Letter from ATX

[Jack from Ohio]

Hi Jack - can you please respond on my thread as to not sidetrack OP's post?

Other 2 options - 1. Backup currently does not work as forced alternative (walked through with CS), and 2. "Save" feature just places to return my Return Manager.

We've Imported/Exported for the past 7 years with ATX no problem since we are accessing the ATX program from local computers but storing the data on a shared network folder. The import/export feature hast not given us issues for the past 7 years except for this 2012 version due to the points outlined in my post. Thanks.

Just because you have done this for years doesn't make it the optimal approach! Seems like all kinds of extra work when instead you can set ATX up in a network mode and share the data easily that way.

HV Ken is exactly right!!

Hire a qualified I.T. person to fix your network. I would say you have been guessing about computer, program and network configuration for 7 years. We have used ATX in the network mode since tax year 2003.

[kcjenkins]

Drake is a good program, but it's very different from ATX.. And no matter the quality of the conversion programs, there are always problems. Often, the problems that are the most damaging are the small things you don't notice until too late.

The only sensible way to make a change of software, IMHO, is to do it at the end of the season. Not only do you get the best pricing options then, you give yourself June to Dec to check all your conversion, become familiar with the new software, etc.

[bergenco]

Uh ohhh, looks like I hit a nerve with the ATX mods for this inexcusable slow beta version..

Running network mode is quite horrible, even slower than running from my PC or laptop due to the programs bugs (especially when telecommuting or at client/hotel/vacation given connection issues when you can just work locally if preferred using import/export technique from years past (no more) and batch dump files onto the server while going to gym, making IRS calls, or running other errands), all while having numerous Return Manager screens on different desktops programs if (no, when) you get that 'cannot open file' error, backup included, which we get every year despite automatic update being default. Using the import/export feature in the fashion we have allows us to circumvent that. So, yes working in the same manner as we always have has been beneficial vs simply running network mode.

Regarding Drake, most "research" out there seems to be advertorials disguised as such giving all products 4.5 - 5 stars which means absolutely nothing.

I did find a good article here though and some numbers were eye opening being an ATX user for the past 7+ years and only considering changing the product now due to this horribly slow and beta-ish 2012 version.

http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Issues/2012/Sep/20125667.htm

Some telling signs....

Note Drake users were ranked #1 (tied) as happiest with price, with about a 10% point difference vs ATX.

ATX Support ranked DEAD LAST, whereas Drake ranked #1. No surprisse here given it takes me longer to reach ATX CS than IRS agents, ha. And once I reach them, they give me verbatim items similar to clicking the Help button - why bother calling then?

On the topic of 'Would you reccomend the software?" Drake #1, ATX #5 (tied)

ATX does have a good amount of forms, but with all the bugs, very slow program, inept CS, I will be giving Drake a call to at the very least start a trial (never done with any other software in the past 7 years, but it's just too slow and buggy now).

Mastering the new program and some hard conversions "wasted" in a week will hopefully save me countless days of headache in the upcoming season. Thanks JohnH, for your helpful post.

[JohnH]

Drake is a good program, but it's very different from ATX.. And no matter the quality of the conversion programs, there are always problems. Often, the problems that are the most damaging are the small things you don't notice until too late.

The only sensible way to make a change of software, IMHO, is to do it at the end of the season. Not only do you get the best pricing options then, you give yourself June to Dec to check all your conversion, become familiar with the new software, etc.

KC, you are absolutely right that the only sensible way to make a change of software is to do it at the end of the season. I agree with you in theory and in practice. However, it's also true that the only sensible way to sell software is to produce something that customers can use efficiently. When the vendor fails to do that, the user must make adjustments even if they aren't ideal. At this moment the clock is ticking for at least some of us.

There has been a great deal of discussion on this and other threads about multiple problems in vastly different areas of the program. So maybe a little perspective is in order here. I'd like to ask if there is anyone on this forum who has ATX up and running, and who can state that they are ready or are already preparing returns at the pace they expect. Or is that too much to ask on Jan 22?

[bergenco]

Another stat from CPA Practice Advisor

Drake in Red (#1), ATX in Yellow (near last)

[Jack from Ohio]

Then go buy Drake, make the conversion, and quit complaining!!!!!

