Hello, and welcome to today's webinar, Document Upload Tool. I see it's the top of the hour. We're glad you've joined us today. My name is Evette Davis, and I'm a Senior Tax Analyst with the Internal Revenue Service. And I will be your moderator for today's webinar, which is slated for approximately 60 minutes.
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So here we go. Do you know who your Local Stakeholder Liaison is? A, yes; B, no; or, C, what is stakeholder liaison? Take a moment, ask yourself the question, and click the radio button that corresponds to your answer. Or if you do not receive the polling question, you could enter only the letter that corresponds with your response using the ask question text box.
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Again, welcome. We're so glad you joined us for today's webinar. But before we move along with our section, let me make sure you're in the right place. Today's webinar is on the Document Upload Tool. This webinar is scheduled for approximately 60 minutes from the top of the hour.
Now let me introduce today's speakers. We are joined by Jennifer Noeller and Christian Chase. Jennifer has been with the IRS for over 25 years. She started as a customer service representative taking phone calls from taxpayers to help resolve their issues. Through her experience with the IRS, she has seen the importance of receiving and working taxpayer correspondence as quickly as possible. This is one of the reasons she volunteered earlier this year to co-lead the Document Upload Tool project. She is excited to be a part of this effort to provide taxpayers and practitioners with an option to correspond with the IRS digitally, and she looks forward to the continued expansion of this tool.
Now to Christian. Christian has been with the IRS for six years. He started his career in the IRS with Enterprise System Testing Division where he oversaw the testing and readiness of many critical filing season applications. His team worked on the final integration testing of many filing season applications. One of the things he saw through his time here at the IRS was how much paper correspondence is sent to the IRS and how crowded the mailroom can get. This is why he was excited to work on the Document Upload Tool expansion project. As the main IT lead for Document Upload Tool, he works aggressively to fulfill the taxpayers' and customers' needs.
Welcome, Jen, and welcome, Christian. I'll turn it over to you, Jen, to get us started.
Thanks, Evette. Hello, and welcome everyone to the Online Services Document Upload Tool national webinar. My name is Jen Noeller, and I am joined by my colleague Christian Chase. We are IRS digitalization leaders and are excited to share all the efforts the IRS is implementing to become a digital first IRS.
So the goals of today's session are to share the IRS digitalization vision and the impact that it has on taxpayers. Provide an overview of how the Document Upload Tool simplifies correspondence, and increases efficiency for you, the taxpayer. And finally, to show you how to use the Document Upload Tool.
So to kick us off, let's take a look at how our digitalization initiatives came to be and their impact on both tax payer and employee experiences. So our journey starts with the enactment of a piece of legislation called the Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, provided a historic opportunity to improve the IRS's service and technology to ultimately make tax filing easier for you.
There were five main outcomes of this funding. World class service experience, digital first organization where our body of work sits, improved take up of tax incentives, effective enforcement, and employer of choice. So this legislation is helping us address one of the major issues facing the IRS, and that's paper. Paper based processes have long frustrated taxpayers and employees. So to give you some context, the IRS receives over 60 million paper tax returns and forms each year and approximately a 125 million pieces of correspondence, notice responses, and non-tax forms each year.
We are tackling this problem and improving efficiency with the following approach, creation of digital first strategy. So we're creating the strategies to digitalize the IRS to improve the overall taxpayer experience. Scanning paper at the point of receipt, transforming paper to digital formats, and enabling real time access to data to provide seamless digital interaction options for taxpayers for faster turnaround time. Increasing and expanding digital channels, decreasing the amount of paper received and stored to defray storage costs and provide ease of use for taxpayers and tax practitioners. The Document Upload Tool is one instance of how we're increasing and expanding the ways we can interact digitally with the IRS.
So the Document Upload Tool is a prime example of how digitalization efforts at the IRS are driving successful outcomes for both taxpayers and employees. So while the submission through DUT currently needs to be worked by an employee, this does bring us one step closer to being able to process that correspondence digitally.
As many of you know, the IRS works correspondence on a first in, first out basis. So the processing times are not necessarily faster at this point, but submitting responses through DUT cuts out the mail time and the time it takes correspondence to get to the right person to work it. So let's learn a little more about the Document Upload Tool.
