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TaxWise Online (TWO)

TaxWise Online (TWO) . Practical Notes and TWO Wireless. To Be Considered. User IDs and Passwords TaxWise Online Setup Networking & Internet Access Printing Performance Wireless for TWO - Restrictions. User IDs and Passwords. TWO setup requires individual IDs and passwords

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TaxWise Online (TWO)

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  1. TaxWise Online (TWO) Practical Notes and TWO Wireless

  2. To Be Considered • User IDs and Passwords • TaxWise Online Setup • Networking & Internet Access • Printing • Performance • Wireless for TWO - Restrictions

  3. User IDs and Passwords • TWO setup requires individual IDs and passwords • Passwords: Min 8 characters, upper and lower case, numbers, and special characters – forced change after 3 months • Last season most users locked themselves out of their accounts many times • 3 attempts and an account is locked • Significant administration burden for “Admin” users • multiple IDs for Volunteers at multiple sites

  4. User IDs and Passwords • Recommend common format for IDs, e.g. with some form of volunteer name • Generic user IDs at each site, if needed • Substitutes • Have multiple Superusers per site • Users can reset their own password • but often run into issues doing it • Some districts took the traditional desktop approach of 1 user ID per site to get around all the issues • Not Recommended

  5. User IDs and Passwords • Good Security and User ID management critical for TWO • Particularly, must remember to disable “no longer active” user IDs • Prior year tax returns remain “forever” available • The idea of “Clear Taxpayer Data” is not needed in TWO unless reports are saved

  6. User IDs and Passwords • Have the preparers write down their Client IDs, User IDs, and passwords - List to be kept away from computers • Historically regarded as bad practice • BUT – in general people are good about the security of wallets or pocket books • Our volunteers, in general, will not remember passwords, client IDs, and user IDs particularly for multiple sites

  7. Admin User • Root user on each EFIN • Senior site person • Each EFIN should have an additional Admin person • Splitting workload is recommended • Tax form setup and defaults • User setup, administration • User help (never ending)

  8. TaxWise Online Setup • Each EFIN (or site) has a single list of users but several different websites • Twonline.TaxWise.com (current year) • Twonline.TaxWise.com/training • Twonline.TaxWise.com/09 (08,07 etc) • Each of these websites maintains its own tax defaults and print packets • Each year the training and regular site have to be manually setup for each EFIN

  9. TaxWise Online Setup • Each EFIN/Site User ID list and permissions have to be setup individually • Return preparer, super user, admin, etc. • Choose lowest possible permission level • May assign multiple roles • Requires on-going maintenance • See the TW CD, Pub 3189 and TaxWise Online Help for additional instructions on setup

  10. TaxWise Online Setup

  11. Desktop usage • A TWO EFIN/Reg Code cannot be used in Desktop Taxwise for Tax return prep • National recommends each TWO district maintain 1 desktop EFIN (e.g. for shutins) • Training Scenarios • Prefilled returns • State return training

  12. Networking & Internet Access • Internet Access from hosting Organization • Use a router to isolate AARP Tax-Aide systems from host’s network • Switches only used on the Tax-Aide side of the router • Do NOT use a switch to connect to the host’s network • This would allow all the AARP Tax-Aide systems to be visible on the host’s network • Start working connection issues early • Most City or library networks have idiosyncrasies requiring local IT intervention

  13. Networking & Internet Access • Windows • Make sure the Windows Firewall is started on all systems • Remove all file and printer sharing – particularly important if the system has been used in TaxWise Desktop networks • Up-to-date with regard to Windows updates • Anti-Malware • These systems are on the internet • Their anti-malware software must be up to date and regularly updated during tax season

  14. Networking & Internet Access • Windows User • Consider configuring the windows user (e.g. Volunteer) as a “limited user” • TWO works just fine • Limited users (and therefore any malware) cannot install or update any software on the system • Doing this requires that there be another Windows Admin user on the system • If volunteer is running as a limited user the admin user password has to be entered whenever updates are done

  15. Printing • Network Printing is best • Printer directly attached to network is best • Purchase a used print server if printer has no internal print server • Using Windows shared printers opens (a potential) security hole • For sites that use separate system/person for QR and printing, a printer attached to the QR station works well

  16. Performance • The 800 Kb/s requirement is realistic • Much below this and productivity seriously suffers, although returns can be done • If the internet access has a significant “lost packet” rate it will be impossible to do returns • Due to lost connections • Due to returns that do not get saved properly

  17. Performance TY 2009 • CCH had serious issues • Slowdowns during peak periods • Lost connections • Symptoms from Tax Preparer viewpoint • Having to start a mostly completed return over • Having to wait an interminable time for saving and/or new form opening • Usual fix was “refresh (F5)”, restart the browser, or wait 5 to 10 minutes

  18. Summary • TWO does not require an initial computer setup and TW updates as required by Desktop TaxWise • TWO is different and requires different setup procedures than desktop TaxWise • Despite differences and issues Very few who have tried TWO want to go back to TaxWise Desktop

  19. TWO Wireless Restrictions Can use Site Wireless, but separate router recommended – Needs cable to Site router AARP router should have firewall and WPA2 encryption. Default SSID (Service Set IDentifier) should be changed and not include AARP, TCE, IRS, or tax preparation. Can use AARP Purchased and IRS computers, but most IRS computers are not wireless File and printer sharing off – A network printer works best AARP can not buy wireless cards for IRS laptops

  20. Wireless TWO for TaxWise 2010 NEW: Personal, donated and site provided computers require two simple on-line security scans to qualify for use. Symantec Security Scan (scans for malware & general vulnerability to hackers) http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/home.asp - Do not download Norton Security Scan You must capture an image of this scan result and register each computer on a web site to be established SecuniaOnline Software Inspector (OSI),(ensures that security related programs are up to date) http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online/?task=intro Symantec installs a “Security Check component”. It does not recognize Microsoft Security Essentials as anti-virus.

  21. Wireless TWO for TaxWise 2010

  22. Wireless TWO for TaxWise 2010

  23. Wireless TWO for TaxWise 2010 This is a draft layout for the web page to register each computer

  24. Questions???

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