Protean Annual Information Return Preparation Utility (AIR RPU)
Income Tax Department has notified the file format (data structure) for preparation of Annual Information Returns. Filers can prepare the AIR as per the file format using in-house software or any other third party software or the return preparation utility developed by Protean (AIR RPU) and submit the same to any of the TIN-FCs established by Protean or directly upload through the Protean TIN website.
The AIR RPU is a freely downloadable software. It is an MS-Excel based utility.
Guidelines for usage of this utility are provided in the excel file itself. The user is advised to read these guidelines before the utility is used to prepare the returns. Users may ensure that they download the latest version of the utility at the time of preparation of returns.
Users may pass the AIR file generated using AIR RPU through the File Validation Utility (AIR FVU) to ensure format level accuracy of the file. This utility is also freely downloadable from Protean TIN website.
In case the AIR file contains any error(s), user may rectify the same in the excel file itself. After rectifying the errors, user may again pass the rectified AIR through the FVU. This process may be continued till an error-free return is generated.
Supplementary Annual Information Return
Supplementary AIR is required to be prepared in accordance with the file format notified by ITD.
Filers are free to use any software purchased from software vendors or developed in-house in order to prepare their Supplementary AIR. Alternatively Protean Supplementary AIR Preparation Utility can be used for the preparation of Supplementary AIR.