NY State tax forms not compatible (continued)

The problem posted on the old forum, NY State tax forms not compatible, still exists in 2022. The NY Tax Dept. asks users to take a survey. The survey is here. It currently lists 10 “Enhanced Forms(2D).” They are the forms that require people to use Adobe Acrobat X or later, with Adobe Acrobat DC required for full functionality. The survey has a comment section. I suggest that users request NY to eliminate the current version check, and replace it with a less restrictive requirement for a PDF program that supports Adobe Javascript version 1.7 or later. dfdf

Here is technical information supporting the case for a less restrictive program requirement. A frequently used NY enhanced form can be found here. For each of the enhanced forms, NY also has a regular version. The enhanced forms allow the user to fill in data and save it. That was also possible with the regular forms before tax year 2020. It is still the case with forms for which there is no corresponding enhanced form. The enhanced forms perform calculations on the entered data, and have a barcode containing the data on the form.

The two versions also differ in the software requirements to process the forms. The version check requires Acrobat X or later to open the enhanced forms, with Acrobat DC required for full functionality. “Enhanced 2D forms are incompatible with Linux Operating systems” because Adobe does not have a recent version of Acrobat for Linux. The version check for Acrobat prevents non-Adobe software from opening the enhanced forms. The regular forms do not have these restrictions.

The barcode is generated by JavaScript software called Ultraforms, which is embedded in the NY enhanced forms. It is a software product owned by Foxit. Of course, it is compatible with Foxit’s PDF products, as well as Adobe’s. In fact, is is designed to work with almost “Any PDF Reader.” It is unlikely that the barcode is the reason for the version check.

The NY enhanced forms do not use XFA.

The NY enhanced forms use Adobe JavaScript for the calculations, and Adobe has produced several versions of Adobe JavaScript over time. NY may be using some methods or properties recently introduced to Adobe JavaScript. These features may be supported in some, but not all, non-Adobe PDF software. That may be the reason NY rejects non-Adobe software, but it would paint all non-Adobe software as incompatible, which is excessive.

Also, it is fair to ask if the programming could be done with an earlier version of Adobe JavaScript, such as 1.7. Relatively few changes have been introduced after 1.7 (1.7 was first used in Acrobat version 9). In particular, the “calculate” features were introduced in 1.7 or before.

NY is not the only state with enhanced tax forms. Missouri also has tax forms that perform calculations and have an Ultraforms barcode. Foxit Reader and Acrobat 9 work as well as Acrobat Reader DC version 2022 in processing Missouri’s “Fillable Calculating” forms (although I suggest you add the downloaded PDF files or containing folder to Foxit’s Preferences > Security > Privileged Locations).

The IRS uses for their fillable forms PDF Version 1.7, Adobe Extension Level 5 (Acrobat 9.x). They are not enhanced, and can be used with non-Adobe software. An example can be found here.