Keep your business prepared for tax season with the W-9 & 1099 tab in your Pay dashboard. You can collect W-9 forms, track the verification status, and mark 1099 contractors as you go - saving you hours of administrative work.
This article explains the basic functionality of the W-9 & 1099 tab and contains the following sections:
- Accessing the W-9 & 1099 tab
- Collecting W-9 forms
- Marking vendors as 1099 contractors
- Understanding the W-9 verification statuses
- Syncing with Tax1099
Accessing the W-9 & 1099 Tab
Select W-9 & 1099 in the top navigation bar of your Melio dashboard.
This dedicated view displays a list of your vendors with three key columns:
- W-9 form: Shows the current status of the vendor's tax form (e.g., Verified, Pending, No W-9 on file).
- 1099 contractor: Indicates if you have marked this vendor as a 1099 contractor.
- Action: Quick buttons to View details, Request, or Edit W-9 forms.
Collecting W-9 forms
You can collect W-9s in two ways: by sending a digital request to your vendor or by uploading a file you already have.
To request a W-9 form
If you do not have a W-9 on file, Melio can send a secure email to your vendor asking them to fill it out.
Please note: This feature is available to Core, Boost, and Unlimited subscribers.
Go subscribers need to upgrade the plan first to use it.
1 - Go to the W-9 & 1099 tab.
2 - Locate the vendor in the list.
3 - Under the Action column, select Add W-9 form.
4 - In the taxpayer info section, enter the vendor’s email address and select Send request.
If you want to request forms for multiple vendors at once:
1 - Select the checkboxes next to their names and click Request W-9 form at the bottom right.
2 - Review the vendor's email address in the pop-up window to ensure it is correct.
3 - Select Send X requests at the bottom right.
The status will change to Pending vendor. You can click Send reminder if they haven't responded after a while.
For more information about requesting W-9 form, check our dedicated guide.
To manually upload a W-9 form
If you already have a vendor’s W-9, you can upload it directly.
1 - In the W-9 & 1099 tab, locate the vendor.
2 - Select Add W-9 form.
3 - In the Taxpayer info section, choose Upload file and select the file from your computer.
Check this guide to learn more about uploading the W-9 form.
Marking Vendors as 1099 Contractors
Not every vendor needs a 1099 form. You can tag specific vendors to keep your list clean and accurate.
1 - Click on a vendor's name to open the Taxpayer details.
2 - Toggle the switch for Mark as a 1099 contractor.
This vendor will now appear as the 1099 contractor column on your main list.
Understanding the W-9 verification statuses
When you or your vendor uploads a W-9 form, Melio checks its details against IRS records.
When you view the W-9 & 1099 tab or a specific Vendor profile, you will see a status badge next to the W-9 section. Here is a breakdown of the statuses:
- Verified:
- Meaning: The information provided matches the IRS records perfectly.
- Action Required: None. You are ready to file 1099s for this vendor.
- Not Verified (unverified):
- Meaning: The details provided do not match IRS records.
- Action Required: You must correct this before tax season. If there was a typo or a mistake, edit the W-9 details manually.
- Pending vendor:
- Meaning: You have sent a request for a W-9 to the vendor, but they have not completed it yet.
- Action Required: You need the vendor to submit their form. You can send them a reminder or upload the W-9 by yourself if you have it.
Syncing with Tax1099
When tax season arrives, you can sync your verified vendor data directly to Tax1099.
1 - In the W-9 & 1099 tab, select the Sync to Tax1099 button in the top right corner.
Only vendors with "Verified" W-9s and valid tax IDs can be synced.
2 - Follow the prompts to log in or create your Tax1099 account.
3 - Once connected, your data will be synced, allowing you to file your 1099s electronically Tax1099 platform.
Learn more about the syncing process in this article.