Iowa Admin. Code r. 701-11.3 - Taxpayer records

(1) Records required. Every taxpayer shall keep and preserve records. The records must include the normal books of account ordinarily maintained by a person engaged in the activity in question including but not limited to all bills, receipts, invoices, cash register tapes, or other documents of original entry supporting the entries in the books of account as well as all schedules or working papers used in connection with the preparation of tax returns or reports. The records must be made available for examination upon request by the director.

(2) Automatic data processing records. Automatic data processing (ADP) is defined in this rule as including electronic data processing (EDP).

a. An ADP tax accounting system must have built into its program a method of producing visible and legible records that will provide the necessary information for verification of the taxpayer's tax liability.

b. ADP records must provide an opportunity to trace any transaction back to the original source or forward to a final total. If detailed printouts are not made of transactions at the time they are processed, then the system must have the ability to reconstruct these transactions.

c. A general ledger with source references will be produced to coincide with financial reports of tax reporting periods. In cases where subsidiary ledgers are used to support the general ledger accounts, the subsidiary ledgers should also be produced periodically.

d. Supporting documents and audit trail. The audit trail should be designed so that the details underlying the summary accounting data may be identified and made available to the director upon request. The system should be designed so that the supporting documents are readily available. An audit trail is defined as the condition of having sufficient documentary evidence to trace an item from a source to a financial statement or tax return or report; or the reverse; that is, to have an auditable system.

e. Program documentation. A description of the ADP portion of the accounting program should be available. The statements and illustrations as to the scope of operations should be sufficiently detailed to indicate:

(1) The application being performed.

(2) The procedure employed in each application, which, for example, might be supported by flow charts, block diagrams or other satisfactory description of the input or output procedures.

(3) The controls used to ensure accurate and reliable processing. Program and system changes, together with their effective dates, should be noted in order to preserve an accurate chronological record.

f. Storage of ADP output will be in appropriate facilities to ensure preservation and readability of output.

(3) Electronic data interchange or EDI technology.

a. Definitions. The following definitions are applicable to this subrule:

"Database management system" means a software system that controls, relates, retrieves, and provides accessibility to data stored in a database.

"Electronic data interchange" or"EDI technology" means the computer-to-computer exchange of business transactions in a standardized, structured electronic format.

"Hard copy" means any documents, records, reports, or other data printed on paper.

"Machine-sensible record" means a collection of related information in an electronic format. Machine-sensible records do not include hard-copy records that are created or recorded on paper or stored in or by an imaging system such as microfilm, microfiche, or storage-only imaging systems.

"Storage-only imaging system" means a system of computer hardware and software that provides for the storage, retention, and retrieval of documents originally created on paper. It does not include any system, or part of a system, that manipulates or processes any information or data contained on the document in any manner other than to reproduce the document in hard copy or as an optical image.

b. This subrule prescribes requirements imposed on taxpayers for the maintenance and retention of books, records, and other sources of information under Iowa law. It is also the purpose of this subrule to address these requirements where all or part of the taxpayer's records are received, created, maintained, or generated through various computer, electronic, and imaging processes and systems. A taxpayer must maintain all records that are necessary for determination of the correct tax liability as set forth in this subrule. All required records must be made available on request by the department. If a taxpayer retains records required to be retained under this subrule in both machine-sensible and hard-copy formats, the taxpayer must make the records available to the department in machine-sensible format upon request of the department. Nothing in this subrule will be construed to prohibit a taxpayer from demonstrating tax compliance with traditional hard-copy documents or reproductions thereof, in whole or in part, whether or not the taxpayer also has retained or has the capability to retain records on electronic or other storage media in accordance with this subrule. However, this will not relieve a taxpayer of the obligation to comply with the requirement to make records available to the department.

c. Recordkeeping requirements-machine-sensible records. A taxpayer that maintains and retains books, records, and other sources of information in the form of machine-sensible records must comply with the following:

(1) General requirements. A taxpayer must comply with the following general requirements regarding the retention of machine-sensible records:

1. Machine-sensible records used to establish tax compliance must contain sufficient transaction level detail information so that the details underlying the machine-sensible records can be identified and made available to the department upon request. A taxpayer has discretion to discard duplicate records and redundant information provided its responsibilities under this rule are met.

