The Problems

[Numbers]

Not so easy when you have a large client base. Good luck with the conversion.... Be sure you check every converted return, especially assets and depreciation.

Jack - I have 15 employees, and several thousand returns a year. it will get done well, but it will not be fun.

[Numbers]

I downloaded the demo from Drake the other night. I'm still on the fence and am waiting to see if the next update will fix my problems, but then I wonder if I'll have the problems that many others here are having. I suppose I'm not experiencing them because I'm not using the program much yet.

Drake would take some getting used to. I went through the program and actually re-prepared my own personal and corporate returns for 2011. I was able to recreate the returns exactly, but not entirely without some issues. Some things look so basic, especially in the depreciation area, lack of worksheets, that I can't believe there aren't many mistakes being made. I think ATX catches a lot of mistakes that the less knowledgeable preparers would be running into with Drake.

One specific problem I had was with the limitation on HSA contributions. Husband and I each have our own separate HD medical policies, no family coverage, only for 10 months last year. He's over 55 and I am not. It looks like I entered everything properly and Drake is not calculating any limitation on the amount of contribution allowed. It is showing the full amount that would be allowed for the full 12 months. In order for the correct limitation to print on the form, I had to enter it in a box on the input. I can't believe that if there are all the questions related to this limitation and boxes to enter the # of months, that Drake's software wouldn't calc this limitation.

The problem is CCH. They do not invest in tech support, training, or software development and testing. They have a culture of lying with complete disregard for customers. I have seen this twice before, this was third time. The problem is a culture of lying and fundamental dishonesty at CCH. That can not be fixed, regardless of how good ATX used to be. And I was a 15 year ATX customer.

[HV Ken]

The problem is CCH. They do not invest in tech support, training, or software development and testing. They have a culture of lying with complete disregard for customers. I have seen this twice before, this was third time. The problem is a culture of lying and fundamental dishonesty at CCH. That can not be fixed, regardless of how good ATX used to be. And I was a 15 year ATX customer.

Numbers - how do you know this about the CCH culture? I have been to CCH HQ twice in the past three years as part of the ATX Customer Advisory Board. While I admit ATX2012 has been a disaster to date, I have experienced first hand that complete opposite of your assertions. I have met many professionals there, all the way up to President Jeff Gramlich, and find your assertions to be completely inaccurate. It is one thing to be a dissatisfied customer, but it is another to attack the integrity of people.

[Lee B]

There is an article in the August 8th issue of The Progressive Accountant about the problems that the overall CCH organization

has been having for the last three years. Slowing revenue growth and a loss of market share to Creative Solutions & Ultra Tax.

Product rollout problems, a lot of turnover in top managment positions, lack of leadership etc.

[HV Ken]

There is an article in the August 8th issue of The Progressive Accountant about the problems that the overall CCH organization

has been having for the last three years. Slowing revenue growth and a loss of market share to Creative Solutions & Ultra Tax.

Product rollout problems, a lot of turnover in top managment positions, lack of leadership etc.

Loss of market share, lacking leadership, etc. may be true, but that still doesn't validate the assertion that there exists a culture of lying and fundamental dishonesty. That is a very harsh accusation and not sure how that can be validated.

[MARY WALLS]

Well I agree with you on the problems with the new software. I have had had my tech attempting to keep my system running long enough to finish a tax return. He stayed up last night until 3 am uninstalling and installing the software with the updates to no avail.To many issues. I have had to reschedule my clients for this weekend and have lost some clients due to these problems( it has cost me many future clients and money). I process approximately 2000 returns a year. This is the first year I have had these severe issues. I have used this product for 6yrs. ATX has let me down. I will be switching software

[cnccpas]

easy answer to this question and will probably repeat it for every problem.

1. Somebody felt smart and switched to the Raven database system using .net. Basically a total overhaul of the program. Notice they separated the "Payroll" returns from the program? They are still using the old ATX engine and the payroll program is perfectly fine.

