How Software Developers Add 1099 Filing to Their Product: Integrations & API Partnerships (2026)
Your customers already keep their vendor payments, payroll and contractor data in your platform, so when January comes, they want to file their 1099s there too. As of November 9, 2026, that takes a new approach. The IRS is retiring its FIRE system, and Tax Year 2026 (TY2026) forms, filed in early 2027, go through the IRS's IRIS system.
You have four main options for adding 1099 filing: build directly to IRIS A2A, partner with a filing service through an API, hand data off through a file integration or connector, or let customers upload a CSV to the IRIS Taxpayer Portal. This article compares them on scope, planning time and who handles each part of the work.
A note on scope: IRS requirements and Yearli plan details here are current as of November 2026. Responsibilities, timelines and coverage in any partnership depend on the agreement, and the article doesn't list every filing obligation a business may have, so confirm state and form requirements with the IRS and your partner before you commit.
● What "adding 1099 filing" actually covers beyond the federal file
● What building directly to IRIS A2A takes in 2026
● When a CSV upload to the IRIS Taxpayer Portal makes sense
● Three partnership models that skip the IRS build
● How API partnerships with Yearli work
● Questions to ask any filing partner before you sign
| Integration Model | What Your Team Builds | IRS Credentials Involved | State Filing and Recipient Copies | Relative Planning Time* | Typical Fit* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct IRIS A2A | XML generation, API authentication, status handling, corrections | IRIS A2A TCC for your role, API Client ID, passed ATS testing | You handle any required state filing and recipient copies. CF/SF may cover eligible forms in participating states | Longest: the IRS allows up to 45 calendar days for TCC processing alone | Platforms with a dedicated compliance team and high volume; A2A accepts files up to 100 MB per transmission |
| API partnership with a filing service | A connection that sends return data to the partner's filing workflow (with Yearli, as XML or CSV) | Depends on the agreement; when Yearli is the transmitter, it transmits supported returns for its customers | Shared, as defined in the agreement | Set together with the partner, based on volume and workflow | Payroll, accounting and SaaS platforms that want filing inside the product |
| Data integration (file export or connector) | An export that matches the partner's import format | None for your team in most file handoffs | The filing service, per its plan terms | Usually shortest: map your fields to an existing template | Platforms that want a reliable handoff with minimal engineering |
| CSV upload to the IRIS Taxpayer Portal | A CSV export | Each customer needs its own IRIS Taxpayer Portal TCC | Your customers handle them | Fast for you, slower for customers | Low-volume users; the portal accepts up to 100 returns per submission |
*Planning time and fit are practical guidance, not IRS findings. Actual timelines depend on partner onboarding and your own implementation scope.
What "Adding 1099 Filing" Actually Covers
Developers usually scope the federal transmission first, but it's rarely what customers call about. A complete 1099 workflow covers federal filing, state filing, recipient delivery, TIN checks, status tracking and corrections.
Each of these has its own rules. Under the IRS Combined Federal/State Filing (CF/SF) program, the IRS forwards 11 listed form types to participating states for approved filers. For states outside the program, or forms outside the list, the filer may need to file directly with the state if that state requires it. And CF/SF isn't the only state question. Even when it covers a form, a state may have its own registration, withholding, reconciliation or electronic filing requirements.
| Component | What It Involves | Where It Gets Complicated |
|---|---|---|
| Federal e-file | XML transmission to IRIS through A2A | Schemas change. ATS test transmissions must use the schema version the IRS specifies: 5.0.7 as of Oct. 7, 2026. That requirement doesn't apply to IRIS Production |
| State filing | CF/SF for eligible forms, plus direct state filing where a state requires it | CF/SF requires approval and a test file; state rules vary by form and state |
| Recipient delivery | Print and mail, or secure electronic delivery | Electronic delivery requires recipient consent that meets IRS rules, plus required notices, withdrawal options and records |
| Pre-filing TIN checks | IRS TIN Matching checks name and TIN combinations before filing | A separate IRS e-Services program with its own eligibility rules |
| Submission checks | IRIS reviews returns when they're submitted | IRIS can reject a submission or flag a name/TIN mismatch for review |
| Status and corrections | Accepted, Rejected and Corrections Needed statuses | Each status calls for a different next step |
| W-2 and 1095 federal intake | Separate federal channels | For filing season 2027, W-2s go to the SSA, and 1095-B and 1095-C go to the IRS AIR system. Corrections, recipient statements and state rules differ by form |
That last row matters for payroll and HR platforms. A product that supports W-2, 1099 & 1095 filing works with three separate federal intake channels. This article focuses on 1099s and isn't a complete guide to payroll or ACA reporting.
