When working with tax forms, it is common that a summary page will have values that each result from the entries made on a detailed schedule. The program provides an easy way to find the source of a summary value. It does this via the Drill Down button . When a summary field is active and its value is calculated from another schedule, the Drill Down button will be enabled. Pressing this button will open the summary schedule and activate the source field on that schedule.
For example, U.S. Form 706 (Rev. Aug. 2004) Page 3, Part 5 is the Recapitulation. Line 1 or the recapitulation gets its value from the result of Schedule A. Pressing the Drill Down button while Part 5, Line 1 is the active field will result in opening Schedule A and activating its Total line field. If Schedule A is not yet attached the program will ask if you want to attach it. After attaching it the schedule is opened and the Total line field is activated. Notice that the Drill Down button is enabled while the Schedule A Total line field is active. Pressing the Drill Down button from here will take you to the amount column field on the first row of the schedule.
The Drill Down button and Drill Up button allow the user to navigate based on the data flow of the form. Using these buttons will reduce the need to manually open forms and schedules while working.
By using Drill Down to navigate to the detailed schedules you will rarely need to attach a schedule manually since the program automatically attaches schedules when drilling down to them.
Note that Drill Down is only available for calculated fields. The summary field must be active for Drill Down to be used to find its source field. Since the program often skips calculated fields during Tab navigation you may need to activate the summary field manually by clicking on it with the mouse. Also note that not all calculated fields have a drill down target defined.
To go in the reverse direction you can usually use the Drill Up button to find the target summary field where the active schedule Total field will be carried.
If the Drill Down operation opens up another page you can use the Back button to return to the previously open page.
For any field who’s value is determine from an attached field worksheet you can use the Drill Down button to open the source worksheet. An example of this is when a Details Worksheet is attached to an amount field to determine its value. In this case while the amount field is active pressing Drill Down button will open the source Details Worksheet and activate its Total line field. Likewise, to move from the Total line field of the Details Worksheet back up to the owning field just press the Drill Up button.
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