Worthless Print Manager

[MAMalody]

Boy, the print manager this year is worthless. I create .pdf docs of all returns. No matter what I specify I want printed the print manager prints what it wants to. The only exception is if I print the current page only. I have not upgraded to version 10, however, I do have 9 and should not be having this problem. What a waste of time aksing for three specific forms or worksheets to print and it make 47.

[HV Ken]

Boy, the print manager this year is worthless. I create .pdf docs of all returns. No matter what I specify I want printed the print manager prints what it wants to. The only exception is if I print the current page only. I have not upgraded to version 10, however, I do have 9 and should not be having this problem. What a waste of time aksing for three specific forms or worksheets to print and it make 47.

Such a strange year - I am not experiencing this at all and actually think the print manager is substantially improved from last year. So many people having so many different experiences....

[gfizer]

I am loving the new print manager as well. It is a big time saver to be able to print both paper copies and pdf copies at the same time. I am not having problems with anything printing that I didn't ask to print unless I forget to uncheck some of the boxes. The one thing that frustrates me is that I wish I could figure out how to keep the "federal attachments for state" from being checked on every return.

[Lee B]

No Problems. I agree, it's a definite improvement over last year, which was driving me crazy.

[B. Jani]

So far so good but until last year, we have check mark if we want to print the worksheet or so. Now this year it is gone so too many unnecessary papers get printed for no reason.

[Jack from Ohio]

Boy, the print manager this year is worthless. I create .pdf docs of all returns. No matter what I specify I want printed the print manager prints what it wants to. The only exception is if I print the current page only. I have not upgraded to version 10, however, I do have 9 and should not be having this problem. What a waste of time aksing for three specific forms or worksheets to print and it make 47.

Download and install 12.10 from the website. Follow the instructions exactly as shown on the download page. Print manager is better.

[joanmcq]

In preferences, uncheck print packets. These override the check boxes in the print manager. I successfully started printing last night without using print preview to double check what was printing first.

[Maribeth]

In preferences, uncheck print packets. These override the check boxes in the print manager. I successfully started printing last night without using print preview to double check what was printing first.

Joan, when you uncheck the print packets, does the print manager then default to what it assumes needs to be printed and then you can check/uncheck to get to your preferred pages? Or does it just come up all empty boxes so that you have to choose everything you want to print.

I have done so much work in the print packets and the communication manager that I don't want to lose all of that work by unchecking the print packets at this point.

[Lee B]

If you uncheck print packets it's like using last year's Print Manager except that it works better.

The only annoying issue is that it wants to print extra Federal Copies to go with each state return,

but you only need to uncheck one box to remove those extra copies. I did a forms download the day

before the 12.10 update and ever since then my Print Manager has been loading fairly quickly

and my returns are printing out as fast as my printer will go without any extra pages.

So I regard it as an unqualified improvement over last year.

[MAMalody]

I will try unchecking the print packets and see what happens.

[Dan]

Thanks Joan for that good information.

[joanmcq]

I like the concept of the print packets, but I haven't been able to look up what the default settings are, where I think a lot of my issues were coming up. At this point I'd rather uncheck & check boxes and worry about working that out later. I set my packets up too, but just gave up on them. They might work better when all the ups are out of the print manager.

[Gail in Virginia]

I am using the print packets, but checking and unchecking things when I bring up the print manager. So far, this is not causing me problems, although I am having to get used to where things are because it is a little different than the old ATX. For instance, the detail sheet for form 4562 is now under form 4562 instead of being under the worksheet for 4562.

I agree with whoever said this was a strange year. The problems seem to vary so much between users, even users with similar hardware configurations, that it is almost like there are many different programs out there instead of one program. Wierd.

[joanmcq]

My depreciation schedules aren't printing even if checked off; or at least weren't in 12.8. Haven't tried one yet in 12.10.

Of course all of these returns have rentals, so I'm not filing them yet anyways. But I do like having them ready to go.