Thanks to the Document Upload Tool, taxpayers can now securely upload documents directly from their devices, allowing them to submit documents electronically at the click of a button, creating a more seamless taxpayer experience. Prior to filing season 2023, taxpayers could only submit most documents by mail. This tool allows taxpayers and tax professionals to digitally submit all approved correspondence, non-tax forms, and responses to notices and receive immediate documentation of delivery, ultimately reducing the burden of paper correspondence.
The IRS estimates that more than 94% of individual taxpayers will no longer need to send mail to the IRS, and it will enable up to a 125 million paper documents to be submitted digitally per year. This tool has been a great success. So far, the Document Upload Tool has received over 1.6 million submissions.
And, additionally, the Document Upload Tool offers many enhancements to both taxpayer and IRS employee experiences and creates seamless digital interactions with and within the IRS. The Document Upload Tool will enable faster submission times, eliminating lengthy mail delays, and providing increased accessibility for taxpayers, all while creating more avenues for submission to meet taxpayers where they are.
However, the benefits are not just limited to taxpayers. The Document Upload Tool moves the IRS closer to providing an excellent experience for both customers and employees by reducing the need for manual data entry, giving employees easy access to taxpayer information, and improving the overall tax experience.
So the Document Upload Tool also serves as a prime example for the IRS's commitment to keeping you at the center of development. Our work does not stop at go live. The Document Upload Tool team has established consistent feedback sessions with taxpayers to solicit feedback on the tool and ultimately tailor new capability launches to address feedback heard in these sessions for a later release.
And now end users receive submission confirmation when they use the tool today, and that was a request of tech professionals to have a confirmation page when submitting documents. So we are constantly looking for ways to improve the tool and working to accept responses from new and updated letters. That has been used to allow submissions for the employee retention credit and the voluntary disclosure program, and it may be used for other submissions in the future.
So we do suggest that you check the tool whenever you need to correspond with the IRS. While there may be something you weren't able to submit in the past, something may have changed or could change at a later time that will allow you to submit those documents.
The Document Upload Tool approach to feedback is being applied across our portfolio of work. And Christian will tell you more about the Document Upload Tool and how it works for you. But before we move on, let's take our first poll question.
All right, Jen. You've got it. Yes. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you so very much. Okay, audience. Here we go with our First Polling Question, and it's a true or false response. The Document Upload Tool allows you to digitally submit correspondences and responses to notices and letters to the IRS. Is it A, true; or B, false? Take a moment, think about what you just heard, and click the radio button that best answers this question. If you do not receive the polling question, please enter only the letter A or B that corresponds with your response using the ask question text box.
And folks, your responses are time stamped. Please remember also that you need to answer at least three polling questions and participate in the live broadcast from the official start time for at least 50 minutes to earn one IRS CE credit. True or false? The Document Upload Tool allows you to digitally submit correspondences and responses to notices and letters to the IRS. Select A for true or B for false. Okay. Want to make sure you have enough time to submit your responses, make your selections. If you need to, you can submit your response using the ask question feature. Okay, folks. Let's go ahead and stop the polling now, and let's share the correct answer on the next slide.
And folks, the correct response is A, true. And it looks like 98% of you responded correctly. Great job, Jen. They are on fire today. They love this Document Upload Tool, I hope. At least you've got their attention. Christian, coming over to you. The floor is yours.
Thanks. Now let's talk about some tips and tricks to make the most of your tool experience. Some Document Upload Tool dues. Only use the Document Upload Tool to upload IRS eligible correspondence that was specifically requested such as supporting documentation for things like income, deductions, credits, and nontax forms. Scans, photos, or digital copies of documents are the only acceptable submissions. Some Document Upload Tool [indiscernible] IRS documents or tax returns, payments, or original documentation.
Here are some things to look for on your notice to help you navigate to the Document Upload Tool. The notice on the left has an access tool and QR code that will easily guide users to the tool upon scanning. There is also a URL to direct you to the Document Upload Tool. On this notice, it's IRS.gov/dutreply right before the access code. We encourage the use of the QR and access codes for easy access to the tool.
If you prefer not to use the QR code, you can still use the URL provided in the notice. The QR code or URL, along with the access code helps ensure your documents get to the appropriate area for processing. The notice on the right does not include a QR code or access code, which means the user will have to manually navigate to the tool instead. If you have to manually navigate to the Document Upload Tool, simply follow these steps. Type IRS Document Upload Tool in your browser. Then follow the navigation on screen to be directed to the IRS Document Upload Tool. You will be directed to the page and can proceed to using the tool. Note, there are various duct tool URLs that can also be used.
