1099 Software: How can I align the data to print perfectly on the red-ink forms?
The red-ink forms are free and typically have a perforated edge and additional form copies attached. The additional forms are almost like tissue paper and tear easily. In the days before computers, you put carbon paper between the red-ink Copy A and Copy B and when you typed or used a pen and wrote really hard, a copy of the letter would be printed on Copy B and C and so on. Modern computers lets you print directly on Copy A and Copy B and C can be printed on plain paper with black ink.
Tear off the perforated edge and retain just Copy A. Insert Copy A into your printer and go to File/Print and put a check in Just Print Data. This will print just the data on top of Copy A. Does the data print perfectly? It should. If it doesn’t, you can adjust the left and top margins to make it line up perfectly.
Look at Copy A for the 1099-MISC as an example. There are two 1099-MISC forms per page. The software has a left, top1 and top2 offset where top1 represents the offset for the 1st form and top2 is the offset for the 2nd form. I have the below default offsets:
top1 is 0.22 or starts printing 22 pixels from the top of the page. If the data is printing too high, increase the value of top1 to move the data down. The form itself stays fixed. If the data is printing too high in the 1st form, increase top1 to 0.27 which moves the data down 5 more pixels. If the data is printing too low in the 1st form, decrease top1 to 0.18 which moves the data up 5 pixels. You can do the same for top2.
by 
Erich J. Ruth
Erich J. Ruth provides technical support for National Software which is the parent company for 1099FIRE. 1099FIRE develops and markets a comprehensive range of products that enables any size of business or institution to effectively manage and comply with year-end filing requirements. 1099FIRE is an employee-owned company located in Phoenix, Arizona.
If you have any questions or comments about our software, feel free to contact us at any time.
We were not able to print out the IRS form 1098 copy A from your software.
The print out come with Demo sign on it.
Can you please help with this issue?
If its printing demo, you just need to register the software. Try calling sales at 480-460-9311
and they can look up your order and provide a passcode.
I am trying to print the data on the red IRS forms, but it only is printing the first two on each form and not printing the third one at the bottom of the page. There is also some overprinting right at the very top of the page. The first two forms on the page are printing correctly with the offsets that I have entered. I hate to print out any more and use up the forms that I have and not have enough left for printing correctly. Any suggestions would be most welcome as I cannot go any further.
Which form are you trying to print? Please let me know.
I am trying to print 1099-MISC and when I have the amount in cell 7 lined up, the Payer/Recipient TINs are partially below the line. It appears that the form isn’t properly set up.
I am attempting to print data only on an existing 1099 Copy A form, which has large pink bands. I guess we may file electronically to avoid needing to print on Copy A, but I don’t think it is set up correctly.
You can adjust the top and left offsets to get the data to line up perfectly with the
red-ink forms. Go to File/Print to adjust the offsets.
@Erich J. Ruth
I don’t believe I can — I would need to adjust the spacing between two lines on the top form, as one lines up but the other does not.