Abby Normal

Backups are instantaneous in ATX. You must be referring to exporting, which takes awhile. My backup of ATX backups (& data) happens in the background. ATX takes 6 seconds to start, which doesn't slow me down at all. I write macros (scripts) in AutoHotkey which I use in windows and many other programs on my computer, as well as ATX. (I've been meaning to post my AutoHotkey script in case anyone is interested.) To each his or her own. I'm glad we all have the choice of several different tax programs.

Are we gonna throw down?

The question of ATX vs Drake would be best answered by downloading 2015 version for both and seeing which one suits your work style best, which one would take you less time to do a tax return. ATX has PaperlessPlus FC software, but, as you learned, these FC softwares often store pdfs in a manner that requires you to have their software to access. For that reason, and because I'm cheap, we have always just manually created folders for clients tax returns, records and other documents. We are almost entirely paperless now and we can easily access the pdfs without the need for any software, probably faster too.

Per ATX, " the Auto-Save feature is not activated until you save the open return manually ". Although when I tested it, I did not manually save first and it still worked.

Forgot to mention that the prior accountants for the partnership never recorded their changes in the client's data file, so their books are incomplete. Let's hope they don't get audited for any of those years. I always record the changes in the client's books and give them a pdf of the GL along with the tax return. I think it's my job to make sure the client's books are complete and accurate.

Yesterday, I got a final short year 1065 from a respected larger local firm. First thing I noticed was no dates for the short year. They took entire year of depreciation. Today I get a 1040 faxed and the preparer proudly proclaimed on the cover sheet that they took no depreciation on the rental in 2014 because taxpayer might be selling. AND they didn't back out any amount for land. I appreciate the extra work and the chance to showcase my admittedly limited competence in tax law, but these are fairly basic issues.

Auto-backup and auto-save are two completely different things. I've never heard anyone say that their auto-backup does not work.

The automatic backup works fine. The auto-save doesn't work for some people. It works fine for me but I choose not to use it. I think a lot of programs take up more and more hard drive space. It seems whenever larger drives become available, programmers take advantage of it.

It's effective today, but as far as I can tell, it's not functioning yet. I like that it will save the $300 annual filing fee for personal property. http://www.dllr.state.md.us/retsecurity/

ATX will let you demo 2015. Download it and redo one of your complex returns. I think it will handle it quite well. I do a number of 1041s every year and it works great.

I just tested autosave on win 8.1 and it works fine. Anecdotally, it seems those with a dedicated server running windows server software have more problems.

Backups are a must. Mine is set to backup changes offsite every 2 hours.

Your work is saved when you close the return, but I highly recommend pressing Ctrl+S frequently when working on a return. I'm usually using one of the many Ctrl codes (mostly B), so I've gotten into the habit of pressing S first when I hold down the Ctrl key (Ctrl+S, B, Ctrl+S, E or Ctrl+S, P, etc.) Also, every time you close a return it creates a backup. I close periodically when working on big returns. (Ctrl+S, F4, O). Only takes a few seconds which I use to drink some water or walk down the hall to get rid of a glass of water I drank earlier. I've never lost more than about 2 minutes of work doing it this way, and even that is extremely rare, like once per tax season. And I stay hydrated!

It's true: http://www.extremetech.com/computing/230794-woman-wins-10000-judgment-against-microsoft-for-forced-windows-10-upgrade

I occasionally go thru the backup folder and delete excess backups. Some clients have 10-20 backups. The companies and payers will have hundreds of backups I just keep the most recent 4. I've asked ATX for a preference to only keep the last x backups, but nothing so far.

You mean you back it up to a jump drive? As far as I know, the Save feature when in a return, just saves your changes to your main data drive.

I have autosave turned off. I prefer to have the option of closing the return and not saving changes, in cases where I screwed up or was just testing something. I usually don't use autosave in any program. When I get the 'unexpected error', I am usually able to close the error message with the x, manually save the return then close the program.

http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2012/jan/20114540.html Regs. Sec. 1.6001-1(e) requires the taxpayer to make these records “at all times available for inspection by authorized internal revenue officers or employees, and shall be retained so long as the contents thereof may become material in the administration of any internal revenue law.” Rev. Proc. 98-25 clarified that the IRS has a right to electronic records.

Jeez. Did they have withholding for the old state? Just file the return correctly and see if the old state questions it.

Saddened to hear about your family's loss. Sending love and good energies their way!

It's usually a lesson I'm learning as opposed to a lesson I've learned.

I would have efiled the return on time or efiled an extension. Pay the penalty and fire the client.

If you're using bitdefender and malwarebytes, are you using the paid version?

Congrats and best of luck! We expect an update.

Ctrl+I in ATX gives you an itemized list.