Using T4A and T5018 forms in QuickBooks Online

T4A and T5018 forms are used to record payments made to subcontractors during either the previous fiscal or calendar year.

The T4A form (PDF download) is a record of what you paid to a subcontractor during the previous calendar year. T4A forms must be filed with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on or before the last day of February after the applicable calendar year. You'll also need to provide copies of the T4A to your suppliers.

The T5018 form (PDF download) is a record of what you paid a subcontractor for construction services during the previous calendar or fiscal year. The T5018s and T5018 Summary must be filed with the CRA on or before the date that is 6 months after the end of your calendar or fiscal year. You may also provide a copy of the T5018 slip to each subcontractor, but it’s not mandatory.

Once you’ve identified which suppliers need to receive T4A or T5018 forms, you’ll want to make sure they’re set up to have QuickBooks track eligible payments made to them.

Consult your accountant or CRA if you're not sure if a subcontractor should receive a T4A or T5018 form.

• Set up a new supplier
• Adjust an existing supplier
• File T4A and T5018 forms
• Verify contractor payment amounts with a Detail report
• Review contractor tax slip information

Set up a new supplier

1. Go to Expenses and select Suppliers (Take me there).
2. Select New supplier.
3. Enter all necessary supplier information. Ensure the first and last name align with the legal or trade name used by the business.
4. Navigate to the Additional info section. Make sure to:

• Select tracking for T4A or T5018.
• Select Supplier Type (Individual or Business).

5. Enter the Business ID number or Social Insurance Number.
6. Select Save.

Adjust an existing supplier

1. Go to Expenses and select Suppliers (Take me there).
2. Select an existing supplier.
3. Navigate to the Batch Actions button and select Track for T4A or Track for T5018.
4. Select the supplier's name to open its profile and select Edit.
5. Select Supplier Type (Individual or Business).
6. Enter the Business ID number or Social Insurance Number.
7. Select Save.

File T4A and T5018 forms

Now your T4A and T5018 forms are ready to be EFILED. We’ve created a feature to help you prepare and export your slips for the filing process.

To EFILE your T4A forms from QuickBooks Online, you must have a Business Number and a Web Access Code.

Note: If you are filing more than 50 T4A slips, the CRA requires you to file electronically. You can file electronically directly on the CRA website.

Contact CRA for more information about the EFILE process and support options.

1. Go to Expenses and select Suppliers (Take me there), then select Prepare Tax Slips. Note that you can exit the feature at any time and it will automatically save what you’ve done and allow you to resume where you left off.
2. Select the type of forms to prepare. You can prepare both if necessary, but you can only prepare one type of form at a time.
3. Select the time period. If you’re selecting the T4A forms, you’ll prepare the forms based on the calendar year. If you want to prepare the T5018 forms, you can choose between past calendar or fiscal year.

T4A Form Preparation Wizard

1. Company: Confirm your company details as needed for filing.

• The most common business number format is 000000000RP0000. 
• Filer contact information must contain the contact details of the person who is filing the forms.

2. Accounts: Select the Payment Type used in paying your contractors, followed by the related expense account(s) from the drop-down.

• You cannot select the same expense account for multiple payment types.
• All possible payment types are available to use; if your payment type is not listed on the main screen, you can select add another payment type at the bottom of the screen to add it.

3. Review: 

• The details of payments made. Select the amounts if you’d like to see more details. This takes you to the detail report in the reports section outlined below in a new tab. 
• You can un-check contractors you do not want to file forms for in this step.
• Hovering over the headings will provide a tooltip with a full description of the payment type associated with the box number.

Warning: We won’t be able to prepare a slip for a contractor who has a negative balance in any of the payment type boxes, due to CRA requirements.

4. Contractors: Ensure that your contractor details are correct. If not, update them in the Supplier profile that can be opened by selecting Edit.
   
5. Finish: Now you’re ready to EFILE. You’ll need your 6-digit transmitter number. If you don't know what it is, use the default number 555555.

• Download the XML file and visit the CRA portal to EFILE.
  • The XML file will also be saved to your company’s attachment by default; to prevent this, un-check the Add the XML file to my company's attachments box, right above the Download XML button, before selecting it.
• You can also download the slips for your records and later distribute the copies to your contractors; as well as Attach the slips to each supplier’s profile.
• Save all the files at the end, as the next time you use this feature it will start from the beginning.

T5018 Form Preparation Wizard

1. Company: Confirm your company details as needed for filing.

• The most common business number format is 000000000RZ0000. 
• Filer contact information must contain the contact details of the person who is filing the forms.

2. Review:

• Select the correct account you used to make payments to your contractors from the dropdown.
• Select the amounts if you’d like to see more details. This takes you to the detail report in the reports section outlined below in a new tab. 
• You can uncheck contractors you do not want to file forms for in this step.
• Warning: We won’t be able to prepare a slip for a contractor who has a negative balance in ANY of the payment type boxes, due to CRA requirement.

3. Contractors: Ensure that your contractor details are correct. If not, update them in the Supplier profile that can be opened by selecting Edit.

4. Finish: Now you’re ready to EFILE. You’ll need your 6-digit transmitter number. If you do not know what it is, use the default number 555555.

• Download the XML file and visit the CRA portal to EFILE.
• The XML file will also be saved to your company’s attachment by default; to prevent this, uncheck the Add the XML file to my company's attachments box, right above the Download XML button, before clicking it.
• You can also download the slips for your records and later distribute the copies to your contractors, as well as attach the slips to each supplier’s profile.
• Save all the files at the end, as the next time you use this feature it will start from the beginning.

Verify contractor payment amounts with a Detail report

The T4A Detail or T5018 Detail report provides the individual payment details for each supplier being tracked. Each form has its own individual report.

1. Go to Reports (Take me there).
2. Scroll down and find the Expenses and Suppliers section.
3. Select the T4A Detail or T5018 Detail report.

Note the following:

• The T4A Detail report defaults to the last calendar year period, where the T5018 Detail report defaults to the last fiscal year. You can change the dates under the Report period.
• Use the Contractor filter option to view information that pertains to specific contractors.
• Use the Accounts filter option to select the correct accounts that the contractor payments were recorded under, to ensure T4A and  T5018 amounts as entered on their respective slips are correct.

Review contractor tax slip information

The Contractor Info report provides a list of all the contractors you are tracking. There are separate reports for each form type. You’ll use this information to populate each T4A or T5018 slip.

1. Go to Reports (Take me there).
2. Scroll down and find the Expenses and Suppliers section.
3. Select the T4A Contractor Info or T5018 Contractor Info report.

If you’re using the T4A Contractor Info report, create T4A slips for your contractors using the displayed contractor information.

If you’re using the T5018 Contractor Info report, create T5018 slips for your contractors using the displayed contractor information.

You can also use this information to fill in the T4A Summary Slip or the T5018 Summary Slip and submit to the CRA.

Note the following:

• If the selected report is missing any contractor information, contact the contractor directly to obtain the missing details needed for a T4A or T5018 slip submission.
• The T4A Contractor Info report defaults to the last calendar year period. The T5018 Contractor Info report defaults to the last fiscal year. You can change the dates under the Report period.
• You can use the Contractor filter to view information that pertains to specific contractors.