1. Get a contractor spreadsheet out of Google Sheets
If you already track contractors in Google Sheets, make sure there's one row per contractor with name, tax ID, street, city, state, ZIP and total paid. Then File, Download, Comma-separated values (.csv). Menu and report names change between versions, so yours may differ a little.
Keep tax IDs as text (Format, Number, Plain text) so Sheets doesn't drop leading zeros. The tool puts back ZIP zeros either way.
2. Convert it
Open the spreadsheet to IRIS 1099-NEC converter, fill in your own business details as the payer, and drop the CSV. It matches your columns, splits names into first and last, works out SSN or EIN, turns state names into codes and puts back the ZIP zeros Excel drops. It lists anything to check, like missing tax IDs or amounts under the filing threshold, and gives you the IRIS CSV, split into files of up to 100 forms.
It runs in your browser, so your contractors' tax IDs never leave your computer. Up to 5 forms are free; more is $49 for the filing season.
3. Upload it to IRIS
- You need an IRIS Transmitter Control Code (TCC). Applying is free but can take weeks, so apply early.
- In the IRIS Taxpayer Portal, choose to upload a CSV with form data and pick the file as downloaded. Don't open and re-save it in Excel first.
- 1099-NECs are due to contractors and the IRS by January 31. Check the IRS instructions for your situation; this isn't tax advice.
More on the change: FIRE is closing and filing moves to IRIS.