Global Flagging

Global flagging allows the administrator to choose fields that the preparer must look at on each return or screen. There are two types of global flags:

• Flag For Review When Return Is Created

• Flag For Review When Screen Is Created

Return Created

This form of global flagging requires the preparer to open the flagged screen and clear the fields before e-filing.

• Fields can be flagged for new or newly updated returns. When a return is created or updated from the prior year (after the setting is enabled), the screen link is highlighted on the data entry menu for screens containing the fields.

• This applies even if the screen was not present in that return in the prior year. If the entire screen is not needed, you can delete the screen instead of verifying it.

• If a screen is necessary to the return and an uncleared flag exists on it, (1) a message is generated preventing e-file, and (2) the screen is highlighted in green on the Data Entry menu.

• If the screen is not necessary to the return, until you begin data entry on that screen an uncleared flag does not generate a message, and the screen is not green highlighted on the Data Entry menu.

Screen Created

This form of global flagging does not require the preparer to open the flagged screen. If the screen is opened, however, the flagged fields must be cleared before e-filing.

• Fields can be flagged on new or existing returns. The screen link is not highlighted on the data entry menu unless the screen is opened.

• An "unverified fields" message is produced only if the screen is opened and the flagged fields are not subsequently cleared.

Configure Global

To configure either global flag option, follow these steps:

1. Log into Drake Tax as an admin user.

2. Go to Setup > Options > Administrative Options.

3. Select Use customized flagged fields on all returns.

4. Click the Flag button.

5. Select the return type that you want to flag a field in.

6. Access the desired screen.

7. Right-click the desired field and choose the flag option:

   • To have the software flag the field and change the font color of the screen name to green when the return is created, choose F2 or Flag For Review When Return Is Created.

   • To have the software only flag a field when the screen itself is created, choose Flag For Review When Screen Is Created.

8. Repeat steps as needed.

9. Exit back to the Administrative Options screen and click OK to save the settings.

To apply your global flagging setup to returns updated from last year, select Apply current-year Admin flag settings when updating from prior year on the Setup > Options > Administrative Options tab.

Watch the video Administrative Options Setup for a demonstration.

Manually Flagging Fields Inside Data Entry

To flag a single field in data entry, click inside the field and press F2 on your keyboard, or right-click and choose Flag for Review from the menu. You can flag entry fields and check boxes as needed. These flags are only applied to the single return.

Clearing Flagged Fields

To clear a flagged field, there are a few options:

• Open the screen with a flagged field, then either:

  • Locate the box and verify each field by pressing F4 on your keyboard,

  • Right-click and choose Remove Flag from the menu,

  • Press Ctrl + Shift + Space to clear all flags on this screen.

• From data entry, not inside any particular screen:

  • press Ctrl + Shift + Space. This will clear all flagged fields on the return, except for the Federal ES screen.

  • Right-click and choose Clear All Flags Except Federal ES Screen from the menu.

See Drake Tax – Red and Green Field Backgrounds and Drake Tax – Color-Coded Fields Required for e-File for more information about color-coded fields.