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Yes first you need to request a copy of prior years of ATX program, them have the old firm export the selected clients, put them on a cd or USB drive, them import them to appropriate year. For example if you only need 2011 records, then install ATX2011 import them, then roll over to 2102. MAS

Hey, here's an opportunity for ATC/CCH to marry up a couple of technologies at this critical time. Instead of "Music-on-Hold" they should change to "Manual-on-Hold". They should have a recording of someone reading the User Guide in place of the elevator music. At an average of 30 seconds per page, and assuming the average wait is an hour and 15 minutes, the entire 460-470 page User Guide can be read in 4 easy customer-service calls with a little time to spare. And instead of pressing "1" to indicate you want to stay on hold, you could press "1, 2, 3, or 4" to choose which section of the User Guide you'd like to have them read to you while you wait.

In my opinion, they should have taken more than one year to make such a drastic change. The Excel format (actually, it's an Excel clone, the spreadsheet control was purchased and further developed internally) might be outdated, Idunno, I think that's debateable. I wouldn't consider it to have been on the brink of uselessness this year. Even back in 2000 when I began working there, I thought Access was a terrible choice for data storage. When I think of Microsoft Access, I think of simple DIY databases for personal use. ATX was using MSDE, based on Microsoft SQL Server to power their Sales and Use Tax Software, which was much more robust.

So far, here are the issues I have found with ATX this year, even with the latest update. Mind you, this is while only having worked on the more normal and basic returns since many of my clients who own rental property must wait until the end of February. I'm sure there are more, but these I actually had time to jot down while using the program. this is the first time I have had to do this with ATX. I've always had minor problems, but 95% of the time I was able to solve it through this site or the KB. My systems have 4GB RAM each. Apparently I am going to have to install more, although users with more RAM have reported similar issues. Unstability. The program crashes about 10-15 times per 12 hour work day. Crashes usually consist of a Windows 7 dialog box saying the program is unresponsive and must be closed. This usually happens either when rolling over, adding a form, or changing the print copies from Filing Copy to Client Copy. Slow!!!. It takes longer to do everything, especially Rollovers, adding a form to a return, and even creating E-Files. This gets exponentially worse the longer the program is used. See next bullet. Memory consumption. When first opened, the program consumes a reasonable 120 MB of system memory. As more returns are worked on, this rises to as high as 1.2GB of system memory used, even if only one return is open at a time. By comparison, ATX 2011 uses only 64MB of system memory. As more memory is consumed, the program becomes unbearingly slow and requires a sustem reboot to clear the memory. Dialog boxes frequently appear behind the main window so I don't see them. When a return is opening, the entire program will sometimes disappear from the screen for 5-10 seconds and then reappear when the return opens. Checkboxes like Filing Status sometimes appear to be unchecked. Shen you click them the check will momentarily appear and then disappear because you actually unchecked it and the return will recalculate. On the dependent worksheet, removing a dependent from a rolled over return still leaves behind the Relationship, even if you change it to <blank>, the previous relationship entry will re-appear. You cannot delete this field. It doesn't appear to affect the return but it's still sloppy in my opinion. When attempting to rollover over returns, a message regarding "insufficient resources" will appear 2-4 times per day at minimum, forcing a restart of the program. Printing is wildy unstable and unpredicatable. Despite unchecking many different forms in the Print settings, I still get a lansdscape Client Mailing Sheet in some returns, along with the desired portrat Client Mailing Sheet. Switching from Filing Copy to Client Copy to Preparer Copy often causes the program to become unresponsive. All Copies contain State Attachments for some reason which is basically another copy of the Federal return. There is no way to turn this off in the Print Manager (from what I have found) and this has to be unselected during every print job unless you want to consume an extra 3 boxes of paper this tax season. Why does the Client Copy need the Federal Attachments for State???? At times printing will simply break and say "Printing Failed". Only fix is a system reboot. The Print Manager will sometimes inexplicably revert the Default Printer to Adobe PDF for some reason when opening a return started before the default Printer was established within the program. The default printer will then need to be selected for each Copy all over again. Opening a Return that was started on the workstation will sometimes default to the Workstation printer instead of the server printer, requiring you to retrieve the printout from that printer instead. Howver, clicking "Print page" in that same return will still print to the server printer. The Client Letter manager has become so unbearimgly complicated I am not sure it's even worth using. It's not intuitive and requires tons of extra clicks and extra work. When using Fee Collect, the refund amount is not automatically recalculated to reflect the deducted preparer fees, despite saying that it does reflect it. There is also an option to "Show Cents" in the refund amount, but cents never show up in the letter. This must be manually calculated each time in the Letter Options. State Client Letters will always say the state refund will be mailed regardless if Direct Deposit is selected on the State E-File Info tab, unless you manually go in and change the Letter Options each and every time. What happened to last year when all I clicked was "Forms>Client Letter and both Fed and State letters would appear with no extra clicking. An error is sometimes generated stating that the client cannot use Fee Collect because he/she is not 18-years-old, despite the fact that the client is 31-years-old and the date-pf-birth on the File Info tab on the 1040 form is clearly a 1982 birth year. Replacing the form with 1040A has no effect. I have not found a solution to this bug other then re-doing the entire return from scratch. Only the default Admin username can create e-files. In the Security settings it appears that you can designate a user as an "Administrator" but when you attempt this it tells you there can only be the default Admin username as an "Administrator". So I have no idea why "Administrator" is an option on the list along with "Office Manager" and "Tax Preparer" if it cannot be assigned. You will need to login as the actual Admin username in order to create e-files. Checking the "Remember Me" box on the login screen has no effect as it remembers nothing next time. On the workstation, the program will frequently hang at the ATX 2012 splash screem and proceed no further. The only remedy found is to Ctrl+Alt+Del and kill the program, run netsetup, uninstall, run Netsetup, re-install. This must be done several times per day. On workstation, "Forms Mismatch Error" will frequently block opening of returns and require opening it in ATX 2011 first, and then opening it in ATX 2012. Occasionally even this will not work on workstation and must be done on the Server. Important forms like Last Year Comparison are unavailable. State E-file Info form is still unvailable, preventing e-filing of State Returns with the Federal Return. There are probably more but I am too tired to think right now. Feel free to post what you have found.

