Guide to Help You eFile

Summary

The purpose of this webpage is to assist taxpayers with the Help-You-eFile (HYEF) function on eFiling.

Help-You-eFile is a service on the SARS eFiling website that allows you, the taxpayer, to interact with a SARS Service Consultant, while the Service Consultant shares the displayed view of your eFiling profile screen.

This service allows the SARS Service Consultant to identify the problems you’re experiencing and to help you resolve these.

General Information

A Help-You-eFile session can only be initiated by you and is available for the following functions:

• Individual income tax return;
• Statement of account;
• Notice of assessment (ITA34);
• Tax calculator;
• Payments;
• Password reset;
• Change own password;
• Returns Issued;
• Returns History;
• Returns Search;
• Additional Payments;
• SARS Correspondence;
• Disputes;
• Voluntary Disclosure Search;
• User;
• Other Services;
• Additional Services;
• Registration.
• Request for Reduced Assessment(RRA01).

Once you select the HYEF option on the website, you’ll have to call the SARS Voice channel on 0800 00 7277 and enter the unique session ID on the integrated voice response (IVR) for case enquiry (option 2), income tax enquiry (option3).

The Help You eFile (HYEF) functionality has been integrated into all the Voice Channel service queues and is therefore no longer – a standalone dial plan option or provide the unique session ID to the SARS Service Consultant when you have been transferred to a Service Consultant to join the Help-You-eFile session.

Request for Reduced Assessment (RRA01) form included is in HELP-YOU E-FILE (HYEF).

•  The Help You eFile (HYEF) function has been extended to the Request for Reduced Assessment (RRA01) form.
• A taxpayer who requires assistance with the RRA01 can initiate a Help You eFile (HYEF) request from eFiling and share his/her screen with a SARS user. The SARS user will be able to view the activity on the taxpayer’s screen and provide guidance.

JAWS Compliant

• JAWS refer to Job Access with Speech and is a solution that allows blind and visually impaired users to read a screen either with a text-to-speech output or by a refreshable Braille display.
• The RRA01 form loaded on Service System is JAWS compliant.

The Help-You-eFile system works by keeping the SARS Service Consultant’s internet screen in sync with yours.

The SARS Service Consultant can only view your screen and point to or highlight text fields and information on the active eFiling screen on your computer.

How to use Help-You-eFile

You can start a Help-You-eFile session either from the SARS eFiling login page or after you’ve successfully logged on to the SARS eFiling website.

• Note: If you are not registered on eFiling , refer to GEN-ELEC-18-G01 – External Guide – How to Register for eFiling and Manage Your User Profile, to be able to register.

How to log onto eFiling to access Help-You-eFile service

• Go to www.sars.gov.za, and on the right-hand side of the screen you will see the eFiling logo and accessible links and the following screen will be displayed:

• Click on the “Login” icon and you will be redirected to the sarsefiling login page,
• Note: You can access the SARS eFiling login page by going directly to https://www.sarsefiling.co.za/.

• Click on the <Help–You–eFile> icon, either on the login screen; or
• Log on to the eFiling website, www.sarsefiling.co.za,
  • Complete the Username:

• •  Complete the Password:

• Once you have logged into your eFiling profile. Click on the ‘Services’ menu option displayed as the main menu and ‘Live Help?’ on the left menu.

• Once selected, you will be directed to a Help-You-eFile welcome screen. Note the following displayed on your screen:
  • A summary of the Help-You-eFile process.
  • The SARS Help-You-eFile online standard terms and conditions.
  • The toll-free number for the SARS Voice Channel.
  • A unique Help-You-eFile session ID.
  • The status of the SARS Service Consultant.
  • An option to log out of the session (Help-You-eFile).
• Note: When you request Help-You-eFile after working hours the following screen will be displayed:

• When you request the Help-You-eFile during working hours, the following screen will be displayed:

• Once you agree with the terms and conditions, select the tick box to indicate that you have read the Help-You-eFile terms and conditions and then click on the <Accept> button to proceed.

• Note: If the <Back> button is selected, you will receive a message to ask if you are sure you want to log out of Help-You-eFile.

• If you select <No>, the welcome page will be displayed. If you select <Yes>, you will receive a thank you pop-up message and directed back to the previous screen.

Once the Terms and Conditions have been accepted: Note the following options to engage with Service Consultant:

• You can proceed by calling the SARS Voice Channel on the number 0800 00 7277 and select option 5 for Help-You-eFile (if you’re not already on a call with a SARS Service Consultant), or
• Click the <Call Me> button This will open the page displayed below for you to complete so that the Service Consultant calls you back. Complete all the fields on the <Call Me> page.

• If you complete invalid information on either of the ID Number, Tax Reference Number or Contact Number fields, a message will be displayed on the screen.
• The information entered into the <Confirm Contact Number> field should match the Contact Number field. A message will be displayed if it does not match.

• If you submit invalid information, you will be prompted to provide valid information.

