Payroll processor system and method

• US 20060111990A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADP, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ADP, Inc.
• Inventors: Cohen, Neal M., Walters, Matthew Lee, Hughes, Jonathan Mark, Watson, Lewis Randolph IV
• Granted Patent: US 9,779,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/125 Finance or payroll

Abstract

A system and method for payroll processing. In one embodiment, the system includes a first database, a second database, and a processor operably connected to the first and second databases. The first database contains information about an employer, and the second database contains a PDF template. The processor is operable to create a filable PDF tax form from the PDF template, with the filable PDF tax form including data retrieved from and/or calculated from the first database. The method of the present invention involves the steps of retrieving with the processor a PDF template from the second database and at least one data from the first database, and then producing a filable PDF tax form from the retrieved PDF template and from the retrieved and/or calculate data from the first database. The present invention provides an employer with control over the generation, validation, correction, completion, and even filing of the employer'"'"'s tax forms, and creates forms viewable and printable by a variety of systems.

Claims

1. A payroll processor system, comprising:

a first database for storing at least one data about an employer;

a second database containing a plurality of PDF templates, each of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to a tax form; and

a processor operably connected to the first database and the second database, the processor capable of producing a filable PDF tax form from one of the plurality of PDF templates, with the filable PDF tax form containing at least one of the at least one data about the employer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first database further comprises at least one wage data applicable to the employer, and wherein the processor is further capable of populating the filable PDF tax form with at least one of the at least one wage data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the filable tax form contains a plurality of fields with at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation using at least one other of the plurality of fields, and wherein the processor is further capable of calculating the at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation and placing the calculated fields onto the filable PDF tax form.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an input device operably connected to the processor, the input device for entry of tax period data, and wherein the processor is further capable of determining which of the at least one PDF template(s) is(are) to be used by the processor to produce the filable PDF tax form based on the entered tax period data.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a user system operably connected to the processor, and wherein the user system comprises the input device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first database further comprises at least one tax jurisdiction identifier for the employer, and wherein the processor is further capable of determining which of the at least one PDF template(s) is(are) to be used by the processor to produce the filable PDF tax form based on the at least one tax jurisdiction.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one tax jurisdiction identifier comprises at least one state identifier.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a printer operably connected to the processor, and wherein the processor is further capable of sending the filable PDF tax form to the printer.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user system operably connected to the processor; and

a printer operably connected to the user system, and wherein the user system is capable of sending the filable PDF tax form to the printer.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a connector for communication with at least one tax authority system, the connector operably connected to the processor, and wherein the processor is further capable of sending the filable PDF tax form to the at least one tax authority via the connector.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further capable of translating the data of the filable PDF tax form to a predetermined format before being sent to the at least one tax authority system.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user system operably connected to the processor; and

a connector for communication with at least one tax authority system, the connector operably connected to the user system, and wherein the user system is capable of sending the filable PDF tax form to the at least one tax authority system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further capable of translating the data of the filable PDF tax form to a predetermined format before being sent to the at least one tax authority system.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a display device operably connected to the processor, and wherein the processor is further operable to display the filable PDF tax form produced by the processor.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user system operably connected to the processor, the user system comprising a display device, and wherein the user system is operable to display the filable PDF tax form produced by the processor.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third database of business rules relating to each of the plurality of PDF templates, the business rules specifying information required for filing, completeness, or accuracy of the PDF template, and wherein the processor is further operable to compare the filable PDF tax form to the corresponding business rules.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a display device operably connected to the processor, the display device operable to display the filable PDF tax form produced by the processor;

a third database of business rules relating to each of the plurality of PDF templates, the business rules specifying information required for filing, completeness, and accuracy of the PDF template, and wherein the processor is further operable to compare the filable PDF tax form to the corresponding business rules, and, if the processor determines by the comparison of the business rules to the filable PDF tax form that the filable PDF tax form is inappropriate, incomplete, or inaccurate, the processor displays a message on the display device.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a user system operably connected to the processor, the user system comprising the display device.