Give up and go to another software company before you drive youself insane. You'll worry about every return and when they get rejected you'll spend an excessive amount of time trying to figure out whats wrong, clients refunds will be later than expected and the rest just snowballs from there.

I efiled a simple return today and it was accepted. I'm in TX and do very few state returns (so I haven't had to deal with that yet). I did still have an overrided in the locality part of the sales tax, but the ack did show the correct refund. I didn't e-file it yesterday because I never e-file the first day. I like to wait and see how IRS does with the inital onslaught. Good luck everyone!

Yes, Just got one thru with FED ACK in 5 minutes. Trying one with EIC next. Fingers crossed!

I get a sense that some folks are getting a litte testy responding to questions that are answered in the User Manual. Another time and another place, this would not be an issue. But with tensions running at such extreme levels, it is understandable - the response. So I am here to make a confession. I have not read the user manual. I did do ATX's "find the embedded code to win an IPAD" (I guess I didn't win) that encouraged us to study the training info. I think that helped me alot. I think the reason some folks have not read the manual is that they have been using the software "for years so why do I need to read the manual". The fact of the matter - none of us have used this software before this year. This is NOT the software of years gone by. Reckon back to the first year you used ATX, did you read the manual? This is the first year you are using the new ATX so it would be prudent to read the manual. And I have just talked myself into taking a break and reading the manual. My software has been working relatively well, although yesterday it took an an incredibly long time to do the simplest of returns - about the same amount of time it took to do a multi-state corporate return last night. Go figure. Printing is a big issue for me and maybe I can learn something in the user manual.

I'm like Pacun; I installed the disk when I got it in December, rolled over my return, and noticed (as I expected) that there weren't any forms to speak of included. I did holiday stuff, and didn't open it again until the second week of January when I got a request to do a FAFSA draft. Checked in every couple of days to see if I had the forms I needed to do it. I've been running fine, with no issues that aren't user error. Also, I downloaded the 12.5 update from the website AFTER the masses clogged up the download process (late Monday afternoon, pacific time), and then ran it. Didn't use the internal feature. Raven, did you have any issues with the download of the update? Some people seem to have only gotten a partial download if they were trying to do it when ATX was running out of bandwidth. Redownloading & installing seems to have helped some of them.

On the MyATX community board Kimmie is posting tonite asking for information from those of us that have slow printing issues. Says to email [email protected] the particulars. See Kimmie1201 post 1/30/2012 Titled "slow printing -- need some information for the developers". Taxtrio

As if I don't have enough printing problems, I bought Staples multi-purpose paper and my printer does not like it:(

MAS is completely correct. I have had success with this method.

Maybe my post would have been better suited to start as a new thread. I did not mean to sound like you were implying that questions should not be posted. It could sound as if that was my intention and for that I apologize. I just want to say that with some of the replies in the forum, I was really hesitant about posting any questions etc unless I have fully researched the User Manual. Again, I totally agree that reading the user manual is valuable and a everyone should do it. However, posting a question on this forum, hoping someone might have an answer for me, without feeling like I am taking a risk of being retorted by an answer of "read the user manual" should still be allowed. The point of my post was to let others know that from the way I look at this forum, ....... It is still ok to ask simple or complex questions here and maybe someone has an answer. (maybe others don't look at it that way, and that's ok with me).

