Anybody convert UltraTax to ATX?

[Richcpaman]

I am buying a tax practice, and it currently uses UltraTax. Has anyone been thru the conversion process from UT to ATX? Did it work?

Rich

[SaraEA]

Why would you want to convert from UltraTax? It's a potent program. I have over 10 years of experience with it and never had anything but tiny issues with one esoteric form or another. Tech support is quick if you do need it. My only complaint is with the tax projections for the states--it doesn't always recalculate credits or recognize changes in income (they must want you to buy their specialized projection software) but it's spot-on for the federal. I'm also not impressed with how it tries too hard to "help" by remembering far too many zip codes and addresses. But I've used ATX in second jobs and UT runs circles around it.

Before you switch, look carefully at the clients you're buying. If there are lots of entities, kiddie tax, carryovers that differ by state, multi-states, and anything else complex I'd stick with UT until you learn what it can do. It is not an intuitive program, however, so expect a long learning curve. But watch it seamlessly move data from the parents' to the child's return, from the entity K-1 to the individual 1040, from a deceased client's 1040 to the 1041 (even populating the beneficiary info if they are clients), and you will feel shock and awe. You will certainly pay for all it can do, but it will save you so much time you'll be able to work smarter and faster.

[Richcpaman]

Sara:

Thank you for that. I have not used UT, but have used ATX for over 10 years, and used Lacerte before that.

I will have 60 clients (new) in UT with one employee trained in UT, and myself and 4-5 other employee's trained in ATX and over 450 clients. So we are moving the new clients and employee to ATX. And the new client mix is easier returns in general.

Rich

[JohnH]

If they are easier returns as you say, then you could have someone input all 60 clients manually in about 3 hrs (including time for a second person to double-check the data).

[kcjenkins]

While there is a conversion option, I'd consider one thing, since the number is small. If you have the new employee manually enter the new clients into the 2013 program, they will get a great training in ATX, you will be on top of any problems encountered during that process, and then the new clients can be rolled over with no 'conversion problems' into the 2014 program.

[Gail in Virginia]

I have never had a conversion program that converted EVERYTHING. Usually it does a great job on taxpayer information, which is helpful, but so far I have not had a program that actually carried forward installment sales, capital loss carryovers and NOLs in a manner that doesn't require a good bit of manual entry. Estimated payments and balances due/refunds from state returns are also problematic. Having the new to ATX person input everything on last year's return does three things: trains the person on ATX, eliminates any problems with conversion, and double checks that those returns were done correctly on UT, and would have been handled correctly on ATX. Of course, if three were more clients or more complicated returns, it might not be worth the time involved.

[SaraEA]

JohnH, you jest. Someone is going to input 60 returns in 3 hours? That's 20 per hour, or 3 minutes each. I'm fast on the keyboard, but in 3 minutes I don't think I'd get past their name, address, phone numbers, SS#, birth date (not to mention same for dependents). And this is supposed to include time for someone to check the data entry? Give that person 1 hour, so the original data entry person gets to input 60 returns in 2 hours, or 30 per minute, or 2 minutes each. Did you mean 3 days? Even that's stretching it unless these are really simple returns. I want that data entry person to work with me! During tax season I'll be able to leave at 5PM, or 4, or maybe take every afternoon off.

[JohnH]

Last year I was surprised at how quickly I was able to input basic data on my clients. I switched from ATX to Drake in late January, and I didn't bother with conversion - just entered them on the fly. Using dual monitors, I never touched a piece of paper for the most part.

Even though Drake runs circles around ATX in all other areas with respect to speed, I suspect this basic task would take about the same amount of time in either direction. Just for grins, I may time myself next week on a couple of typical returns.

Now I'll jest - if someone were so slow that it took them 3 days to accomplish this task, I'd want to know that in the off season so I could fire them before I got really busy during Jan-Apr.

[JohnH]

OK, so I timed myself. Joint return with 3 dependents took an average of 1 min 27 seconds. Double that to 3 minutes per return, and it's a snap to enter 60 clients in 3 hours. So my estimate of 3 hours to enter AND cross-check was ambitious. So I'll double the total time to 6 hours on task. Allow for breaks, lunch, and a little time to gossip, and it's still a one-day task at most (if we double all the times). Another factor is that I did these entries by looking at paper and typing the info by hand. Using dual monitors, it's possible to "copy" and "paste" the names & addresses using the mouse right-click, which would speed things up.

The only thing I'm not sure about is the fact that Drake allows me to tell it to skip directly to zip code after entering the street address. (Entering the zip code will autofill the city & state). I'm not sure if ATX does that. Aside from that, and the fact that Drake saves and moves from screen-to-screen instantaneously, I still think the task can be accomplished in ATX in a very short period of time - less than a day in the right hands. And by the "right hands", I'm talking about a good typist, not necessarily a tax preparer.

[Richcpaman]

Actually, if the new employee doesn't stick around, then yes, I will have to convert. But I was going to have her reinput the returns into ATX as a training process.

Trying to cover all the bases.

Rich

[SaraEA]

When you asked about the "conversion process," I thought you meant all the taxpayer data not just identifying info. Usually when one converts they bring over W2 info, payor lists on Sch B, line items on Sch A, asset lists and depreciation, carryovers, etc. etc. How about government pensions that aren't fully taxable because the taxpayer has basis. You really need that critical info like value when begun, expected number of payments, how much basis has been used so far, all those details. How about prior AMT for possible credits, or energy credits already taken (if that ever gets reinstated), prior year education credits. If all you're going to do is enter personal info, you're going to spend a lot of valuable time during busy tax season hunting for and inputting necessary historical data--or worse, overlook it.

I wouldn't bother entering just names, birth dates, etc., because not all of those clients will come back. If they do, as you said it just takes a couple of minutes to enter.

[Richcpaman]

Sara:

That is why I will have the new employee (too me) reinput the 2013 returns into ATX, so that the carryovers are dealt with in some way or form.

Rich

[Lion EA]

If you/employee in ATX get the same 2013 results as the former preparer in UT, then you have a level of comfort before next tax season. If you get different results on a return or more, you know you need to delve into those more, maybe call the taxpayers in for a pre-season interview with their tax folder. Or, do you have the original documents and client notes scanned, electronically available in what you received from the prior preparer, and his notes too?

[joanmcq]

John, the data entry person is learning the program too, so you've got to account for learning curve.

I demoed UT & loved it but couldn't justify the price.