Posted by Revenue eBrief No. 117/24
ROS – Return Preparation Facility (RPF)
Tax and Duty Manual Part 38-06-01B Return Preparation Facility (RPF) has been updated to include
(i) a reference in paragraph 2 that the RPF is available when ROS is unavailable during upgrades, and a link to the RPF is accessible from the ROS ‘site down’ message, and
(ii) information in Appendix 1 on two additional forms available in the RPF:
- Capital Acquisitions Tax Form IT38
- Excise Licence ROM1 Form.
The Return Preparation Facility (RPF) can be accessed through a link on the ROS Login screen. Forms prepared and saved using the RPF must be uploaded using ROS Online to Sign and Submit the return (and thereby meet the filing obligation).
As newer versions of forms are made available in the RPF, they will not be available in the ROS Offline application. Over time the RPF will be replacing the ROS Offline application for the majority of forms however, the ROS Offline will still be used for some forms.
Appendix 1 contains information on the specified Form types available in the RPF. Work is ongoing to develop additional forms in RPF, in line with the regular annual or periodic update of such forms.
EXTRACT
2 What is the Return Preparation Facility?
The RPF is an application that can be used to prepare forms without logging into ROS online. Forms prepared and saved using the RPF must be uploaded using ROS Online to Sign and Submit the return (and thereby meet the filing obligation).
The RPF is accessed through a weblink or URL. Unlike the ROS Offline application, there is no install or upgrades required, and the weblink will always provide the up-to-date version of each form.
The RPF is only accessible using supported browsers which are currently Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Opera. When using other browsers, this banner appears at the top of the screen.
Figure 1: Unsupported browser message
The RPF will allow filers to
open a blank form,
access a previously saved form, or
access a pre-populated return downloaded from ROS online.
Filers can save an in-progress form as a file on their computer for later completion. When complete, the saved form can be uploaded to ROS online and proceed to Sign and Submit. The RPF is available when ROS is unavailable during upgrades. A link to the RPF is available on the ROS ‘site down’ or unavailable message.
2.1 Time out
Filers should note that the RPF will time out after 30 minutes of inactivity, unlike the ROS Offline application. Users can reset the timer by validating the form or moving to a new tab. If the RPF
times out, any unsaved changes to the form will be lost. We recommend saving any form/work in
progress regularly and using easily identifiable file names.
As with the existing ROS Offline and Online applications, returns such as the Form 11 may only be
amended using ROS online. It is not possible to upload a second Form 11 for a period for which a
return has been filed already
Bookkeepers Ireland 