Let's get a closer look at how to use the Document Upload Tool. When opening the Document Upload Tool, you will be prompted to read and acknowledge the government warning before continuing to the privacy statement. As you can see here, there is a note advising you that you should never use the Document Upload Tool to file a tax return and that submitting a return through the tool will not relieve you of your tax filing requirements. Before entering the tool, you will be prompted to read and acknowledge the privacy statement below before continuing to the next screen.
As you can see on this page, we remind you again not to use the Document Upload Tool for filing your tax return. We cannot process tax returns that come through DUT. When you click okay, you have entered the tool, but you should first answer whether your notice or letter has an access code listed on it. It shows you where to find access code, steps to take if your letter a notice contains an access code, and steps to take if it does not in the next three slides.
If your notice or letter has an access code, you will input the code into the access code box. Once the code is inputted, enter the other requested information with each field being required to proceed to the upload page. There is an alternative scenario where your document does not have an access code. If this is the case, you must locate the letter or notice number on the correspondence and enter it in the shown drop down menu. The letter number is generally located on the top right or bottom right corner of the letter mailed to you.
After locating the notice or letter in the drop down, if a response is required, follow the prompts to enter additional information and proceed with the submission. After entering your data, you can now begin uploading all necessary documents into the Document Upload Tool by following the list of steps shown to ensure proper submission. We also suggest scanning a copy of the notice received and submitting it with your response whenever possible. This can help the employee work in your responses in case there are any typos when entering the information requested.
Another suggestion we have when submitting your response is to number the pages. This can be helpful if you have to discuss what you submitted with the IRS employee working your response. Once all files have been uploaded, click the submit button. After entering your data, you can now begin uploading all necessary documents into the Document Upload Tool by following the list of steps to ensure a proper submission.
Once all files have been uploaded, click submit. In some cases, the letter or notice may not require a response or may be ineligible for Document Upload Tool submission. If that's the case, when you enter your notice or letter number in the tool, you will receive a redirect message informing you that no further action is needed or to review the instructions on your correspondence. If you try to click on the next button after selecting a letter that you cannot respond to, you will see a red circle with a dash. If an incorrect number is selected, it could result in a delay.
After submitting your documents, you will receive a confirmation page to confirm your submission. As I mentioned, we do not process submissions first in, first out excuse me. As I mentioned, we do process submissions first in, first out, whether they come through DUT, mail, or fax. In addition to DUT getting your documents to the person who processes it faster, you also have this confirmation page. This is another reason DUT is better than mail or faxing. You can either close the tool or click the start over button if you want to submit other responses.
Or you can print or save this page for your records, which we recommend. Please allow at least 30 days from apply from the IRS. And that's it. Thank you.
Thank you, Christian. Okay, folks. Let's get ready to do a Polling Question #2. Okay, Polling Question #2. Here we go. Which item can you submit using the Document Upload Tool? Which item can you submit using the Document Upload Tool? Is it A, tax returns; B, supporting documents; C, payments; or D, original documents? Take a moment, reread the question, and click the radio button that best answers the question.
If you do not receive the polling question, please enter only the letters A, B, C, or D that corresponds with your response using the ask question text box. Another reminder, folks, your responses are time stamped. Okay, which item can you submit using the Document Upload Tool? Okay, A, B, C or D. All right. We're going to stop the polling now and share the correct response on the next slide. And folks, the correct response is B, supporting documents. And I see that 94% of you responded correctly. Great job everyone. Great job. Let's move on to Polling Question #3.
And this folk is a true or false response. Okay, true or false? Access codes are listed on all notices and letters. Access codes are listed on all notices and letters. True or false. Select A for true or B for false. Take a moment. Click the radio button that best answers your question. If you do not receive the polling question, please enter only the letter A for true or B for false that corresponds with your response using the ask question text box. And again, your responses are time stamped. Okay, you have to answer three polling questions to get that one IRS CE credit, folks.
So make sure you're responding to these polling questions. Want to make sure you have enough time to make your selection. Or if you need to submit your answer, you can use the ask questions feature. Okay. Let's stop the polling now and share the correct answer on the next slide. And folks, the correct response is B, false. And let's see what percentage of you responded correctly.
