Why did ATX go to this new format? Why now?

[cfncpa]

I appreciate the post as well CNCCPAS, please spread the word as much as you like. I think it is good that people have every chance to understand what is going on.

This again shows how ill thought out all of this was by CCH/ATX. I could care less about the old vs new technology argument that some have tried to argue. There was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong with the old program, no matter what technology it used. Maybe it wasn't "the best" for some huge 100+ user environment, but for their target consumer, the small to mid sized firms, it WORKED PERFECTLY.

I just cannot understand the decision to roll this out prematurely. What did they think was going to happen?

[Jack from Ohio]

As a user since 2002 and nearly 3,000 clients, I do not agree with not needing to change. Return opening times for us when the client list grows above about 500 for the last three years have been what everyone is experiencing now.

Access 97 is 15 year old technology. Cnccpas, what other software do you use that is based on 15 year old technology? Agree that the rollout was wrong, the software is not ready and CCH management is to blame for the decisions. However, changing with our large client base and 10 preparers to have a learning curve and conversion issues prevent any consideration of changing.

Why would you spend $1,000+ for software to do 100 clients? Not sure I see the math sense...

We spend $1,500+ to do 3,000 clients. The extra is for unlimited licenses for the other preparers.

Rant over. it is still 2013 and the management and decision makers at CCH need to be replaced. They have NO CONCEPT of customer service.

[cnccpas]

So you're opening times are good using the "new" technology you seek? I like how it takes 30 seconds to a minute just to open up preferences. Must be some high security features going on in the background there. The 2012 program though, is using old technology that Microsoft has been trying to kill off even before Access 97. UNC mapping is a terrible security vulnerability and any security software including the operating system discourages it. When you run a program like this... servernameshareATX2012.exe cringe, especially when it should be operating like this .. D:myspecifiedlocationATX2012Atx2012.exe" Going from 20 seconds to opening a return (have a little over 1,000 returns on the list) to 3-5 minutes cannot be justified by any means. I can scroll down the return list faster than i can type 3 characters in the search filter, and I don't crash either.

I will agree though, I'm sure the Access 97 forms was terrible to update each year and a nightmare to maintain. Yes, the new document engine powered by RavenDB does make beautiful higher resolution tax forms clear to the eye. This new version makes the development team look more like a group of monkeys trying to "play" with a football.

The scariest thing about this new engine, is it's persistent need to be toying around with your All Usersapplication data folder or for other users their "hidden" Program Data folder off their C:. YES, even though you installed this program on your D:, E:, F:, wherever you want to put it, your data is still on C: along with ALL the gigs of forms. Why even bother asking where to install the tiny 700mb program files anyway?

Do you know where your data "really" is?

[cfncpa]

As a user since 2002 and nearly 3,000 clients, I do not agree with not needing to change. Return opening times for us when the client list grows above about 500 for the last three years have been what everyone is experiencing now.

Access 97 is 15 year old technology. Cnccpas, what other software do you use that is based on 15 year old technology? Agree that the rollout was wrong, the software is not ready and CCH management is to blame for the decisions. However, changing with our large client base and 10 preparers to have a learning curve and conversion issues prevent any consideration of changing.

Why would you spend $1,000+ for software to do 100 clients? Not sure I see the math sense...

We spend $1,500+ to do 3,000 clients. The extra is for unlimited licenses for the other preparers.

Rant over. it is still 2013 and the management and decision makers at CCH need to be replaced. They have NO CONCEPT of customer service.

Maybe YOU did outgrew the old ATX technology, but for the rest of us it was fine. I have been a loyal customer since 1996-ish and have never had any problems with the old technology. I routinely have 250 returns in the Return Manager and its never been a problem for my 8 yr old computers running XP. Sometimes you outgrow something, and move on. Maybe that was your situation.

I am all for the new technology, I think its great and should always be in the pipleine to offer to clients. But only ONCE IT IS PERFECTED. Don't roll it out until IT WORKS!!!

