3CB/3CD E-Filing Utility – Turning Into Harassment of Professionals : Sharing my own experience

The xml utility of E-filing of Tax audit report is under process of continuous alterations, amendments, modifications and the last in this series of is introduced on 24th Aug 2013.

Our first question is that why so many amendments,modification,alterations are required in this utility. The answer is very simple because it has so many shortcomings in it. OK, then the standard process in this respect should be “pre-launching test” and one can easily presume by going through the circumstances that this was not done seriously by makers of this utility.

When the utility was first introduced it was changed immediately after getting the feedback from the users and in that case a perfect , the new and revised utility, should be there to satisfy the all the needs of procedural aspect of the law by removing all the shortcomings experienced and reported  by the professionals. But this was not done in this  case. The improvement was not perfect and there are several changes in last month in the utility which is causing the harassment to the professionals.

See, here why we are calling it harassment to the professionals, there are some reasons:-

1. They are not mentioning anywhere on the e-filing site that a  New utility is introduced.

2. They are not mentioning anywhere on the e-filing site that what type of changes have been introduced by replacing the existing utility.

3. The private software manufacturers are taking their own time in making corrections in their software due to sudden and frequent changes.

4. If you have prepared and filled the utility and saved it but before uploading the same a new utility is introduced,  then you have to fill it again because the system is not accepting the Old utility.

See the effect of point No.3, 7 xml utilities were prepared in our office up to 23 rd Aug 2013 but the uploading is pending because it is not finally checked by us but on 24^th Aug 2013 the New utility was introduced and while uploading the XML utility  we came to know this fact with a “error message” and now have to prepare and refill all the figures in new utility for all these cases.

Why this is being done –

1. No responsibility is fixed for the persons who prepared the utility for it’s shortcomings.

2.  Nobody is responsible for half hearted corrections.

3. The principal of trial and error is going on for ultimate search of excellence.

4. No pre-launching test is being performed before introduction of utility.

6. There is a feeling at their level that they are the bosses hence there is no respect for the professionals and tax payer public so they have no courtesy to inform them about new introduction and type of changes.

Now the situation is that the system is not perfect and the professionals are facing difficulties in completing the task and it is clear cut case of “Extension of date” and surely they will extend it but as evidenced by their previous  history,   not before harassing the professionals and tax payer public . As per our predictions, they will introduce a date extension at 4 PM on 30^th Sept 2013 i.e. on the last date for it.

Now in our opinion the circumstances at present demanding an extension of date for at least 2 months and it should be declared immediately and after this declaration there should be a thorough modification of the utility and introduction of a perfect utility. Still we are testing the new utility but at present we are of the opinion that it is not the final utility and soon they will introduce a new one because still we have notices that :-

1. There is no facility in the utility to view the Form 3CB/3CB and it is not easy to view and check the form in XML.

2. The curser is still “Dancing down” here and there when we put it on a drop down Box creating irritation to the user.

3. The corrected Depreciation utility still has problems and in the Form CD in item No.14 column No.2 does not display the rate of Depreciation and instead of it , it is repeating the figures of column No.1.