What Building Directly to IRIS A2A Takes in 2026
IRIS A2A is the IRS channel built for software, and it accepts XML files of up to 100 MB per transmission. FIRE used fixed-width files based on Publication 1220. IRIS uses XML and requires more detailed fields, such as separate first and last names.
The IRS lists four general steps for getting started with A2A. Exactly what an organization needs depends on its role. Publication 5718 describes separate roles for software developers, transmitters and issuers, and some organizations hold more than one. For example, the IRS says to use a Software Developer TCC when testing software and a Transmitter TCC for the communication test.
| Step | What It Requires | Planning Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1. IRIS A2A TCC | A new IRIS Application for TCC through IRS e-Services. A FIRE TCC can't be used to file through IRIS | The IRS allows up to 45 calendar days for processing and recommends applying by November 1 of the year before returns are due. That's a planning date, not a legal deadline |
| 2. API Client ID | Registration that lets your software authenticate with IRS systems | Requires the public key setup described in Publication 5718 |
| 3. Schema package | Current IRIS XML schemas and business rules | Available once you apply for a TCC; versions change over time |
| 4. ATS testing | Test transmissions in the IRIS Assurance Testing System | Testing generally opens in November. The IRS announces the exact date in a Quick Alert |
Timing is the main problem with building it yourself. Say your team applies for an IRIS A2A TCC on November 9, 2026. Using the IRS's 45-day allowance as a planning figure puts approval around December 24, 2026, though it could come sooner or later.
The federal deadline for Form 1099-NEC, for both IRS filing and recipient copies, is January 31. When a due date falls on a weekend, it moves to the next business day, which for TY2026 makes it February 1, 2027. State deadlines vary.
| Milestone | Date | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| IRS-recommended TCC application date | November 1, 2026 | Already passed for teams that haven't applied |
| Last day to file through FIRE | November 19, 2026, 3 p.m. ET | After this, FIRE won't accept returns, including corrections |
| 45-day planning allowance (applying Nov. 9) | About December 24, 2026 | Planning estimate only |
| Federal 1099-NEC deadline for TY2026 | February 1, 2027 | Your customers' busiest filing window |
That leaves at most about five and a half weeks to set up an API Client ID, pass ATS, launch and support customers. After launch, your team still owns any required state filing, recipient delivery and schema updates.
When a CSV Upload to the IRIS Taxpayer Portal Makes Sense
The lightest option for your team is a CSV export that customers upload to the IRIS Taxpayer Portal themselves. Your engineering work ends at the export, and the filing work moves to your customers. Each one needs its own IRIS Taxpayer Portal TCC, and they handle any required state filing and recipient copies on their own.
The portal accepts up to 100 returns per submission, so customers filing more than that need several submissions. That makes a CSV handoff fast for you to offer and slower for your customers to use, so it fits low-volume users better than a platform that wants filing inside the product.
Three Partnership Models That Skip the IRS Build
Most platforms don't need to become IRS transmitters themselves. A filing partner that transmits returns can take on that work. How you connect depends on how much of the customer experience you want to control. The comparison table at the top groups file-based integrations and connectors together as data integrations.
Partnering doesn't remove every responsibility. Depending on the contract and filing model, your platform may still own data quality, customer authorizations, correction workflows, records, security and front-line support.
| Model | How It Works | Your Engineering Effort | Customer Experience | Yearli Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| API partnership | Your platform connects directly to a filing service's workflow | Moderate, scoped with the partner | Filing starts inside your product | Partner integrations for payroll, accounting and SaaS platforms, with XML or CSV data sent through an API call |
| File-based integration | Your product exports data in a format the filing service imports | Low | Customer exports, then imports into the filing service | 30+ integrations, a general import template that works with any software, and XML or CSV file uploads |
| Customer-authorized connector | The customer connects their account to the filing service | Low to none | Customer connects once, then imports | Workday connection to Yearli Premier |
Workday is one example of a connector. Under Yearli's current setup instructions, a Workday customer registers Yearli as an API client inside Workday, then enters the connection details from Workday into their Yearli Premier account and imports their data. Other connectors work differently.