[RitaB]

I don't really understand the gigs, rams, and ravens, but I'm feeling pretty stupid to have shelled out $1336.85 for 20. lol.

[Lee B]

cnccpas,

After reading your posts and some other tech knowledgeable posts about ATX and their new platform etc.,

it sounds like there no way for ATX to turn this program into reasonably useable tax software or are you

overstating your case out of frustration??? Also, I'm really curious why you're trying ride out this tax season,

if you truly believe it's a lost cause ??? Since my practice is is writeup, payroll & business tax returns, I am

holding off making any decisions absolutely as long as possible, another 10 to 14 days. I've done a lot of demos,

over the last two months and haven't found another program that I really like. If I have to, I'll probably switch to

Pro Series reluctantly.

[cnccpas]

I believe the sound of overstating comes from the lack of ATX providing support for me after a week ago, and the fact that this product under any environment is 10-20 times slower than the previous year, crashes and fills your event log with nice .net errors. I honestly could not advise a person to purchase this software now. We have used ATX since 2001 and have never much needed support, and when we do, it's nowhere to be found. Pro Series was fine, until they would clean your clock for multiple states, but that was back in 2000. ATX offered everything and unlimited users for a affordable price. Pro Series performed in 2000 much like ATX 2012 does now. I do not know if they have fixed it or not, but coming from Intuit I highly doubt it. If you are new to ATX, and 2012 is your first year, download the Payroll Compliance Program as they call it now, that is the old ATX engine that purrs like a vette compared to the new one, if you want an example of what we are complaining about.

[Eric]

The technology needed to change 10 years ago, but it's an awful job to tackle, and it's just easier not to do it. Access 97 was not the best solution 15 years ago either, but it's easy to work with in Visual Basic.

There are countless alternatives to choose from for database engines, if that truly is the bottleneck. Some of those database engines are even free, like the one used to run this website, which has a database schema likely more complex than ATX's and hit harder, consistently serving 6700 page views per hour at peak times without flinching. And that's by not an impressive figure relative to other websites, but this forum software runs on a server with dozens of other busy sites, all on hardware that's not all that much different from your mid-high end desktop workstation.

[needmoreupdate]

End user don't really care what lies underneath, It can be dos for I could care. Long as it works. Seems like they didn't test the software at all. Anyone know what they're using for testing platform?

[cnccpas]

yes, the cloud above their head. i cannot see how this was ever installed on a PC before being released. it's simply way too out in plain sight it has problems. More like sending a car to the lot with flat tires, no doors, hood, and radiator duct taped to the roof connected to the motor with a garden hose.

[Guest Taxed]

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!!!

[Eric]

End user don't really care what lies underneath, It can be dos for I could care. Long as it works. Seems like they didn't test the software at all. Anyone know what they're using for testing platform?

You might not care about the details, but what's under the hood is what determines how well it works.

When I worked in QA (Quality Assurance/Testing, 10 years ago?) We tested on a range of different hardware and operating systems to ensure compatibility. cnccpas is correct, the problems are too obvious. They likely shipped it with known issues to make a deadline.

[cfncpa]

You might not care about the details, but what's under the hood is what determines how well it works.

When I worked in QA (Quality Assurance/Testing, 10 years ago?) We tested on a range of different hardware and operating systems to ensure compatibility. cnccpas is correct, the problems are too obvious. They likely shipped it with known issues to make a deadline.

We can tell what works and what doesn't, and we have no idea and don't care whats under the hood. 2012 doesn't work.

Right now I am so glad I am a solo shop. If I had employees depending on this program I would be ******* a brick right now wondering how my firm was going to survive tax season. ATX is taking it on the chin? Think about the LOYAL CUSTOMERS?

