are starting the W-2 process you will select Normal in the Report Method. Draft would be used if you want to continue working on a copy that was previously started but not finished. History is only used if you'd like to review the information that was processed and already printed or eFiled.
In the Report box, select 2024 W-2/W-3 and 2024 in the Year.

Note: If the 2024 W-2/W-3 is not available in the Report box, then the 4th quarter update for Aatrix has not yet been installed. This can be installed by clicking on Help > Online Updates > Check for Fed/State Tax Forms Update.

Select the W-2 State to process W-2s for.
Click OK.
It may take several minutes for the payroll data to be transferred to the W-2 printing process. Actual time will depend on the number of employees in your database.
- The following Forms Update screen will display if you chose not to perform the Aatrix update when you first selected Reports > Federal & State Payroll Forms & Reports > Federal Tax Forms or State Tax Forms. If you want to continue processing your forms without performing the required update, click Continue Expired.
Expired forms will be marked as expired and cannot be filed. This screen will continue to display each time you choose not to perform the required update until you click Yes when first prompted to install the available update or you click Automatic Update or Download Update to perform the required update from this screen.

W-2 Setup

If changes have been made in CenterPoint that affect the information used on the selected form, a screen indicating that changes were detected in the company information will display.

Choose to either accept or reject these changes. To accept only certain changes, use the check box provided to indicate which changes to apply.

Note: Any changes that are accepted will overwrite the current data stored in the Company Setup Wizard in Aatrix. The Company Setup Wizard will display to allow you to review the new data updates.

Note: Changing company information in Aatrix does not change company information in CenterPoint. If a change is needed, it is suggested to change company information in CenterPoint.

If this is the first time W-2s are being processed this year, the W-2 Setup Wizard will automatically be displayed. The wizard will guide you through the process of verifying data and efiling or printing year end forms. To start the actual W-2/W-3 process, select the recommended No thanks, start processing my W-2/W-3s, then click Next. To test the process prior to processing the W-2/W-3s, select I want to test drive the W-2/W-3 Wizard with only the first 25 of my employees or all of my employees. (The test drive allows you to see how the process works but does not save your selections, changes, or forms.)

Note: If you started processing W-2s previously, printed, or eFiled at least one form and then exited the process, a history file would have been created. The following W-2 History File Options screen will be displayed instead of the W-2 Wizard. Choose the appropriate Available Action on the right and click Next.

If the Reprint Completed W-2s or Process Non-Filed W-2 Copies is selected, it will automatically bring you to the W-2/1099 Preparer detailed in the next section of this document.

The Taxpayer Identification Number for this company is displayed. If it's correct, click Next. If it's incorrect, click Cancel. You will need to go back into CenterPoint Accounting for Agriculture and select Setup > Companies > Additional Detail tab to correct the Federal Tax Id number and then start the export process again.

The Multiple Payroll Data Files option will be displayed. Select Yes if you have multiple payroll data files for the same company, see the Frequently Asked Questions section in this document for more information. Otherwise select No and click Next.

Note: Aatrix cannot accept multiple filings from the same EIN. If you have multiple payroll databases with the same EIN number, they must be merged prior to submission.

Review your Company Information. The system will notify you if any required fields have incorrect or missing information. Click Next.

Specify the correct Tax Preparer Type;. processing the W-2s for your company/employer or processing the W-2s as a paid third-party tax preparer. If you are a third-party tax preparer, you will then be prompted for your information. After making the selection, click Next.

If you are a third-party tax preparer, you will then be prompted for your information. Enter the information and then click Next.

The State Tax Items screen will display. The Setup Wizard will automatically verify that all required information for listed states are complete and conform to the required formats. Click Next.

Note: Most filing errors are due to incorrectly formatted withholding or unemployment account numbers. Verify each state and account number. See the steps listed below to edit or add account numbers.

Click Edit to add any applicable information to each state, for example tax account numbers for state withholding, state unemployment, workers' compensation, etc. States and account numbers exported from CenterPoint cannot be removed.

Click Add to add a state and applicable tax account numbers. States that are added from this screen can be removed if needed.

If there is blank or incorrect data on the State Tax Items screen, or the tax account number is improperly formatted the line will be highlighted and you will be automatically prompted to correct the data. Enter the correct Tax Account Number (Each state has different requirements, the screen that displays will guide you through the requirements for the state formatted in error.). Some states have more than one account number format, to see all account number formats available, click the "…" button in the Tax Account Number box. You will not be able to continue to the next screen until all required fields are correct.

