Search the Community

Oddly, I can't find the ATX Database Repair batch files for 2022 or 2023. In the past you could edit the batch file for the most recent year, and change the year in the script, but I'm left wondering if ATX has another database repair method now.

I use Backblaze. It's fast, works well and it's reasonably priced. But I've heard that a database like ATX might be unusable when using an online backup because of the way both databases and online backups work. Some online service have a separate database backup option.

We really need an IRS site to look up the Name Control in their computers. It's stupid that they make us guess what they have. I had several trusts I couldn't efile for name control rejection for years, and finally the IRS fixed the name in their computers and we were finally able to efile. I kept putting the reason for paper filing as the IRS has an error in the name control database, and I guess someone finally took a look and fixed it.

If clicking on Browse doesn't show your database, you'll need to reinstall or run the database repair batch file. Does ATX even have the 2022 batch file up yet?

I forgot to add, that you run the Admin Console program on each computer to locate the new database on the server.

Yes. ATX is a database and the server must have the ATX software installed to make the database available to other users (AFAIK). And the other users will might need to point to the new database if the location is not identical.

If you mean at the windows file structure level, you can't because ATX is a database. What are you trying to accomplish?

Run the ATX database repair batch file for 2019 and 2020. Read every word of the instructions carefully, or it won't work. https://support.cch.com/kb/solution/000048310/15000

Things to try: Run the 2014 Admin Console. (Should be in your windows menu under ATX) Start or restart the ATX Server Service in Windows Services. Reinstall 2014 ATX. Download and run ATX database repair batch files. (2014 is no longer available on ATX's sites, so I'm attaching it. These should be downloaded every year, just in case you ever need them.) If these things are too techie for you, call support. ATX2014DataBaseRepair.bat

Copy your data first. Don't use ATX backups or exports. Copy the ENTIRE DATABASE FOLDERS. Then when you install ATX, it will see the database and not try to create a new database. This will work flawlessly most of the time. If not ATX has database repair batch files you can download and run. If you search this forum, you'll see my post from January of 20(?) where we moved all years of ATX to a new Win10 computer, and I provided step by step instructions.

We have 5 or 6 users and I noticed some slowing down too. Of course you're never sure if it's heavy network traffic or the ATX database bogging down. And our phones use the network as well. Our ATX database is on a computer that no one uses so only the necessary background programs are running on that computer. I suspect our slowdown was due to multiple users creating efiles at the same time. That really seems to bog down ATX. And we have Large Address Aware installed on our server computer.

Always suspect your security software first. Turn it all off and see if the problem persists. Some security software is hard to turn off but they usually have a pause feature. Or you can try killing the tasks in Task Manager. Have you tried (or even heard of) the ATX Database Repair batch files? https://support.cch.com/kb/solution/000048310/15000 https://support.cch.com/sfs/solution/000041746/000041746

If you have bad or duplicate payers in a return, and the 'Add to Payer Manager' box is checked on that input form (W2, 1099's), when you rollover that return or open/close that return, those bad payers get added back. This is why I add multiple W2's and all categories of 1099's in Customize Master Forms and click the 'add to payer mgr' box TWICE so it's unchecked by default. The missing feature of ATX Payer Manager is the preference to have the 'add to payer mgr' checkbox off by default. Then you can check the box if you find a payer is not in your list, and you think you'll use it again. Would also be great if you could choose which forms you want to use Payer Manager with. For example, I'd only choose W2 and 1099R. People often enter account numbers or account names (escrow, rental, etc.) after the bank name on 1099 INT and DIV which you do not want in your payer database. But honestly, duplicates, crazy long names, incorrect EIN's, typos, etc., are not really that big of a deal, especially if you sort payers by EIN instead of name, which is the better of the two ways to use payer manager.

Yes, turn off all ATX services on both computers before moving data. And you may need to run the database repair bat files if you get errors when you open ATX on the new computer. We moved about 8 years of ATX data to a new computer and had to run the repair bat file for 3 years.

You moved the data the wrong way and created a new database. It's not too late to start over and do it the right way. You learned the hard way that export/import is not a good way to move your data. You don't get any of your settings, preferences, preparers, form customizations, etc., etc.

Sounds like you have an offsite database and a main database. Never a good situation. Preferable would be a VPN to access your main database remotely. We have 3 locations now and that's how the other 2 locations access the main database. Another option would be for the remote preparer to login into a computer on your network. If none of that works for you, It would be preferable to use backup/restore vs. export/import. ATX creates a backup every time you close a return, and puts an index number in the file name (1,2,3,...), so you could locate where these backups are and just copy the latest ones (sort by date) then restore those.

I found the repair instructions for 2012 database: (EDIT: SORRY! THAT'S FOR 2011) https://support.cch.com/kb/solution.aspx/1916 ATX stores data in the hidden system folder ProgramData. You should see in the root directory of your C drive. If not, change view settings to show hidden and system folders.

Your best option might be reinstalling. ATX 2012 is different from 13 and newer, so the database repair tool won't work. Let me know if you need the latest install file.

Usually, killing the ATX Server in Task Manager, then running ATX Admin Console will fix the 'connect to server' issue. But it sounds like your database has errors. ATX does have batch files you can download and run to repair the database, but I'd let support do that since your error is not usual.

If you copied the files over correctly, ATX will find the database when you install it. If the database has errors you can run the bat file to repair the database. ATX's instructions say to copy the subfolder, but I would recommend copying the entire C:\ProgramData\CCH Small Firm Services and C:\ProgramData\Wolters Kluwer folders. (Warning: ProgramData is a hidden systems folder. You might need to change folder view setting to show hidden folders. Or just copy paste the above paths into file explorer address bar.) https://support.cch.com/kb/solution.aspx/000048812 https://support.cch.com/kb/solution.aspx/000041746

Try running the 18 repair database batch file. You have to download it here: https://support.cch.com/kb/solution.aspx/000041746 Make sure you close all ATX services and run the batch file as administrator (right click).

ATX has dropped the 2014 database repair file and added the 2019. I cannot recommend enough that you download these files every year. I have 14 if anyone needs it: https://send.firefox.com/download/36b94dad48ad57d0/#i-gvch7OTmEBF3Yh_cULog

We spent about 10 hours setting up our new windows 10 server this weekend. Copying data to/from external SSDs took longer than expected. We replaced our Win7 server with a Win10 server and here's what we learned. Stop the ATX server services on the old computer before copying data. Copy EVERYTHING in both: C:\ProgramData\CCH Small Firm Services C:\ProgramData\Wolters Kluwer Copy the data to the new computer BEFORE you install ATX. ATX will find the data and your settings and view it as a reinstall so it goes smoothly. We had no problems with 2016-2018, but we had to run the ATX database repair batch files (.bat) to repair 2014 & 2015. 2013 didn't work at first, then mysteriously started working. We didn't go back any further. You can find the batch files here: (There's a separate one for each year) https://support.cch.com/kb/solution.aspx/000041746 YOU MUST RUN THESE BATCH FILES BY RIGHT-CLICKING AND CHOOSING 'Run as Administrator'. We ran them not as administrator first and it did not work. Then I went back and read the web page and read the instructions again, more thoroughly. Good luck!

If there's a glitch in the IRS database for that child's name, you'll have to paper file. I had a trust I couldn't efile for years because the name control was wrong in the IRS database. I kept transmitting it every year and finally one year it went through.

Do you have one of the filter checkboxes on the left checked? That's the only thing I can think of that would case that, short of a major malfunction in your database.