When a file can't be used

Each file you add becomes a card, showing its year and form once we've identified it. If we can't use a file, its card says why in red.

Steps

1. Read the red message on the file's card.

   

   

2. If you see How to fix, choose it for tips on getting a better file.

   

   

3. If you see Try again (the arrow), choose it. We read the file again, or, for one that didn't upload, you pick it again.

4. Otherwise remove the file with Remove (the bin) and upload a better one.

While a file we couldn't identify or don't support is there, Extract is off and says "Replace or remove the 1 file we can't use to extract." A file that didn't upload doesn't stop Extract.

Good to know

How to fix gives three tips:

• Upload the whole return, including the first page: the form number and tax year are printed there.
• Use the PDF from the tax software or a clear scan, not a photo. Pages should be upright and readable.
• Check it's a Form 1120, 1120-S or 1065, and the right company and year.

For a file we couldn't identify, Try again appears only when the problem was ours, while tries are left.

A file that didn't upload was never stored. Remove it, or choose Try again to pick the file again.

If something goes wrong

The file didn't upload

• "This file is larger than 10 MB." Save a smaller copy and upload that.
• "This file has more than 300 pages. Upload just the return." Take out pages that aren't part of the return.
• "This file is damaged or password-protected." Print the return to a new PDF (or save a copy without the password) and upload that.
• "This file isn't a PDF." Save or print the return as a PDF.
• "This file has content that isn't allowed." Print the return to a new PDF and upload that.
• "A project holds up to 10 returns." Remove a return you don't need first.
• "We couldn't reach the server. Try again." Check your connection, then choose Try again and pick the same file.
• "The server is busy. Try again." Wait a moment, then choose Try again and pick the same file.
• "Something went wrong. Try again." Choose Try again and pick the same file.

We couldn't identify the return

• "We couldn't find a federal 1120, 1120-S or 1065 in this file." Check it's the federal business return. See Returns we read.
• "This file holds more than one return. Upload each one as its own file." Split the PDF so each return is its own file.
• "We couldn't read this file. Try again and we'll read it once more." Choose Try again. If it still fails, follow How to fix.
• "We support tax years 2015 and later." The year we read is before 2015 or later than this year. Check the year printed on the first page.
• "We had a temporary problem reading this file. Try again in a few minutes." The problem was ours. Choose Try again in a few minutes.
• "…Remove it and upload a clearer copy." or "…upload it again later." Every try is used: remove the file and upload it again.
• "We couldn't identify this return." Follow How to fix, then upload the better file.

A form we don't support

• "This form isn't supported yet. We support 1120, 1120-S and 1065." The file is a Form 1040. Remove it.