Older export formats can still help. Yearli lists the IRS e-file format (Publication 1220) as an import option, so a platform that already produces FIRE-format files may be able to use them to send data to a partner that supports that import. Format compatibility doesn't guarantee every file imports cleanly, so confirm field mapping and corrections support with the partner. The IRS itself won't accept FIRE submissions after the November 19, 2026 cutoff. Yearli's filer-side IRIS guide covers what changes for businesses that file directly with the IRS.
Yearli works with software providers, payroll companies, accounting platforms, service bureaus and enterprise organizations that want filing built into their workflows. Yearli is a product of Greatland, which has been in wage and information reporting for over 50 years.
For Tax Year 2026, Yearli transmits supported information returns through IRIS. When Yearli is the transmitter, customers filing through Yearli don't need their own IRIS TCC. Which credentials, testing and data-quality work falls to your team depends on the integration model you agree on.
| Partnership Stage | What Happens | Capabilities That May Come Up |
|---|---|---|
| Connect | You share your software, business model and integration goals | Information return filing, bulk data submission |
| Evaluate | Yearli reviews your requirements and possible integration approaches | Federal submission processing, state reporting support |
| Plan | Both teams set technical and business requirements | Recipient copy distribution, TIN matching services |
| Launch | Onboarding, partner credentials, Partner Acceptance Testing (PATs), then the move to production | Filing status monitoring, reporting and tracking, high-volume workflows, enterprise processing support |
Access to the Yearli API starts with a contact form rather than a self-serve signup. Yearli offers integration opportunities to qualified partners and software providers, and a specialist follows up within 24 hours of a request. Technical requirements are set together during the Plan stage, and integration support options are discussed during evaluation and onboarding.
Data Format, Authentication, Status Updates and Testing
Partners can connect to Yearli's filing services through an API or through a simpler data import workflow, depending on how deep they want the integration to go. Here's how each technical piece works.
| Area | How It Works With Yearli | What It Means for Your Team |
|---|---|---|
| Data format | Partners send XML or CSV data through an API call, or upload an XML or CSV import file on the Yearli website | The same file formats work for both paths, so one export can serve a manual upload now and an API call later |
| Data validation | Yearli checks each submission for formatting, valid characters and required fields | When data fails validation, customers fix it in your software, then retransmit or reupload it |
| Authentication | Partners receive secure credentials during onboarding that let their applications connect to Yearli's filing services. Each partner also gets a custom URL, and accounts can be created there with a username and password or through an API call | Your team chooses between a sign-up page and account creation through the API |
| Status updates | Statuses come back through an API call, or through a dashboard link your platform provides, where users log in to review them. All filers also get an email for each status as it arrives | Customers can follow each return from submission through downstream results, such as Submitted, Accepted, Rejected, Submitted for recipient online retrieval, and Printed and mailed |
| Testing | Partners get environments and resources to build and test their integration before production, including a Partner Acceptance Testing (PATs) package of files to run through an SDK site | Testing is automated through AutoPATs, so your team gets a response right away on the accuracy of the data it sends |
Because customers correct failed data in your software, data quality stays a shared job. Yearli's validation flags formatting, character and required-field errors, and your product is where customers fix them before they send the data again.
Integration capabilities depend on the use case, so Yearli scopes each partnership individually. Under Yearli's published plans, federal filing, applicable state filing and recipient delivery happen in one workflow. Yearli Core and Yearli Performance bundle these services into one per-form price, and Yearli Premier offers both all-inclusive and à la carte options. Form and state coverage, corrections handling and partnership terms are set during the evaluation.
