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2017 Tax Software Developer's Guides and Test Cases

mass.gov

21–30 of 43 posts

Re: 2017 Tax Software Developer's Guides and Test Cases

#21
post #13

Does anyone choose to write this kind of software?

This kind of software chooses you :-)

Actually, it's quite rewarding once you get into it. Serious business, people depend on you getting it right, but still nobody dies if a bug slips by.

Getting into it requires a year or two, though.

Re: 2017 Tax Software Developer's Guides and Test Cases

#22
post #13

Does anyone choose to write this kind of software?

I'm one of those nutjobs who actually enjoys working with billing and payment. There's something soothing to writing software which has to be highly tested, well-written and handle lots of edge cases.

It's a sharp contrast to the day-to-day startup philosophy of "move fast and break things".

Re: 2017 Tax Software Developer's Guides and Test Cases

#23

I found out yesterday that the German government provides a flowchart for developers wanting to calculate income tax

And they even provide an API you can run tests against, to ensure that your implementation is correct:

https://www.bmf-steuerrechner.de/interface/schnittstelle.jsp

Re: 2017 Tax Software Developer's Guides and Test Cases

#25

Very impressive. Does the federal government have anything comparable to this?

I am looking for the tax information as well for a soon to be launched Staffing Agency back office software. Taxation is the last major thing to finish... Been collecting the information from wherever I can find... but would love to have one authentic source :)

Re: 2017 Tax Software Developer's Guides and Test Cases

#29
post #13

Does anyone choose to write this kind of software?

I'm one of those nutjobs who actually enjoys working with billing and payment. There's something soothing to writing software which has to be highly tested, well-written and handle lots of edge cases. It's a sharp contrast to the day-to-day startup philosophy of "move fast and break things".

Exactly. The type of software for which it is easy to write automated unit tests and only the most clueless manager would not give you the time and resources to do so.
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