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I have my preferences setup to include separate federal and state client letters and estimate letters to all returns rolled over. The manual, yes I checked it to be sure, said that within a return a dynamic letter can be deleted if it is not needed. For the very simple return I tried last night this client did not need estimates so I deleted the federal and state estimate letters. Every time I reopen the return, the program is adding those letters back into the return.

Thank you, Eric, that's what I've been thinking since this nightmare began, that the old programming couldn't have been totally useless. After all and as someone else pointed out, Taxwise and Drake have yet to go through with this conversion. ATX should have released in the old format while continuing to work on this and have it rolled out and complete for next year. Not the rush job and complete disaster that this is quickly turning into.

When I was speaking with a Drake rep yesterday, he did mention something about web based cloud computing with them in the future.

^ that is the sole reason that I haven't asked for a refund from ATX yet and gone over to Drake. I really like using ATX and it suits my practice well, and I don't want to convert to Drake and then next year have the same sort of fiasco with Drake and have to think of another conversion. I'm really hoping for a solution from ATX so that I can get going.

I agree about reading the manual, and I watched all of the training videos as soon as they were available. Of course, I could use a refresher now. I wish reading the manual would solve whatever is wrong in my machine. I've been trying to wait and have tried the workarounds and new file that a tech provided, but after this afternoon working up a simple test return to the point of being ready to final and that I'd consider complete, now the program is generating a whole 'nother error message and shutting me down for a different reason. It also won't let me access that one return I worked up. It will let me open the other 2 test returns that don't have data in them. I'm incredibly frustrated with not being able to get started and fearful that if I do work on returns, that it will be a complete waste of my time and effort if I can't get back into those returns later on. I really like using ATX and don't want to change, but really I feel like I can't wait much longer. I'm sorry if you and Jack in Ohio are tired of hearing me and others express our frustration, but remember that people *think* the program has the same features or should act the same because in many ways, it still looks the same but some things have been moved to different places. I'm not being wise when I say this, but if the programming-related posts are that bothersome to you, maybe you should skip those threads for a while,

lol yesterday I received a doughnut too, on a plate, handed in to me while husband stayed hidden on the other side of the doorway. I guess he was trying to stay out of the line of fire. hahaha

You should see the official forum. Yikes! I haven't been there in years, in fact I've never had a problem with the programs where I ever had to call in until this year. Yesterday people were on hold for 6 hrs trying to get help. I tried calling in and there were so many ahead and waiting that I got a prerecorded message and then it hung up on me. Really nice! Someone posted that the fix for my problem is half finished (this was an ATX tech that was posting) and in another thread it was stated that the fixes for the 12.5 update *might* be ready by the end of the week or maybe on next Monday. My program won't function at all. I now have returns waiting to be prepared and I've already lost 3 days on this. Now I'm supposed to wait until next week and *hope* that it will function? I am to the point of not trusting that it will be reliable.

I got one of those too. Mine said "With the release of ATX update version 12.5, users are quickly preparing for the start of individual filing season. To help you maximize your software"...blah, blah, blah. I can't even keep the software open after running the 12.5 update yesterday afternoon. I'm not laughing.

I guess this depends on what you've paid for the nonfunctional ATX. I purchased Total Tax Office and paid $1700 last May with the early renewal discount. Drake would cost me $1495 plus $89 to have online research for a total of $1584, and the number of returns I prepare puts me right at the point in their pricing where per return is equivalent to the full program. If I ask for a refund from ATX now, I'd be charged $120 for the 6 files I've processed in the payroll program, so with that subtracted, my cost for Drake would be equivalent to the refund I'd receive from ATX. Drake's sale rep told me that 2011 users that renewed early for 2012 received a $400 discount on this year's full program and paid just $1095. I never count on those policies continuing in future years, but that would be icing on the cake for me at this point.

Automated message states that they are moderating all incoming calls (not taking any) so to help those already in the queue. Then it hangs up. There is no telephone support for new callers right now.

JB, that's what I did many years ago when ATX's letter wasn't nearly as user friendly and I didn't like the look of theirs at all. I made a standard one-page letter in word. On the second page of the letter (that I never printed) I had a variety of paragraphs all set to go. All I had to do was copy and paste the section that I wanted and fill in an amount. The sections were all preformatted and matched the letter perfectly. I had 2 for federal, for balance due or refund, and the sections already included the proper mailing address. It would be even easier now with e-filing. I had similar sections for the state with bal due and refund too. I had a second similar letter for estimates all ready to go too. It was a lot quicker than fussing with the letters in the program at that time. Up until 2 years ago, this is how I continued to do the covers too. The look so much nicer than what the program prints. I still have all the letters if I ever need them.

