Standard Client Letters

There are two types of letters that may be attached to your customers' returns: Standard Letters and Custom Letters.

Standard Letters

Standard letters can be added globally to all returns upon creation (via Client Communication Preferences) or individually added to one return at a time (via the Client Communication Manager).

The settings available in Client Communication Preferences offer the following controls for the Standard Letter:

  • Which Letter or combination of Letters will be automatically attached to new returns
  • The ability to combine the Client and Estimate Letters
  • The ability to include a Privacy Notice on Client and Estimate Letters
  • The ability to combine the Federal and State/Local Letters
  • The ability to determine whether Client Letters should be written as if the return 'has been e-filed' or 'will be e-filed'
  • The ability to determine desired pronoun usage (I/me versus we/us)
  • The ability to determine which paragraphs should be included or excluded and the order in which the paragraphs will appear.

These settings are unique for each letter type (Federal Client Letter, Federal Estimate Letter, State Client Letter, and State Estimate Letter). Settings for each letter type must be made individually.

Custom Letters

Custom letters are only created in the Client Communication Manager. Using a series of templates, you can create totally unique communications that meet the specific needs of your business. Two master templates and one blank template provide you greater flexibility in communicating with your customer. The available Master Templates are listed below:

  • Engagement Letter
  • Individual Tax Due
  • Individual Refund
  • Cover Sheet
  • Mailing Slip
  • Blank

Custom letters function like standard letters in that they pull information from the return and plug it into a form letter. However, custom letters offer you more variables that can be used in each letter to customize the content. Full word processing capabilities (including the ability to add a graphic signature or logo) are also available to further customize your letters.

Custom Templates may be created and saved or even imported and used whenever and however you like. The template itself may be edited, or each individual letter may be edited to meet your needs.

This section includes the following topics regarding Standard Letters: