Error: "Tax File Number already exists"

This support note applies to:

AE Tax Series 6 & 8 (AU)
AE Tax (AU)
AO Tax (AU)

Article ID: 34052

In MYOB Accountants Enterprise (AE) when opening a tax return from AE Practice Manager, you may experience the error "Tax file number already exists".

This message can occur if the Tax File Number (TFN) is attached to another tax return in the same tax year.

To fix the error:

Identify if the same TFN is used by another client and remove it
Find the TFN attached to a tax return and remove it.

To identify and remove the TFN from a client

Open MYOB AO. The Find Clients tab opens.
Select Tax File Number and ABN. The options are selected.
Type the TFN with spaces in the Search for field and click Search. The resulting clients are shown.
Open the client found by the search result and remove the TFN from the Main tab if the TFN is incorrectly applied to this client. The TFN is removed.

If the TFN is correct you can use this client to create new tax returns.

If you use Accountants Enterprise

To search for TFN in the Tax ledger

Identify the client's TFN and close all open returns.
Open Windows Explorer or Computer and browse to the SOL64 location, for example X:\SOL64\ Where X:\ is the drive where System Release is installed.

If you use Client Compliance/Contacts then to identify the relevant location, open Contacts/Client Compliance and from the Help menu, select About MYOB Contacts/Client Compliance, then click Application Details. Note the System Release Path, this refers to your Sol64 location.
Double-click the sr.exe file.
Type SUPERVIS in the User code field and S6 in the Password field and click OK.
Open the folder with the reference AETAX1. (AETAX1 is the name of the tax database).
Double-click on the relevant Tax ledger to open the ledger, for example AE tax 2012, if the issue is with a 2012 return.

If the view shows return by

clients and not all returns then follow the menu path: Utilities > Control Record > Defaults, and deselect the select returns by client option, click OK, then close Tax 2012 and then reopen Tax 2012.
Right-click on any return and select Search.
Click TFN, enter the required TFN without any spaces and click OK.
Right-click on the incorrect tax return and select Properties.
Delete the contents of the Tax File No field and click OK.
Close the Tax Ledger and close System Release.

You are now able to successfully add the TFN to the required return without experiencing the error.

If you use Accountants Office

To search for TFN in the Tax ledger

Identify the client's TFN and close all open returns.
In Windows Explorer navigate to your x:\MYOBAO\AOSQL\TAX or C:\MYOBAO\AOSQL\TAX folder, where X:\ or C:\ is where your AO is installed.
Double-click the sr.exe file.
Type SUPERVIS in the User code field and S6 in the Password field and click OK.
Double-click the folder called S6:\\<ServerName>\MSSQL\AOTAX1 where AOTAX1 is the name of your database. For example, AOTAX2, SQLTAX etc.
Double click on the affected tax year. For example, Tax2016.
Right-click on any return and select Search.
Click TFN, enter the required TFN without any spaces and click OK.
Right-click on the incorrect tax return and select Properties.
Delete the contents of the Tax File No field and click OK.
Close the Tax Ledger and close System Release.

You are now able to successfully add the TFN to the required return without experiencing the error.