Install eBIRForms And Setup Your Company in 3 Easy Steps

Gone are days when you have to manually file your taxes as the tax bureau will let us file and pay our taxes online using eBIRForms.

You don’t have to go to the Revenue District Office (RDO) just to file every single tax return especially if you have what we call no payment returns. a no payment return is a tax return you need to file but you don’t have to pay taxes because the tax due is zero.

In this e-guide, I will explain what is eBIRForms; who are required to file using eBIRForms; how to install download, and install eBIRForms; and how to set up your company file.

What is eBIRForms?

The eBIRForms is an offline application software developed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to help taxpayers to file and pay their taxes online.

Yes, it is an offline application. But do not be confused. Inside the eBIRForms, you can submit your tax return after you completed and validated it.

Take note that this is not for all taxpayers. Large taxpayers or those who pay millions and billions of taxes are not required to use eBIRForms. Instead, they’ll use its counterpart for large taxpayers which is called eFPS.

When was eBIRForms Introduced?

On September 11, 2013, the BIR issued Revenue Memorandum Order (RMO) No. 24-2013, which was the first to establish the usage of eBIRForms (online and offline).

The offline eBIRForms Package is a computer-based program that allows taxpayers to complete tax returns without access to the Internet, whereas the online eBIRForms Package was a system of tax returns for filing online tax returns.

Before using the online eBIRForms, a taxpayer must first register. The eBIRForms will also apply to non-EFPS filers and accredited tax agents filing on behalf of non-EFPS filers, according to the RMO.

Using eBIRForms was merely an option at the time, and preprinted BIR forms may still be utilized and submitted manually.

Eager to file your tax returns? Jump here…

Am I Required to File Tax Returns Using eBIRForms?

Starting September 1, 2014, the following taxpayer classifications are required to file their tax returns online following Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 6-2014.

1. Accredited tax agents/practitioners and all its client taxpayers;
2. Accredited printers of principal and supplementary receipts/invoices;
3. One-Time Transaction (ONETT) taxpayers;
4. Those who shall file a “No Payment” Return;
5. Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations (GOCCs);
6. Local Government Units (LGUs), except barangays; and
7. Cooperatives registered with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).

RMC No. 12-2015 was also issued, allowing the following taxpayers to file their “no payment” returns manually:

1. senior citizens or persons with disabilities (PWD) filing their own return;
2. employees deriving purely compensation income and the income tax of which has been withheld correctly showing tax due is equal to the tax withheld whether single or multiple employers; and(3) employees qualified for substituted filing but opted to file for an annual income tax return (ITR).

Now, please don’t be confused with the list above.

Most of the time, small business owners (like you and I) belong to the number 1 (client taxpayers).

Good thing is that if you have your accountant and bookkeeper handling all your tax transactions, you don’t have to trouble yourself filing your returns and recording daily transactions.

However, if you have no budget to hire any of them, you have to study it yourself to make your business compliant with the tax requirements.

How to Download and Install eBIRForms on Your Computer?

Now that you know that you’re required to file your tax returns using eBIRForms, you need to download and install it on your computer.

Before downloading and installing eBIRForms, you should know these things first.

1. You need an internet connection to download eBIRForms.
2. You can only use a Windows PC or laptop. You can’t use an Apple and Android device.

With this, it’s better to use a Windows-based device now for easy access to downloaded files later on.

Step 1: Download the latest eBIRForms package.

If you’re reading this on a Windows-based device like a PC or laptop, you can easily download the latest version of the eBIRForms by clicking the image on the sidebar that looks like below.

Alternatively, you can directly download the eBIRFrms package file from the BIR sever here.

Step 2: Locate the download zip file and extract it.

The downloaded zip file will have a default filename ebirforms_package_v7.9.2.zip. Extract the zip file by Right-Clicking it >> Extract All.

Your operating system might be different but the same process will apply to all. Your default Windows installation will have a built-in application to extract ZIP files. You don’t need to download a third-party application to do this.

In the next popup window, click Extract.

Step 3: Install the eBIRForms package.

After extracting the ZIP file, open the folder where it was extracted. Inside the folder, there is an installer file with a filename Offline eBIRForms Package v7.9.2 setup.exe.

Double-click the file to start the installation. Follow the on-screen instructions below.

Click Next to proceed to the window.

In the next window, you need to select the destination folder where you want to install the eBIRForms. If you don’t know what is the destination folder, just leave the default location.

The default location is at C:\eBIRForms.

In the next window, click Next to proceed to the next window. You don’t need to change anything here. Just leave it as it is for easy access later on.

In the final window, you need to click Install to finish the installation process.

After the installation, click Finish to close the window.

With this, the installation is now complete. You can start setting up your company by following this guide.

However, I recommend doing a few things below for easy work later on.

How to put eBIRForms on the desktop for easy access?

Now that you’ve successfully installed the eBIRForms package, there will be one thing I suggest you do.

By default, the installation will not add a desktop shortcut to open the eBIRForms easily. It will just add a Start menu shortcut. However, we are more accustomed to desktop shortcuts so we can access them more easily.

To put a desktop shortcut of the eBIRForms, follow the guide below.

Step 1: Locate the installation folder.