All right. Looks like 85% of you responded correctly. Awesome job, everyone. Very good. Okay. Now, Jen, I'll turn it over to you.
Thanks, Evette. And thank you all so much for your time and attention today. We are so grateful for the opportunity to discuss this amazing digitalization work happening at the IRS. So now we can go and answer some questions you may have.
Excellent. Excellent. Okay, folks. Thank you all so very much. This is Evette again. I'll be moderating the question-and-answer session. But before we get started with that portion, I do want to thank you all for attending today's webinar on the Document Upload Tool. Earlier, I mentioned we want to know what questions you have for our presenters. And folks, here is your opportunity. So if you haven't input your questions, there is still time.
Go ahead and click on the drop down arrow next to the ask questions field and type in your question, and remember to click send. As I mentioned before, Jen and Christian are staying on to answer your questions. One thing before we get started, we may not have time to get to all of your great, great questions that you submitted, but we will make sure to get through and answer as many as time allows.
So folks, let's go ahead and jump right in here, and let's go ahead and get started with the first question. Let me see here. Okay. And, Christian, I believe, Christian, I'm just going to come to you for the first question. All right.
Sounds good.
So the first question is this. All right. Is the IRS' Document Upload Tool available to all taxpayers?
Great question. Yes, the Document Upload Tool is available to all taxpayers and tax professionals so they can digitally submit their approved correspondence for non-tax forms and responses to any notice that was mailed out to them.
Excellent. Okay. Great. Thank you, Christian. Okay, Jen, coming over to you. Is the Document Upload Tool accessible from a telephone, tablet, or desk, a computer, or laptop?
It sure is. The IRS designed the Document Upload Tool to be accessible on all mobile devices, including phones and tablets, as well as desktops and laptops to provide a seamless document submission experience. So whether you're on the go or in the comfort of your own home, you can access the tool anytime, anyplace.
Very good. Okay. All right. I think I like this Document Upload Tool. Okay. Christian, over to you. Are there any file sizes or format restrictions for documents uploaded through the DUT?
Yes. And this is another good question. I'm trying to take my time so everyone can understand. But, yes, when we built this tool, one of the key considerations was compatibility and to being able to do different file types. So right now, the Document Upload Tool allows you to upload JPEGs, PNGs, or PDF file types. Each submission carries a limit of 40 files at a time up to 15 megabytes per file. So if you extrapolate that out, one submission could be a total of about 600 megabytes at a time. Additionally, there's some special characters that we don't allow in the file naming of the file.
So if you're uploading a file and it's like documentation, exclamation mark, we might flag it because of that that character we don't allow in the file name. So just be careful that your file name is named correctly or you will receive an error. Like I said, if a user tried to upload an incorrect file type, we'll let them know, and we'll let them know the reason why. Thank you.
Very good. Okay. Thank you for that tip and for answering that question. Thank you, Christian. Okay, Jen, let me come over to you and let me ask this question. This person is asking, will I receive confirmation once my documents have been uploaded? Good question.
That's very good question. And, yes, this is one way we have addressed feedback received after the tool went live, and we did listen. So since its initial deployment, the DUT tool has undergone numerous enhancements, and this includes the addition of the confirmation page that affirms the submission is complete and displays key submission details.
So that enhancement, again, was a direct result of user feedback, aimed at improving both the taxpayer experience and the efficiency of processing the submission.
Excellent. All right, folks. You heard her, the IRS is listening to you and implementing your suggestions. We're listening to your feedback, so keep that coming, okay? All right. Coming back to you, Christian. This person wants to know, can I use the Document Upload Tool to submit a tax return?
I think I know the answer to this one, but I'll turn it over to you Christian.
Yes. It just might have went out before we covered it. But, yes, absolutely. Do not use the Document Upload Tool to ever submit a tax return. The tool is not for that. So please do not use it to submit a tax return, to submit a payment. The tool is really designed for taxpayers and tax professionals to upload documents that were specifically requested by the IRS and eligible correspondent. So, no, you cannot use the tool to submit to file your tax return. No.
Very good. Awesome. Thank you very much. Okay. All right. Coming over to you, Jen. I feel like I'm playing tennis again today. All right. So this person wants to know why did I receive a message when I tried using the Document Upload Tool saying I couldn't use it?