19. A payroll processor system, comprising:

a first database for storing at least one data about an employer;

a second database containing a plurality of PDF templates, each of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to a tax form; and

a processor operably connected to the first database and the second database, the processor capable of producing a filable PDF tax form from one of the plurality of PDF templates, with the filable PDF tax form containing at least one of the at least one data about the employer.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a plurality of programs with at least one of the plurality of programs associated with each of the plurality of PDF templates, each of the plurality of programs accessible to the processor, and wherein the processor executes one of the at least one programs for inclusion of the at least one of the at least one data about the employer in the filable PDF tax form.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a user system operably connected to the processor; and

a plurality of programs wherein each of the plurality of PDF templates comprises at least one of the plurality of programs, and wherein the user system executes one of the at least one programs for inclusion of the at least one of the at least one data about the employer in the filable PDF tax form.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the first database further comprises at least one wage data applicable to the employer, the processor is further capable of populating the filable PDF tax form with at least one of the at least one wage data, and the population of the at least one wage data in the filable PDF tax form is achieved by execution of one of the at least one programs.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the first database further comprises at least one wage data applicable to the employer, the user system is capable of populating the filable PDF tax form with at least one of the at least one wage data, and the population of the at least one wage data in the filable PDF tax form is achieved by execution of one of the at least one programs.

24. A payroll processor system, comprising:

a first database for storing at least one wage data applicable to an employer;

a second database containing a plurality of PDF templates, each of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to a tax form; and

a processor operably connected to the first database and the second database, the processor capable of producing a filable PDF tax form from one of the plurality of PDF templates, with the filable PDF tax form containing at least one of the at least one wage data.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a plurality of programs with at least one of the plurality of programs associated with each of the plurality of PDF templates, each of the plurality of programs accessible to the processor, and wherein the processor executes one of the at least one programs for inclusion of the at least one of the at least one wage data in the filable PDF tax form.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a user system operably connected to the processor; and

a plurality of programs wherein each of the plurality of PDF templates comprises at least one of the plurality of programs, and wherein the user system executes one of the at least one programs for inclusion of the at least one of the at least one wage data in the filable PDF tax form.

27. A payroll processing system, comprising:

a first database for storing at least one data about an employer;

a second database containing a plurality of PDF templates, each of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to a tax form, and at least one of the PDF templates corresponding to a tax form having a plurality of fields with at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation using either a number or at least one other of the plurality of fields; and

a processor operably connected to the first database and the second database, the processor capable of producing a filable PDF tax form from the at least one of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to the tax form having a plurality of fields, and capable of calculating the at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation and placing the calculated field in filable PDF tax form.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

a program associated with the at least one of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to the tax form having a plurality of fields further comprises a program, the program accessible to the processor, and wherein the program is executed by the processor for calculation of the at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the program comprises C++.

30. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

a user system operably connected to the processor; and

a program associated with the at least one of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to the tax form having a plurality of fields further comprises a program, the program accessible to the user system, and wherein the program is executed by the user system for calculation of the at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation.

31. The system of claim 31, wherein the program comprises JavaScript.

32. A payroll processor system, comprising:

a first database for storing at least one data about an employer;

a second database containing a PDF template corresponding to a tax form comprising a first page and a second page, and wherein at least one value on the first page of the tax form is determined from at least one value on the second page of the tax form; and

a processor operably connected to the first database and the second database, the processor capable of producing a filable PDF tax form from the PDF template with the at least one value on the first page determined from the at least one value on the second page.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the PDF template further comprises a program, and wherein the processor is further capable of execution of the program to determine the at least one value on the first page from the at least one value on the second page.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one value on the first page comprises a postal address.

34. A payroll processor system, comprising:

a first database for storing at least one data about an employer;

a second database containing a PDF template corresponding to a tax form comprising a first page and a second page, and wherein at least one value on the second page of the tax form is determined from at least one value on the first page of the tax form; and

a processor operably connected to the first database and the second database, the processor capable of producing a filable PDF tax form from the PDF template with the at least one value on the second page determined from the at least one value on the first page.

36. A payroll processor system, comprising:

a first database for storing at least one data about an employer;

a second database containing a first PDF template corresponding to a first tax form having a first field and a second PDF template corresponding to a second tax form having a second field, wherein the determination of the first field is dependent upon the value of the second field; and

a processor operably connected to the first database and the second database, the processor capable of producing a first filable PDF tax form from the first PDF template and a second filable PDF tax form from the second PDF template and capable of filling the first field of the first PDF template based on the dependency on the value of the second field of the second tax form.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the first PDF template further comprises a program, and wherein the processor is further capable of execution of the program to determine the value of the first field.

