AUTOMATED IRS TAX REPORTING
Mission Statement
Our client was burdened with the highly bureaucratic and labour-intensive task of completing over 90 IRS tax forms. The existing process necessitated employees to manually search through extensive Excel datasets and transcribe the required information into the corresponding tax forms. The client subsequently had to audit each form, compounding the risk of human error and substantially increasing labour demands. This convoluted process has led to high costs and frequent errors in tax submissions.
Our goal is to help the client automate this process, which will dramatically reduce errors and labour costs.
Impact
Using Alteryx, Continuum provided the client with a seamless workflow. Alteryx autonomously extracted and inputted all relevant tax information from the client’s dataset into an IRS form. This dramatically cut manual input, optimizing efficiency and accuracy while also reducing auditing needs.
Tools Used
Alteryx
Data Preparation
Data Extraction from Excel data tables
Populating interactive PDFs
Automated PDF output
Detailed Solution
Continuum first converted the IRS document into a PDF template, tagging each data entry point with a designated code. The client created a corresponding Excel spreadsheet for each individual, where employees populated each data tag with relevant financial data. In the automated process, this is the only point of human input, drastically reducing the client’s auditing requirements.
Using Alteryx, we developed a seamless workflow which automates the form completion. This workflow autonomously reads the Excel sheet and extracts data from the cells, utilizing the tag codes as precise reference points. Alteryx then transcribes the data onto the designated fields on the IRS form. By integrating the PDF template of the IRS tax form within this automated framework, we removed the need for manual inputting.
The workflow not only streamlines the process but also ensures accuracy and consistency. Moreover, employees previously tasked with manual data entry can focus on higher-value tasks, allowing the client to allocate resources more efficiently.
Continuum’s successful implementation of Alteryx demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to modernizing tax form completion processes.