Numbers

It is using a new language to move files between server and network, and between the program. The new language is known to be unsuitable for server based environments. ATX will require a massive over haul scratching everything that has been done. Basically, it is toast. CCH would be better off to simply terminate the program. Sad, but true. I likely ATX and the functionality, but this last go around has destroyed any chance of it being a viable software again.

My servers are 8 core, 64 Gig of ram, and there is 4 of them.... and ATX does not work.... this problem has nothing to do with hardware.

I think that Intuit's new Intuit Tax Online has a better deal. Disclaimer: I am a former ATX Tax Manager who chose to stay in Florida, and went to work for Intuit's TurboTax product as a Tax Lead. I do NOT get anything from this offer.

ITO is based on the Lacerte engine, I am told. It is cloud based, so you can use it on a Mac or Windows computer (even, Linux or other OS, since it is web-based). You can try it for free, and only pay if you like it and use it. It has all major returns, 1040, 1041, 1120, 1120S, and 1065. And the bundles are less expensive than Drake's PPR quoted above. Here is the link, for those interested in trying it out: http://accountants.intuit.com/tax/online/

Ya, Intuit, right... as soon as they have client data they will start pushing turbo trash on your customer.

What does "domain server" mean?

IT is a higher end set up needed when you have multiple folks, running higher end applications. Generally running a dedicated server, with Windows Server 20XX.

And ATX does not work in that environment, and using what they have now, never will. It is nearing March 1, and it STILL does not work on what is a fairly routine set up.

Small shops with peer to peer networks are managing to limp by, they will b next because after thousands of ATX customers have jumped ship, there will be even LESS revenue to under pay to few programmers

The era of ATX is over. The only folks who do not know this are simply the next victims.

Switched to Drake on 1/30/13, and my 15 employees, CPA's, EA's and candidates, had to fight through transition....

But today we are up over same point last year in both money and returns, and producing 227% more returns a day than last year.

There is still time to save your season, but it is fading fast.

And in the spirit of full disclosure, I have absolutely no connection to any software other than being a current or ex-customer.

After seeing the reference to ProSystem fx, i followed up on it and from what i seen from the live demo, this is the division of CCH with the brains. Can't wait for the local demo to arrive so i can test it out. Even on the consultant's laptop in citrix meeting, the program was flying through the forms and system. They also have a remarkable program simply called Scan, with Autoflow, now just to find out how much the puppy in the window cost. It was very impressive, all data was in one location with the program and had been so for all past years loaded. The research integration looks top notch, any an every single blank or check box fully detailed in the help system too, even the worksheets. Thanks for the suggestion!

You will not be happy long, the problem, is not ,and never was ATX, its CCH. They have a structural problem of not developing software and rolling it out before it is ready. They have a MASSIVE ethics problem. ATX is not, and never was, the problem.

TaxWorks was great, but they rewrote their software for 2012 and have had their issues this year. I too was with ATX from about 1996-2010 and then went to TRX and got TaxWorks.

TRX shipped their inhouse software called TaxExact this year which wasnt even good enough to be called a beta.

Went with TaxWise (sold by mainstreettaxsolutions.com) last week and Im running and up to date....after one very looooong week. Its a learning curve but not difficult.

Tax software for 2013? Who knows. Taxwise is a contender if they dont rewrite the software. Drake is out of my price range since I only do ~100 1040's and a handfull of 1120S's. I may consider TaxWorks and ATX if they get their act together for 2013, but ATX is looking like a longshot. TaxSlayer is an option also. I hear its very good.

Drake cost less than ATX does if you buy it early season

What is the best software you used?

Love to know. Cause right now I'm hating CCH/ATX

I moved to Drake and am very happy. I will not use Intuit products, they will turn and use the money you pay to compete with you.

Not being smart.... I am assuming you have good reason...

Other programs are good, yes there is a learning curve but if you and employees can not learn you likely would not be in this profession.

Yes it is a headache, ever had a tax season without a head ache? If so you likely have not been in this profession long.

Yes it is a process change, like EITC Due Diligence was not? We get process changes yearly.

Yes, I switched, and am back on track, went from 40% down to 18% down now, and catching up fast.

Regardless of software you consider switching to, there are MANY good options, why are you putting up with this crap? Its obvious CCH does not value our loyalty.

And I WAS a 15 year ATX user, 10 professional staff who had to be trained last week and weekend, and no I am not pimping someone elses software. Just wondering why anyone would stick around after this.

Numbers, why the need for 2 EFINs?

Strange things happen. IRS pulled one of the guys in my tax group while he was waiting for back ground check on EA license. It was January, cost him about $200K in income. Never trust any one item system when a government is involved.

A to separate software, it makes the set up easier, you can get one set up with one EFIN, the other with the other, and then set up two banks, one existing with ATX, one with DRAKE. Simply makes things safer when the world craps all over us. Like CCH did.

Please offer a method to switch software while the office has 8-10 people working each day with a full client load. When is the time for learning the new software with a full schedule? How much productive time will be lost in the learning curve since no one in the office has any experience with any other software? When is the right time to "switch over" to the new software? How much extra time is involved in making sure all details on the return "convert" accurately? I am hearing 7-10 days for conversion. ATX may have their issues solved before that and "switching over" can't occur until the converted data is available.

These are all issues at the firm with 3,000 clients and 10 staff members.

