Birddog Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 Tax Works and Tax Act just did not like the lack of some of the forms, etc Tax Slayer too new to the Prof Market and I have been a Ginny pig enough this year with ATX. Tax Wise and Pro System both CCH products so would not even look at. Pro Series (PS) price was about the same with all forms, states and multi user. Locked in for 5 years price. The learning curve not bad and have not touched ATX since I have been with PS and I am moving faster and catching up. I was able to Batch Print all of my 7004s in minutes. Conversion only took 2 days (gave them to them on Sat about 12 and had back Monday morning) I had about 500 files. If you are interested please email me and I will email you the guy I worked with because I went in with other ATX users to work out a price and they all switched at that time but I told him there may be more and would he honor the price. So I think with the amount of people I started with we received a very good price, just a few hundred more than what I org paid for ATX. Locked in for 5 years and in 5 years I will worry about that at that time. Over all I am VERY pleased with Pro Series and look forward to it doing more than ATX can do. I was a loyal customer to ATX for over 15 years (all the way back to when they were Tax Byte) and I do not like changes especially this time of year. But the amount of time I had and knew I would waste staying out weighted the learning curve. PS has good customer support and most is on line with a great web site and community. I have no regrets moving only I did not do it sooner. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birddog Posted March 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 Some of my post is missing above: Ultratax and Lacerte too expensive for my size Drake still using dos and Mr. Drake has been there 31 years so is this a Glynn selling ATX to CCH thing in the near future? Most computer geeks I talked to said not to go with anything still using dos since they will have to make a change and when that change comes you may end up with an ATX mess. But they have great customer service if you decide to go that route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[email protected] Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 Proseries has sent me the program with one license to try for the remainder of the season, I was so surprised, because everyone had been reaching out and attempting to get my business. I will take a look, but unsure of what I am doing at this point. Not renewing in 2013 that is for sure 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandmabee Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 So you don't have to pay anything for the use even the efile? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[email protected] Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 Right..they have given me one license, so I am to use it as much as I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainetaxguy Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 I'm sure a lot of software vendors are going to offer a lot of special deals and incentives to any ATX customer to lure them away. However, be careful - they may offer you a great deal today, but they may jack up the price come renewal time. Unless you are having a completely terrible time using ATX, better to just get through tax season, and review other vendors with a more clear head. Drake and others are claiming they are getting a lot of ATX customers, but without any real numbers, it's hard to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLORIDA TAX MAN Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 First let me say I liked old ATX very much so leaving is upsetting but in order to stay, I need to know that ATX 2013 is going to work (not this piece of 2012 crap) and second I need to know what they intend to do about Microsoft dropping Windows XP. Its not to happen until 4/8/2014 but will ATX give up on XP sooner because Microsoft bows out one week before April 15, 2014. Not sure how I will find this out ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 Birddog, thanks for the info on Drake and Dos. I don't know programming but I assume that is a big thing coming. Also, the owner will eventually want to cash out. Mainetaxguy, I agree. There will be a lot of great sounding offers. I'm hoping to get several free programs after 4/15 and run my extensions on several going up to 10/15. If ATX looks like they have gotten thru this, I'll consider renewing. I don't want to jump into something that is going to run into these problems while ATX has gotten thru the worst. The big pricey programs are out for me because my practice is not that big and they are out of my budget. And the innovations are going to keep coming, XP out, W8 and all the rest. These programs are going to have to keep up with the tech changes as well as the tax changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack from Ohio Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 First let me say I liked old ATX very much so leaving is upsetting but in order to stay, I need to know that ATX 2013 is going to work (not this piece of 2012 crap) and second I need to know what they intend to do about Microsoft dropping Windows XP. Its not to happen until 4/8/2014 but will ATX give up on XP sooner because Microsoft bows out one week before April 15, 2014. Not sure how I will find this out ???XP was scheduled to be dropped by Microsoft 3 years ago. It is living on borrowed time and is a dinosaur. Move to WIN7 PRO 64 bit. Computer life will be much faster and more secure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLORIDA TAX MAN Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 XP was scheduled to be dropped by Microsoft 3 years ago. It is living on borrowed time and is a dinosaur. Move to WIN7 PRO 64 bit. Computer life will be much faster and more secure. How do you get Win 7 Pro 64 ? I'd have to buy a new computer (this Compaq thing is maxed at 1GB RAM) and everything in the store is now Win 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret CPA in OH Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 Have a computer custom built. I have done this for my last 5 computers and it is great. The