1095 EXPRESS: Creating XML File(s)

Validating your XML Files before e-Filing to the IRS

It is important to validate your file before uploading to the IRS. This is because IRS will not accept a file that contains errors, even the most trivial of errors. To validate the file you must first download and install Microsoft XML Notepad. This is NOT the same program as the regular "Notepad" program that comes with Windows.

To install XML Notepad, please go to this link:
Download

To validate your .xml files, start Microsoft XML Notepad. Then click the Open Button. Navigate to your filder, and open the file that looks similar to this (the forms file):

1094B_Request_BC03K_20151128T163714396Z.xml

You may see a window WITH MANY ERRORS THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS:



Click the FILE MENU then RELOAD. This will clear the errors. If errors remain in the Lower Window, THEN THERE IS A PROBLEM, AND IF MUST BE FIXED BEFORE YOU CAN E-FILE TO THE IRS. You should also validate the Mainfest file this same way. The Manifest file normally has NO errors.



Click Reload to clear the errors. If errors remain, then there are errors in the file you must find and fix. You can "Export Errors….", with the File Menu, if the errors are not clear in the lower window of XML Notepad .

If you have Validation Errors, you will probable need to make changes to your .T95 source file, then recreate the 2 xml files and the .txt Tracking report again. However, before recreating the files, you should DELETE the previously created xml files and the Tracking report. If you do not delete these files, you can easily become confused, since the files look similar, and you may accidentally send the wrong files to the IRS.

In order to correct your .T95 File, you will need to locate the line number reported by XML Notepad . Then you will need to find the .T95 Line Number associated with the Error. You must therefore download and use Notepad++ a free program, that is NOT the same as the regular Notepad that comes with windows.