Introduction:
Appfolio has become a widely-used property management software, providing a range of tools and functionalities to help manage rental properties efficiently. However, when it comes to tax-related processes, such as 1099 form generation, Appfolio presents a challenge for property managers. The software generates a single PDF containing all 1099 forms, making it difficult to separate and distribute the forms to individual vendors or owners. In this blog post, we will discuss the challenges posed by Appfolio's 1099 generation process and offer potential solutions for property managers.
The Challenge: A Single PDF for All 1099 Forms
Appfolio's 1099 generation process creates a single PDF file containing all the forms for vendors or property owners. This poses a challenge for property managers who need to distribute individual forms to each recipient. The single-file format forces property managers to manually split the PDF into separate files, which can be time-consuming and error-prone, especially for businesses with a large number of vendors or owners.
The Solution: Utilizing PDF Splitting Tools
To overcome the challenge posed by Appfolio's 1099 generation process, property managers can make use of PDF splitting tools. These tools allow users to separate a single PDF file into individual files, based on criteria such as page ranges or bookmarks. Some popular PDF splitting tools include:
Adobe Acrobat Pro: A powerful and widely-used PDF editor that offers a range of PDF manipulation features, including the ability to split a PDF file into multiple files.
PDFsam Basic: A free and open-source PDF editing tool that enables users to split, merge, and extract pages from PDF files.
Smallpdf: An online PDF editing platform that offers a suite of tools, including a PDF splitter, which allows users to separate a PDF file into individual files with just a few clicks.
Organizing and Distributing 1099 Forms
Once the 1099 forms have been separated using a PDF splitting tool, property managers can organize and distribute the forms to their respective recipients. This can be done through various methods, such as:
Email: Sending the individual 1099 forms as email attachments to each vendor or owner.
File-sharing platforms: Uploading the separated 1099 forms to a secure file-sharing platform, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, and sharing access with the intended recipients.
Mailing physical copies: Printing the separated 1099 forms and mailing them to each recipient.
Tips for Streamlining the 1099 Generation Process in Appfolio
While Appfolio's 1099 generation process can be challenging, there are steps property managers can take to streamline the process:
Maintain accurate and up-to-date vendor and owner information in Appfolio throughout the year to minimize errors and discrepancies on the generated 1099 forms.
Verify the accuracy of the generated 1099 forms before separating and distributing them to recipients.
Establish a standardized workflow for splitting the PDF file, organizing the separated forms, and distributing them to recipients to ensure consistency and efficiency.
While Appfolio offers a range of valuable tools for property management, its 1099 generation process can be challenging due to the single PDF format. By leveraging PDF splitting tools and implementing a structured workflow, property managers can overcome this challenge and efficiently distribute individual 1099 forms to their vendors or property owners. In the long run, streamlining the 1099 generation process can save time, reduce the potential for errors, and help property management companies maintain compliance with tax regulations.