So, while we would love to say that we accept responses for every single letter and notice, unfortunately, we cannot. Some responses cannot legally be accepted. You'll also notice some letters may not require a response, or maybe there's another tool that should be used when you select that letter. So when you select the letter, make sure you read the guidance provided on whether or not another tool should be used, or you should be referring back to your notice for more detailed information on how to respond.
That's good. That's kind of going back to that polling question where it asks if the tool accepts all letters and notices. So okay. Very good. Thanks, Jen. All right. Christian, coming back to you. This person has, oh, looks like they got an issue here. They said, I tried using the Document Upload Tool, but I didn't see my letter number listed in the drop down. Does this mean I can't use the tool?
So if this is the case, we always are evaluating this tool. And part of that evaluation is evaluating what we can accept through the tool. So if you didn't see your letter or number or notice there, at one point of time, then that doesn't mean in the future you won't be able to respond to that letter or any other letter in the future. It just means right now, we do not have that letter of notice, that that's available to be responded due to tool. But I would ask that you check back if you if you run into that, situation again so.
Okay. That's good. Again, going back to that that other response where you're listening to their feedback. So if there's a document that you feel you use frequently, then, send in that feedback saying, hey, this is not a part of the DUT. Can you add it? Can it be added? Because it's being updated all the time. It may be something that's added in the future. So, that's good to know. Thanks, Christian. Okay. Over to you, Jen. When I used the Document Upload Tool in the past, I was able to select other in the drop down to submit my response, but I no longer see that option. Was it removed?
Yes. That's a very good question. Thank you. So, yes, the other option was just a temporary solution until all of our approved letters were added to DUT. So in November, we were able to add the last group of approved letters to the drop down. So the other option has since been removed.
Wow. Okay. I just learned something new. I did not realize that. Okay. Thank you, Jen. Great question, whoever sent that in. All right. Coming over to you, Christian. This person wants to know what would you say are the main objectives of the Document Upload Tool? I guess they want to know why would they need to use it? Good question.
Yes. The main, whenever we do something, we deal with the taxpayer in mind, right? So one of the main reasons or objectives for the Document Upload Tool is really to reduce the time and labor spent, getting this correspondence to the person who needs to process it, right? If you mailed it in you as a taxpayer, I think to the post office, then the post office has to go through that shipping process, however many days that take, then it has to get to a building and so forth and so on.
So there are a lot of steps before it even gets to the hands of an IRS employee. With the Document Upload Tool, we're reducing those steps from time and labor. Another thing is, it minimizes the risk of lost or misplaced documents, and information. Don't have to worry about if you mail something out and it fell off the mail truck or it got left in the [indiscernible] or something like that. With DUT, we help minimize the risk of that.
And another reason is just really enhancing the modernization of how taxpayers correspond with the IRS. For so long, it's been phone, paper, fax, very few digital options. So this is now a new digital option where taxpayers can, of course can correspond with the IRS. And another reason is, it's a secure and convenient digital submission for taxpayers, right? They have an ability, oh, I received something. I can take a picture of it on my phone, and I can upload it. I can scan them to my computer and upload it. I don't have to leave the comfort to my home to do this. If it's Sunday, I don't have to say the post office is closed. I can't get it out, right? It's be found a very secure and convenient option for the taxpayer. So that's kind of how I would sell it.
I like that. I think you you're selling me on it. Definitely, Christian. Okay. Great upgrades. Great addition to the IRS. Okay. Coming over to you, Jennifer. Let's see. Let's go with this question. What actions have been taken to encourage easy adoption of the DUT tools by employees? That's an interesting question. Jennifer?
Yes. It is. Well, actually, what we've done is we've worked with the business operating division that processes those responses to create some standard training for employees to help communicate and highlight the DUT capabilities, for our customers. So we've also done a series of demos with the employees, to make sure they're familiar with the tool when they are talking to taxpayers on the phone who may want to use the tool to submit their responses. And we're always looking for other opportunities to improve on employees' knowledge of the tool and the benefits around taxpayers using the tool.
Okay. That's great. As an employee myself, I think that that is good to know. Because, again, with these new tools, as employees, we don't understand how to use it if you call in and we don't have any type of knowledge about it. It could cause some issues when we're trying to help you. So we are glad that there are opportunities out there for employees to learn more about the tool as well. So thanks for that to you and your team.
Okay, Christian. I think I found one for you. What are some major accomplishments that the Document Upload Tool has recently reached, and which one or which ones are you most proud of? Interesting.