• If you select <Submit>, a pop-up message will be displayed to confirm that your request was successful.

• After submitting your request you have the option to cancel the call by selecting the <Cancel Call> button.

• If you cancel the call, you will receive a pop-up message.

• If you log out of Help-You-eFile, while a request to call you have been submitted, the following message will be displayed, that indicate that your call will be cancelled.

• If you select <No>, the call back will remain active, and the Service Consultant will call you back. If you select <Yes>, the call back will be cancelled.
• Note that the status will update as indicated below.

• If the <Back> is selected, you will be directed back to the welcome screen.
• Once you have answered the call back from the Service Consultant, you will receive the following message that indicates your case number.

• If the SARS Service Consultant has not yet entered the unique session ID on the SARS system to connect; you will be notified that the system is waiting for the Service Consultant to connect.
• Provide the SARS Service Consultant with the unique session ID (The session ID will be on the toolbar highlighted in green. It will flash until the SARS Service Consultant is connected and also when the session is terminated).
• Help-You-eFile (HYEF) functionality has been integrated into all the Voice Channel service queues and is therefore no longer as a standalone dial plan option, when a taxpayer choose HYEF will be automatically launched and he/she will successfully enter the Help-You-eFile session ID, and the Service Consultant will be alerted that the Help-You-eFile session was launched automatically.
• When the SARS Service Consultant has entered the unique session ID on the SARS system, a pop-up message will be displayed with your SARS Service Consultant’s name for you to confirm whether you would like the SARS Service Consultant to assist you.

• If you select < NO>, the Help-You-eFile session will not continue but the call between you and your SARS Service Consultant will remain active.
• If you select <YES>, a pop-up message will be displayed to confirm that your SARS Service Consultant is connected.

• The name of your SARS Service Consultant will be displayed on the toolbar.

• Your SARS Service Consultant can view the actions performed by you on the eFiling site such as vertical and horizontal scrolling on a page, scrolling to new page, fields highlighted on a particular screen and information that is typed by you.
  • Sensitive information such as passwords, answers to security questions, bank details, etc. will be protected. Numeric fields (such as bank account numbers) will be displayed as zeroes to your SARS Service Consultant and alphanumeric fields (such as passwords) will be displayed as an asterisk (*) to your SARS Service Consultant.
  • If you require assistance with a form, your SARS Service Consultant will be able view what actions you perform within the Flex forms only (i.e. those forms that are opened using the adobe flash player option). The PDF forms are static and non-editable. Your SARS Service Consultant won’t see what actions you perform within the PDF form and he/she also can’t point to or highlight any fields on the PDF form.

• Once you have logged into your eFiling profile and one of the following instances occur:
  • Captured more than 3 fields on the form and then are inactive on eFiling for more than 2 minutes; or
  • Pressed the same button 3 times on a form; or
  • Pressed the calculate button 3 times on the form;
• An educational message will then be displayed providing more information on what Help-You-eFile is, with the following options available on the message:
  • Don’t show this again – you will close the message and it will not be displayed in the future.
  • Back to eFiling – you will be routed back to eFiling and not to the Help-You-eFile functionality.
  • Launch Help-You-eFile – the Help-You-eFile function will be launched.
  • Continue with demo – if you click this button, images will be displayed to you on how Help-You-eFile work and what is displayed to you and to the SARS Service Consultant.

• You can view text or fields that are selected by your SARS Service Consultant.
  • Text or fields selected by your SARS Service Consultant will be highlighted in purple on your screen.
  • Text or fields selected by you will be highlighted in green on your screen.
  • Masked fields are highlighted in yellow and if you place the cursor over these fields, you will be notified that the information displayed/entered on that field is hidden from your SARS Service Consultant.

• Your SARS Service Consultant may request a re-synchronisation should his/her screen become out of sync with your eFiling screen. In this instance, the following pop-up message will be displayed on your screen.
  • Select <Decline> if you don’t wish to continue with the re-synchronisation.
  • If you wish to continue with the re-synchronisation, save any work that you are busy with and then select <Accept>.

• The following pop-up messages may be displayed on your screen:

• • Click on <OK> to indicate that you note the message.
  • If the phone call between you and your SARS Service Consultant gets disconnected, the Help-You-eFile session will automatically end and you’ll have to start the session again by clicking on the Help-You-eFile logo.
• When you no longer require assistance from your SARS Service Consultant, select the ‘Disconnect Service Consultant’ button to end the Help-You-eFile session.

• A pop-up message will be displayed to confirm that your SARS Service Consultant has disconnected.

Share your Experience with us

• SARS would really like to receive your feedback on your Help-You-eFile experience and how to improve our service. You have an option to complete an online survey which will be displayed on your screen automatically. This survey will only take one minute to complete.

Definitions, acronyms and abbreviations

The definitions, acronyms and abbreviations can be accessed here – Glossary webpage

Legal disclaimer: In the event of conflict or inconsistency between this webpage and the PDF version of the guide, the latter shall prevail.