You have a very valid point. And I admit as well that I had not read the User Manual before last evening and I was able to find my answer just as Jack advised me to. So it is not bad advice from Jack or anybody else to read the User Manual. However, for me, this forum is also a resource for possibly quick answers/solutions to problems or situations that arise. The answer might or might not be in the User Manual, and if a fellow ATX-er had the same issue and was able to resolve it, is it no longer proper to pose a question here hoping for a quick simple answer? On my part, if I see a question from someone that is experiencing a similar problem that I have dealt with, I want to help that person with his/her issue if I can. If I can do that by explaining what I did to resolve my problem then it's a win/win for everyone. If it is easier to tell them where it is found in the User Manual than that would be acceptable to me as well. At least I have saved them the time of searching through the Manual trying to find it. Or, if I know the answer is in the User Manual, I could just respond with "read the User Manual". My point is, let us not get into a groove here, where no one is allowed to ask questions without first reading through the 470 page User Manual, for fear of being retorted with an answer of "read the user manual". Again, I am not defending or criticizing anyone, and reading the User Manual is important. But I think we are all stressed out a little bit (or a lot) so far this season so I welcome questions/vents on this forum. By working together and trying to help each other out, we will get though this. In fact, I know we will get through it. Maybe with a few more gray hairs, but a few more gray hair never killed anyone. (as far as I know). That's my 5 cents worth for this morning!

There is no way I would do tax returns on the cloud. What happens to your data if you don't renew? TaxWorks customers are complaining about not having access to Arkworks if they switch software. And TaxWorks appears to be in worse shape than ATX with their overhaul of their software this year. And the people that went with TRX don't have working software at all.

W2s other than the first are not holding their information upon closing the return. Also I have a w2 that remains red but only has two overridden field. Im getting really tired of this!

>>I want to be sure of the legality, tax code wise,<< With all the screwball ideas we suggest on this forum, why stumble on reporting a Social Security number? Well don't worry--if you get caught we'll all send e-mails to the judge!

I just double clicked my ATX 2012 desktop icon to open the program. At that very instance, a bird flew into my office window and knocked itself silly before flying away.....Coincidence or subtle message from the tax gods regarding self-inflicted injury and poor choices? So I'm torn....do I "fly away" or attempt the same window in hopes that I can get through?

You are smart! Seriously...what you say makes perfect sense. I do not question "Why" ATX changed everything....my complaint...as with everyone else here...is that it obviously was released on unsuspecting customers in its clearly pre-beta state. I actually think it will be really nice once the bugs are worked.....It just would have been nice to do that in the off-season. I kinda hate to admit it....but if ATX offers a nice enough discount for next season, I will likely remain with them.....but they really should offer a huge discount for using us as beta testers.

Most of these tax prep software were created before the Java programming language. These days most of PC based software are written in Java because of its superior operating system independence and scalability. So while Taxworks, ATX and a few others have taken it on the chin this year the other major players who are on deck are Taxwise and Drake. The key is if they learned their lesson and finish their rewriting during the off season and test it before the start of the next filing season! As you may know to send e-files in the MeF environment the XML schema is used. The older software used the legacy format which was the fixed position file system. I am not a techie but my old college roommate is a systems guru and this is from him. He has worked with our state on many Tax related software development.

Outdated = incompatible with current technology.

I love the word outdated, if its the only version thing that WORKS when I need it to WORK. Can you say choke? They should have perfected it before rolling it out. I suspect they didnt want to spend the money to create one more tax year under the old program, while at the same time deveoping and perfecting this "new tech". So they abandoned the old, except for payroll since it was needed a few weeks earlier than income tax returns, and knowingly pushed the new junk out the door full of bugs. Tax season is nothing to play with, we deserve better than this. If ALL of the problems are not fixed in a week or two, some of the ATX customers are going to be in a real bind.

It installs right on your computer when you install the software. It is not 1990 any more and things are high tech and complex. (can you say tax regulations?) This means a learning curve on a very regular basis. Learning curve means reading....

I, too, have tried to figure out where to jump ship to. I was with ProSeries, but having a client base of 35 (this is part-time for me), I need a software package a little more affordable and ProSeries raised their rate $100 a year and said all software companies did that. TRX seemed affordable and the software seemed okay up until this year when none of the data would transfer in the proforma and state software is unavailable. I have been told by technical support that the proforma function is only 90% accurate. This is an unacceptable answer as I have worked at a few CPA firms using software such as Lacerte and ProSeries and when a client was unable to be pulled forward, we would have the software company address the issue and if need be, re-enter lost data. However, TRX employees informed me that I WOULD HAVE TO SPEND ALL MY TIME AND HOURS re-entering the data myself on clients that would not roll forward. This is unacceptable. When I explained that to their technical support AND sales manager, they acted like they didn't care (probably because I have a small client base)!!!! Then I was told to wait for the update and since I had paid the down payment to secure the lower price and have not paid the balance, I decided to wait to see if the update worked before paying the balance. I also have not paid because they never sent the invoice that I had to ask for several times. So I asked if the update didn't work if I could get a refund of the down payment I sent last year since the software doesn't appear to work this year. They told me no! So any of you trying to get refunds, good luck. They have no such thing as money back guarantees!!!! I am hoping (like the rest of you) that this gets resolved with updates by February 1, but I am not holding by breath. And based on the "lackadaisical attitude" of each and every employee I've spoken to in the 5-6 times I have called, I am guessing they aren't holding their breath either.....