John A

Just to throw this out there, though I don't expect a solution any time soon: I spent/wasted a full hour last night trying to get the custom letters formatted the way I wanted them to look. I just wanted a few changes in few places, including text, line spacing, font, and font size. It was extraordinarily frustrating, and I ended up giving up and going back to the original format. The interface makes it look so easy, but at least half the time any change I made on the letter edit screen would not be reflected in the letter as printed, or (even worse) the changes that appeared on the printed letter were strikingly different from the edits I had made. I have no idea why. I would think this would be straightforward, but it really wasn't at all. So if anyone reads this looking for help with custom letter formatting: Save yourself some time! If it doesn't work at first, don't waste time trying! - John

Ryan - Is there a particularly way we should go about making requests for forms/worksheets from either TRX or RedGear? How common is it for new forms to be added in the middle of tax season? (Should we hold our breath? Switch to different software? Find a way to deal with it??) Thanks, - John

Same thoughts here. Thanks, George.

Sounds good to me. This thread would just be to keep track of things; I don't know yet what the officially sanctioned avenue is for form/worksheet requests, so it'd be up to you to make your voice heard to TRX and/or RedGear directly.

I've officially put in a request with TRX/RedGear for the following form: Oregon - Portland/Multnomah County: Annual Exemption Request. See the first form listed at this page under "General Business Forms": http://www.portlandonline.com/omf/index.cfm?c=29558 This is a crucial Portland form. I'd say close to 50% of the returns I do require this form. Any small business or independent contractor with less than $50k of business/rental income in Portland MUST file this city tax exemption request, or face penalties. It's simple form, and all data should be able to populate based on numbers already required for the 1040. I'd be happy enough if the name/addres/SSN auto-populated, and an entry made to the standard letter showing filing requirements, and I can just key in the rest of the numbers. Ryan - if you know someone I should contact directly about this, please let me know! I would consider this a SEVERE program limitation/shortcoming for anyone preparing tax returns in the Portland OR area. (All other tax programs I've used have included this form! ATX, UltraTax, Proseries, etc.) It's almost enough to make me opt for a different software provider, and ask for my money back from TRX! - John

Can we use this thread to keep a list of all forms/worksheets that we've officially asked TRX/RedGear to provide? That may end up being helpful. If I can stay on top of things, I can edit this top post regularly to keep a list of all forms requested, and which (if any) have since been provided. [Note: I'll limit this to actual form and worksheet requests, rather than requests for improved/altered program functionality. If anyone else wants to start that thread...] REQUESTED: 1. Printable worksheet showing next year's depreciation expense, to print out with client return ... since ADDED: (with limited functionality): 1. OR - Portland/Multnomah County: Annual Exemption Request (see post #2) 2. PA - local forms, incl. Keystone EITR and Berkheimer F1 EITR (see post #5 and PA thread)

Here here. It's very much appreciated, Ryan. This is my first year with the software, and it always takes me some time to get familiar, work out the kinks, etc. TRX is not in a position to answer a lot of the questions about functionality, it seems, so it's nice to have someone from RedGear to contact. Overall, I really like the program interface, and it feels very comfortable to me; going forward, I would hope there's a way for users to make provide input to program developers/troubleshooters, to improve basic functionality. (Not asking for any major changes! Just little things to make the program more user-friendly.) - John

The strange thing about this is that the prior year functionality of "Peek" is much preferable to the current year. In 2009, when you hit Peek, it gives you a full list of pages that will be printed (in the left pane); you can click on any of them, and all "page 2"s are listed separately. It's equivalent to the the "Review" button in 2010, except you don't have to go through the (slow) audit process. If there's any way the functionality can be reverted to the same as the 2009 program, I vote yea. Thanks.

Thanks, Ryan. I actually spoke with someone at RedGear about this on the phone, and he was unable to find a way to do it. (He said the option had been discussed in development meetings, but wasn't acted on.) I know there's the option to mask SSNs on the Client Organizer; for future reference, let me put in my vote to have this capability (mask all SSNs) on the tax return itself. As for the watermark - he said it was a "known issue", and was being looked into. For now, I'll go with George M's advice. Thanks for taking the time to post here. Related question: Does anyone know what the "Do Not Mask SSN/EIN" option does? Under Settings>Control>Switches.

In "Peek" mode, how can you see the 2nd page of a form/worksheet. E.g. the 2-yr comparison: When I peek at it, I can only see page one. I have to go through the whole review process to see page 2, which takes too long! So many questions, I know. Thanks for your help! I will try calling TRX about the issues if no one can answer them quickly here. Figure I might as well help build up the knowledgebase...

Anyone know how (or if it's possible) to mask client SSNs on client copies of printed (or pdf) returns? I can't seem to find any way to do it... And another one I just hit up against: Anyone know how to print/save the client copy without the watermark? I have nothing entered in the Watermark boxes (there seem to be more than one, including one in the Distribution Sets dialog box), but every time I print the "Client Copy" watermark shows up on every page.