38. The system of claim 36, further comprising:

a user system operably connected to the processor, and wherein the first PDF template further comprises a program and wherein the user system is further capable of execution of the program to determine the value of the first field.

39. A method for generating a filable PDF tax form in a payroll processor system, the

method comprising the steps of:

providing a first database, a second database, and a processor operably connected to the first and second databases, the first database for storing at least one data about an employer, the second database containing a plurality of PDF templates, each of the PDF templates corresponding to a tax form;

retrieving, with the processor, one of the at least one PDF templates from the second database;

retrieving, with the processor, at least one of the at least one data about the employer from the first database; and

producing, with the processor, the filable PDF tax form from the retrieved PDF template with the filable PDF tax form containing the retrieved data about the employer.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the first database further comprises at least one wage data applicable to the employer, the method further comprising the step, prior to producing the filable PDF tax form, of:

retrieving, with the processor, at least one of the at least one wage data applicable to the employer,

and wherein the step of producing the filable PDF tax form further comprises the population, with the processor, of the filable PDF tax form with retrieved wage data.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the filable PDF tax form contains a plurality of fields with at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation using either a number or at least one other of the plurality of fields, the method further comprising the step, prior to producing the filable PDF tax form, of:

calculating, with the processor, the at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation,

and wherein the step of producing the filable PDF tax form further comprises the placement of the calculated field onto the filable PDF tax form.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising the steps, prior to the step of producing a filable PDF tax form, of:

providing an input device operably connected to the processor, the input device for entry of tax period data; and

determining, with the processor, which of the at least one PDF template(s) is(are) to be used by the processor to produce the filable PDF tax form based on the entered tax period data.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the first database further comprises at least one tax jurisdiction identifier, the method further comprising the steps, prior to the step of producing a filable PDF tax form, of:

determining which of the at least one PDF template(s) is(are) to be used by the processor to product the filable PDF tax form based on the at least one tax jurisdiction.

44. A method for generating a filable PDF tax form in a payroll processor system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first database, a second database, a user system, and a processor operably connected to the first and second databases and the user system, the first database for storing at least one data about an employer, the second database containing a plurality of PDF templates, each of the PDF templates corresponding to a tax form;

retrieving, with the processor, one of the at least one PDF templates from the second database;

retrieving, with the processor, at least one of the at least one data about the employer from the first database; and

producing with the processor and/or the user system the filable PDF tax form from the retrieved PDF template with the filable PDF tax form containing the retrieved data about the employer.

45. A method for generating a filable PDF tax form in a payroll processor system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first database, a second database, and a processor operably connected to the first and second databases, the first database comprising at least one data about an employer, the second database containing a plurality of PDF templates, each of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to a tax form;

providing a plurality of programs with at least one of the plurality of programs associated with each of the plurality of PDF templates, each of the plurality of programs accessible to the processor;

retrieving, with the processor, one of the at least one PDF templates from the second database;

retrieving, with the processor, at least one of the at least one data about the employer from the first database; and

producing with the processor the filable PDF tax form from the retrieved PDF template with the filable PDF tax form containing the retrieved data about the employer, such step of producing a filable PDF tax form involving the execution of one of the at least one programs for inclusion of at least one of the at least one data about the employer in the filable PDF tax form.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the first database further comprises at least one wage data applicable to the employer, the method further comprising, before the step of producing a filable PDF tax form, the step of:

retrieving, with the processor, at least one of the at least one wage data applicable to the employer, and wherein the step of producing a filable PDF tax form further comprises populating with the processor the at least one of the at least one wage data in the filable PDF tax form.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of:

providing at least one program for the retrieved PDF template, and wherein the step of producing the filable PDF tax form involves execution of the at least one program by the processor.

