Publication 1436 (Rev. 10-2012) - Internal Revenue Service

The following chart was developed to assist in identifying differences between the Legacy e-File
system and the MeF platform.
Test Process Are there
Differences
in PATS
and ATS?
PATS (Legacy) and ATS (MeF) Processes
Summary of Differences PATS info
Page
Number
Who Must Test? no none
Why Test? no none
What is Tested? yes PATS has 3 specific test
scenarios that are shared with
ATS.
ATS has 16 specific test
scenarios for forms: 1040,
1040A, 1040EZ, 1040SS, 4868,
9465, 2350, 56.
When to Test? Yes PATS opens November 13, 2012
Test Password Yes
ATS opens November 5, 2012
PATS uses password
Testing Guidelines
for Software
Developers
Reviewing ACK
files and correcting
tests
Software Developer
Acceptance
Procedures
ATS uses Strong Authentication
for A2A filers. IFA filers use a
password.
Yes PATS uses Statement Records
for attachments. Record Layouts
are found in Publication 1346.
MeF (ATS) uses dependencies in
XML for attachments. The
Record Layout is provided in
schema packages posted to
IRS.gov. MeF does not post
Record Layouts on IRS.gov.
No None
Yes When incrementing the
transmission number:
PATS uses transmission
sequence number on the TRANA
Record
ATS uses Transmission ID
number in the Transmission
Header
2
5
6
-
-
-
7
ATS info
Page
Number
37
38
See
Publication
4164
39
-
38