What is a conso file?
A conso file is the current state of a filed TDS return, packaged so that filing software can read it back in. A return that has been filed and then corrected once or twice no longer matches the file that was originally uploaded. The consolidated file is what TRACES holds after all of that, and correcting a return offline starts by downloading it.
It arrives as a ZIP, and unlike some TRACES downloads it is meant to be extracted. The extracted file is imported into the software used for filing, the corrections are made there, and the corrected statement is filed as a correction return.
When can you get a conso file, and when can you not?
Three conditions govern availability.
- The statement has to have been processed, which is checked under the statements and payments tab before the request is raised.
- The statement has to be from financial year 2007-08 onwards.
- The return has to have been filed electronically, because a paper return has no conso file on TRACES at all.
Unmatched challans add a fourth condition, and it depends on a distinction the tutorial draws between two kinds of statement. A migrated statement, meaning one from before October 2012 that has not yet been processed by CPC, still yields a conso file even where a challan is unmatched. A non migrated statement, meaning one that has been processed by CPC, does not. In that case online challan correction has to be submitted first.
Conso file or online correction?
Downloading a conso file is the offline route. It suits a correction that touches many rows at once, because the whole statement is in front of you in the filing software.
For a narrower fix the online correction functionality on TRACES avoids the download entirely. The tutorial on online correction makes the trade explicit. There is no conso file to request and no waiting for it to become available. The correction is filed from the browser without any software, and it is processed in 24 hours.
The choice is mostly about scale and about which corrections each route supports. Some correction types on TRACES require a digital signature, and those are worth checking before committing to either path.
What does each request status mean?
A conso file request does not complete instantly, and the status it shows explains what to do next.
- Submitted means the request went in successfully and is being processed.
- Available means the file is ready to download.
- Disabled means a duplicate request was submitted for the same download.
- Failed means the request could not be completed, and the tutorial directs the deductor to contact CPC for TDS in that case.
How to download a conso file from TRACES
On tdscpc.gov.in, signed in as the employer
Check the statement status first
Before raising the request, check the status of the statement under the statements and payments tab. The conso file can only be downloaded once the statement has been processed.
Log in to TRACES as a deductor
Go to www.tdscpc.gov.in and log in with the user id, password, TAN of the deductor and the verification code, with the deductor option selected.
Open the conso file request
Under the statements and payments tab, select Request for Conso File.
Select the period
Select the financial year, quarter and form type for which the consolidated file is required, and click Go.
Validate KYC
The KYC validation screen appears. Where a digital signature is registered, the digital signature supported KYC screen is shown and the DSC is used to validate. Otherwise normal KYC validation is completed for this request. A digital signature can be registered or re-registered from the profile.
Note the authentication code
Validating KYC generates an authentication code, which stays valid for the same calendar day for the same financial year, form type and quarter.
Note the request number
On successful submission a unique request number is generated. It is what the download is tracked by.
Find the file under requested downloads
The consolidated file appears under Requested Downloads in the Downloads section. It can be searched for by request number, by date, or by viewing all.
Download once the status is Available
When the requested status shows Available, download the conso file using HTTP Download.
Open the file with the right password
The download is a ZIP. Extract it with the password, which is the TAN and the request number in capital letters in the form ABCD12345E_12345, then import the extracted file into the filing software to make the corrections.
What goes wrong
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The conso file cannot be requested for the statement | The conso file is only available once the statement has been processed, and only for statements from financial year 2007-08 onwards. | Check the statement status under the statements and payments tab and wait for processing to complete before raising the request.TRACES e-Tutorial, Download Conso File |
| No conso file is available for a paper return | TRACES does not produce a conso file for a return filed on paper. | There is no download to obtain. The correction route for a paper return lies outside TRACES.TRACES e-Tutorial, Download Conso File |
| The statement has an unmatched challan and no conso file is produced | For a non migrated statement, meaning one already processed by CPC for TDS, the conso file cannot be downloaded while a challan is unmatched. A migrated statement is not blocked in the same way. | Submit an online challan correction on TRACES first, then request the conso file again.TRACES e-Tutorial, Download Conso File |
| The request status shows Disabled | A duplicate request was submitted for the same download. | Use the existing request rather than raising another. Where the status shows Failed instead, the tutorial directs the deductor to contact CPC for TDS.TRACES e-Tutorial, Download Conso File |
Steps last read from the source documents on
Frequently asked questions
What is the password for a conso file?
The TAN and the request number in capital letters, in the form ABCD12345E_12345, which is the example the tutorial gives.
How far back can I download a conso file?
From financial year 2007-08 onwards, provided the statement has been processed.
Do I need a conso file to correct a return?
Only for an offline correction. TRACES also offers online correction, which needs no conso file, no software and no wait for the file to become available, and which is processed in 24 hours.
Why can I not download a conso file when a challan is unmatched?
For a statement already processed by CPC for TDS, an unmatched challan blocks the download. Online challan correction has to be submitted first. A migrated statement, one from before October 2012 that CPC has not processed, is not blocked in this way.
Where Engage fits
A correction cycle usually starts with a deductee detail that was wrong when the return was filed. Engage builds the quarterly statement from the payroll run, so the PANs and deducted amounts in the return are the ones payroll actually used, which is the difference between correcting a return and re-keying it.
See Engage Payroll