A couple of questions/thoughts, maybe worth sharing: 1. Is this the only TRX forum out there? I imagine there must be more of us out there using TRX. I'm finding support to be not particular helpful, so looking for all the help I can get from other users. (And to share whatever I've figured out on my own.) 2. I've been told a couple of times that TRX can't solve any problems that have to do with RedGear, but at the same time they seem to refuse to contact RedGear directly on my behalf. For example: there's a very simple city tax form I need that comes in two versions, but TRX only has one of those versions. (ATX, which I used last year, had both. It's really a simple form, only needs name/address/SSN!) TRX support says something along the lines of "Maybe RedGear will issue it in an update. You can try contacting them directly." Shouldn't they be more willing to do something? To contact RedGear on my behalf and ask that the form be installed? - John

That helps! I have to open the return in 2009 and check the box in 2009 to prepare the 2-yr comparison. Then, update to 2010, open in 2010, check the 2-yr comparison box again, and it fills in. Thanks! As for the other issue (some returns with particular states failing on conversion), still working on it - will update if I get it resolved, but I think I'll just enter the info by hand.

After converting from ATX, has anyone had any luck getting the 2-yr comparison amounts from 2009 to auto-fill? Mine are all empty, and I seem to have to type them in by hand. Surely I've missed a step?? (I also am having trouble converting clients with returns from particular states - MA, NY, NM, IL, IN. Maybe others. When try to convert, it fails, saying "Detail Error: There was not adequate information in the return for a conversion (i.e. Name and SSN)". I'll have to call TRX on that one, I think. Tried uninstalling and reinstalling, to no avail.) Thanks...

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Anyone have a download link to the conversion utility? Can't seem to find it. Thanks.

Frustrating... The mailing address (and the "make check payable to" field) for state payment vouchers are NOT showing up on the client letters when the client's return is marked as "will be e-filed". This is for Oregon - do other states have this problem? What am I doing wrong? All other mailing address are showing up properly. I've gone through the wizards and everything, and can't find ANY reason why it shouldn't be working.

Thanks, Jack. It's all becoming clear now. I also got this message from Kim at CS:

Ok... Getting there, by brute force. Turns out for some reason my EFIN wasn't appearing automatically on the 1040 E-File form. Once I got there, everything made a little more sense, and I could see the two "consent" forms. Here's where I'm at: The $15 FeeCollect Fee technically is paid by the preparer, not the client, so there's no direct entry on the invoice for it. You can add it yourself, I suppose, which is what I'll do. The $11 transmittal fee has now disappeared from the invoice when I select FeeCollect. So unless ATX is taking that out on their own somehow, I don't think it's being charged. My guess is that customer service just doesn't know very much (neither do I! First year with ATX...) and is getting everyone confused by throwing in bits of misinformation. As for the "Set E-File" fee button, and the autopopulate to Fee-Collect form issue - I think for FeeCollect, you have to manually enter the bill on the FeeCollect form, and you can add E-file fees manually if you want.

And one more! What are the "consent to use" and "consent to disclose" worksheets listed on the "enrollment checklist" tab? I don't think FeeCollect will work if the taxpayer hasn't filled those out, but what/where are they? Man, I wish ATX had a step-by-step for using FeeCollect available somewhere...

Very confused, and could use some help figuring out how to get my invoices to look right! 1. OK, if I add the "FeeCollect" form to a return, I'm automatically seeing an $11 "CCH Bank Technology Fee" added to my invoices. So I'm guessing that's in addition to the $15 for FeeCollect. 2. But - I don't see the $15 FeeCollect fee showing up anywhere. Have I missed it? 3. How do I get the invoice bottom line amount to autopopulate on the FeeCollect form? (Or must I enter it manually?) 4. What does the "Set E-File Fee" button do on the "Enroll-Bank Products" window? Whatever I type in here never seems to carry to the invoice anywhere.

And if you're printing checks, does it then have to be a RAL? Or is there a bank you use that allows you to do the equivalent of feecollect, but print out a check in your office? (Chase doesn't seem to offer it.)

So, $26 in fees total? ($15 from SBBT and $11 from ATX?) Also... I called ATX and asked a CS rep if I could use both FeeCollect and RALs from Chase, since Chase doesn't seem to offer any refund transfer products. She said "yes". I'm starting to think she was wrong - the program doesn't seem to allow me to enroll in both. Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks.

Question from a newbie to the program: On the "efile" tab in Preparer Manager, there's a checkbox for "ERO", and then input boxes for "ERO Pin" and "SS Pin". If I'm using ATX to efile 1040s, and I have my IRS EFIN entered in the "EFIN" input box, should I just check the "ERO" box and enter my 5-digit ERO Pin? (What, then, is the "SS Pin" for??) Thanks!

What was the ATX deal through TRX? I'm curious, and I can't find the info anywhere on this forum or on the web.