2. The raven database is a document-based database and apparently in ATX is using UNC mapping for running the program which causes massive amounts of unnecessary network calls and packet congestion. UNC mapping has been on Microsoft's kill list for years as it is also easily exploited. Those fam with how a particular Intuit product took performance hits when they began using the file monitoring agent (aka license checker) were also victim to this. Since opening a QBW file over a network connection was horrendously slow compared to prior years. It's all in the database calls, SEND, ACK, RCV, that good stuff. However you look at it, UNC mapping is one of the most ill-thought ways to run a program and is an insult to any IT professional. If it was the preferred way of accessing data why has UNC program access been on the security zone block from the OS for years? H-E-L-L-O? There is a reason Microsoft does this.

3. Another thing, the Raven Database is coded to use the Application Data folder under All Users in non Windows 7 and 8 OS, a BIG NO-NO. Notice to all cloud-based backup users, CARBONITE IS NOT BACKING YOUR ATX DATA!!! Windows 7 and 8 users will find their ATX data in the hidden System Data folder off their C: drive, since the true user data folders are system access only and no users can touch. Again, CARBONITE will not seek this out. This is what causes so many multi-user issues too.

4. Simple comparison of 2011 to 2012.

2011 Time to open up the program for the 1st time, search a client name, open the return and see it on the screen, 20.8 seconds.

2012 Time to open the program - 52 seconds

2012 Time to search the client by last name - 1:30 not included 2 prior failed attempts (program crash)

2012 Time to open the same return after the first initial time (don't count rollover time). 3:45 minutes.

Simply don't see how the wool was pulled over somebody's eyes in the conference room when somebody proposed this. Unless it involves a cheaper developer software license or the leftover crap from that other tax program they recently bought. Great job though, took a good program and ruined it.

[Lion EA]

We're not the official ATX site, so you won't get any action from CCH here. You're preaching to the choir.

[cnccpas]

Thanks for letting me know. lol Just wanted to make sure the users were aware the data is not where they specified for it to be installed anymore, most importantly.

[jaybird]

Thrilled so far with the conversion from ATX to Drake, smooth transition, short learning curve, EXCELLENT customer support with short (if any) hold time! The next hurdle is to get my money back from ATX!!!! As far as I can tell, the problems are still there with ATX and our decision to jump ship was justified. Within 2 days time, we have turned the office around and the clients are finally getting moved through. Our prep time has gone down from previous years, and no crashes or software errors!!! I really wish we could have stayed with the program that we were familiar with, but the software forced us to change, and as far as we are concerned, it has been an upgrade. Good luck to those of you that are going to stick it out, i wish you the best of luck and truly hope that ATX gets their "stuff" together and your season is not a total loss!

[ReadingEA]

How can the execs at ATX be honest and professional if they sold faulty merchandise to loyal customers? The most insulting part is that they continue to drag their customers along with the promise of the next miraculous "update" that will fix everyone's problems; hoping to keep their customers just long enough this season so that they can't or won't be willing to leave ATX this year. My advice to everyone - move on! Change vendors and try to salvage what you can from this season. You would be amazed how quickly you can learn a new system when you have no other choice. You are what makes your buisness valuable, not the software that you use. I made the switch to ProSeries on Monday, and yes, the interface is different and I was scared, but it only took 2-3 returns to really get comfortable. I continue to get more comfortable using it, and each day I find features that are pleasantly different than ATX. My conversion of 1600 clients will take 5-7 business days, but, at this point, I'm only doing simple w-2 type returns because most clients don't have all their forms yet so reinputting info such as name and date of birth is no big deal. As for ATX, I have contacted American Express directly to contest the charge for this faulty merchandise. Best of luck everyone!

[HV Ken]

My conversion of 1600 clients will take 5-7 business days, but, at this point, I'm only doing simple w-2 type returns because most clients don't have all their forms yet so reinputting info such as name and date of birth is no big deal.

Are you reporting that there is no conversion path from ATX to ProSeries?

[ReadingEA]

The "conversion process" at Proseries involves uploading exported versions of your 2011 client files (the .atx ones) into their processing system. They are converted into 2011 Proseries returns and you download them to the 2011 ProSeries program (which is given to you with your purchase of 2012). You can then "roll over" (ProSeries calls it "transfer") the data to 2012 Proseries program.