Multi-stage, multi-user engagement submission and tracking process

• US 7,720,616 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SurePrep, LLC
• Original Assignee: SurePrep, LLC
• Inventors: Wyle, David A., Karkare, Makarand
• Primary Examiner(s): Frenel; Vanel
• Application Number:
  US10/430,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,568 Days
• Field of Search: 705/31, 707/104
• US Class Current: 702/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

A method for submitting information for an engagement is disclosed. The method might include the steps of generating a tracking screen for tracking the submission of a plurality of files, including a tax file and an image file, each file having the same client identification code, receiving the tax file from a first client device, and updating the tracking screen to reflect the submission of the tax file. The method further might include the steps of receiving an image file from a second client device, updating the tracking screen to reflect the submission of the image file, and transmitting the plurality of files to a remote server system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for submitting information for an engagement from client devices to a main server system, comprising:

generating an income tax return tracking screen for tracking all of a plurality of electronic income tax return files submitted for a first income tax preparation engagement, the plurality of electronic income tax return files submitted for the first income tax preparation engagement including a tax file and a first image file, and all of the plurality of electronic income tax return files submitted for the first income tax preparation engagement having an identical first identification code;

receiving at the main server system the tax file having the identical first identification code submitted from a first client device;

updating the income tax return tracking screen to reflect the submission of the tax file having the identical first identification code;

receiving at the main server system a second image file having the identical first identification code submitted from a second client device different from the first client device;

updating the income tax return tracking screen to reflect the submission of the second image file having the identical first identification code; and

transmitting all of the plurality of electronic income tax return files having the identical first identification code from the main server system to a remote server system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tax file is a previous year'"'"'s tax file or a current year'"'"'s tax file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image file and the second image file each include a plurality of tax documents.

4. method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of tax documents are selected from a group consisting of a 1099, W-2, K-1, dividend statement, income statement, profit and loss statement and settlement statement.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving instruction data from the first client device or the second client device; and

updating the income tax return tracking screen to reflect the submission of the instruction data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an income tax return tracking screen for tracking all of a plurality of electronic income tax return files submitted for a second income tax preparation engagement, the plurality of electronic income tax return files submitted for the second income tax preparation engagement including a second tax file and a third image file, and all of the plurality of electronic income tax return files submitted for the second income tax preparation engagement having an identical second identification code different from the first identification code;

receiving at the main server system the second tax file having the identical second identification code submitted from a third client device;

updating the income tax return tracking screen to reflect the submission of the second tax file having the identical second identification code;

receiving at the main server system a fourth image file having the identical second identification code submitted from a fourth client device different from the third client device;

updating the income tax return tracking screen to reflect the submission of the fourth image file having the identical second identification code; and

transmitting all of the plurality of electronic income tax return files having the identical second identification code from the main server system to a remote server system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identical first identification code is automatically generated by the main server system.

8. A system for submitting information for an engagement from client devices to a main server system, comprising:

means for generating a tracking screen for tracking all of a plurality of electronic files submitted for a first income tax preparation engagement, wherein the plurality of electronic files submitted for the first income tax preparation engagement include a first tax file and a first image file and all of the plurality of electronic files submitted for the first income tax preparation engagement have an identical first identification code;

means for automatically generating the identical first identification code;

means for receiving the first tax file having the identical first identification code submitted from a first client device, wherein the first tax file is a previous year'"'"'s tax file or a current year'"'"'s tax file;

means for updating the tracking screen for tracking all of the plurality of electronic files submitted for the first income tax preparation engagement to reflect the submission of the first tax file having the identical first identification code;

means for receiving a plurality of tax documents having the identical first identification code submitted from a second client device different from the first client device;

means for updating the tracking screen for tracking all of the plurality of electronic files submitted for the first income tax preparation engagement to reflect the submission of the plurality of tax documents having the identical first identification code;

means for updating the tracking screen to reflect the submission of a plurality of electronic files submitted for a second income tax preparation engagement, wherein the plurality of electronic files submitted for the second income tax preparation engagement includes a second tax file and a second image file and all of the plurality of electronic files submitted for the second income tax preparation engagement have an identical second identification code;

means for automatically generating the second identification code different from the first identification code;

means for receiving the second tax file having the identical second identification code submitted from a third client device;

means for receiving a plurality of tax documents having the identical second identification code submitted from a fourth client device different from the third client device;

means for receiving instruction data from the first client device or the second client device;

means for updating the tracking screen for tracking all of the plurality of electronic files submitted for the first income tax preparation engagement to reflect the submission of the instruction data;

means for receiving instruction data from the third client device or the fourth client device;

means for updating the tracking screen for tracking all of the plurality of electronic files submitted for the second income tax preparation engagement to reflect the submission of the instruction data; and

means for transmitting the plurality of electronic files having the identical first identification code and the plurality of electronic files having the identical second identification code to a remote server system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first tax file and the second tax file is a current year'"'"'s proformaed tax file.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first tax file and the second tax file each include information selected from a group consisting of a 1099, W-2, K-1, dividend statement, income statement, profit and loss statement and settlement statement.