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Creating a Draft Report
Click here for Depository Bank instructions

For Registered Candidates and Committees

Step One - Setting up the draft report:

  • Click on the "Create a draft report" link on the navigation menu.

  • Select the type of report by clicking on the button next to the report type you want to create.

    The menu of available reports to create depends upon the filer information maintained in OCPF's Registered Filer List.  OCPF enters this information from your statement of organization and updates it from any subsequently filed change of purpose forms.  To keep Web Reporter accurate, please notify OCPF promptly of any changes to your filer information.

  • Once a report is selected, you can enter a report year for your report.  Web Reporter now recognizes the filing schedule for most candidates and committees and can fill in a beginning and ending date for your report.  You can edit these dates.

    If Web Reporter does not pre-fill your dates, consult the filing schedules on OCPF's website for the reporting period and due dates for all reports to be filed with OCPF.

    When entering dates in Web Reporter, please remember to use one of the following formats:   MM/DD/YY or MM/DD/YYYY.

  • Web Reporter will automatically fill in your candidate and/or committee information from the Registered Filer List.  You will enter the name of your bank.

    If you need to change your filer information, you can click on the Filer Information link on the navigation menu to change any of this information, but please remember to notify OCPF of any change in your filer information in a separate letter or e-mail to OCPF.

  • Once the information has been entered, click on the "Create Draft Report" button at the bottom of the page.  You will notice two changes to the navigation menu on the left:

    • The "My Drafts" link on the navigation menu will update to show the number of drafts you currently have on the system; and

    • New navigation links will appear for the newly created draft report cover page and all of its associated item schedules.
Step Two - Filling out the summary report information:

  • Once the draft is created, the Summary Balance Information (Draft Cover) page is displayed.  The report information you entered in Step One is now displayed at the top of the page and the data entry fields where you enter the general financial information for the reporting period are displayed below.  Depository filers have a worksheet available to assist them in preparing a D102 report.

  • Fill in your beginning balance.

    • If you are a new candidate or committee and this is your first report, the beginning balance will be zero.

    • If you have previously filed a report with OCPF, the beginning balance of this report will be the ending balance of your previous report.  If you electronically filed the previous report, Web Reporter will automatically bring the ending balance from that report forward and will auto-fill the beginning balance for you.

    • NOTE:  If you believe that the amount auto-filled by Web Reporter is incorrect, you should go back and review the prior report you filed on the EFS.  If you need to change the amount in the beginning balance field, you can edit the number in your draft report.  You will need to go back and amend the previous report as well, though or you will create a discrepancy between the beginning balance of your draft report and the ending balance of the previously filed report.

  • Fill in your unitemized receipts, expenditures and inkind contributions, if any.

    • M.G.L. c. 55, s. 18 does not require you to itemize any receipt, expenditure or in-kind contribution items that are $50 or less in value.  Instead, you may calculate the total dollar value for:

      • All receipt items of $50 or less and enter the total dollar amount in the Unitemized Receipts field;

      • All expenditure items of $50 or less and enter the total dollar amount in the unitemized Expenditures field; and

      • All inkind contribution items of $50 or less and enter the total dollar amount in the Unitemized Inkind Contributions field.

    • You will notice that the subtotal and ending balance fields are automatically calculated and updated as you enter information into the report.  When you have finished entering your unitemized totals, if any, you can move to the schedules to complete your report.
Step Three - Completing the report schedules:

To complete your draft report, you will need to click on the navigation menu link for each item schedule and fill out the rest of your campaign finance information for the reporting period.  Click on the links below to view help pages for each item schedule:
Step Four - Filing your report:

  • When you have finished completing your report schedules, you should click on the Draft Cover Page link for your report on the navigation menu.  This will take you back to the Draft Cover Page.

  • At the bottom left of the Draft Cover Page is the "File" button.  Click on this button to electronically file your report.

  • You will be re-directed to the receipt page for confirmation of your filing.

  • NOTE:  Your report is not filed until you click on the "File" button and receive a successful receipt.  If you receive an unsuccessful receipt, the receipt will tell you the reason(s) why the report was rejected.  You can then go back to your draft report and make any necessary corrections.