Bulk import checklists from a Drake backup (Beta)

Work in progress

The functionality is being developed and currently available for Beta users. Docs on using the feature are being prepared.

Note

This article applies to firms in the US.

Bulk import from a Drake backup creates a draft document checklist for every matched account, built from the client’s prior-year 1040 return in Drake. Before you start, make sure each client you want to import has an account in TaxDome.

Step 1: Make the backup in Drake

1. Open Drake and go to Tools > File Maintenance > Backup.

2. Keep the location Drake suggests, select Selective Backup, then click Backup.

3. Open Customize Backup > Tax Returns, select the 1040 clients to back up, then click Backup. Filter Tax Returns to 1040 first—only 1040 returns are imported.

4. Drake confirms the backup and shows the folder where it saved the .7z file.

Step 2: Upload the backup

1. Go to New > Checklist, select an account, then click Bulk import checklists or Import from tax software at the top of the panel.

2. Select Drake Tax.

3. In Checklists for tax season, choose the season to create checklists for. TaxDome uses the previous year’s returns from your backup—for example, a 2025 backup for 2026 checklists.

4. Add the .7z file.

TaxDome processes the backup in the background. You can close the panel and come back from the Inbox+ notification—click Open backup. Once it’s processed, you’ll see how many clients the backup contains and how many have a 1040 return. Click Continue.

To upload a different backup, click × next to the file, then confirm.

Your firm runs one backup import at a time. If a teammate’s import is in progress, it finishes before you can start a new one.

Note

If you see We couldn’t read this backup, make a new backup in Drake as described in Step 1 and upload it again.

Step 3: Match accounts

TaxDome matches clients in the backup to TaxDome accounts automatically where it can. Clients it couldn’t match show as Needs decision.

For each Needs decision client, select their TaxDome account from the Account dropdown, then click Continue. If some clients are still unmatched, a confirmation appears. Click Skip [N] clients and continue to import the rest, or Go back and match. You can match skipped clients in a later import.

To leave a client out of this import, clear the checkbox next to them—their status changes to Left out.

Step 4: Preview and import

Review the checklists that will be imported and how many items each has, then click Create [N] checklists. If an account already has an empty 1040 checklist for the same period, it’s filled from the backup; a checklist that already has items isn’t changed.

You can leave the page while the import runs. You’ll get an Inbox+ notification when the import is complete.

What happens next

You get a summary of how many checklists were imported and how many clients were left out—hover over the info icon to see why. Click Download CSV to export the full list, or New import to import another backup. The Inbox+ notification has the same results and CSV.

Imported checklists are saved as drafts—clients don’t see them until you send them .

TaxDome deletes the backup once it’s processed. To create checklists for more clients later, upload a new backup—clients who already have a checklist with items for that season are left as they are.

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