BobinNJ Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 Do you use the ATX organizers? I find them less than user friendly. Too many pages. I work on other systems at different times and find other organizers easier (Ultra tax) and their predacesser. What about store bought ones? Of course, the ATX ones print last years info for prior users. What do you do? Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLJEANNE Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 Hate 'em, but like you said, they have the prior year info. But it takes hours (and at least one visit to the chiropracter) each year to customize them to the point where they're usable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret CPA in OH Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I did not use the "improved" ATX organizer for the very reason you cite: too many pages. They used to have a mini-organizer which, in my opinion was fantastic. When they, in their infinite wisdom, decided to eliminate it, I bought another generic one. Virtually every client has remarked, whether or not they actually used the mini, that they missed it. I really, REALLY wish they would bring it back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jklcpa Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I used the mini for the few that requested them. A few people did a good job & filled out completely, others used as a guide to gather data & just clipped orig docs to the pgs. That's double my work 'cause then I have to look at both. I'd rather have just the original documents anyway. The 25+pg organizer is just too big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobinNJ Posted April 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I am asking your opinion about this, because I am convinced that getting the client to commit in writing alot of this information not on documents like W-2's and 1099-R's, etc. is becoming important, now that circular 230 is upon us, and I will include (if it's not found elsewhere in the ATX package) a statement to be signed by the taxpayer(s) to the effect that all info used in the return is true and correct. Especially when it comes to Sch C's and 2106's and Sch A's, etc. I don't remember the mini-organizer from the past, but to those of you who do, and liked them, I say we get something in the works to bring them back. Thanks, so far for your comments, and for others, keep them coming! Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I liked the mini-organizer we used to have in order to get information from the client that we could not get on other forms, for example: Their birthdates, the social security numbers of their children and etc. It seems that the ATX program has worked very good for me this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 Hate 'em, but like you said, they have the prior year info. But it takes hours (and at least one visit to the chiropracter) each year to customize them to the point where they're usable. I also liked the mini organizer. So like gljeanne I customized the organizer. And just like gljeanne it took hours and a visit to the chiropractor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 At first I hated them. But it seems more clients used them this year and brought in more specific info. Of course, many still ignore them. I think the mini left a lot out. The new one had too much for most clients but like someone said, it is very time consuming to customize them for everyone. I just printed the works out for everyone. Then I got sticker shock at the post office. I'm going to try to email as many as I can next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaJoe Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I created my own organizer in Excel many years ago. It's only 4 pages long and, printed front and back, only takes two sheets of paper. Those two sheets plue a cover letter go in an envelope and only requires one postage stamp. True, it doesn't have last year's amounts on it, but it provides the client a place to enter all their information. The cover letter asks for the original W-2's, 1099's, K-1's, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcb39 Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I also liked the mini organizer. So like gljeanne I customized the organizer. And just like gljeanne it took hours and a visit to the chiropractor. I really hate the new one and so do my clients. What a waste of time, paper, toner, etc. Everyone loved the MINI. In fact, a couple of days ago, I e-mailed ATX and told them that I would renew immediately if they assured me that the mini organizer would be back. Here is the reply that I got that says exactly "nothing".. Hi Marilyn, My name is Barb and I have been with ATX since 2003 and I do understand what you talking about with the mini organizers and I will mention that again. I miss then as well. However I have starting using the regular organizer and have got use to them and sometimes like then better but I still miss the mini ones. Please give me a call at 1-800-495-4626 Ext 2330 and we can go over the packages and I hope we can fit you into to one that best suits your needs. Thank you so much for using ATX and I look forward in hearing back from you. She won't be hearing back from me anytime soon.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaEA Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I use the organizers for every client. Even if THEY don't use them, they bring them in and I use them as I'm interviewing them to make sure I have everything. I didn't find the mini adequate for most clients - I like the detail on the long organizer better for Sch's A & C, in particular. But the long organizer is rediculous! Way too many pages! I customized mine by using parts of each in years past. This year, I spent hours photocopying many pages onto one for each organizer to try to get the number of pages down to something realistic. I wrote ATX a long suggestion box comment on this terrible organizer. I hope they'll do some work on it. It's more likely if they hear from a lot of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Mathey Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 When I first went out on my own I developed my own organizer using Excel. I always have to go back to the prior tax return so I can input the prior year's numbers. Several years ago I looked at the mini organizer but it was not adequate for the majority of my clients. Thanks to the posting of the message I went back into the 2006 program and selected 2007 organizer. I was pleasantly surprised to see all the prior year numbers. I will definitely be using the expanded organizer in the future. Thank you ATX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLJEANNE Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 Hmmm, I've been reading that we have one or more of the former ATX programers on the board with us - perhaps this could be a lucrative project for one of them??! Mini or long, I suspect a lot of us still spend many hours customizing it to make it useful. I would LOVE to find a more user-friendly way to do the organizer each year, without losing those prior-years figures (or having to input them all manually). I don't know a thing about programming, so maybe this isn't even possible. But it sure would be nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 Do you use the ATX organizers? I find them less than user friendly. Too many pages. I work on other systems at different times and find other organizers easier (Ultra tax) and their predacesser. What about store bought ones? Of course, the ATX ones print last years info for prior users. What do you do? Bob Hi Bob -- Years ago, I developed not an organizer, but a "document checklist", detailing the kinds of documents I need to get from each client. The top starts with basic info (including DOB, the $3 to campaign funds, stuff like that), then a section for income and one for deductions and credits. It runs to 3 pages (2 sheets of paper with duplex printing). I used to send out organizers -- and they either came back unopened, or briefly annotated quickly devolving into "see attached". Waste of paper, time, and postage for me. Be happy to send along my document checklist for all and sundry to take a look at and use whatever parts they see fit to scavenge. While it would be nice to see last year's info -- that's why I have a big monitor and have last year's return open while working on this year's. Works for me anyway, and saves postage and frustration. As it is, I commonly come across my document checklist in my unopened client letter in the packages.... and have to dig out the signature page from the engagment letter for them to sign! Catherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret CPA in OH Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 Catherine, that sounds like a wonderful document to share. Absent the mini, I would be very interested in looking it over. I think Eric asked just a few days ago about sharing some forms and spreadsheets through this group. Maybe this could be one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneInAlabama Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 The top starts with basic info (including DOB, the $3 to campaign funds stuff like that I never ask the client about the $3 campaign fund and always leave it blank. I started doing tax returns in 1979 and have never had a problem with that. During that time I have only had one client mention that he wanted to check the box for the campaign fund. I found that whenever I ask a client about it, I wind up spending 5 or 10 minutes trying to explain that to them. Just a small thing but thought I'd throw it in for whatever it may be worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 I never ask the client about the $3 campaign fund and always leave it blank. I started doing tax returns in 1979 and have never had a problem with that. During that time I have only had one client mention that he wanted to check the box for the campaign fund. I found that whenever I ask a client about it, I wind up spending 5 or 10 minutes trying to explain that to them. Just a small thing but thought I'd throw it in for whatever it may be worth. I think the checkoff contribution to the election campaing fund is a great idea which everyone should do to keep the elections on a more equal footing between the candidates. Having said that, I also never ask about it because it takes way too much time to explain it to each client. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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