Comparisons
TDR Prep vs reporting straight in SRP
SRP costs nothing and takes the report by form entry or file upload. TDR Prep costs a monthly fee and does the part SRP leaves to you: building the file from your books and showing every line SRP would reject before you upload. Either way you upload and certify in SRP yourself.
Each side
What each one is
TDR Prep
TDR Prep reads the month from QuickBooks Online or a CSV, keeps your item mapping, runs the SRP file rules over every line, and produces the file you upload.
SRP directly
SRP is where every MAS holder reports. You can type each transaction into the form, upload a file you have built, or use EDI or the API if your systems support it. SRP checks the data when you submit it.
Side by side
The dimensions both share
| TDR Prep | SRP directly | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99, $149 or $249 a month | Free |
| Starts from | QuickBooks Online or a CSV export | Typed into the form, or a file you build yourself |
| When problems show up | Before upload, line by line, with the field named | When SRP processes the submission |
| Who uploads and certifies | The contract holder | The contract holder |
Pick us
Pick TDR Prep if
- You report more than a few lines a month and do not want to key them in.
- Rejected uploads have cost you time, and you want to see them before the portal does.
- You have back months to build in order before the current month will go in.
Pick them
Pick SRP directly if
- You sell one or two items a month to the government and the form takes minutes.
- Your own systems already produce a clean upload file.
- Your month has no reportable sales; SRP still needs the period reported.
Verdict
The bottom line
For a holder with very few transactions, the portal form is enough and costs nothing. GSA itself points holders with many orders or lines toward file upload, and that is where building and checking the file becomes the job.
TDR Prep is that job. It does not replace SRP: you still sign in, upload, and certify there, within 30 days after each month ends.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I report TDR without paying for software?
Yes. SRP takes the report by form entry and file upload at no charge.
What does SRP do when a file has a problem?
It rejects the upload or the lines it cannot accept. One error GSA documents is a line SRP cannot match to an item on your contract. SRP also refuses a month while an earlier month on the same contract is unreported.
Does TDR Prep connect to SRP?
No. TDR Prep has no connection to SRP. It produces a file, and the contract holder uploads it and certifies in the portal.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- SRP — frequently asked questions
The reporting methods SRP offers: form entry, file upload, and EDI/API.
- SRP user manual — report data by file upload
File upload for many orders or lines; reports go in chronological order and an upload with an unreported earlier month is rejected.
- GSA — Help with TDR
Transaction-level reporting, the product data each line must match, and the "cannot find items" troubleshooting steps.
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