System and method for creating cross-reference links, tables and lead sheets for tax return documents

• US 7,610,227 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SurePrep, LLC
• Original Assignee: SurePrep, LLC
• Inventors: Wyle, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Danneman; Paul
• Application Number:
  US10/903,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20060026083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 705/31
• US Class Current: 705/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

A processor-based method for creating a set of work papers with cross-reference links to tax documents. The method may include receiving a tax document, displaying a page of the tax document, receiving a form type corresponding to the page of the tax document, and receiving a form name corresponding to the page of the tax document. The method may also include displaying a plurality of categories related to the form type, selecting a category from the plurality of categories, providing a link corresponding to the selected category, and receiving a number corresponding to the link.

Claims

1. A processor-based method for creating a set of work papers with cross-reference links to tax documents comprising:

receiving, at a computer, a tax document;

displaying, on a display screen, a page of the tax document;

receiving, at the computer, a form type corresponding to the page of the tax document;

receiving, at the computer, a form name corresponding to the page of the tax document;

displaying, on the display screen, a plurality of categories related to the form type;

providing, at the computer, a category selection from the plurality of categories;

providing, at the computer, a link corresponding to the selected category;

receiving, at the computer, a number or a description corresponding to the link;

providing, at the computer, a tax return reconciliation template that includes a tax item description field and a tax page identifier field;

providing, at the computer, a tax return reconciliation page by populating the tax item description field and the tax page identifier field with information from the tax document; and

displaying, on the display screen, the tax return reconciliation page, wherein the tax page identifier field includes a clickable link to the page of the tax document containing a value corresponding to the tax item description field.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the form type includes providing a form type selection from a plurality of form types.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the form name includes providing a form name selection from a plurality of preexisting form names or inputting a form name.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising positioning, on the display screen, a display pointer adjacent to one of the plurality of categories.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying, on the display screen, a link adjacent to the selected category.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying, on the display screen, a link symbol adjacent to the selected category.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying, on the display screen, an input line corresponding to the selected category.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the input line includes an input field for receiving the number.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing, on a storage device, link information related to the link.

10. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when read by a processor, causes the machine to perform operations comprising:

displaying a page of a tax document;

displaying a form type corresponding to the page of the tax document;

displaying a form name corresponding to the page of the tax document;

displaying a plurality of categories related to the form type;

providing a link corresponding to a category selected from the plurality of categories;

inserting the link on the page of the tax document;

generating a tax return reconciliation page by retrieving link information corresponding to the link on the page of the tax document;

inserting a clickable link on the tax return reconciliation page to the page of the tax document containing a value corresponding to the selected category; and

displaying the page of the tax document when the clickable link is selected.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 10 further comprising providing a number corresponding to the link, the number representing an amount from the page of the tax document.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 11 further comprising creating a document having the number with the link positioned adjacent to the number.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 11 further comprising retrieving a tax return reconciliation page having a plurality of headings and inserting the number into the tax return reconciliation page at a location that relates to the category selected.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 10 further comprising positioning a display pointer adjacent to the category selected.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 10 further comprising displaying the link adjacent to the category selected.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 10 further comprising displaying an input line corresponding to the category selected.