If you don’t change the default installation folder, the default location is on C:\eBIRForms.

You can go to this folder in two ways. One way is to manually locate it. Open windows explorer (this is a yellowish folder icon in the taskbar of your computer.)

After that, look for Drive C. Usually, it is named System.

Click the Drive C to list the folders. Inside Drive C, you can find the folder named eBIRForms. Open it to show the contents.

Alternatively, on your keyboard, press the Windows Key + Letter R to launch the Run application.

After the Run application is launched, type C:\eBIRForms or the installation folder, and click Enter on your keyboard.

The folder usually orders the contents just like below.

Step 2: Locate the main eBIRForms application.

You only need one file which is the BIRForms. This is the main application.

Step 3: Make a desktop shortcut

To make a shortcut, Right-Click the BIRForms or BIRForms.exe >> Send To >> Desktop (create shortcut).

After the process is complete, you will find a shortcut located on the desktop like below.

You can rename it or leave it as it is.

How to Setup Your Company in eBIRForms?

Before you can file your tax return using eBIRForms, you need to set up your company file. Good thing is that you only need to do this process once.

Setting up your company file is so easy that you can do it for only a couple of minutes.

Before setting up your company, you need the actual information written in your BIR Certificate of Registration (COR). A lot of taxpayers ignore this but this is important.

The following are needed in setting up your company file that can be found in your COR.

1. Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN or TIN No. as they say).
2. Line of business
3. Registered name
4. Registered address
5. Revenue District Office (RDO)

Some other information must also be provided like zip code, telephone number (can be a phone number), and email address.

Important Notes:

• If you’re business is a sole proprietorship, your personal TIN will be the TIN you need to input in the eBIRForms. However, if you’re business is a partnership or corporation or other types which is not a Sole Proprietorship, the TIN is different from your personal TIN. Again, you can find this in the COR.
• If you’re business is a sole proprietorship, the registered name you’ll input in the eBIRForms is your name. Otherwise, use the name located under the “Name of the Taxpayer” field.
• You need to input your registered address indicated in the COR. Don’t put address other than this. Otherwise, you’ll have problems and issues to face later on. BIR is strict when it comes to dealing with addresses.
• You can find the line of business somewhere in your COR in the field “Line of Business”. Don’t use the PSIC; use the line of business.
• The RDO number is indicated in the COR header conspicously. Don’t use the Revenue Region; use the Revenue District Office (RDO).

Now that you have the pertinent information needed to set up your company file in the eBIRForms, you can start the actual procedures.

Step 1: Open the eBIRForms

You can open the eBIRForms by double-clicking the desktop shortcut you created earlier.

The primary interface is so simple. You’ll not find it difficult to use.

Step 2: Input the business information needed in the eBIRForms.

You’ll not You won’t have a hard time with this step because you already have the details gathered in the first step.

In the TIN field, you’ll notice that there are four boxes. each box will contain three digits. The first three boxes will be for the actual TIN. The last box will be for the branch code.

Most of the time, you don’t have a branch so you only need to input three zeros “000” without quotes.

For example, if you have a TIN indicated in the COR like 123-456-789-00000, you need to input 123-456-789-000 in the boxes in the eBIRForms. However, if you have a branch, your TIN in the COR will look like this: 123-456-789-00001. The “1” in the 00001 indicates your first branch, and so on. In this regard, you need to input the tin in the eBIRForms in this way: 123-456-789-001.

Since this is your first time setting up your company file, you might encounter an error saying “You have entered an incorrect TIN”.

Don’t worry, you did nothing wrong. It just means the TIN is not yet on the database of the eBIRForms. Click OK to close the error message and continue the process.

Below is a sample company file of a Sole Proprietorship with the owner named Juan Maayos Dela Cruz.

Below is a sample company file of a Corporation with a registered name Example Company, Inc.

Double-check the information to avoid issues later on. My advice is to match every detail you input in the eBIRForms to the COR to prevent unnecessary issues later on.

The eBIRForms can’t check whether the details inputted in it are the same as the actual information in the BIR taxpayer database.

Step 3: Save the company file

After you’ve accurately inputted the necessary information in the eBIRForms, it’s now time to save these to allow eBIRForms to store it in its database. This is useful later one, as you don’t need to manually input your tax details in the BIR forms when accomplishing tax returns.

To save the company file, on the upper-left of the eBIRForms, click File >> Save.

The eBIRForms will show a popup saying “Background information saved/updated successfully as : profile/000000000000.xml”.

The 12-digit file name is based on the TIN you inputted in the eBIRForms.

With the steps above are now complete, congratulations as you’ve successfully installed eBIRForms and set up your company file.

You can now start filing your tax returns online.

What to Do Next?

File and Pay Your Annual Registration Fee: BIR Form 0605 Filing and Payment (An Ultimate Guide)

File and Pay Your Percentage Tax Returns: Bir Form 2551Q Percentage Tax Filing and Payment (A Complete Guide)

File and Remit Income Taxes Withheld on Compensation: BIR Form 1601C Filing and Payment (A Complete Guide)

Compute Income Tax Withheld the Easy Way: How to Fill Up the PART II – Computation of Tax of the BIR Form 1601C (Free Excel Template Download)