One of the early posters about the "Network Update" issue that posted on the official ATX site just posted over there that he received a call from ATX's technical that It looks like they've figured out the problem and will be posting an update. I sure hope so. I hate to think like this, but I'm ready to ask for a refund and purchase something else.

I'm dead in the water with this program. Opens, network update box pops up, program shuts down. ERRRRRR!

Just have to say that my problem is still with me, unresolved. Lots of other people on the other forum having the issue as well. No solution yet. I can't work on any return at all. This network update box is popping up at random times and then shuts the program down. One user was in the middle of transmitting an efile when it happened. Now that's really comforting to hear!

I had that same issue as the OP after installing update 12.5. Late last night I reinstalled the update again simply by clicking on the desktop icon again. I didn't download it a second time from the website, just used the same one I had used the first time around. Somehow everything is working now and the program no longer things I'm on a network. My program is installed as a standalone. Nope, still not fixed. The "network update" box is still popping up at random times and shutting me down. I can't work on returns like this at all.

Opened the program, still getting the block about being on a network, clicking ok shuts the program down. Restarted & all seemed ok. Tried opening one of the returns and when the box came up about some forms not yet being available, the same network box is again popping up. Clicking OK is the only option and it shuts the program down. Unacceptable! I can't even get past the opening of the return to work on anything now. ETA: I reinstalled update 12.5 again. Now everything seems to be working...for now...and the program no longer thinks I'm running on a network. The "About" menu selection does show that it's a standalone installation. I have no idea how this glitch happened. There weren't any choices to be made when running the update. Weird. ETA again - still now working. This is maddening.

Argo, if you have the 2011 archive disk or your install codes, you can put the 2011 ATX program on your new machine and restore all your tax returns from last year, if you backed them up or exported them to somewhere other than the dead laptop. Then you should be able to roll to 2012, yes?

MAS and Jack, my initial install was a stand alone installation, so I'm not sure why I got the message. It hasn't reappeared so I think my setup is OK. Things seem to be working as they should, although I only have one return on so far. My first client is coming in on Saturday, a very easy return with multi state being the only issue.

OK, I got the update, installed it, rebooted the computer. Program starts, so far so good. Then I did an update to get forms updated. 32 forms updated and processed 100%. All looked good. Opened a return, closed the return. Still good...and then a box pops up with this message: Network Update An application update has been applied to the network. A restart of your application is required to apply this update to your workstation. If you have any unsaved changes, you will be prompted to save OK I hope this is a generic message. I don't run the program on a network. Single user, running Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit with 12 GB ram & Intel i7-2600 processor.

That's really nice, Jack, good for you. I just downloaded from the ATX site. The first attempt failed to download anything, said it couldn't be completed. The second attempt appeared to download, security scanned it automatically, icon appeared on the desktop. Double click to open and it says it's a partial download.

Joan, it scares me too and I haven't tried the download directly from ATX's site. In another thread Frannie said her program was working fine before the update and now it isn't.

I've been loyal to ATX for about 15 years, but I'm in the fed up camp. Even if this turns out good later on in the season, I'm seriously considering going to Drake. I do just enough of a little bit of everything and need research tools too, so I each year I purchase MAX. This year with the early renewal discount the MAX program cost me $1700. Drake's full program including the write-up software so to process W-2s and payroll returns would have been $200 less than the discounted ATX. I'm also wondering if by splitting out the payroll/w-2 program, that CCH will be charging for this separately in the future.

MAS, were you seeing anything happening on your screen? I tried a little while ago and the update screen got down to the downloading program update line and it said downloading 0 of 1 and the bar at the top was 0% complete. Nothing seemed to be happening and pressing the cancel button did nothing. I shut the program down through the task manager.

I think I did that same thing in a prior year when I was installing the program on my laptop and thought I needed security on that machine (I don't have employees). I was able to get into the program like Frannie and Jack have suggested. Hopefully a tech can help you access that part of the database, but if not and since you haven't done many returns yet, you might have to back up the returns you've worked on so far, uninstall and reinstall the program as opposed to being on hold with technical. You'll loose whatever you've customized though. .

ebillimoria - go to Preferences menu, then click on Client Communications. The first section contains check boxes to include cover sheets and other items to include as defaults.