MOTOR FUELS FLAT (FLT) FILE and EDI FILING GUIDE
Certification Testing
General
Certification testing is recommended for anyone filing via FLT or EDI. In order to ensure the quality of the information received, the CDTFA will subject the information to a set of tests. You should complete certification testing for each type of motor fuels tax form that will be filed via FLT or EDI. Additional tax forms that are added to motor fuels online filing should also be subjected to the CDTFA established certification process. During certification, you will electronically submit test files for validation.
Purpose of Certification Testing
The CDTFA's certification testing will verify that your files adhere to the CDTFA mapping requirements. The CDTFA recommends that you obtain the most current version of the EDI and FLT specification from the applicable FLT or EDI section of this webpage.
Certification testing will benefit both you and the CDTFA. The CDTFA will have the opportunity to review submissions and resolve data issues in an environment that will not require submitting amended returns. Additionally, both you and the CDTFA will gain confidence that the filings submitted are complete and accurate.
Certification Testing
Process
Certification testing is done to ensure that you are able to submit valid files to the CDTFA. It provides a safe environment where mistakes can be made and resolved and you can become comfortable with online filing without affecting production returns. The CDTFA recommends that you use actual data from current periods to create the certification testing tax forms. This will smooth the transition to online filing.
Your files must adhere to CDTFA requirements as defined in this guide. You must use your own test data to test your online process for each test stage.
Stage 1, Transmission and Syntax Validation
The purpose of Stage 1 is to test the file transmission and formatting process. The CDTFA will verify that each file received follows online filing requirements for the reporting method as defined in this guide.
Filing Tax Forms During Testing
During certification testing, you are only required to submit the face sheet of your tax form(s), any calculation worksheets or ending inventory forms, and any payments due. After the CDTFA notifies you that you have successfully completed certification testing, you are required to transmit complete tax forms for which only the face sheet was submitted. Filing the face sheets is no longer required once you begin filing online. Though filing the face sheet will keep delinquency activity in abeyance, the tax form is not considered filed until the complete tax form, including all schedule detail, is submitted.
Communication During Testing
The CDTFA will communicate as necessary with you by mail, telephone, or email. You can contact the CDTFA with any questions or concerns at the telephone number, fax number, address, or email addresses provided in the "Contact" section in Overview of this webpage.
Business Activity Scenarios for Software Developers
When a software developer tests its business software, it should provide the CDTFA with a wide range of transactions that are used in the tax forms being tested. As applicable, the types of transactions included in the online files should include, but are not limited to:
- All applicable schedules for the tax form.
- All applicable products for each schedule.
- All applicable mode codes for each schedule.
- All applicable origin and destination code types for each schedule.
- Any applicable summary schedules for the tax form.
- Terminal product reclassifications.