The Special State or Local Tax Items screen will display. The Setup Wizard will automatically verify that all required information for listed local taxes are complete and conform to the required formats. Click Next.

Click Edit to add any applicable information to each local tax, for example tax account numbers local taxes, etc. States and account numbers exported from CenterPoint Accounting for Agriculture cannot be removed.

Click Add to add a local tax and applicable tax account numbers. States that are added from this screen can be removed if needed.

If there is blank or incorrect data on the Special State or Local Tax Items screen, or the tax account number is improperly formatted the line will be highlighted and you will be automatically prompted to correct the data. Enter the correct Tax Account Number (Each locality has different requirements, the screen that displays will guide you through the requirements for the local tax formatted in error.). Some local taxes have more than one account number format, to see all account number formats available, click the "…" button in the Tax Account Number box. You will not be able to continue to the next screen until all required fields are correct.

The Data Verification screen will display five questions. Please review and answer each question accurately as they affect how the W-2s are processed. Once all questions are answered, click Next.

Review the information on the W-3 Information screen. The Setup Wizard will notify you if any required fields are not filled in or if data is formatted incorrectly.
- If you are filing for both Non-agricultural and Agricultural employees, select both the 941 and 943 (Agriculture) check boxes.
- The Kind of Employer (Box b) field will be blank. Please select one of the employer types. Select None apply if you are not a 501c non-govt., State/local non-501c, State/local 501c, or Federal govt. employer.

The Employee Social Security Numbers screen displays, determine if you want to truncate employee social security numbers and how the truncation should appear, with asterisks or X's and then click Next.

Click Next and the data will begin transferring to the W-2/1099 Preparer.

Prepare W-2s

Review the Preparer Steps screen and then click Ok.

The W-2/1099 Preparer will walk you through the process of efiling and/or printing your W-2s. Once the displayed data has been reviewed, click the Next button to continue to the next screen. The W-2/1099 Preparer will automatically verify that all required fields are filled in and the data is formatted correctly. Anytime the Preparer finds data that is incorrect or missing, it will automatically prompt you to correct it.

This is an example of what the W-2/1099 Preparer will display if it finds incorrect or missing data on a screen. If this message is displayed, simply click on the Go Back and Correct button and the data that needs to be corrected will be displayed in red. Click on the red data and correct the information. Once all data has been corrected, click the Next button again to continue to the next screen.

The W-2/1099 Preparer will display the information it is currently validating in the top left corner. The information will be highlighted in blue. The first screen of the W-2/1099 Preparer is Verify Employee Information (box a - f on the W-2). The screen can be adjusted by scrolling or moving the center line from the left to the right.

To add a line to the W-2/1099 Preparer grid, right-click over one of the line numbers on the left side of the screen and select Insert Row, enter the number of rows you want to add to the end of the list of employees, and then manually enter the new information into the grid.

To delete a line from the W-2/1099 Preparer grid, right-click over the line number you want to remove, and then select Remove Row.

To copy a line on the W-2/1099 Preparer grid, right-click over the line number you want to copy, and then select Copy.

To add a copied line to the W-2/1099 Preparer grid, right-click over the line number where the copied row should be inserted, and then click Paste.

To Find information in a column in the W-2/1099 Preparer grid, right-click on the column header name, select Find,in the Find What box, enter the information you want to locate, and then click Find Next.

Click Next Step or the Next button at the top of the screen.

Note: The total for the columns appears above the column in the Totals Row.

The Verify Additional Employee Information screen will display next. Review/edit the supplied data, and then click Next Step or the Next button.
Continue reviewing/editing the supplied data on the Verify Federal Information, Verify State Information, and Verify Unassigned Columns screens and clicking Next Step or the Next button on each screen displayed.

Review the Important Information screen. If you want to review/edit the information in the W-2/1099 Preparer grid, click Double Check. After you've double-checked the information in the W-2/1099 Preparer grid, click Agree.
When a Complete eFile Service informational screen displays, click Next.

The W-2 Printing and Filing Options screen will display. eFiling options are displayed with the associated costs and printing forms is free. Choose the appropriate options for your company, and then click Next.

