ITR JSON: prepare and check the file before upload.
A JSON file can contain tax information without being a return ready to submit. Identify what the file contains, choose the correct year and form, then review the computation and government validation results.
The file extension does not tell you its purpose
| File | What it does |
|---|---|
| AIS JSON | A statement of reported information to compare with your source records. It is not your prepared income tax return. |
| Prefill JSON | Portal-supplied starting information for preparing a return. Review it and complete the remaining facts. |
| Draft ITR JSON | A saved return in progress. It can still need corrections, schedules and validation before submission. |
| Filing JSON | A prepared return file for the chosen form and year. It still needs the applicable government checks, submission and verification. |
The department’s offline utility FAQ distinguishes prefill imports from generated return files. AIS exports are described separately in its AIS FAQ. Renaming a file cannot convert one purpose into another.
A readable PDF or Excel computation is your audit view. It helps you inspect the amounts and source references, but is not a replacement for the government’s applicable return format.
Match the income period, return form and published utility
Check the full year label, not just “2026–27”. AY 2026–27 refers to income for FY 2025–26. Tax Year 2026–27 refers to the income period from April 2026 through March 2027. These are different periods, as the department’s transition tax-payment FAQ illustrates.
The official ITR downloads list utilities, JSON schemas and validation documents by year and form. A schema listed for an Assessment Year is not evidence that the same file is available for a newer Tax Year. Use the release for your actual return.
Choose the form for your full facts, including income sources and residency. A supported upload format or a simple salary document does not decide eligibility for you. Check the department’s return instructions where your facts go beyond the available preparation flow.
Review the computation before generating the file
- Confirm the inputs: check identity, income period, source documents and unanswered facts. Preserve historical acquisition records when they establish a current disposal’s basis.
- Reconcile: investigate AIS and tax-credit differences. Check whether any required income source or schedule is missing.
- Inspect the output: compare the prepared figures with their source evidence. Check that the calculation revision matches the documents and answers you just reviewed.
- Check availability: in Renuds, a computation download and an available portal file are separate outputs. A missing official schema, unsupported schedule or unresolved required fact can prevent a filing file.
The department’s offline utility manual describes reviewing sections, validating the return, correcting errors and downloading a prepared JSON. Its screenshots use earlier Assessment Years. Follow the current utility’s instructions for your year.
A local preparation check does not establish portal acceptance. Government schema and cross-field validations are distinct from checking that a file opens. Successful validation also does not independently establish the truth of every source fact.
If the portal rejects the JSON
Retain the exact error message or downloaded error file and identify the affected field or schedule. The offline utility FAQ, question 5, explains validation errors and downloadable error files.
- Check that you supplied a return file, rather than an AIS or prefill export.
- Compare the selected year and form with the file’s preparation context and the current published utility.
- For a missing or inconsistent field, correct the underlying fact or schedule in the preparation tool, regenerate the file and validate again.
- Keep the previous file and its error evidence. Do not alter dates, totals or required schedules just to suppress a validation message.
If an error persists, share its text, form, year and utility version with the responsible support team. A technical rejection and an unresolved tax treatment are different problems; a tax judgement needs the supporting records and appropriate professional review.
Download, submission and verification are separate
Renuds does not submit or e-verify your return. You complete the government steps yourself and keep the acknowledgement and final status. You never need to give Renuds your government portal password.
The department’s current e-Verify guidance explains verification methods and timing. Read that guidance for the applicable deadline; older utility screenshots and manuals can contain earlier timelines.
A downloaded file is not evidence of filing, and an uploaded return still needs its applicable verification step. Check the return’s status on the government portal rather than treating a preparation receipt as completion.
Prepare from your documentsResolve AIS differences before filingHow this guide is prepared
Prepared by Renuds. Department guidance and the product statements on this page were checked on . The practical checklists are our preparation method; linked department pages establish the portal procedures. Examples are illustrative, not taxpayer records.
AI assisted the research and drafting, followed by independent checks of the linked official sources by a separate AI agent. These checks are not human expert review.
This is general preparation guidance, not a professional assessment of your tax position. This page does not carry a named CA review. A return’s own review status applies to that calculation, not to this article.
For a factual correction, email hello@renuds.in with this page’s URL and the relevant official source. Keep PAN, account details and financial documents out of that editorial email.