> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.filed.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.filed.com/reference/products/ai-tax-prep/client-and-version-matching.md).

# Client and version matching

## Why this step matters

Before the data-entry bot can fill a return, Filed needs to know exactly which client record - and which version of that client's return - to write into. Getting this wrong means data lands on the wrong return, not just the wrong field. This is the "Identify the client in the tax software" step in the AI Tax Prep setup screen; see [Step 2 - identify the client in the tax software](/reference/products/ai-tax-prep/workflow-overview.md#step-2---identify-the-client-in-the-tax-software).

## How the match works

The client selected at setup is the same client record the connected tax software uses for the run. Filed does not fuzzy-match on client name.

For ProConnect, Filed adds a second selector for the exact **2025 individual return**. If only one eligible return exists, it is selected automatically. If several returns share a display name, Filed distinguishes them as Return 1, Return 2, and so on. The selected client and return are both persisted with the tax-prep run and reused if data entry is started later from the Binder.

## What happens if the wrong client or version is targeted

If the identifier does not correspond to any return tax software can find, the bot fails before writing anything, with the error `CLIENT_NOT_FOUND` - see [Task status indicators](/reference/products/ai-tax-prep/workflow-overview.md#task-status-indicators). This is the safe failure mode: nothing is written to the wrong place because the return could not be located at all.

The riskier case is a valid client or return that is not the one the preparer intended. This is why it matters to double-check both selectors against tax software before running tax prep, particularly when the Filed client name differs from the taxpayer name in tax software or when more than one return exists for the year.

## Recovering from a wrong-version send

If data entry runs against the wrong version of a return, treat it the same way as any other unwanted entry: use the Backups panel to restore the affected return to its pre-Filed state. See [Reverting tax prep with a backup](/reference/products/ai-tax-prep/reverting-with-backups.md) for the full walkthrough. Because backups are captured per run, the safest recovery is the **Before data entry** backup captured for that run.

## Before you run tax prep

* Confirm the client identifier against tax software directly, not from memory - especially for clients with multiple return years or copies open at once.
* If in doubt about which version is active, resolve it in tax software first rather than guessing at setup.
* Re-run tax prep uses the same identifier entered originally; if the client's active version changes between the initial run and a rerun, revisit this step before rerunning. See [Rerunning and re-exporting](/reference/products/ai-tax-prep/rerun-and-match-and-update.md).


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://help.filed.com/reference/products/ai-tax-prep/client-and-version-matching.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.