[HV Ken]

My depreciation schedules aren't printing even if checked off; or at least weren't in 12.8. Haven't tried one yet in 12.10.

Of course all of these returns have rentals, so I'm not filing them yet anyways. But I do like having them ready to go.

I am finding them to print in 12.10!

[joanmcq]

Oh cool, I haven't tried in 12.10 yest.

[FedupCPA]

None of that works for us. We have checked, and unchecked. We have tried checking and unchecking various combinations. We still get whatever the program decides to give us and it isn't consistent from client to client. It takes forever for the forms to load into the print menu and then I usually have about a 10 second delay before the Print button pops up. We feel like Forrest Gump and his box of chocolates.

[Richcpaman]

On Tuesday, MArch 5th, I had the pleasure of working with the program for about 8 hours straight, and got about 13-15 tax returns done. That made me happy. The system can work.

The Print Manager was slow to load it is kinda annoying to click on "file copy" and it has to think to pull up the forms, and then click on "client copy" and have to wait all over again...

But I like the "Check All" box. I check that, and clear ALL the Forms, and then click the ones I want. That is usually only the Fed Cover Letter, the 8879 and the MD Efile form for the "file copy", then all the things I need for the "client copy", and then the 8879 and MD Efile for the "preparer copy".

Once I click print, the return prints in a reasonable amount of time. About the same as last year.

Then I change the Client Copy destination to Adobe PDF and create my PDF copy for my file.

Is does not take much longer to do all that then in 2011.

The system has not printed anything that I didn't want to print. It seems that if that is happening, you just not unchecking the boxes. I liked on last year that they were listed across the screen all at once, that made it easier to line up the right things to print in each "copy" but I like the direction that it is going.

Rich

[Margaret CPA in OH]

Richcpaman, your method of printing sounds exactly like mine except I print all to pdf. The filing copies I print to the ATX pdf and client copies to Adobe. I then combine the ATX pdf into the Adobe copy, save, then save again with password. That's what I send to clients for their file copy and to review.

The difference is that on the 'filing copy,' I pdf print the 8879, Tax Summary, Comparison, and deposit/payment info for client review. The client prints only 8879, signs and returns; I then efile. When accepted, I physically print the 9325, the client letters and mail out those with my invoice. Frequently there are also local returns that must be mailed. If payment vouchers are needed, I include with instructions and a prelabeled envelope. Of course I could do that electronically, too, but think that it is a small personal touch especially for those folks I never see. In any event, they have their pdf client copy, I have the same pdf with and without encryption and the program copy. It really saves, too, when a client needs a prior year copy. Just send the pdf.

[MAMalody]

I have never had a return using the ATX pdf come out without some garbled figures. The only thing I have found that works is to uncheck all the options, including Filer copy, etc, then select the forms I want (unfortunately, this does not give you a print button) then select custom then go back and reselect the forms I want and using my Adobe program make up my file. What a waste of time. I have not tried richcpaman's system yet, I will give that one a try. (I am really tired of getting 43 forms when all I want is the 1040 Clergy Worksheet.)

[joanmcq]

If you change the printer after checking & unchecking boxes, it goes back to defaults. Have to remember to change the printer first.

[mcb39]

Has anyone figured out why the "Print Page" button only works with certain forms? It will not work with Client Letter or Cover Sheet. Works with almost every other page. Add that to the rest of the thorns in my side.

[Maribeth]

I think that is probably because the client letter & cover sheet are coming out of the client communications manager and not the tax manager???? If you open up the letter in the client communications manager, I believe you can page print it. But maybe that is why.

[HV Ken]

Has anyone figured out why the "Print Page" button only works with certain forms? It will not work with Client Letter or Cover Sheet. Works with almost every other page. Add that to the rest of the thorns in my side.

Because they broke this in 12.10. It is supposed to be fixed in a subsequent update.