Payroll processor system and method

• US 9,779,078 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADP, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ADP, Inc.
• Inventors: Watson, IV, Lewis Randolph, Hughes, Jonathan Mark, Walters, Matthew Lee, Cohen, Neal M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rojas, H
• Application Number:
  US10/982,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20060111990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,715 Days
• 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 comprising at least one data pertaining to an employer;

a second database comprising a plurality of PDF templates, each PDF template of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to a tax form;

a processor operably connected to the first database and the second database, the processor configured to perform a method for generating a filable PDF tax form in a payroll processor system, the method comprising the steps of;

retrieving, by the processor, one PDF template of the plurality of PDF templates from the second database, each PDF template of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to a tax form;

retrieving, by the processor, data selected from the at least one data pertaining to the employer from the first database;

creating, by the processor, a PDF file from the one PDF template, said PDF file comprising (i) multiple fields with a same field name explicitly appearing in each field of the multiple fields as a parameter of a function and (ii) formulas collectively having field references to the same field name explicitly appearing in different fields of the multiple fields;

renaming, by the processor, each different field of the multiple fields with a respective unique field name in accordance with a relative page position within the PDF file, of each different field of the multiple fields, wherein each respective unique field name of each different field of the multiple fields comprises;

(i) said each different field'"'"'s same field name explicitly appearing in each respective different field prior to said renaming and (ii) the relative page position of said each different field of the multiple fields, and wherein the relative page position of said each different field of the multiple fields is an integer;

regenerating, by the processor, the formulas collectively having field references to the same field name in the different fields of the multiple fields, said regenerating the formulas comprising;

(i) for each field reference to the same field name in the formulas, replacing the function with an instance of the function, and (ii) replacing each field reference to the same field name in the different fields of the multiple fields by the unique field name specific to each different field;

after said renaming and said regenerating, producing, by the processor, the filable PDF tax form, said producing the filable PDF tax form comprising populating the PDF file with the retrieved data pertaining to the employer, said populating comprising using the regenerated formulas.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one data pertaining to the employer comprises at least one wage data applicable to the employer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the filable tax form contains a plurality of fields with at least one field of the plurality of fields determined by calculation using at least one other field of the plurality of fields, and wherein the method further comprises:

calculating, by at least the processor, the at least one field of the plurality of fields determined by calculation, wherein the step of producing the filable PDF tax form further comprises placing the calculated field onto the filable PDF tax form.

4. The system of claim 1, the method further comprising the steps, prior to the step of producing a filable PDF tax form, of:

receiving, by the processor, an entry of tax period data; and

determining, by the processor, at least one PDF template of the plurality of PDF templates 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 1, wherein the first database further comprises at least one tax jurisdiction identified, the method further comprising the steps, prior to the step of producing the filable PDF tax form, of:

determining, by the processor, at least one PDF template of the plurality of PDF templates to be used by the processor to produce the filable PDF tax form based on the identified at least one tax jurisdiction.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one tax jurisdiction identifier comprises at least one state identifier.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a printer operably connected to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to send the filable PDF tax form to the printer.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a printer operable connected to a user system operably connected to the processor, wherein the user system is configured to send the filable PDF tax form to the printer.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

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

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a user system comprises a display device, and wherein the user system is operable to display the filable PDF tax form produced by the processor.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

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

12. 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 PDF template of the plurality of PDF templates, the business rules specifying information required for filing, completeness, and accuracy of the PDF template, wherein the processor is 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.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a user system operably connected to the processor comprises the display device.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

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

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one data pertaining to the employer comprises at least one wage data applicable to the employer, wherein the processor is capable of populating the filable PDF tax form with a subset of the at least one wage data, and wherein a population of the subset of the at least one wage data in the filable PDF tax form is achieved by execution of a first program of the at least one program.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of programs, wherein each PDF template of the plurality of PDF templates comprises at least one program of the plurality of programs, and wherein a user system operably connected to the processor executes one program of the plurality of programs for inclusion of a subset of the at least one data pertaining to the employer in the filable PDF tax form.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one data pertaining to the employer comprises at least one wage data applicable to the employer, wherein a user system operably connected to the processor is capable of populating the filable PDF tax form with a subset of the at least one wage data, and wherein a population of the subset of the at least one wage data in the filable PDF tax form is achieved by execution of a first program of the at least one program.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

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

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the program comprises C++ source code.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the program comprises JavaScript source code.

