Running the final file in EFW2 format

After you review a trial EFW2 file for errors and correct any errors, you can generate the final file in EFW2 format and create a CSV file of the data. This file is used as one of the two input files that are required to create an EFW2C file. See Chapter 13 Processing W-2 Corrections for more details.

Note: This EFW2 CSV file is required if you run W-2c EFW2C (PR298). Make a backup copy of the CSV file data from the final EFW2 run and any subsequent runs if corrections are made.

Do not change the parameters on Year End Parameters (PR27.1) after you run W-2 Form Printing (PR297) or US Territory W-2 Form Printing (PR252), and before you run EFW2 File Creation (PR299).

The formats that are available for State reporting depend upon individual State requirements. You must contact each State directly to determine the acceptable format and obtain specifications.

Before you process your W-2 electronic file, we strongly recommend that you run Year-End Parameter Report (PR227) to verify the parameters that Payroll will use to process W-2s. The W-2 parameters are no longer printed when you process your W-2s by running PR252, PR297, or PR299. Verifying W-2 parameters

Run the final file in EFW2 format

  1. Access EFW2 File Creation (PR299).
  2. Select the company to process.
  3. Select the reporting entity option, and the corresponding process level if applicable, for which to run the report.

    Employees are selected based on the reporting entity that is stored on historical payment records for the year being processed.

    If you select Then PR299
    Process level Processes W-2s for a process level. If you leave this field blank, you MUST select a process level.
    1 = RE Company Processes W-2s for the company as a reporting entity. If you select 1, you MUST leave the Process Level and RE Process Level fields blank.
    2 = RE Process Level Processes W-2s for the selected reporting entity. If you select 2, you MUST also select a reporting entity in the RE Process Level field.
    3 = RE All Processes W-2s for all reporting entities in the company. If you select 3, you MUST leave the Process Level and RE Process Level fields blank.
  4. Complete the remainder of the Selection tab. Specify this information:
    Payroll Year

    Specify the payroll year for the EFW2 report.

    W-2s by SSN

    If you have employees with multiple employee records within the same company, select Yes to combine and report all information for the year for employees with the same Social Security number.

    State

    Select a state tax authority to include state information in the Code RS records of the electronic file format.

    If you select a state, only those employees paid in that state are included. PR299 moves all state information associated with those employees to the Code RS records on the media. The electronic file is created in the format required for filing with that state.

    If you do not select a state tax authority, the program moves only Federal information to the media and does not create an RS record.

  5. On the Options tab, define how to create the electronic file. Specify this information:
    PR27 Parameters

    Select whether to use the parameters you defined on W-2 Parameters (PR27.1).

    The parameters you define on PR27.1 are used when you process W-2 forms or electronic file for the selected company, company and process level, or company and head process level, even when you select not to use PR27.1 parameters on PR299. The information you define on the Box 10, Box 11, Box 12, Box 13, Box 14, Options, Puerto Rico, Override Rates and Limits, Warning Messages, Tax Authority-Specific Parameters, State Specific Information, and Local EFW2 Reporting on PR27 is only used if you select to use the PR27.1 parameters on PR299. Payroll matches the company, company and process level, or company and report entity you set up parameters for in PR27 to the one you select on PR299.

    Report Option

    Select whether to create a detailed or a summary report of the EFW2 file.

    Balancing Quarter

    The balancing quarter must be blank when creating an EFW2 file.

    File Delimiter

    Select Sequential to create the EFW2 file per SSA’s requirements. (The file is named EFW2). Select EFW2 512 to create a copy of the EFW2 file with carriage returns after 512 bytes. (The file is named EFW2512).

    SSN Applied For

    Select whether an employee group is used to specify employees who have not received their Social Security numbers from the SSA.

    Employee Group

    Select the employee group to identify employee who have not received their Social Security numbers from the SSA.

    All zeros (0) will print in the SSN field in the EFW2 file.

    Path Override

    Specify a directory path to override the default path.

    Suppress Records

    Select the applicable EFW2 record types by specifying an X. When you run EFW2 File Creation (PR299), the selected record is suppressed in the output EFW2 file and is not printed. Suppression of records is only available when you run the PR299 for state EFW2 creation.

    (Rerun Options) Employee Group

    Select the employee group to use to run PR299. Use this field for test purposes only. A partial file should not be sent to the government.

    (Rerun Options) Employee

    Select an employee or a range of employees. Use this field for test purposes only – a partial file should not be sent to the government.

    (Rerun Options) Employee SSN

    Specify a Social Security Number or a range of Social Security Numbers if rerunning PR299 for a smaller group of employees and the original run had parameter field "W2s by SSN" set to Y. Use this field for test purposes only – a partial file should not be sent to the government.

  6. On the Submitter tab, define submitter information.
  7. Specify this information:
    Submitter EIN

    The EIN of the EFW2 file submitter.

    Submitter User ID

    The User Identification (User ID) assigned to the EFW2 file submitter. The SSA provides this User ID.

    Preparer Code

    The entity that prepared the EFW2 file.

  8. On the Notify tab, define the company that you want the SSA to notify if the EFW2 cannot be processed.
  9. On the Contact tab, define the person that you want the SSA to contact if the EFW2 cannot be processed.
  10. Optional. On the Locals tab, define the option to specify how the EFW2 Code RS records are created. When you select Specified State or Specified Locals, a state code is required in the Locals for State field. When you select Specified Locals only, only files for the specified locals are created.

    Specify this information:

    Locals only

    Select how to create the EFW2 Code RS record, including the options in Tax Authority Year-End Parameters (PR27.2).

    Select No if you do not want to create the Code RS record.

    Select Specified State to create the Code RS record for a state that you will specify. If you select this option, you must specify a state in Locals for State field.

    Select Specified Locals to create the Code RS record for a local that you will specify. If you select this option, you must specify values in the Locals for State field and Specified Locals field.

    Locals for State

    Specify the state for which to create the Code RS record.

    Specified Locals

    Specify the locals for which to create the Code RS record.

    Note: If you selected the Locals Only option in the Locals tab, the local file is created in the same location as the EFW2 file. The name of the local file is defined on the data item local file name from the Tax Authority Year-End Parameters (PR27.2) record Topic WL.
  11. Run the report. PR299 creates the EFW2 file, the EFW2512, and PR299.CSV file in this location (unless overridden in the File Override field):
    Note: If you are running for File Delimiter option 2 ( EFW2512), a second file is created in the same location.
    If the machine is And you are on version The file is
    UNIX 9.X and above $LAWDIR/print/username/jobname/ stepnbr/efw2
    System i 9.X and above

    PR299MRF

    PR299MR5
  12. Copy file to tape, diskette, or use for electronic filing based on specific state requirements or SSA regulations.

    To transfer the file to an actual diskette, you can use your own transfer utility program, winptxfr (UNIX), or the file transfer utility program available in System i.

    Caution: 
    Verify regulatory reporting specifications for file name convention. For example, for some states each 3 1/2 inch diskette must have "W2REPORT" as the file name.
  13. Make a backup copy of the files and place them on the appropriate storage device. The PR299.CSV file is used as one of the two input files required for creating an EFW2C file. Processing W-2 corrections
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