builder puts only what he and I determine is the appropriate component set for my business - no games, no 'trial' software, nothing that is not my business. He also then knows exactly what to look for and address, usually remotely, when those odd things appear. Today, for example, my clerk's computer lost network connection with the main computer. He remoted in (is that a real term?) and discovered that somehow the box that says 'share' was not checked. He said he has seen this but on rare occasion with Win 7. Anyway, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it! YMMV 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[email protected] Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 I am having a completely horrible time with atx. It has been a nightmare..opening returns, Fixed assets, closing returns, efiling, etc. Everything takes me twice as long, missing assets etc. I have an open mind that ATX may see it through and fix it. But I am willing to try anything at this point. I have been hanging in there. We will see. I will let you all know what I think. I like the forms based programs, so I am weary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanmcq Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 Dell & HP have an option to get Win7 too, especially in their biz computers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxxcpa Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 The first time I tried Drake, it was basically a DOS program, but for the last few years it is a windows program. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 taxxcpa, thanks. There's so much commentary about these things. How can a non-techie know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Hudson Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 Any of the above mentioned programs form based or are they all like drake? Start from worksheet? I really have a hard time working from worksheet, prefer ATX in that I can go line by line on return. Tried Drake last summer for one return and was totally lost. Been working from forms since before computers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 Forms-based data entry is way overrated. It takes about a half-day to get accustomed to data entry screens if the user is committed to making a change. And data entry screens offer some advantages in several instances, especially with Schedule A - anybody do many of those? In Drake you can switch from the data entry screen to the live form by pressing Ctrl-V, then back to the data entry screen by pressing Ctrl-E. Now how hard is that to do? To me it closely resembles a bunny-hop. The best way to learn to use Drake is to put one of their tutorials on one screen and a return on the other. Then just let the tutorial take you through the process while you're making money. (I imagine any new software which offers decent on-line tutorials can be learned in this fashion). As a more general comment, lots of ATX users are going to need to have a more open mind about changing vendors, either by choice or by default. But if you try to work through any new software intuitively, you are automatically going to dislike any feature you have in your present software that isn't exactly the same in the new one. Just gonna have to get past that roadblock... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 Yes, JohnH, it's been a slog with ATX this year. I'm finding just hitting the tab is taking a few seconds to move to the next line or box. I like the toggle you mentioned. This sounds more than enough to make up for the forms entry. And ATX has added more input worksheets over the years so you're not always entering info directly on the form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanmcq Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 I hope they fixed whatever was wrong with the Sch. E last night. Any return with it in it slowed down a who,e lot. And moving in the form itself was the slowest I've ever seen it. I read posts here on my iPad while waiting for each field to enter. And my 'complete disposition' box wouldn't stay checked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[email protected] Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 Glad to report that my program is working much better today...finally a tech support person that knows what they are doing. Praying that this is it and I can get caught up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[email protected] Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 Sorry for the size of my last post...I am up and running great...we were online with tech last night and wow...Much Much better...praying it will last and I will catch up finally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack from Ohio Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 Sorry for the size of my last post...I am up and running great...we were online with tech last night and wow...Much Much better...praying it will last and I will catch up finally Please post for us what the tech did for you? Be very detailed and specific. You must have talked to the only experienced tech support person there. Are you networked? At the firm here, we are dying a slow death and anything you can share will be wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Idaho Rich Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 Agree with Joan, the Schedule E is so slow since they updated it on 3/18. I have 4 rental schedule to do when they fix it. Not going to try until they do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[email protected] Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Yes, I am networked. He had us upgrade the windows xp computers to net framework 4.1 upgrade and our server as well. My computer is Windows 7 so I am upgraded to net framework. 4.5 We then ran all current upgrades on every computer. While it is not perfect, I am no longer crashing and I can open returns a bit faster and close faster. I am able to move around program with ease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[email protected] Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Everything must be on the latest Net Framework you can get for your computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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