Note: If you chose to print your Federal forms, you will receive a New Electronic Filing Requirements screen. This screen outlines the regulation the IRS and the Department of Treasury changed on February 21, 2023 which changed the Federal eFile threshold from 250 to 10. Click here for more information. Click OK to return to the filing options screen to continue printing if you are compliant or make eFiling selections to remain compliant.

Many states have lowered the efiling requirements to align with the new Federal requirement and you will receive a New Electronic Filing Requirements screen when printing state copies. Click OK to return to the filing options screen to continue printing if you are compliant or make eFiling selections to remain compliant.

If you chose the W-2 eFiling Service, you have the option to purchase a PDF archive on a USB drive of your W-2s, select Yes, include a PDF archive to purchase an archive or select No, thank you to continue without purchasing an archive.

Red Wing Software recommends purchasing a PDF Archive of your W-2s as a backup so you can easily view or reprint a filed W-2 form. If your Aatrix History file becomes corrupt, the file cannot be located, or you get a new computer and the file is not copied to your new computer the PDF Archive can be used instead. See the Frequently Asked Questions section of this document for information about backing up the Aatrix History file.

If you have not chosen the Complete W-2 eFiling Service option, you have another chance to select that service instead of printing the W-2s yourself. Click Next to continue.

The Select the States You Wish to File screen will be displayed if you chose to print or eFile any state forms. States can be unselected if you'd like to file them at a later date. Click Next to continue.

The Review Data screen will be displayed. If you select the Print button, it will create a printed version of exactly what displays on this screen. If any changes are needed, click Back. Otherwise click Next to continue.

Print/eFile W-2s

The first employer W-2 form will be displayed. The form type and the number of form types are displayed in the yellow bar. In the upper-left side of the screen, use the left and right arrows to move through all of the forms for this form type.
- You can change any figure on the reports that are highlighted blue. Any figure that is highlighted red must be changed before you can print the report. Any figure that is white cannot be changed, but it is a calculated number, so it may be changed by adjusting the fields around the white field. Changing the figures on this screen will only change the printed Federal reports, it will not change the data in CenterPoint. If you make changes, you need to make sure your 941/943 report amounts match your W-2 report amounts for federal wages, social security, medicare wages, and withholding amounts.
- To print this first form, click Print Final. You will be prompted to enter either plain paper or perforated paper. Click OK. Once the data is printed, click Next Step to continue to the next selected form.

Note: If you are using the Complete eFiling Service, you will not be able to view your employee copies while in the Forms Viewer. If you would like to view your employee W-2 forms, please choose to reprint in the W-2 History File Options screen at the end of this process.

The next form will be displayed. Click Print Copy or Print Final to print the form, then click Next Step to continue to the next form. Repeat this process for each selected form.
Depending on the form selected to print, the following message may be displayed. Selecting Double Check will bring you back to the previous screen so you can verify your data. Selecting Agree will bring you to the eFiling login screen.

eFile W-2 Forms

This section will not display if you have not chosen to eFile your W-2 forms.

If you have chosen to eFile any of your forms, and you have not filed previously, the Aatrix Secure eFile screen will be displayed.

If you are not enrolled to eFile with Aatrix:
- From an internet browser, enter https://efile.aatrix.com to go to the Aatrix website

Click Enroll in the upper-right corner to complete the enrollment process.

OR

Log in to your eFile account to add this new company under the Companies tab.

Return to the Aatrix Secure eFile screen and click Check Enrollment Status. Enter your login information, and then follow the onscreen instructions to eFile your forms.

If you are enrolled to eFile with Aatrix, enter your login information. Verify your enrollment information. To edit your enrollment information, click Edit on the Enrollment Information screen, click Next, and then follow the onscreen instructions to eFile your forms.

To view answers to common questions, click here or from an internet browser, enter https://www.aatrix.com/support/knowledgebase/windows/

If you have questions about the calculated sales tax or need to apply for tax exemption for your filing, email AatrixExemptCerts@sovos.com.

For additional information about eFiling, click here or enter https://partner.aatrix.com/red-wing-software/

You will have the option to select to allow your employees to securely import their W-2 information into certain tax software products by approving the Aatrix Tax Form Transfer Agreement displayed during the eFiling process.

When the eFile process is complete, the Complete screen will indicate that your filing was successfully received for processing. A confirmation email will be sent to the email address specified on this screen.

