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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.

I received the e-file reject below...using same client dependent info as always...verified that name and SSN are correct. Could this error happen if client's ex already filed claiming this child for EIC? 2/9/2019 12:15:01 PM 0 SEIC-F1040-501-02 Each 'QualifyingChildNameControlTxt' that has a value on Schedule EIC(Form 1040A or 1040), Line 1, and 'QualifyingChildSSN' that has a value on Line 2, must match that in the e-File database. /efile:Return/efile:ReturnData/efile:IRS1040ScheduleEIC[1]/efile:QualifyingChildInformation[1]/efile:QualifyingChildSSN

It used to be easy to print only certain 1099s. Now you have to print them all. So, (Let's say) I am preparing 1099s for UBER, my database consists of 10K subcontractors. This year only 5K had income but the other 5K will work this year, so I don't want to delete any of them. I will have to print 10K 1099s and then get my scissors and look of the ones with salary and cut. A week later, I have 100 subcontractors who lost their 1099s and again I will have to print 10K forms. The pdf workaround is a longgg workaround. Paul, I reread your post and I think you found the solution.

Greetings group - Forgive the naive question here, but.... Bought a new PC this offseason and about to install ATX2018. I'm a solo office and install the program as "standalone" not on a server. I read this article and watched the video... https://support.cch.com/kb/solution.aspx/000048812 Is the process the same for standalone installs? The article/video mentions stopping the ATX service/server on both the old and new PC. But I don't have ATX installed yet on the new PC. I'm really just wanting to be able to rollover returning client data. A bit confused and appreciate any insight. Thanks! AF

We have Payroll 2018 installed as a network setup with a database server and numerous workstation servers that use Citrix to connect. The workstations servers are only allowing one instance of Payroll 2018 to open at a time, the second instance will throw a close/debug error. Does anyone have guidance on how to allow for more than one instance to open at a time? Thanks! Z

saying I have transmitted an E-file using a transmission relationship that is not valid in the EFC client database? any ideas - ATX not ready to e-file?

Article on multiple news sites today: "The Marriott International hotel chain said on Friday that the database of its Starwood reservation system had been hacked and that the personal details of up to 500 million guests going as far back as 2014 had been compromised. The hotel group, which runs more than 6,700 properties around the world, was informed in September about an attempt to access the database, and an investigation this month revealed that unauthorized access had been made on or before Sept. 10, Marriott said in a statement. The hotel chain said that personal details including names, addresses, dates of birth, passport numbers, email addresses and phone numbers for hundreds of millions of guests may have been compromised. The investigation found that “there had been unauthorized access to the Starwood network since 2014,” and an “unauthorized party had copied and encrypted information, and took steps toward removing it,” the statement said. Hackers also obtained encrypted credit-card information for some customers, but it was unclear if the hackers would be able to use those payment details. Marriott said it wasn’t sure how many passport numbers and dates of birth were stolen but said that it was a “subset” of the larger number of affected consumers. The hack affects customers who made reservations for Starwood hotel brands from 2014 to September of this year. The properties include Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, St. Regis, Four Points, Aloft, Meridien, Tribute, Design Hotels, Elements and the Luxury Collection." The hackers seem to be winning. Saw an article a day or two ago that said during 2017 one out of every 6 personal bank accounts had at least one fraudulent incident during the year.

Well, are you? ATX states that we shouldn't do it, and I know that QuickBooks blows up when you do it over Virtual Private Network (VPN) I am merging two offices and want to use a common database, so I got to have the computers talk to each other. Rich

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.

Here's the database backup page from CrashPlan. Unfortunately, they don't reference the Raven database that ATX uses and newer versions of ATX don't offer a database backup function.

Former Carbonite user here. Carbonite is inappropriate for tax preparers and bookkeeper, or anyone who frequently updates files. (I won't bore you with the detail unless you ask.) I switched from Carbonite to CrashPlanPro when I switched to ATX because I called Carbonite when I saw I couldn't backup my ATX files. ATX made a poor decision to store the database AND the backup files in a hidden system folder. This year I finally moved my ATX backup files location to another folder. A tech at Spider Oak told me that it's a waste of time to backup a database using a remote backup program like these, because of the way these backups work. He said the database is often unusable when restored. So backing up the ATX backups is the most important thing to do. I've considered doing disk imaging for backups because of the time it would save using an image in the event of complete drive failure. You wouldn't have to reinstall and configure all of your software, including windows. Anyway, to answer the initial question, your files are stored here: C:\ProgramData\CCH Small Firm Services\ATX 2017 Server

When trying to open the 2017 software, I am getting a Server Progress pop up box with the following database server error message: Could not listen to port. Prior status was "Claiming Port'. Does anybody know how to fix this issue? I had a customer service agent help me with it earlier in the week and now the issue has returned. Please help!

