Transcript NTC TCS Training - Dallas 2010 - AARP Tax-Aide

TECHNOLOGY’S
Role in TAX-AIDE
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Key TCS/TC Duties – I Hardware
 Coordinate State’s e-file Equipment
Acquire, allocate, maintain, certify, store,
inventory, & seek donations
 Maximize computer utilization
Strive for an average of 100+ e-files per
computer
 Submit orders, & oversee return of IRS
laptops – TCS requests needs input during
June
 Submit orders for AARP Equipment based on
needs and available funding
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KEY TCS/TC Duties – I Hardware
(continued)
 Administers (TCS only) cost control for Equipment
Repair
 Together with PCS, solicits donations of e-file
equipment (computers, etc.)
 Maintain and submit annual inventory by April 30th
to TCS and by May 15th each year to National
 Provide next season equipment needs to TCS by
June 30th each year. Needs sent to National by
early-July. IRS shipments commence in August.
 IRS plans to reduce available computers by 5% in
TY 2011
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Key TCS/TC Duties – II Software
 Monitors TaxWise software Orders
and assures that sites have
required EFINs and SIDNs
(This duty is shared with the ADS, who
assigns SIDNs)
 Acquires operating systems and
other software as needed –
National lead (TrueCrypt, TechSoup,
Anti-Virus, etc)
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Key TCS/TC Duties – III Training
 TCS Provides training for TCs &
TCs provide training for EROs
 Work with TRS for above training
 Promote “Process Based Training”
(integrated tax-law & TaxWise)
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Key TCS/TC Duties – IV Support
 Maintain contact with TCs & EROs
 Passes on TaxAide Tech Bulletin and TaxWise
Knowledgebase info as needed.
 Provide guidance to e-file sites (especially
at start of season)
 Assist SC & DC’s in establishing
e-file sites -- especially larger sites
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Key TCS/TC Duties – V Security
PROTECT TAXPAYER INFORMATION
 Oversees protection of Taxpayer Data
 Computer Passwords & Encryption
 Windows
 TrueCrypt
 TaxWise passwords
Note: TaxWise backup files are Encrypted and do not
require additional protection
 Removal of taxpayer data from all
computers at end of season
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Key TCS/TC Duties – V Security
(continued)
PROTECT TAXPAYER INFORMATION
 Physical Security
 All paper records containing taxpayer data
must be secured at all times
 Do not leave computers unattended or store
computers in a visible area of a car
 If computer is lost or stolen
 Report immediately to 202-434-6021 &
[email protected] + SC & RC.
Police Department must also be notified
promptly.
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> Larger E-file Sites <
 Characteristics of larger sites:
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Yields 500 to 5,000 (Federal) e-files
Open 4 to 6 days per week
Open 4 to 12 hours per day
Five to fifteen counselors per shift
 Strive for one or more larger sites
per district (consolidate where possible)
(Larger sites maximize utilization of
e-files equipment and personnel)
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NTC Activities - I
 Investigates & responds to questions
and suggestions from TCS’s & others
 Issues Technology Bulletins
 Recommends changes to IRS e-file
publications & TaxWise program
 Trains new Technology Specialists
 Interfaces with the National Tax
Training Committee (NTTC)
 Recommends policy changes to NLT
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NTC Activities - II
 Published the TECHNOLOGY
MANAGEMENT GUIDE
 Distributed to all TCSs and TCs
 Publishes How-to Documents on
Networking, Tax Form Defaults, etc.
 Tests and recommends changes for IRS
computer images
 Configures image for new AARP laptops
and for the Windows 7 upgrade to older
computers
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Tune-ups, Upgrades & Images
 Re-Image AARP Tax-Aide Computers
 Propose re-imaging (Windows XP) on the
HP 6110s & 6310s this year
 Very low cost
 Consistent national image – easier than
the multipage tune-ups, but must backup
and re-install files you want to keep.
 Alternate – Complete tune-ups. Two scans
recommended as discussed for TWO
Wireless.
Finalizing Image contents - available soon
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Tune-ups, Upgrades & Images
 Windows 7 Upgrades
 Suggest upgrading Dell Vostro 1520s
this year – NY3 has 8 of the 1520s
 TechSoup Win 7 software costs $8 – NY3
has purchased the licenses
 No additional memory required
 Tax-Aide can provide an image to avoid
have to individually reinstall many software
programs – Awaiting the image disk
 Must backup files and re-install them
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What’s New for 2010
 Plan to provide Windows 7 on new
AARP Tax-Aide computers.
 Working to upgrade to Windows 7 on all
existing AARP Tax-Aide computers over the
next several years, including memory
upgrades. TaxWise may not support XP in
TY 2013. Microsoft dropping XP in 2014.
 AVG Antivirus license will not be
renewed. Recommend the use of the
free Microsoft Security Essentials.
 Expanded use of Wireless for TWO is
now approved.
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Migration to Windows 7
 Based on the May 2010 Inventory:
 583 Laptops are below Specs
meaning they cannot be
upgraded to Windows 7
 845 Laptops require memory
upgrades
 An estimated 10,000 Windows 7
upgrade licenses will be needed.
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Tax-Year 2010 Recommendations
 Major Objectives
 Promote TaxWise-OnLine (TWO) –
2009 training includes state returns
 Emphasize importance of use and
training on Encryption
 Expand use and training on Networking
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Advantages of TaxWise Online
 Improved Security
 No data stored locally on individual computers secured facility stores all data
 Intrusion detection – CCH uses software to
reduce threat of hackers
 Access from any computer with proper
identification and Broadband Internet
 Immediate availability – nothing to install
 Ideal for Using Site Provided Equipment
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Advantages of Networking
 Reduced Tax Preparation Burden
 Fewer computers to setup and maintain
software current
 Eliminates need to copy returns from
multiple computers for transmission
 Provides easy method to print from all
computers with one printer
 Improved Security
 Only one computer has taxpayer data
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2009 Network Survey
 Overall results show about 24% of sites
Network TaxWise
 Wide variation by State and Region
States 0% to 100% - Regions 3% to 56%
North Atlantic Region – 6.6% Client Server
 Another 18% Network for Printing Only
 North Atlantic Region was 28.1%
 TWO in 2009 added 3% - NA Region 2%
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2009 TWO & Network Summary
 Survey showed only a few States planning
much growth in TWO or Networking.
 AARP Tax-Aide’s goal is to substantially
increase the use of TWO and Networking.
 Your Volunteers will Thank You for making
their job easier.
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TWO Summary
 2008 – 3% of sites used TWO
 2008 Year-end Survey predicted 33%
increase to 4% of sites for 2009
 2009 actual TWO use increased over 300%
to 12% of sites.
In spite of shaky start and end-of-season
Problems , TWO users raved about how much
simpler TWO was to set-up and administer
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TWO Summary
2009 Wireless TWO Beta-Test
 Over 40 sites participated
 Some initial problems connecting to Host
 Required set-up more complex than we
want going forward.
 Learned a lot, like network printers need
static IP addresses.
 Participants liked using wireless TWO
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TWO Summary
Expanded Wireless TWO for 2010
 A site’s secured or open-to-the-public (unsecured)
wireless Internet may be used
 A separate router (not site owned) is not required,
but is recommended, to provide better security and
allow better control over your AARP Tax-Aide
network
 A router allows all TWO computers to print to a
common AARP Tax-Aide printer (network or shared)
 AARP provided and IRS computers with wireless
may be used. Personal and Site computers can be
used after they pass on-line scans
 Wireless is not approved for Desktop or for
Transmitting tax returns.
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TECHNOLOGY’S ROLE
Questions ???
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