Questions to Ask Any Filing Partner Before You Sign
Your customers will judge the filing experience as part of your product. Use these questions to test any partner.
| Criterion | Question to Ask | Why It Matters to Your Customers |
|---|---|---|
| Form coverage | Do you support W-2, 1099 & 1095 filing, or only part of the set? | Payroll and HR customers need all three |
| State filing | Do you file directly with states that require it, or only through CF/SF? | CF/SF doesn't cover every state or form |
| Recipient delivery | Are print, mail with postage and online delivery included? | Add-on fees make a low headline price look better than the final cost |
| E-delivery consent | How do you collect and document recipient consent? | Electronic delivery has IRS consent and notice requirements |
| TIN matching | Which plans include it, and is there a limit? | Matching before filing can catch errors before IRIS flags them |
| Status visibility | Can customers see accepted, rejected and corrections-needed statuses with reasons? | Customers need to know what to fix |
| Integration testing | What test environment do you provide, and how quickly do test results come back? | Fast test feedback leaves more time to fix field mapping before the January rush |
| Responsibility split | Which tasks stay with our platform under the contract? | Data quality, corrections and support are often shared |
| Human support | Is live phone or chat help available during peak weeks? | Late-January questions can't wait for a ticket queue |
For reference, here's how Yearli plans handle these features. Yearli Performance and Yearli Premier include unlimited free TIN matching, while Yearli Core offers TIN matching per use. Live phone support is available with Yearli Performance and Yearli Premier; Live chat is available across all platforms. Yearli lists more than 80,000 verified reviews on Shopper Approved, and current plan details are on Yearli's Plans & Pricing page.
FAQ
Do our customers need their own IRIS TCC if we partner with a filing service?
Not when the partner is the transmitter for that filing. When Yearli transmits, customers filing through Yearli don't need an IRIS TCC. Customers who file directly through IRIS, or through another transmitter, may need their own.
Can we keep producing FIRE-format files?
Only as a data handoff to a partner that accepts them. The IRS won't accept FIRE submissions after November 19, 2026, at 3 p.m. ET. Yearli lists Publication 1220 as an import option.
Does the CF/SF program cover all state 1099 filing?
No. It covers 11 listed form types for approved filers in participating states. Other states and forms may need direct state filing, depending on each state's rules.
Should we start with an API or a file integration?
If you need coverage this filing season, a file integration is usually the shortest path. A deeper API partnership can follow once volume and customer demand justify it. With Yearli, both paths accept XML or CSV data, so the same export works for an upload today and an API call later.
How does testing work for a Yearli API integration?
Yearli gives partners environments and resources to test before production, including a Partner Acceptance Testing (PATs) package of files to run through an SDK site. Testing is automated through AutoPATs, so partners get a response right away.
Conclusion
Adding 1099 filing to your product comes down to what your team should own. Building directly to IRIS A2A means handling credentials, testing, schemas, any required state filing and recipient delivery against a fixed deadline. A filing partnership moves the transmission work to a team that handles it every year, and your customers stay in your product. Data quality, corrections and support may still be shared, so define those roles up front. If you're weighing an integration for the 2027 filing season, start with a short conversation about your volumes and workflow.
Sources
1. IRS, "Filing Information Returns Electronically (FIRE)." https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/filing-information-returns-electronically-fire
2. IRS, "E-file information returns with IRIS." https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-information-returns-with-iris
3. IRS, Publication 5718, IRIS A2A Specifications (Rev. 1-2026). https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5718.pdf
4. IRS, "IRIS Assurance Testing System (ATS)." https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/iris-assurance-testing-system-ats
5. IRS, Topic No. 804, IRIS ATS and Combined Federal/State Filing Program. https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc804
6. IRS, Topic No. 802, Applying to File Information Returns Electronically. https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc802
7. IRS, Publication 1099 (2026), General Instructions for Certain Information Returns. https://www.irs.gov/publications/p1099
8. Yearli, "FIRE to IRIS: What the Change Means for Yearli Customers." https://yearli.com/news/fire-to-iris
9. Yearli, "API." https://yearli.com/api
10. Yearli, "W-2, 1099 & 1095 Data Integrations." https://yearli.com/integrations
11. Yearli, "Register Workday API." https://yearli.com/presentations/register-workday-api
12. Yearli, "IRS E-File Format Integration." https://yearli.com/integrations/irs-e-file-format
13. TAB Service Company, "IRS FIRE System Retirement 2026: Understanding the Transition to IRIS." https://www.tabservice.com/blog/irs-fire-system-retirement-2026-understanding-the-transition-to-iris-in-2027/
14. Yearli by Greatland, client-provided company data (2026); Yearli reviews page. https://yearli.com/reviews
15. IRS, "Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Matching." https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/taxpayer-identification-number-tin-matching
16. IRS, Publication 1586 (Rev. 8-2026). https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1586.pdf
17. Yearli, "Plans & Pricing." https://yearli.com/plans-pricing
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