Tax Assistant includes Partnership Tax Return modules for all Self Assessment years from 1997 onwards. The programs can be used either in conjunction with TaxBase or as stand-alone modules for producing Partnership Tax Returns and supporting schedules. Partner statements produced in the Partnership Tax Return programs can be imported into the Partnership Supplement in the individual Tax Return programs.

All Supplementary Pages are included (Land and Property, Foreign, Trading and Professional Income, Disposal of Chargeable Assets, and Savings, Investments and Other Income).

Comprehensive facilities are included for creating supporting schedules for items such as bank interest, dividends, capital allowances and property income.

Filing By Internet (FBI) is supported through an optional data communications module called FBI Courier which transmits tax return data to the HM Revenue & Customs and receives responses from the HM Revenue & Customs using the Internet, thus providing a fully integrated FBI solution. The Partnership Tax Return and FBI Courier programs can be set up to provide a fully automatic, seamless interface with the HMRC Self Assessment computer system.

Client filing system File functions are included for creating new partnership tax return files or creating partnership tax return files based on those from the previous year. Other file functions include Open, Save, Close, Rename, Delete and Backup. Transferring client data from the previous year means that all data which does not, or is unlikely to, change from year to year (e.g. name and address, bank account names, relevant supplementary pages) is instantly copied from the previous year's Partnership Tax Return to create the "skeleton" of the current year's return, thus saving a large amount of data entry from year to year.

Import Client information stored in the TaxBase database, such as partnership name and address, tax reference, and commencement or cessation dates can be imported into the Partnership Tax Return with a few clicks of the mouse. There is also a facility to import accounts data from accounts production software, spreadsheets and word processing documents directly on to the main Partnership Tax Return form or to a Trading supplement. The import functions are available using an industry standard format.

On-screen display of the Tax Return form The programs include full-colour, on-screen displays of the Partnership Tax Return form and the Supplementary Pages. Rapid navigation around the forms is possible using a variety of methods such as control keys, scroll bars and page selection buttons. If required, information can be entered directly into each Partnership Tax Return box as it would be on a paper return.

Notepads with "point and click" icons Sprinkled around the on-screen Partnership Tax Return forms you will find many "notepad" icons. Simply "point and click" on any of these to reveal one of Tax Assistant's most powerful features, the Notepads. Each notepad icon is context sensitive. When you click on an icon a Notepad page appears, which applies to that section of the Partnership Tax Return. There are Notepad pages for all sections of the Partnership Tax Return where background data is used to derive the information that appears on the tax forms (e.g. income from bank accounts that are reported on the Savings supplementary pages). Total amounts are automatically calculated on the notepads and copied to the appropriate tax form boxes when you click on the OK button on a notepad. All information entered on the notepads can be printed out in the form of supporting schedules to accompany the return.

Calculators for special functions Specialised on-screen "calculators" are incorporated into the Partnership Tax Return programs. These include calculation of capital allowances and balancing charges, based on the initial value brought forward, writing-down factors, proportion of private use, and sales. This calculator also deals with first year allowances.

Printed reports of Partnership Tax Returns and supporting schedules Tax Assistant produces high quality printed reports on laser printers. The substitute Partnership Tax Return produced by Tax Assistant is approved by HM Revenue & Customs for submission in place of the official Partnership Tax Return form. Schedule printouts have headers and footers containing the taxpayer's name and reference number, and the date. Partnership Tax Returns can also be produced in a form that can be sent to the client by email.

Filing By Internet The Partnership Tax Return programs include facilities for submitting Partnership Tax Returns using the Filing By Internet (FBI) system when used in conjunction with the FBI Courier program. Administration functions are included to log the FBI process and manage received HM Revenue & Customs responses.