2. At the time of an examination, the retained records must be capable of being retrieved and converted to a standard record format. The term "standard record format" does not mean that every taxpayer must keep records in an identical manner. Instead, it requires that if a taxpayer utilizes a code system to identify elements of information in each record when creating and maintaining records, the taxpayer is required to maintain a record of the meaning of each code and any code changes so the department may effectively review the taxpayer's records.

3. Taxpayers are not required to construct machine-sensible records other than those created in the ordinary course of business. A taxpayer that does not create the electronic equivalent of a traditional paper document in the ordinary course of business is not required to construct a traditional paper document for tax purposes.

(2) Electronic data interchange requirements. A taxpayer must comply with the following requirements for records received through electronic data interchange:

1. Where a taxpayer uses an electronic data interchange process and technology, the level of record detail, in combination with other records related to the transactions, must be equivalent to that contained in an acceptable paper record. For example, the retained records should contain the following minimal information: vendor name, invoice date, product description, quantity purchased, price, amount of tax, indication of tax status, and shipping details. Codes may be used to identify some or all of the data elements, provided that the taxpayer provides a method which allows the department to interpret the coded information.

2. The taxpayer may capture the information necessary to satisfy the requirements set forth in the preceding paragraph at any level within the accounting system and need not retain the original EDI transaction records provided that the audit trail, authenticity, and integrity of the retained records can be established. For example, a taxpayer using electronic data interchange technology receives electronic invoices from its suppliers. The taxpayer decides to retain the invoice data from completed and verified EDI transactions in its accounts payable system rather than to retain the EDI transactions themselves. Since neither the EDI transaction nor the accounts payable system captures information from the invoice pertaining to product description and vendor name (i.e., they contain only codes for that information), the taxpayer also retains the other records such as its vendor master file and product code description lists and makes them available to the department. In this example, the taxpayer need not retain its original EDI transaction for tax purposes.

(3) Electronic data processing systems requirements. The requirements for an electronic data processing accounting system should be similar to that of a manual accounting system, in that an adequately designed accounting system should incorporate methods and records that will satisfy the requirements of this rule. In addition, pursuant to Iowa law, the department must have access to the taxpayer's EDI processing, accounting, or other systems for the purposes of verifying or evaluating the integrity and reliability of those systems to provide accurate and complete records.

(4) Business process information. To verify the accuracy of the records being retained, the taxpayer must comply with the following:

1. Upon the request of the department, the taxpayer shall provide a description of the business process that created the retained records. The description must include the relationship between the records and the tax documents prepared by the taxpayer and the measures employed to ensure the integrity of the records.

2. The taxpayer must be capable of demonstrating the following:

_* The functions being performed as they relate to the flow of data through the system;

_* The internal controls used to ensure accurate and reliable processing; and

_* The internal controls used to prevent unauthorized addition to, alteration of, or deletion of retained records.

3. The following specific documentation is required for machine-sensible records retained pursuant to this rule:

_* Record formats or layouts;

_* Field definitions (including a record of any changes in the system or codes with the meaning of all codes used to represent information);

_* File descriptions (e.g., data set name); and

_* Detailed charts of accounts and account descriptions.

d. Record maintenance requirements. The department recommends but does not require that taxpayers refer to the National Archives and Record Administration's (NARA) standards for guidance on the maintenance and storage of electronic records such as the labeling of records, the location and security of the storage environment, the creation of backup copies, and the use of periodic testing to confirm the continued integrity of the records. The NARA standards may be found at 36 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1234, November 2, 2009, Edition. The taxpayer's computer hardware and software must accommodate the extraction and conversion of retained machine-sensible records.

e. Access to machine-sensible records. If a taxpayer retains records required to be retained under this rule in both machine-sensible and hard-copy formats, the taxpayer must make the records available to the department in machine-sensible format upon the request of the department.

(1) The manner in which the department is provided access to machine-sensible records may be satisfied through a variety of means that must take into account a taxpayer's facts and circumstances through consultation with the taxpayer.