33. The system of claim 1, wherein the creating the PDF file comprises copying, from the one PDF template to the PDF file, the multiple fields and the formulas having field references to the same field name.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

prior to said renaming, inserting, by the processor, the function into the PDF file.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

inserting, by the processor into the PDF filable tax form, a watermark indicating that the PDF filable tax form has a status selected from the group consisting of incomplete, invalid, and a combination thereof.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein the PDF filable tax form is a compound document comprising a first field and a second field of the multiple fields, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, by the processor, one or more edits from a user system operably connected to the processor for a first field in the filable PDF tax form;

editing, by the processor, the first field in the filable PDF tax form based upon the one or more edits received from the user system; and

updating, by the processor, a second field of the filable PDF tax form based on the edited first field.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the PDF filable tax form is a compound document comprising a first field and the second field, wherein the edited first field comprises at least one value resulting from said editing, and wherein the updating the second field results in a value in the second field that is based on the at least one value in the edited first field.

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

retrieving, by a processor operably connected to both a first database comprising at least one data pertaining to an employer and a second database comprising a plurality of PDF templates, one PDF template of the plurality of PDF templates from the second database, each PDF template of the plurality of PDF templates corresponding to a tax form;

retrieving, by the processor, data selected from the at least one data pertaining to the employer from the first database;

creating, by the processor, a PDF file from the one PDF template, said PDF file comprising (i) multiple fields with a same field name explicitly appearing in each field of the multiple fields as a parameter of a function and (ii) formulas collectively having field references to the same field name explicitly appearing in different fields of the multiple fields;

renaming, by the processor, each different field of the multiple fields with a respective unique field name in accordance with a relative page position within the PDF file, of each different field of the multiple fields, wherein each respective unique field name of each different field of the multiple fields comprises;

(i) said each different field'"'"'s same field name explicitly appearing in each respective different field prior to said renaming and (ii) the relative page position of said each different field of the multiple fields, and wherein the relative page position of said each different field of the multiple fields is an integer;

regenerating, by the processor, the formulas collectively having field references to the same field name in the different fields of the multiple fields, said regenerating the formulas comprising;

(i) for each field reference to the same field name in the formulas, replacing the function with an instance of the function, and (ii) replacing each field reference to the same field name in the different fields of the multiple fields by the unique field name specific to each different field;

after said renaming and said regenerating, producing, by the processor, the filable PDF tax form, said producing the filable PDF tax form comprising populating the PDF file with the retrieved data pertaining to the employer, said populating comprising using the regenerated formulas.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one data pertaining to the employer comprises at least one wage data applicable to the employer.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the filable PDF tax form contains a plurality of fields with at least one field of the plurality of fields determined by calculation using either a number or at least one other field of the plurality of fields, the method further comprising the step, prior to producing the filable PDF tax form, of:

calculating, by at least the processor, the at least one field of the plurality of fields determined by calculation, wherein the step of producing the filable PDF tax form further comprises placing the calculated field onto the filable PDF tax form.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said calculating the at least one field is performed by the processor, a user system operably connected to the processor, or a combination thereof.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps, prior to the step of producing a filable PDF tax form, of:

receiving, by the processor, an entry of tax period data; and

determining, by the processor, at least one PDF template of the plurality of PDF templates to be used by the processor to produce the filable PDF tax form based on the entered tax period data.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the first database further comprises at least one tax jurisdiction identified, the method further comprising the steps, prior to the step of producing the filable PDF tax form, of:

determining, by the processor, at least one PDF template of the plurality of PDF templates to be used by the processor to product the filable PDF tax form based on the identified at least one tax jurisdiction.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

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

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the creating the PDF file comprises copying, from the one PDF template to the PDF file, the multiple fields and the formulas having field references to the same field name.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:

prior to said renaming, inserting, by the processor, the function into the PDF file.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:

inserting, by the processor into the PDF filable tax form, a watermark indicating that the PDF filable tax form has a status selected from the group consisting of incomplete, invalid, and a combination thereof.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the PDF filable tax form is a compound document comprising a first field and a second field of the multiple fields, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, by the processor, one or more edits from a user system operably connected to the processor for a first field in the filable PDF tax form;

editing, by the processor, the first field in the filable PDF tax form based upon the one or more edits received from the user system; and

updating, by the processor, a second field of the filable PDF tax form based on the edited first field.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the PDF filable tax form is a compound document comprising a first field and the second field, wherein the edited first field comprises at least one value resulting from said editing, and wherein the updating the second field results in a value in the second field that is based on the at least one value in the edited first field.