Desktop and laptop

[barosser]

I have to travel quite a bit for work. How do you transfer from your desk to your laptop to work on the road? I have been exporting the file then import back but I wind up with duplicates especially after extensions have been filed.

Thanks for any ideas

[Jack from Ohio]

When you import the return back, you must tell the program to replace the one that is there.

[mcb39]

When you import the return back, you must tell the program to replace the one that is there.

And the really nice thing is that the program allows you to do that.

[barosser]

Sometimes it asks me but many times it does not. Is there a place to make sure that is does not duplicate the returns?

[MAMalody]

It sounds like you do this often. If that is the case, with the power, convenience and versatility of the laptop, you may want to consider working off the laptop and use the desktop as a backup system.

[Jack from Ohio]

barosser,

Check your messages.

[jshtax]

I have to travel quite a bit for work. How do you transfer from your desk to your laptop to work on the road? I have been exporting the file then import back but I wind up with duplicates especially after extensions have been filed.

Thanks for any ideas

If you have internet access at all times couldnt you remote into your computer at the office?

[ADGFINANCIAL]

I agree with Mamalody. I did away with the desktop and went with a laptop for my main computer. Use the Win 7 desktop for the ATX 2012 returns and the laptop for ProSeries. Laptop is also a Win 7 but an SSD drive. I won't take it on the road for security reasons but this machine is better and gives me more options if I need to take it out of the office.

August

[Guest Taxed]

If you need to take your laptop containing taxpayer data out of your office you should have a strong encryption program. I use Truecrypt. It is free!

[barosser]

Thanks for all the comments. I hate to use my laptop all the time not as quick as desktop. I could remote in but don't always have dependable wi-fi. Had not really been much of a problem till last year, for some reason my program did not ask to replace the current file most of the time so I wound up with several copies at times.

Just trying to think ahead for this coming year.

Brett

[Guest Taxed]

>>> I could remote in but don't always have dependable wi-fi.

Just as a caution. If you use someone else's Wifi connection while preparing a return you cold be exposed if their router is not configured correctly.

I do home visits for some of my elderly clients and have noticed their Wifi to be open because they forget their passwords. It is like walking into McDonalds and logging in!

[Pacun]

One thing to consider about laptops is their legs. They walk away easily. How will you feel if your laptop was your main computer and got stolen on Feb 15th, March 15th or April 15th.

Have you thought about a fire in your office on those dates?

How backed up is your hard drive on a remote location? Just some thoughts.

[Pacun]

Just as a caution. If you use someone else's Wifi connection while preparing a return you cold be exposed if their router is not configured correctly.

Have you thought the other way around? I mean "you could expose your clients' data if you use someone else's router if that router is configured properly"

I am going to sleep now. I am very negative today and that's not help, is it????

[michaelmars]

none of our staff have desktops, too many errors in transferring data back and forth everyday. too often we find the current qb file on a laptop not the server, or used to find them on a staffs C drive, Or QB [or other programs] was updated on one machine but not the others.

A really great asset is that when staff is in the field they have access to all their work, never have to worry that an old file or spreadsheet etc is on the machine back at the office.

When a program gets updated ie creative solutions or QB we have everyone update on the same day or keep track of who is out of the office and have them update the next day in.

We have docking stations so we don't have to plug everything into the laptop on the office. Everyone has 2 or 3 monitors, printers, scanners, full size keyboard and mouse, label makers [stereo speakers] etc plugged into the docking station.

We have, besides our internal and cloud backup software running we also have Mosy on all laptops.

[ILLMAS]

One thing to consider about laptops is their legs. They walk away easily. How will you feel if your laptop was your main computer and got stolen on Feb 15th, March 15th or April 15th.

Have you thought about a fire in your office on those dates?

How backed up is your hard drive on a remote location? Just some thoughts.

I hate when that happens

[Guest Taxed]

Intel has a new anti theft technology where they can disable the intel chip in the computer of a stolen device that will render it useless even if you replace the drive and do a fresh install. I believe they offer it on high end laptops. There is a subscription to use it.

[Pacun]

You can also buy a security where the computer will contact the manufacturer's servers and provide location of your computer. We had to disable that service on some computers because there was a lot of pings and pongs going on on the network and we didn't want that traffic. The only way to prevent that was buying a new motherboard and possibly hard drive.

[Guest Taxed]

You will be surprised how many parked cars I see with a laptop or ipad in the backseat in open view??

[Pacun]

I wonder what items are lost or misplaced more often: Umbrellas or Laptops.

[easytax]

There is a neat program (prey.com) to track your computer (also other devices) if missing, etc.

Three users (computers) free, more you need to subscribe.

[mcb39]

My tablet is password protected, but also has a program on it called "Where's My Droid?" If I keep the info I need in my safe, it will track my hardware. However, the best protection is myself. I never leave electronics in my car or lying around for anyone to see. That is not to say that theft can't happen, but it's like I was taught from a little girl on, "Don't ever take your hand off of your purse when you are out of your house." and pretty generally, I never do.

[kcjenkins]

I wonder what items are lost or misplaced more often: Umbrellas or Laptops.

Lost or misplaced, Umbrellas

Stolen, Laptops and iPads.

[JJStephens]

I use cubby (www.cubby.com) to keep data on my laptop and desktop synced. Every time a file in one of my designated folders changes, it automatically syncs it with both of my laptops. It works a lot like skydrive and dropbox and several others but has the advantage of being able to sync any folders I so designate, not just the default folders set up by the software.

I have not tried it with ATX files . . . but I wonder if it would work. I'll check it out and let you know.

[Guest Taxed]

I don't like to use the cloud to store my files and then sync my laptop and desktop files. I use a little gizmo called Wormhole switch (USB device) to do that. I do it once a day after I am done working on my desktop.

[kcjenkins]

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7695956&SRCCODE=LINKSHARE&cm_mmc_o=-ddCjC1bELltzywCjC-d2CjCdwwp&utm_source=Linkshare&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=TnL5HPStwNw&AffiliateID=TnL5HPStwNw-btIna7ipq56L13ZBBvGgcQ

J5 Create JUC 100 Wormhole Switch - Easy Share Clipboard, KM Functionality, Plug and Play, Drag and Drop File Sharing(JUC100) Item#: J515-5012 | Model#: JUC100

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there is even one that lets you sync between Mac and MS systems

It's unusual to see such overwhelmingly positive "I LOVE this thing" reviews.