48. A method for generating a filable PDF tax form in a payroll processor system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first database, a second database, a user system, and a processor operably connected to the first and second databases and the user system, the first database comprising at least one data about an employer, the second database containing a plurality of PDF templates, each of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to a tax form;

providing a plurality of programs with at least one of the plurality of programs associated with each of the plurality of PDF templates, each of the plurality of programs accessible to the processor and/or user system;

retrieving, with the processor, one of the at least one PDF templates from the second database;

retrieving, with the processor, at least one of the at least one data about the employer from the first database; and

producing with the processor and/or user system the filable PDF tax form from the retrieved PDF template with the filable PDF tax form containing the retrieved data about the employer, such step of producing a filable PDF tax form involving the execution of one of the at least one programs for inclusion of at least one of the at least one data about the employer in the filable PDF tax form.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the first database further comprises at least one wage data applicable to the employer, the method further comprising, before the step of producing a filable PDF tax form, the step of:

retrieving, with the processor, at least one of the at least one wage data applicable to the employer, and wherein the step of producing a filable PDF tax form further comprises populating with the processor and/or user system the at least one of the at least one wage data in the filable PDF tax form.

50. The method of claim 48, further comprising the step of:

providing at least one program for the retrieved PDF template, and wherein the step of producing the filable PDF tax form involves execution of the at least one program by the processor and/or user system.

51. A method for generating a filable PDF tax form in a payroll processor system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first database, a second database, and a processor operably connected to the first and second databases, the first database comprising at least one data about an employer, the second database containing a plurality of PDF templates, each of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to a tax form, and at least one of the PDF templates corresponding to a tax form having a plurality of fields with at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation using either a number or at least one other of the plurality of fields;

retrieving, with the processor, the at least one of the PDF templates corresponding to a tax form having a plurality of fields from the second database;

calculating, with the processor, the at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation; and

producing, with the processor, the filable PDF tax form from the retrieved PDF template, the filable PDF tax form containing the calculated field.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising the step of:

providing a program for calculation of the at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation, and wherein the step of producing the filable PDF tax form includes execution, with the processor, the program.

53. A method for generating a filable PDF tax form in a payroll processor system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first database, a second database, a user system, and a processor operably connected to the first and second databases and the user system, the first database comprising at least one data about an employer, the second database containing a plurality of PDF templates, each of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to a tax form, and at least one of the PDF templates corresponding to a tax form having a plurality of fields with at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation using either a number or at least one other of the plurality of fields;

retrieving, with the processor and/or user system, the at least one of the PDF templates corresponding to a tax form having a plurality of fields from the second database;

calculating, with the processor and/or user system, the at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation; and

producing, with the processor and/or user system the filable PDF tax form from the retrieved PDF template, the filable PDF tax form containing the calculated field.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising the step of:

providing a program for calculation of the at least one of the plurality of fields determined by calculation, and wherein the step of producing the filable PDF tax form includes execution, with the processor and/or user system, the program.

55. A method for generating a tax form in a payroll processor system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first database, a second database, and a processor operably connected to the first and second databases, the first database comprising at least one data about an employer, the second database including a PDF template corresponding to a tax form comprising a first page and a second page, and wherein at least one value on the first page of the tax form is determined from at least one value on the second page of the tax form;

retrieving the PDF template from the second database; and

producing, with the processor, the filable PDF tax form from the retrieved PDF template with the at least one value on the first page determined from the at least one value on the second page.

56. A method for generating a filable PDF tax form in a payroll processor system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first database, a second database, and a processor operably connected to the first and second databases, the first database comprising at least one data about an employer, the second database including a PDF template corresponding to a tax form comprising a first page and a second page, and wherein at least one value on the second page of the tax form is determined from at least one value on the first page of the tax form;

retrieving the PDF template from the second database; and

producing, with the processor, a filable PDF tax form from the retrieved PDF template with the at least one value on the second page determined from the at least one value on the first page.

57. A method for generating a filable PDF tax form in a payroll processor system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first database, a second database, and a processor operably connected to the first and second databases, the first database comprising at least one data about an employer, the second database including a first PDF template corresponding to a first tax form having a first field and a second PDF template corresponding to a second tax form having a second field, wherein the determination of the first field is dependent upon the value of the second field;

retrieving, with the processor, the first and second PDF templates; and

producing, with the processor, the filable PDF tax form from the first template with the filable PDF tax form having the first field completed.