[bergenco]

Then go buy Drake, make the conversion, and quit complaining!!!!!

Yep, already downloaded the link to free trial, and Drake CS answeed after 3 rings. How refreshing coming from 7 years of ATX's every lenghtening prompts.

As for ATX CS, neither you, nor CS/Tech over telephone, have yet to answer a simple question in my thread as to why ATX sometimes saves the export file as "Name = ABC..." or "Name =ABC..."

Can you answer at least that 1 (ONE) question or will you resort to cute emoticons or vague answers as 'use network mode' which as nothing to do with the question?

Also, when is the last date I can get a refund for ATX since it will probably take me another 15 minutes just to reach ATX CS via phone?

So that's 2 questions... (instert cute emoticon)

[jklcpa]

Yep, already downloaded the link to free trial, and Drake CS answeed after 3 rings. How refreshing coming from 7 years of ATX's every lenghtening prompts.

As for ATX CS, neither you, nor CS/Tech over telephone, have yet to answer a simple question in my thread as to why ATX sometimes saves the export file as "Name = ABC..." or "Name =ABC..."

Can you answer at least that 1 (ONE) question or will you resort to cute emoticons or vague answers as 'use network mode' which as nothing to do with the question?

Also, when is the last date I can get a refund for ATX since it will probably take me another 15 minutes just to reach ATX CS via phone?

So that's 2 questions... (instert cute emoticon)

Maybe the software isn't working for you because you are using it in a way it isn't designed to work, even though you've managed to do these things for the last 7 years.

And I have to say that this forum isn't ATX customer service, and you have no business demanding that anyone here answer any of your questions, especially after a whopping 7 posts in total. Pretty nervy of you!

[bergenco]

And I have to say that this forum isn't ATX customer service

Oh really, do you work for ATX?

Because in that case, can you then delete the recording of "We encourage you to access the ATX Community Board Forums to discuss program resolutions?" whenever you call ATX CS?

[joanmcq]

We are the UNOFFICIAL ATX community board. The official one is over at the ATX website.

[kcjenkins]

I don't exactly understand what this chart is supposed to represent [compliance???] but I think it is significant that the other top programs cost two to 10 times as much.

Here is a link to a good article that gives a lot of info on many programs, including some pricing info near the bottom.

http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Web/2012-tax-software-survey.htm

I'm not defending the company's output, BTW. I suspect that CCH has been giving ATX the short end of the stick as all of their tax products rush to attempt to incorporate all the changes. I'm just cautioning those who want to change at this point, that even if they change to a program with less problems, they will still be behind the time curve due to the problems of conversion, learning new software, etc.

[jklcpa]

Oh really, do you work for ATX?

Because in that case, can you then delete the recording of "We encourage you to access the ATX Community Board Forums to discuss program resolutions?" whenever you call ATX CS?

Joan is correct. No I don't work for ATX, just a user and a member of this forum. You will find the official ATX forum from the MyATX on the ATX web page.

[bergenco]

We are the UNOFFICIAL ATX community board. The official one is over at the ATX website.

I stand corrected, thank you and apologies to jkl - I will post my questions and findings (re Drake) over there.

KC - I also agree, I loved the ATX interface, but once CCH took it over, the program really went downhill. Though learning Drake is pretty straightfwd for tax entry - we still use QB for bookeeping/payroll/etc.

[Guest Taxed]

I bet there are probably 50 or so unsatisfied users of current software, ATX, TRX, TaxWorks etc. Can we band together and negotiate a group rate from Drake that is less than their standard in season price? Any Drake users here who has a good relationship with their sales rep? For Drake this would be picking low hanging fruit if the price was right for us.

[kcjenkins]

Oh really, do you work for ATX?

Because in that case, can you then delete the recording of "We encourage you to access the ATX Community Board Forums to discuss program resolutions?" whenever you call ATX CS?

Bergen, I think you must be confused about this board. The "official" board is run by CCH SFS. This is a private, Unofficial group board that was set up back in the days after CCH suddenly, without warning, killed their Community board on the 10th of April 2007. We are tax professionals, not employees of any software company, with just a few exceptions. Some of us, over the years, have dropped ATX, but stayed here because they truly are part of our "community". We try to help each other, by sharing solutions, tax advice, etc.