Yes. There are quite a few that come to mind. I'll try to keep them as the same as big as possible. But one of the things was the speed at which we were able to get this out to taxpayers. We were able to get this tool out three months ahead of schedule. And that allowed taxpayers to digitally reply to all approved IRS notice and letters. So getting it out ahead of schedule was a huge accomplishment for our team.
Also, another accomplishment that I'm pretty proud of is that in calendar year 2024, we received 1 million uploads, which is nearly double of what we received in calendar year 2023. So you can see the growth and expansion and adoption of the tool. Also, one other important thing is that, we've already deployed in our fiscal year 2024, we deployed 50 plus enhancements to this product.
So that tells us that we're listening to the feedbacks, we're continually making improvements and we're going to continue to do that. 6 million taxpayers have visited that. We have over 20,000 IRS personnel who use that. So it's an adoption from the taxpayer standpoint and an adoption from IRS employee standpoint. And if I had to pick one, I'm proud of, I probably couldn't pick one. So I I'll say it's really just improving the taxpayer's experience and also improving an IRS employee’s experience and not having to deal with so much paper in.
Very good. And I'm listening to you and Jennifer say the acronym DUT. Okay. Everybody say it with me, DUT. Okay. All right. Coming to you coming to you, Jen, with this next question. Can taxpayer representatives use debt to upload documents on behalf of the taxpayer? Now I get this question a lot, so I'm interested to hear your response.
Yes. Anybody can actually use the Document Upload Tool, and that includes taxpayer representatives. So they can submit documents through DUT. As their representative, they would be asked to enter the name of the taxpayer business, when submitting their documentation. And that's one good thing about having this confirmation page now that I know we talked about a few times. That confirmation page can be printed or saved along with the documentation you submitted for your customers.
And then that confirmation page includes the date that you sent the submission along with the name of the individual or business that you entered when submitting the document. So and we are always exploring opportunities for taxpayers and their authorized third parties to securely submit more correspondence through DUT. So definitely keep an eye on the tool. I think we got a, we got a lot coming.
All right. I love that. Okay. Very good. Okay, folks. Again, we're doing a solicitation for your feedback. Let us know what you think and encourage others to use the DUT tool. Okay. Thanks, Jen, for that. We appreciate you. Christian, I'm coming over to you. Okay. All right. This is an interesting question. How was the IRS able to expand the DUT tool in 2024?
Yes. So just give a little bit of background. DUT was first launched in 2021 with a limited scope. But in 2024, we expanded its capabilities to accept all, as I said before, accept all eligible notices and letter responses. And that was supported by funding from the IRA. This development kind of exemplifies how investments from IRA have facilitated and enhanced the customer experience and also improved experience with both, as I said before, IRS employees and taxpayers.
Awesome. Very good. Okay. We're trying to come up into the 21st century, folks. Okay. Here we go. So, let's come over -- thanks, Christian. All right. Jen, let's come over to you with this question. And this is a question I have myself. Great question. What can we look forward to from the DUT tool in calendar year 2025?
Well, I feel like there may be a lot coming, but what we're trying to do is concentrate on expanding our digital channels, getting those documents, those submissions over to the right place, more efficiently to help improve the processing timeline and also increase taxpayer and employee awareness of the tool.
Okay. Very good. Very good. All right. Let's move right along. This next question, Christian, I'll come to you for this one. He wants to know, has the Document Upload Tool received any new coverage as it seems like a large accomplishment?
Yes. DUT for -- it was a major accomplishment for digitalization priorities from the IRS. The DUT received coverage from excuse me, received national news coverage from Forbes, Politico, and Bloomberg are the ones that I'm aware of. So pretty big stuff.
Well, congratulations to you and your team. That is awesome. All right. Let me go over to Jen. Another question about visibility. Has the DUT received any visibility, I'll say, with the Commissioner or Treasury Secretary?
Yes. Actually, Danny Werfel and Janet Yellen were in the Austin campus in September this past September and we were able to provide them with a demo of the DUT tool while they were there.
Okay, a demo. That sounds really good. Okay. Cool. Cool. Cool. So as far as the Document Upload Tool users, this person is asking about user experiences. Do you all have any feedback from end users? Do you have any feedback? Or is there a mechanism for folks to provide that feedback?
