Box 12 TP and 14b from the export you already have
TipFort lists $29/month for tip tracking. Tipcode reads your POS or payroll export once and gives you code TP and box 14b.
| Tipcode | TipFort | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | In your browser tab. No install, no account. Your payroll file is never uploaded. | Online service |
| Price | Free: code TP total, occupation codes and every check for any number of employees, with the first 5 employees itemized. Pro: $19 for 7 days, $15/month or $59/year. | $29/month listed; free during early access |
| What it does | Code TP and box 14b per employee from your POS or payroll tips export. Doesn't do code TT or file anything. | Tip tracking, TTOC list, W-2 box 12/14b CSV |
Honest take: TipFort tracks tips through the year; Tipcode doesn't track anything — it works from a file at W-2 time.
Competitor details checked on 2026-10-28 from their public pages: TipFort pricing. Prices change — check their site for the current offer. Product names are trademarks of their owners; we are not affiliated with them.
FAQ
Do I need to change how I record tips?
No. Tipcode reads the tips export from your POS or payroll as it is.
What does Tipcode do?
It reads tip records by employee and job from a POS or payroll export and works out the two new 2026 Form W-2 tip entries for each employee: box 12 code TP (total cash tips reported to the employer) and box 14b (the Treasury Tipped Occupation Code or codes). It doesn't run payroll and doesn't file anything.
Is my data uploaded?
No. Your file is read by JavaScript in your browser tab and never sent to us or anyone else. The data isn't stored, so closing the tab clears it. Your settings and occupation-code choices (job title → code) can be saved in this browser.
Which files can I use?
CSV, tab-separated or Excel with one row per employee per shift, day or pay period: employee, the date the tips were reported, job, and cash and charged tips (or one tips column). Tip share received and paid out, a TTOC column and service charges are optional. Download the template to see the layout.
What goes in code TP?
The total cash tips the employee reported to you for the year. In IRS usage “cash tips” include tips paid by card and tips received through tip-sharing; mandatory service charges and auto-gratuities are wages, not tips. Report the full amount even above $25,000 — that limit applies only to the employee's own deduction.
How are box 14b codes chosen?
Each job title is matched to the IRS list of 71 occupations that customarily and regularly received tips, using the list's titles and examples (server → 102, bartender → 101, busser or bar back → 104, host → 109 …). Up to two codes per employee, by tips received; if any tips came from a job that isn't on the list, 000 must be one of the two. You can override any match.
What's free?
Importing any number of employees, the code TP total, the occupation-code table and every check, plus the first 5 employees itemized on screen and in print (with a footer). Pro itemizes every employee and exports the W-2 TP and 14b CSV, tips by month and the Excel workbook.
What isn't covered?
Code TT qualified overtime (see Halftally), the Form 8027 8% allocation (see Allotip), state reporting, deciding whether a tip is a qualified tip for the employee's deduction, and e-filing. Confirm your payroll provider's import format.
Is this tax advice?
No. Tipcode applies the 2026 General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3 and the IRS tipped-occupation list to the data you provide. Ask your tax adviser or payroll provider what applies to you.