The AFID (Aatrix Filing Identifier) is a number assigned to your submission for tracking purposes. If you contact Aatrix Support, they will request this number.

Note: It is important to note the AFID (Aatrix Filing Identifier). It will be required when contacting the eFile Center with questions about your submission.

If you eFiled your W-2 forms, and have questions regarding your filing, contact Aatrix by email at helpme@aatrix.com, on their website at https://efile.aatrix.com/ by clicking Login and entering your Aatrix username and password, or on their website at https://efile.aatrix.com/ by clicking the Search our FAQs button.

Upon exiting the W-2 process, the W-2 History File Options screen is displayed. If no other actions are needed at this time, select Close.
- This screen will also be displayed if the W-2 printing process is restarted and you can select to reprint, eFile or print incomplete W-2s, correct, or start the W-2 process again (if you've submitted any of the filing, you'll need to reprint or correct the W-2 forms).
- Use the W-2 Password Lookup selection to see a full list of your employee passwords and you can distribute as you'd like.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are there any important changes to the W-2 filing process for 2024?

A: There are no specific changes to the W-2 filing process for 2024; however, it is important to remember that the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued final regulations on February 21, 2023, that changed the eFile threshold from 250 to 10. The current 10-return threshold comprises an aggregate of return types (W-2, ACA, 1099 forms) covered by the regulation. Click here for more information. For specific W-2 and ACA form information, click here.

Q: If I choose to eFile my W-2 forms, is there a charge per form/employee?

A: Yes, please click here to view the eFile pricing for W-2 and minimum charge for W-2 and other tax forms (the minimum charge applies to each type of form eFiled).

Q: When is the 2024 filing deadline for W-2 forms?

A: The Internal Revenue Service filing deadline for W-2 forms submitted to the Social Security Administration can be located by using the Search feature on the Internal Revenue Service website at www.irs.gov.

Q. What are the 2024 eFiling deadlines for W-2 Forms?

A. eFiling deadlines can be located from this link: https://efile.aatrix.com/pages/public/FilingDeadlinesPublic.aspx?v=ATX000

Q. Do I need to order W-2/W-3 forms or can I print them on plain paper?

A. You are able to print all of your W-2 copies on plain paper; you no longer need to print any on preprinted forms. Even the W-3 Social Security Copy A (often called the “red copy”) can be printed on plain paper. Note: There is special perforated blank paper available that is recommended for use when printing employee copies of the W-2s. This paper comes with employee W-2 information printed on the back of the paper (for the employee copy) and blank for the State / Local copies. This paper is available from Computer Forms, Inc. at https://redwing.computerforms.biz/c/tax_forms or by calling 800-458-0158.

Q. I’m trying to process my Federal forms, but I keep getting the message “Would you like to register now, or evaluate?”

A. You will need to manually register your Federal/State Tax Forms (Aatrix) software.

Call Red Wing Software at 1-800-732-9464 and request an Aatrix Registration code.
Open CenterPoint
Select Help > Product Registration > Federal/State Tax Forms Registration.
In the Aatrix Registration Key box, enter the key you were given by Red Wing Software (do not enter the dashes).
Click Submit.
At the Registration Successful message, click OK.
Click Close.
Your Aatrix software is registered through the last day of the month of your Customer Care Plan anniversary date.

Q: We have one employee with a Social Security number that begins with “900”. CenterPoint does not accept a number that begins with the digit 9. The number the employee is providing is an ITIN #. How can I process a W-2 for this employee?

A: The Federal Tax Forms (Aatrix) software will not accept a Temporary SSN so to get past this message you will have to enter 000-00-0000 in CenterPoint in Setup > Employees and then when the employee files their W-2 they can file using the temporary number and then provide you with a SSN after receiving the permanent number.

Q. Why am I getting a “forms update” or "mandatory update" message when I try to process my Federal forms and what do I need to do?

A. At least once a quarter, including at year end, updates are created for the Federal/State Tax Forms (Aatrix) software. When you receive either of those messages, it means that Aatrix has an update available that you should install prior to continuing. If you have internet access at this computer, you can simply select Automatic Update and follow the prompts to do the update through the program.

If you have signed up for the service that automatically sends an Aatrix flash drive at the end of each quarter, please follow the instructions that will be included with the flash drive. Those flash drives will begin shipping before January 1, 2024.