Yes, it definitely answered both of those questions. So the Document Upload Tool team, we have established, IRS internal weekly feedback sessions to ensure, there's a continuous feedback loop from those sessions we try to implement. Additionally, our team is, we're going to be implementing a survey that will appear after user completes the submission, and this will allow us or, I mean it will allow users to provide feedback on what works well and potentially identify areas for improvement.
Now, additionally that survey will also appear for users who are unable to complete the submission, helping to identify the challenges that they face while navigating or using the tool. And from that feedback, we just wanted to continuously improve the taxpayer's experience.
Okay. Very good. Thank you, Christian. Appreciate that. Okay. Jennifer, let me come over to you and ask this question about using the Document Upload Tool. Are there any tips or tricks you can share with us? Not everybody may be technology savvy, or do you have to be that? Or what can you tell us to help us navigate this tool more easily?
Yes, so I know we talked about the QR code shown in some of the notices. We are in the process of adding those to all the notices that we accept responses for. But if you do see a QR code, we do suggest scanning that. It's just going to help you get your documentation to the right area faster and without any confusion of selecting incorrect letter or punching in the wrong link. So that is in the process of being added, like I said to all the notices, so suggest using it.
If you don't want to use it, make sure you check that URL provided and the access code if there is one in the letter. Again, this is going to help your documents get to the right person as quickly as possible. If you don't have that information in the letter and you have to use the drop down, just please take your time, check for that you're selecting the correct letter or notice number that normally appears in the top right or the bottom right of your letter.
If you don't see it listed or you receive a response saying that that can't be used, do not select another letter just so you can use the tool because this can cause significant delays in having your correspondence worked, or it may be actually return printed out and returned to you in the mail if it can't be processed.
Okay. So now those are great tips. Okay. Those are great tips, folks. All right. Thank you very much, Jen. Okay, Christian, coming back to you. We're getting through some great questions here. So and this is another question I've heard from a lot of folks since DUT was introduced. So why are certain documents not accepted through DUT? We heard you say accepted or approved letters and notices. Why are certain documents not accepted through DUT?
Yes, it's really like several legal and security factors that when this was set up, that was taken into consideration. And those factor kind of drove what documents could be legally accepted through DUT. So as we mentioned, we're always looking for opportunities to improve the tool. So improve the tool and more correspondence that can be accepted. So just because something isn't accepted now, doesn't mean it won't be accepted in the future. So if you get it blocked this year and you come back next year and use the tool, just check because things are always changing.
The only thing that's constant is change, so keep a lookout for any changes or updates. All right. Thank you, Christian. Coming over to you, Jen. Is DUT working on a way for DUT users to see documents that have been submitted? Another great question.
It is a great question and one we receive frequently. So yes, the good news is we are exploring options for those authorized to view taxpayer information to see what has been submitted through DUT. Don't have a time frame yet, but we are in the process of working towards that ability.
Okay. Now that would be a great enhancement. Okay. All right. Speaking on behalf of my tax professional friends out there. Okay. Another question coming to you, Christian. What repository letters does DUT accept? What repository letters does DUT accept? Good question.
The list of letters and notices that we accept, that accept responses through DUT, as we mentioned here was constantly changed and involved. New revised letters are continually being evaluated to really determine the eligibility for DUT responses. So best thing I would say is to check if response can be submitted through DUT, use the QR code or URL provided by phone assistor or the one on the letter. If neither is available, enter the number and the DUT drop down that we showed earlier. If the submission is on the layout, you'll be notified after selecting that appropriate letter.
So, the best advice I'd like just to kind of sum it up, the best advice would be check the letter for the QR code or link or if your phone assistant gave you one. And if neither, go to the tool, type in your letter, and see if it allows you to respond to it through DUT.
Excellent. Excellent. Thank you so much. Thank you, Christian. Thank you, Jennifer. Okay, audience. That is all the time we have for questions. Again, I want to thank you so much for joining us today, Christian and Jennifer for your expertise in answering our questions and for sharing your expertise and your knowledge. You guys are amazing. Now we can't leave without one final polling question. All right, audience?
And this is simply an audience check, so please select the radio button on the screen. If you do not receive the polling question, remember folks, just add the letter A as your response using the ask question text box. And remember also that your response is time stamped, and you need to answer at least three polling questions and participate in this live broadcast from the official start time for at least 50 minutes to earn that one IRS CE credit. Yes, folks. The polling question example we did at the beginning of this presentation does count towards this requirement.