(2) Access will be provided in one or more of the following manners:

1. The taxpayer may arrange to provide the department with the hardware, software, and personnel resources to access the machine-sensible records.

2. The taxpayer may arrange for a third party to provide the hardware, software, and personnel resources necessary to access the machine-sensible records.

3. The taxpayer may convert the machine-sensible records to a standard record format specified by the department, including copies of files, on a magnetic medium that is agreed to by the department.

4. The taxpayer and the department may agree on other means of providing access to the machine-sensible records.

f. Taxpayer's responsibility and discretionary authority. In conjunction with meeting the requirements of paragraph 11.3(3)"c," a taxpayer may create files solely for the use of the department. For example, if a database management system is used, it is consistent with this subrule for the taxpayer to create and retain a file that contains the transaction-level detail from the database management system and that meets the requirements of paragraph 11.3(3)"c." The taxpayer should document the process that created the separate file to show the relationship between that file and the original records. A taxpayer may contract with a third party to provide custodial or management services of the records. Such a contract will not relieve the taxpayer of its responsibilities under this rule.

g. Alternative storage media. For purposes of storage and retention, taxpayers may convert hard-copy documents received or produced in the normal course of business and required to be retained under this rule to microfilm, microfiche, or other storage-only imaging systems and may discard the original hardcopy documents, provided the rules governing alternative storage media are met.

h. Microfilm, microfiche, and other storage-only imaging systems. These shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Documentation establishing the procedures for converting the hard-copy documents to microfilm, microfiche, or other storage-only imaging system must be maintained and made available upon request. Such documentation shall, at a minimum, contain sufficient description to allow an original document to be followed through the conversion system as well as internal procedures established for inspection and quality assurance.

(2) Procedures must be established for the effective identification, processing, storage, and preservation of the stored documents and for making them available for the period they are required to be retained.

(3) Upon request by the department, a taxpayer must provide facilities and equipment for reading, locating, and reproducing any documents maintained on microfilm, microfiche, or other storage-only imaging system.

(4) When displayed on such equipment or reproduced on paper, the documents must exhibit a high degree of legibility and readability. For this purpose, legibility is defined as the quality of a letter or numeral that enables the observer to identify it positively and quickly to the exclusion of all other letters or numerals. Readability is defined as the quality of a group of letters or numerals being recognizable as words or complete numbers.

(5) All data stored on microfilm, microfiche, or other storage-only imaging systems must be maintained and arranged in a manner that permits the location of any particular record.

(6) There is no substantial evidence that the microfilm, microfiche, or other storage-only imaging system lacks authenticity or integrity.

i. Effect on hard-copy recordkeeping requirements. Except as otherwise provided, the provisions of this subrule do not relieve taxpayers of the responsibility to retain hard-copy records that are created or received in the ordinary course of business as required by existing law and rules. Hard-copy records may be retained on alternative storage media as indicated in this subrule.

(1) If hard-copy records are not produced or received in the ordinary course of transacting business (e.g., when the taxpayer uses electronic data interchange technology), hard-copy records need not be created.

(2) Hard-copy records generated at the time of a transaction using a credit or debit card must be retained unless all the details necessary to determine correct tax liability relating to the transaction are subsequently received and retained by the taxpayer in accordance with this rule.

(3) Computer printouts that are created for validation, control, or other temporary purposes need not be retained.

(4) Nothing in this rule will prevent the department from requesting hard-copy printouts in lieu of retained machine-sensible records at the time of examination.

(4) Preservation of records.

a. The records required in this rule shall be preserved, at a minimum, for the length of time that the records may be relevant to the department's determination of tax liability for any tax year, and shall be open for examination by the department during this period of time.

b. If a tax liability has been assessed and an appeal is pending to the department, district court, or an appellate court, the records described in this rule which relate to the period covered by the assessment shall be preserved until the final disposition of the appeal.

c. If the requirements of this rule are not met, the records will be considered inadequate.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code sections 321.105A, 421.17, 423.41, 452A.10, 453A.15, 453A.18, 453A.19, and 453A.24.

Notes

Iowa Admin. Code r. 701-11.3

Adopted by IAB February 19, 2025/Volume XLVII, Number 17, effective 3/26/2025