In my private practice, stand alone WIN7 64 bit machine, I only experience the occasional (no pattern) program shut down and the print program that prints thing I tell it not to. Other than that, the program is working fine and smooth. I am upgrading my system from 4GB RAM to 8GB (system max) for a little more speed.

Any reasonable suggestions of a way to switch software in the middle of an already delayed season wiil be considered and appreciated.

Jack

Order Drake unlimited version. Do the conversion from ATX 11 to Drake 2011 (you get all prior releases with a current purchase of drake). Roll data forward.

Pick your two or three most likely to cooperate employees. Pay them to watch Drake videos after hours. I know it is a load, but do it anyway. Give them a small bonus after completing 10 returns in Drake. Once those three are rolling, the others will see how much faster the three are. They will want it.

Do you have more than one EFIN? You need to. Do you have ore than one bank? You need a minimum of two. Does your staff learn fast?

I figure conversion for my 10 professional staff to cost about $4500, software cost included.

I gave them the lecture "We gotta do this, it is not your fault, it is not mine, it just is. The blame game is the voice of victim's and losers, and we do not lose, we win, and we win, and we win. Winning is not the only thing, it is everything. People count on us, believe in us, they pay for what we do. Someone else screwed it, we have to adapt, it is why we get paid. Deal with this, grow with this, and prosper, or leave. We have a move up or out policy, each of you have a choice, and so do I. I hired winners, and you are, as long a you choose to be. Clients do not pay us to use ATX, they pay us to get a job done, we are going to do that, all who are willing to live up to that, we have a great life in front of us, those unwilling to do so should leave now and we will mail your lat check to you".

It was far, far more than needed to make them switch, but it made them on fire to switch. They see the challenge and embraced it. We are truning out a lot of returns now. And results are all that matter.

Nearly 3,000 clients, 10 preparers and have been using ATX since 2002. Any suggestions about how to change software?

The Drake conversion is good, couple small glitches that tech support fixed really fast for me.

Took about 3 days to get my staff up to speed. My staff is really, really good, mostly all EA's and/or CPA's. Might make a difference, I am not sure what your staff looks like, but if they are knowledgeable professionals they should transition as easily as mine did. It took days, not weeks to transition.

Folks, ATX took it on the chin this year. I think next year this will be a long forgotten nightmare and you guys will love it once again!!!

Wrong answer... CCH has done this kind of thing over and over again. They fundamentally do not support their software to an adequate degree.

P - finished over 300 returns since Saturday morning... which is when I installed DRAKE

Some remember years ago when CCH promised the world in an internet product, in November that year they were giving us 100% assurance they had a 100% ready to deploy internet product. Several I know and I bit off and lost out big. It was not just inaccurate info, it was a SCAM. Complete lie, we find out later what they were showing as a "live demo" was really a video. There was no product, no hope of a product, and the programming department KNEW it was never going to work as promised.

The problem is CCH

I downloaded the demo from Drake the other night. I'm still on the fence and am waiting to see if the next update will fix my problems, but then I wonder if I'll have the problems that many others here are having. I suppose I'm not experiencing them because I'm not using the program much yet.

Drake would take some getting used to. I went through the program and actually re-prepared my own personal and corporate returns for 2011. I was able to recreate the returns exactly, but not entirely without some issues. Some things look so basic, especially in the depreciation area, lack of worksheets, that I can't believe there aren't many mistakes being made. I think ATX catches a lot of mistakes that the less knowledgeable preparers would be running into with Drake.

One specific problem I had was with the limitation on HSA contributions. Husband and I each have our own separate HD medical policies, no family coverage, only for 10 months last year. He's over 55 and I am not. It looks like I entered everything properly and Drake is not calculating any limitation on the amount of contribution allowed. It is showing the full amount that would be allowed for the full 12 months. In order for the correct limitation to print on the form, I had to enter it in a box on the input. I can't believe that if there are all the questions related to this limitation and boxes to enter the # of months, that Drake's software wouldn't calc this limitation.

The problem is CCH. They do not invest in tech support, training, or software development and testing. They have a culture of lying with complete disregard for customers. I have seen this twice before, this was third time. The problem is a culture of lying and fundamental dishonesty at CCH. That can not be fixed, regardless of how good ATX used to be. And I was a 15 year ATX customer.

Not so easy when you have a large client base. Good luck with the conversion.... Be sure you check every converted return, especially assets and depreciation.

Jack - I have 15 employees, and several thousand returns a year. it will get done well, but it will not be fun.

Just switched everything to Drake. I give up.

My issue is program wide. One office managed to get it working, my main office offline all day.

CCH is not taking tech support calls today, says they are "managing call volume" so they are just not taking calls.

The higher end tech system, the one yo pay $30/month for is always busy, can not get through.

Sent employees home, work piling up, and no one at CCH seems to give a damn.

Who do you guys call when you need tech support and CCH is no t answering? My whole system is down, sending employees home, big freaking mess. The premium support you pay extra for is not answering.

Problem, program appears to open until trying to open a 1040 return, then it crashes.

When entering anything on deprecation schedules for business return it crashes.

Thanks.

Okay here goes, I have multiple offices and am gearing up to roll out several more. I want one common data base for my tax returns.

I have ATX on a remote desk top, it worked great until today, now there is a programming error and I ZERO support from CCH.

I need to know if anyone is hosting ATX 2012 successfully, and if so, who is hosting for you? I will have a significant number of users.

thanks!