Make sure you have enough time to make your selection or if you have to use that ask question feature to submit your response. All right, let's go ahead and stop the polling now. Thank you all so much for responding and participating with the polling questions. Before we close out today's session, Jen, give us some key points that you want the attendees to remember from today's webinar, please.
Okay. Well, I guess some key takeaways that from the beginning of the call, like I mentioned, in August 2022, Congress enacted the Inflation Reduction Act, giving the IRS a historic opportunity to transform the admission of the tax system and taxpayer services. Thanks to that funding, the IRS is increasing taxpayer access to digital services like the Document Upload Tool.
And through the Document Upload Tool or DUT, like we like to call it, taxpayers can securely upload responses to notices and letters directly from their devices. Like we said, this does include tablets, laptops, phones, and 94% of individual taxpayers are estimated to no longer need to send mail, to the IRS.
So we're hoping more people start using this fabulous tool. When you're using the tool, be sure to only use the tool to upload documents that were specifically requested by the IRS and eligible correspondence. Make sure to submit scans, photos, or digital copies of documents, such as JPGs, JPEGs, PNGs, and PDFs. Examples of what to submit, make sure you, submit documentation for income deductions, credits, or other non-tax forms that were requested.
I know we've mentioned this a few times, but very important, use that QR code or hyperlink on your notice or letter if you have one to navigate to the appropriate Document Upload Tool. And then if you don't have it in your letter, you can just manually navigate to the tool and search to IRS.gov I'm sorry, and search Document Upload Tool.
Following the prompts using the information on your correspondence, submit that documentation and use the access code if there is one. And then also look out for that confirmation page we also mentioned several times. Keep that with your submission, print it or save it for your records. And I guess that's the key today. Thank you.
Excellent. Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Jen. Thank you so much. Okay, audience. We are planning webinars throughout the year. To register for an upcoming webinar, please visit IRS.gov. Use keyword search webinars and select webinars for tax practitioners or webinars for small businesses. When appropriate, we will offer certificates and CE credits for those upcoming webinars. We invite you to visit the IRS's YouTube page at www.youtube.com/irsvideos. There, you can view available recorded versions of our webinars and other key video messaging once they're posted.
Again, continuing education credits or certificates of completion are not offered if you view an archived version of any of our webinars. Another big thank you to our presenters for a great webinar. I also want to thank you, our attendees for attending today's webinar, Document Upload Tool. If you attended today's webinar for at least 50 minutes after the official start time and answered at least three polling questions during this live broadcast, you will receive a certificate of completion for one IRS CE credits. The polling question example will count towards the minimum of three question response requirement.
Folks, you also need to know that the certificates of completion will be emailed to the registration email address of qualifying participants as a PDF attachment. The email will come from the email address seen on this slide. Please make sure to add this email address to your contacts to ensure you receive the email with the certificate attached.
If you qualify for IRS continuing education credits for this webinar and you registered with your valid first name, last name, and valid PTIN, as it appears on your IRS PTIN account, then your CE credit will be posted in your IRS PTIN account. And for those of you that are eligible for continuing education from the California Tax Education Council, your credit will be posted to your CTEC account as well. If you qualify and you have not received your certificate and or credit by January 31st, please email us at the address listed on the slide. And if you're interested in finding your local stakeholder liaison, use that same email address on the slide, and we will gladly send you that information.
We would appreciate it if you would take just a few minutes to complete a short evaluation before you exit. The first four questions are specific to the Document Upload Tool. The remaining questions are for our webinar team. If you'd like to have more sessions like this one, let us know. If you have thoughts on how we can make them better, please let us know that as well. If you have any requests for future topics or pertinent information, you'd like to see in an IRS Fact Sheet, Tax Tip, or an FAQ on IRS.gov, then folks please include your suggestions in the comment section of the survey. Click the survey button on the right side of your screen to begin. If it doesn't come up, check to make sure you disabled your pop-up blocker.
It has been a pleasure to be here with you today. And on behalf of the Internal Revenue Service and our presenter, we would like to thank you for attending today's webinar. It's important for the IRS to stay connected with the tax professional community, individual taxpayers, industry associations, along with federal, state, and local government organizations. You make our jobs a lot easier by sharing the information that allows for proper tax reporting. Thanks again for your time and attendance. We hope you found the information helpful. You may exit the webinar at this time.