Filing files for CRA, Service Canada and SSA
SeroPayroll and SeroBooks Pro generate the files government portals accept, including T4 XML, ROE .BLK and W-2 EFW2, so you upload instead of retyping.
CRA, Service Canada and SSA filing files, handled by Sero
T4 and T4 Summary XML
Year-end T4, T4A and T5018 files in the XML format CRA accepts for upload.
ROE .BLK files
Records of Employment generated as .BLK files for ROE Web, with the 5-day deadline tracked.
W-2 EFW2
In SeroBooks Pro, US W-2 files in the SSA’s EFW2 format.
PD7A remittances
Source deduction remittances calculated on your CRA schedule, including accelerated filers.
PIER review
Check CPP and EI before CRA’s Pensionable and Insurable Earnings Review does.
Readiness checks
Filing readiness checks flag missing SINs, addresses and other gaps before you file.
One company, one login, three products that share their numbers
SeroPayroll
Payroll for every province. Right to the cent.
Canadian payroll for all 13 provinces and territories — CPP, EI, QPP, vacation, stat holidays, remittances, T4s and ROEs.
SeroBooks
The books, the store, the bank. One ledger.
Accounting that runs the whole business — invoicing, inventory, banking, sales tax, payroll and year-end for Canada and the United States.
SeroPOS
The point of sale built for the rush.
Point of sale for restaurants and retail — tables, kitchen tickets, inventory, loyalty and online ordering on iPad, Android, Windows and Mac.
What Sero produces, and what you upload
Sero generates filing files. It doesn’t file directly with government systems on your behalf. SeroPayroll and SeroBooks Pro create the T4, T4A and T5018 XML files that CRA accepts through its upload service, ROE .BLK files for Service Canada’s ROE Web, and, in SeroBooks Pro, W-2 files in the SSA’s EFW2 format for US employees.
You sign in to the government portal with your own credentials and upload the file. That keeps your filing authority and your government access with you, while removing the slowest and most error-prone part of year-end, which is retyping slips one employee at a time. Sero is not affiliated with CRA, Service Canada or Revenu Québec.
- T4 / T4 Summary, T4A and T5018 XML for CRA
- ROE .BLK for Service Canada ROE Web
- W-2 EFW2 for the SSA (SeroBooks Pro)
- PD7A remittance amounts for CRA
Year-end slips in Canada
SeroPayroll calculates CPP and CPP2, EI, QPP, QPP2 and QPIP, and federal and provincial income tax under T4127 for all 13 provinces and territories, reconciled to the CRA payroll calculator. At year-end, those same figures produce T4 slips and the T4 Summary as XML, plus T4A and T5018 where you need them.
Filing readiness checks catch missing or invalid information, such as a missing SIN or address, before you generate the file, so it isn’t rejected after upload. RL-1 slips for Québec are produced as slips only; there’s no RL-1 electronic transmission from Sero, so Québec employers should plan to file that information with Revenu Québec another way.
Records of Employment
When an employee has an interruption of earnings, an ROE is generally due within five calendar days after the end of the pay period in which it occurred. SeroPayroll tracks that deadline for each ROE and generates the record as a .BLK file ready to upload to Service Canada’s ROE Web, so nothing slips past while you’re busy replacing the person who left.
Insurable hours and earnings come from the pay runs already in the system, so there’s no separate calculation and less risk of a mismatch that Service Canada questions later. Because pay runs are reversed rather than edited, the history behind each ROE stays intact if anyone ever needs to check how the figures were reached.
Remittances and US forms
PD7A remittances follow the CRA calendar for quarterly, regular and accelerated threshold 1 and 2 remitters, and Revenu Québec’s TPZ-1015 for Québec employers. Sero calculates the amounts and due dates; you make the payment through your bank or CRA’s payment options. PIER review flags CPP and EI shortfalls before CRA’s own review finds them.
For US employees, SeroBooks Pro handles federal and state withholding and produces W-2 EFW2 files for upload to the SSA. 1099-NEC is produced as slips only. SeroPayroll itself is Canada-only, so employers with US staff run their payroll in SeroBooks Pro, which covers both countries on the same ledger at $300/mo.
Frequently asked questions
Does Sero file T4s directly with CRA?
No. Sero generates T4, T4 Summary, T4A and T5018 XML files that you upload to CRA using your own access. That keeps filing authority with you while removing manual slip entry. Filing readiness checks flag gaps before you upload. Sero is not affiliated with CRA, Service Canada or Revenu Québec.
How do I submit an ROE from SeroPayroll?
SeroPayroll generates the Record of Employment as a .BLK file using insurable hours and earnings from your pay runs. You sign in to Service Canada’s ROE Web and upload it. The system tracks the five-day deadline so you know when each ROE is due and nothing gets missed.
Can Sero produce W-2 files?
Yes, in SeroBooks Pro, which includes US federal and state payroll at $300 a month. It generates W-2 files in the SSA’s EFW2 format for you to upload. SeroPayroll is Canada-only, so US employers use SeroBooks Pro for W-2s; 1099-NEC is produced as slips only.
Does Sero handle Québec RL-1 slips?
Sero produces RL-1 slips, but not RL-1 electronic transmission, so Québec employers will need to file RL-1 information with Revenu Québec another way. QPP, QPP2, QPIP and Québec’s reduced EI rate are calculated, and TPZ-1015 remittance amounts and dates are supported.
Does Sero pay my remittances?
No. Sero calculates PD7A and TPZ-1015 remittance amounts and due dates on the right schedule, including accelerated remitters. You make the payment through your bank or the government’s payment options. Sero doesn’t move money for remittances or for payroll itself.