The recording you refer to does not mean this board, it means the CCH board, which they brought back some time in 2008 [?] after getting a ton of complaints about their elimination of their board. Go complain there, if you wish.

PS Please, the member names are shown in the blue line at the top of each post. the "Titles" shown above your avatar are based on the number of posts, so they just indicate a member's participation here, not their name. If you direct a post to me, KC is just fine.

[joanmcq]

Since we have Drake users on here, and I'm on quite a few other message boards, I can say that Drake users were quite unsatisfied last year with accuracy issues. I test drove Drake two years ago since it seemed to be quite faster than ATX (ATX has always been a memory hog since it is/was spreadsheet based rather than data base based), but found it did not have the flexibility I need for the odd type of returns I do.

[Bill (Wisconsin)]

Since we have Drake users on here, and I'm on quite a few other message boards, I can say that Drake users were quite unsatisfied last year with accuracy issues. I test drove Drake two years ago since it seemed to be quite faster than ATX (ATX has always been a memory hog since it is/was spreadsheet based rather than data base based), but found it did not have the flexibility I need for the odd type of returns I do.

Joan,

After 7 years with ATX, I just downloaded the Drake demo. Could you elaborate on the accuracy issues to be aware of?

Thanks,

Bill

[jklcpa]

Since we have Drake users on here, and I'm on quite a few other message boards, I can say that Drake users were quite unsatisfied last year with accuracy issues. I test drove Drake two years ago since it seemed to be quite faster than ATX (ATX has always been a memory hog since it is/was spreadsheet based rather than data base based), but found it did not have the flexibility I need for the odd type of returns I do.

Joan, would you mind giving a brief example of something you feel Drake might not handle easily?

I've been with ATX since the beginning when the tiger first roared (what's that, about 15 years now?), but for the past several years I've thought about switching to Drake. So far I've only rolled over a test return because I don't have any really simple returns, and I'm not using the program because no one has come in yet. After reading some of the other posts, I'm dreading this season more than ever.

To KC, in another post you mentioned getting the software after the season ends. Would the user then rework existing returns on a practice basis and as a tool to learn and test, or why would this be beneficial to get the prior year program? Or to do conversions well in advance of next year?

[joanmcq]

I've got several workarounds for my same-sex couple clients in ATX, like adding a computing spreadsheet form, that Drake couldn't do. It, like a lot of software, groups 'business' forms and 'individual' forms, and never in the same return shall they meet. Like a form 5471 for an individual client, or a CA 568 for an SMLLC. I also did a test return with a CA resident with form 2555 and it added back the exclusion amount twice. I had heard that Drake's CA interface wasn't that good, and the miscalc, and inability for me to fix it easily was a deal breaker.

You might want to search Tax Almanac for the Drake accuracy issues from last year. I can't remember what exactly it was. Lacerte had a biggie too, if I remember correctly.

[Lion EA]

If you have the type of practice that will be delayed to late February or mid-March and expect a lot of extensions, you could get the free 2012 software from Drake or anyone to use for extensions to try it out, practice, convert, search for items that don't convert well (depreciation is often an issue) without the time pressure of 15 April and without paying for two softwares Then, hit 2013 season running.

(I'm a ProSystem fx user and haven't even installed it yet. Will with a new version on disk that they shipped this week to avoid the multiple updates and a patch necessary to work with the original disk. I still have 2011 returns that people brought late, amendments for misplaced 1099-INTs, etc. to work on. My clients come in in March after getting corrected 1099-Bs and K-1s, so I'm not rushing when Congress didn't rush!)

[kcjenkins]

To KC, in another post you mentioned getting the software after the season ends. Would the user then rework existing returns on a practice basis and as a tool to learn and test, or why would this be beneficial to get the prior year program? Or to do conversions well in advance of next year?

Yes, I'd suggest all those things. The earlier you do conversions the better. If you do conversions of 2010 year returns, and then do them in the 2011 new program, and compare the results, you not only learn the new program, you learn where the conversion had faults. One thing is sure, ALL conversion programs end up with some errors. Knowing here the weak points exist keeps you from nasty news down the road.

[Janitor Bob]

I'm all out of Honey Nut Cheerios