ASC X12G TG2 Tax Information Interchange Task Group and
Tax Information Group for EDI Requirements Standardization
(TIGERS) Meeting Minutes
Miami, FL
8/12/98 - 8/14/98
(These are only partial minutes - complete minutes were not available
but will be posted at a later time.)
Monday 10/5/98
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TIGERS
Dan Kazzazz, CEO of of Paperfree Software, was a guest speaker and discussed data
standards and communications standards. He said one of the issues the rise of the
Internet has presented is, how to move data in the best manner?
HTTP is good for moving small documents, but not large ones; FTP is good for
moving larger documents.
HTTP is useful when you want users to interact, and no data integration is
necessary.
SMTP is useful when you wish open access.
For FTP, you must either have an ID, or can be anonymous.
Asynchronous and bisynchronous protocols are still useful, but BBS-type systems
that employ them are declining in use.
In order to accomplish volumetrics (larger volumes), you have to be creative and
flexible in your approach.
Today, there are three basic types of providers: TELCOs, VANs, and ISPs. All
basically do the same thing - but how best to use them? Each company's (or
government's) infrastructure issues get in the way of implemenation. Bisync,
previously popular, especially in VANs, is going away (lack of product).
Point-to-point is preferred option (FTP over internet), but the hassle is specific
file-naming protocols, which must be exchanged and in software.
Some standardization must be achieved at the socket level, for EDI-interactive to
bloom. X12 has achieved the goal of Common Object Data.
Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) was the precursor of:
(a subset) HTML - Hypertext Markup Language (there are 70 or so "tags")
(a subset) RTF - Rich Text Format (found in Word Processors)
(a subset) XML - Extensible Markup Language ("tags" for purchase order, invoice,
etc.)
The consequence is more data overhead.
Finally, what is needed is a standard "envelope" structure accommodating X12, XML,
NACHA, and segments, delimiters, etc. in XML to further compress the data.
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Business Personal Property Tax Filing
Jim Paradise from Burr-Wolff Software next reported that the 813 map for Business
Property Tax filing would be used in Mobile, Alabama during the month of
October, to accomplish a filing. Also, the Property Electronically Taxed (PET)
business property tax implementation group soon plans to arrange a pilot filing
using the 149 Assessment Notice transaction set and the new 245 Tax Bill Notice
transaction set. Burr-Wolff and Marvin Poer Company plan to create software for
this purpose.
For transaction set 283 Notice of Exemption Certificate, it is planned that the
Data Element 1271 codes will be placed on the TIGERS area of the FTA Web site.
Stan Farmer will supply the codes to FTA.
Tuesday 10/6/98
TXP Date Compliance
Priscilla Taylor from the National Automated Clearing House Association visited
with the group. She indicated that the TXP Tax Payment segment contained in the
820 Payment Order/Remittance Advice transaction set has a 6-character DTP date
field. X12 version 4010 updated the date standard to 8 characters, so the TXP
(as used in the 820) is date-compliant.
However, the NACHA TXP Banking Convention (used in the CCD+ by non-EDI capable
partners) -- which is used by the majority of the states' EFT payors -- is not.
It is still 6 characters.
NACHA has had a request to put an indicator in the File Layout that would identify
the (standards) Version Type. This would not be contained in the 80-character TXP,
but rather outside of it, probably in the Sequence Number information in the
records following the TXP segment.
In order to examine that, NACHA's procedure is to convene a Rules Work Group
(composed of volunteers), develop a proposal and a request for comment, and ballot
any proposed change. NACHA has already determined that there will be no rules
changes requiring any hardware changes in 1999. Any change regarding inclusion of
a Version indicator would not occur until September 2000. Jonathan Lyon of FTA
said that FTA and the states would like to have an opportunity to participate in
any Work Group.
Ms. Taylor said that there is an existing NACHA Rule requiring that by September
1998, all financial institutions are be able to receive an 820 transaction set,
translate it, and provide it to a bank customer, if desired.
Welfare Reform EDI Efforts
Mike Teller of Lockheed Martin presented a draft covering the use of EDI in Child
Support payments. Lockheed wants to use it to speed the current 6-week turnaround
from receipt of order to payment to less than half that.
Maps were shown of the 820 Payment Order and the 521 Income or Asset Offset.
Questions were raised on how to link a received (from the government) 521 with an
outbound 820 payment? There is no unique ID for a wage withholding order (at least
on the standard Federal form), so a "Case File" number was used.