Do you have the EIN letter? Are you sure the name is entered correctly? If the EIN simply isn't in the IRS database, you won't be able to efile. You could pull a transcript to see if the W2 is posted, then use the EIN and name listed.

It is indeed ridiculous to hear of so many states requiring proof of state tax withholding, even when the state itself is doing the withholding. Lazy and unaccountable. We are spared this misery in TN where there is no such income tax. So we don't have to deal with state idiots, right? Wrong. Just talked to guy at the state, who asked me to file an amended return for a business tax just because the state changed their database. Rita, let's welcome people to our intelligent state where everyone is smart, lives in fashionable houses, has honest politicians and well-manicured lawns.

Make sure you check the box for copies of notices. But also be aware that they only get THAT right about half the time. They do keep a central database. I have no idea how current it is, or how easy it is for agents to access it.

I get the feeling they don't have a central database of POAs they can easily look up. I'll attach a copy to the amended return. I just want to get a copy of any notices/letters.

ATX has a drop down at the top for donees, but only if the client had an 8283 last year. We keep suggesting a payer database for this form along with 2441 and colleges on 1098-T. Maybe one day!

I'd believe they have access to the HRB "Tax Cut" program database - but not Intuit's. Maybe the kid did his return on Tax Cut instead of Ttx?

Could it possibly be that H&R Block has access to TurboTax and that is how they know that he claimed himself? Maybe a shared database?

Another way is to right click on the client's name from the personal client manager and then click on search EF database. I find this a bit quicker to do.

cbslee, if your question is a more general one about the acks and error codes - In addition to Catherine's instruction, another way to find the information again for any return is to use the EF menu and choose "Search EF database". From there you can find the acks, the ack code, and any error codes by searching for the return by name or EIN. Clicking on the error code or message usually brings up more information or takes the user to the spot requiring the correction, iirc. Also contained at the right in that EF search box is a button to click that will take you to Drake's online database that is part of the support site. Clicking that will bring up the log in screen, and from there you would have access. Still not sure exactly what else you need, there is a KB that may be helpful to you. It's # 10783, if this link doesn't take you to it.

I called IRS PPL this morning to work on a client representation issue. I filed the POA with the CAF unit in 2012. I have been working with this client for years, and had multiple contacts with the IRS on their account. In 2015, we got an installment agreement. This week, the IRS sent a notice that they need a new 433-F, and they need it in 10 days (of course they do!). So I call PPL to ask for an extension because my client is recovering from major surgery. They don't have my POA on file. Literally, I have had at least 15 contacts with the IRS on this client and they all could see my POA when I called. Until today. So I send an e-fax with the POA's, and of course, e-fax comes back with an unsuccessful transmission due to line busy after 15 minutes on the line. IRS said call back when your fax machine works. Sucks to be me today. This is the third client that I have had to re-send my POA over for, and all of them are clients that I sent in the forms to the CAF unit. I don't understand why my POA's are disappearing from the database. This happening to anyone else? Tom Modesto, CA

You said yourself that long passwords can make password hacking reasonably hard, and encryption makes internet sniffing a bit tougher. Google/Microsoft/Amazon/Apple don't expend that additional processing power encrypting all of their site traffic for the heck of it. Taking long passwords as an example, every time some website or service is hacked and a huge collection of email addresses, usernames, and passwords is liberated from their servers, almost half of them are very quickly cracked because they're weak. It's often not worth the time required to brute force the remaining passwords. That's what I mean by low hanging fruit. I mean, I have a database (stored locally) of my hundreds of passwords. I can't imagine why I would store that information in plain text when it's trivial to add a significant layer of protection by encrypting the whole database. Sure it's relatively safe on my network, but sometimes happens, you know? EDIT: Speaking of poop happening, sorry about the site going wonky for a while this morning. There were some issues that may have been brought about by my host patching the server against meltdown and spectre late last night or early this morning.

You can't 'save' the return to a thumb drive unless the entire database is on the thumb drive. If you have your backup location set to the thumb drive, you can close the return and ATX will automatically create a backup to the thumb drive. That's why I reacted confused to your post.

I usually use the property tax bill (supposed to be on all bills, hollow laugh) or property card record from the online assessor's database (almost always has the info). If I still can't find it, I call the town assessor's office. They have all the splits between land and building values.