If you don’t have an internet connection at any of the computers, you can call the Red Wing Software Sales department at 800-732-9464, and we’ll send the Federal/State tax forms (Aatrix) updates to you on a flash drive once a quarter for a minimal annual fee.

Q. Can I change the figures on my Federal reports if they are incorrect?

A. Yes, once the data is in Aatrix Federal/State Tax Forms, you can change any figure on the reports that are highlighted blue. Any figure that is highlighted red must be changed before you can print the report. Any figure that is white cannot be changed, but it is a calculated number, so it can be changed by adjusting the fields around the white field.

Changing the figures on this screen will only change the printed Federal reports, it will not change the data in CenterPoint. If you make changes, you need to make sure your 941/943 report amounts match your W-2 report amounts for federal wages, social security, medicare wages, and withholding amounts.

Q: My W-3 shows that I am a 941 Employer, the 943 box should be selected instead. How do I fix that?

A: Start the W-2 process over and this time follow Step 8 in the W-2 Setup Wizard in this document which reads:

Review the information on the W-3 Information screen. The Wizard will notify you if any required fields are not filled in or if data is formatted incorrectly.

Select the 941 or 943 (Agriculture) box.
The Kind of Employer (Box b) field will be blank. Select one of the employer types. Select None apply if you are not a 501c non-govt., State/local/501c, or Federal govt. employer.

Q. I'm attempting to log in to the Red Wing Software website, but it does not recognize my Email and/or Password? What should I do?

A. Follow the instructions below for information about the Red Wing Software website.

To register on the Red Wing Software website:

The Red Wing Software website uses the same login as Red Wing Software's Web Services (Pay Advices, CenterPoint Time Clock, or Employee Portal). If you have an existing account for Web Services, enter the same user credentials to log in to the website. If you do not have an existing account for Web Services, follow the steps below:

From a web browser, enter www.redwingsoftware.com.
In the upper-right of the Red Wing Software home page, click Log in.
Click Create One!
Enter your First Name and Last Name.
Enter an Email address and a Confirm Email address which must match the contents of the Email field for the registration to be processed.
Enter a Password and Confirm Password. Passwords must be at least six characters and no longer than 25 characters, include one numerical character and one lower-case letter.
Click Create.
In the Account Number box, enter your company Account Number. Your Account Number can be located in a few different places:
1. From within CenterPoint by selecting Help > About.
2. On the Support Certificate that you receive upon renewing Customer Care Membership.
3. Red Wing Software sends customers a renewal form for Customer Care Membership. This renewal form contains your account number.
4. Invoices you’ve received from Red Wing Software contain your account number.
5. If others at your company have already registered, they can sign into their account and find your company’s account number at www.redwingsoftware.com/home/myaccount.

Continue entering your Title, First and Last Name, Email Address (which is your login) and a Password.
Enter the displayed Security Verification code, and then click Submit.

To log in to the Red Wing Software website:

In your web browser, enter www.redwingsoftware.com, and press Enter.
In the upper-right of the Red Wing Software home page, click Log in.
Enter your Email Address and your Password.
Click Log In.

To reset a forgotten password:

In your web browser, enter www.redwingsoftware.com, and press Enter.
In the upper-right of the Red Wing Software home page, click Log in.
Click the Forgot your password? link.
Enter your Email address.
Click Email Link.
An email will be sent to your current email address from Red Wing Software. Open the Reset Password email and click the here link.
Enter your Email address, your new Password, and then enter your new password again in the Confirm password box, and then click Reset.
Continue with the To log in to the Red Wing Software website section above.

To log out of the Red Wing Software website:

On the upper-right side of the Red Wing Software home page, click the drop-down arrow next to the My Account button.
In the displayed menu, select Log out.

Q: I'm trying to eFile my W-2s and I can't remember my Aatrix eFile username and/or password, how can I get it?

A: We recommend you contact Aatrix by calling 800-426-0854 or by clicking on the Forgot Login button.

Q: I eFiled my W-2 forms, and I have questions regarding my filing, how do I contact Aatrix ?

A: For specific questions regarding your filing, you can contact Aatrix by email at helpme@aatrix.com, on their website at https://efile.aatrix.com/ by clicking Login and entering your Aatrix username and password, or on their website at https://efile.aatrix.com/ by clicking the Search our FAQs button.

Q: After exporting my data, I was asked to register Federal/State Tax Forms Aatrix. How do I register?