[cnccpas]

I believe the beta testing criteria was the following:

1. Can the program open 1 out of 10 attempts without crashing?

2. Can the program somehow transform prior year data into new program?

3. Can a return be opened within a reasonable business day?

4. Can the program successfully add or subtract at least 2 lines anywhere correctly?

If 1-4 = YES then PASS and DEPLOY, we need money fast, daddy wants a new Telsa to save on gas.

[Jack from Ohio]

We can tell what works and what doesn't, and we have no idea and don't care whats under the hood. 2012 doesn't work.

Right now I am so glad I am a solo shop. If I had employees depending on this program I would be ******* a brick right now wondering how my firm was going to survive tax season. ATX is taking it on the chin? Think about the LOYAL CUSTOMERS?

My LOYAL customers are my customers because of ME and MY KNOWLEDGE and SKILLS. All my customers have been very understanding because the know ME. With the IRS delaying major numbers of returns and also delaying major numbers of refunds, my proper and professional treatment of my customers over the years is paying off. No lost customers yet.

Do you buy a car without asking about the engine and transmission and considering if it need work, who will fix it and how much it will cost? I doubt it.

[JohnH]

I think the car analogy is a good one, but for a different reason. If I contacted my clients back in Augst 2012 and offered them a small discount for their upcoming year's return, then if they took me up on it they'd expect me to be able to prepare their return in Jan-Feb as I promised. But then when they call to make an appointment and I tell them they must come to my office in a car that isn't more than 2 years old with a v-8 engine and all accessories if they expect me to deliver on my promise, my clients might get upset. They might even accuse me of being deceptive in my dealings with them.

[RitaB]

Well, I think a reasonable person could expect a brand new model to make it off the lot.

[needmoreupdate]

Car analogy is pretty good but usually they have internal pro drivers to test out all the major bugs. It reasonable still have recalls and such but in lower frequencies then this. Right now is seems like higher percentage of the user have problem right out of the bat.

[cfncpa]

When I wrote of loyal customers, I was referring to customers of ATX, not my clients. I will cover for all of ATX's screw ups even if I have to work to 4am every day to get things done. My clients will never know the issues I am having. Thats how most of us will operate I am sure, IF we can. Some cannot because they do the returns right then and there at the appointment (I really feel for those users). I was referring to us, the customers of ATX taking it on the chin and having to work so much harder, and spending many unbillable hours, and undergoing undue stress, to get the same result as prior years.

The car analogy is ridiculous. I could not test drive the program like some car siting on a lot. ATX solicited me to renew my program in May, and never informed me that a program overhaul was expected, and that problems might ensue. Like all past 15 YEARS I renewed, I trusted my vendor. I expected them to perform as they had the past 15 years, to deliver to me, 7 months after prepayment, the same quality product as prior years. Not a non-functional mess delivered right before the start of tax season with no complete fix yet in sight.

[Jack from Ohio]

The car analogy was in reference to "...don't care what is under the hood as long as it works..."

[Lee B]

cnccpas,

I've used ATX for 14 or 15 years. I' still curious. Are you hanging in there with ATX because you think that ATX will get the major problems fixed in the next two weeks or are you hangin in there with ATX because all you other options are worse?

[Jack from Ohio]

cnccpas,

I've used ATX for 14 or 15 years. I' still curious. Are you hanging in there with ATX because you think that ATX will get the major problems fixed in the next two weeks or are you hangin in there with ATX because all you other options are worse?

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

[clay]

I switched to Proseries. Overall I like it. Took 8 business days to convert my files. The conversion is maybe 80% accurate from what I have checked so far. BUT the program runs great, it is has MANY more "checks" than ATX. At the same time I miss ATX.

Opening the program or client is pretty quick, all features work great, cost is hundreds more than ATX. Ability to work on returns and print easily compared to 2012 ATX ...priceless.

[SCL]

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

before i answer...will you be offended by a vulger suggestion?

[Jack from Ohio]

before i answer...will you be offended by a vulger suggestion?

I will not be offended if your vulgar suggestion indicates that you have actually been in a situation where your answer would be from experience or knowledge.