ATX / CCH

[DevM]

Just got off the phone with Bandy at ATX/CCH. My old Client accounting program expired and they will not generate product ID to view Historical data.

The problem is CCH only bought ATX and not Client Accounting Program. Even though I converted most clients Payroll historical data is not coverted.

Never heard such a ridiculous Statment from a company the size of CCH.

Is it possible that once ATX Tax program is discuntinued we will not be able to get the data..?

Sorry !! Just frustrated..

[Mel in Hawaii]

The tax program is a bit different I believe. There are no pre-programmed 'timer' routines in it that makes it shut off after your subscription expires. I don't know much about the accounting program, but you need to keep the installation codes from the tax package so you could reinstall if necessary. There is no economic reason to 'expire' a tax program since you need to buy a new one every year for the updates anyways.

Still, I can't see why the accounting package won't allow you to go back and look at your old data. Bad design I guess.

[taxperson]

Just got off the phone with Bandy at ATX/CCH. My old Client accounting program expired and they will not generate product ID to view Historical data.

The problem is CCH only bought ATX and not Client Accounting Program. Even though I converted most clients Payroll historical data is not coverted.

Never heard such a ridiculous Statment from a company the size of CCH.

Is it possible that once ATX Tax program is discuntinued we will not be able to get the data..?

Sorry !! Just frustrated..

Are you talking about ATX Client Write-Up? I don't remember ATX selling anything called Client Accounting Program.

[RoyDaleOne]

ATX sold a write up package, I know I own it. This goes out of support 12-31-08, well that when my program support expires. I was told that this product is being dropped.

CCH sells a write up package, I know I own it.

[RJM]

DevM- I am in the same boat. I also tried the new ATX client write-up program, and did not like it at all, so converted payroll clients to another package.

To see the historical data in the old ATX Client Accounting Office, try changing your computer system date temporarily to before the CAO expiration date, then open the program. I had to do this a few years ago due to a program bug (which was later fixed), and am doing it now to continue working on the non-payroll write up accounts.

[DevM]

DevM- I am in the same boat. I also tried the new ATX client write-up program, and did not like it at all, so converted payroll clients to another package.

To see the historical data in the old ATX Client Accounting Office, try changing your computer system date temporarily to before the CAO expiration date, then open the program. I had to do this a few years ago due to a program bug (which was later fixed), and am doing it now to continue working on the non-payroll write up accounts.

RJM,

I'm on the lookout for a new write up / payroll package. which one do you use.? can you please tell us about pros and cons..?

[RJM]

DevM- Yeah, I never have liked Quickbooks, but so many of my clients use it I already know it quite well. So I bought the QB Accountants Premier edition. After working with it a few months, it has many entry features that are faster than ATX CAO, and a couple features that are slower. Overall, I can turn around monthly accounting faster than with CAO, and the cost is a bit lower than CAO. I was able to use the e-bridge in CAO to convert all the Customers and Vendors from CAO; it was very helpful and easy to do. There is no direct way to reliably convert CAO transaction history, however, so I need to keep the old CAO running for a couple years, by back-dating the system date. There are a couple tricks to efficient use of QB Accts version, so if you try it and want any help just re-post here and we can discuss in more detail.

One reason I decided on QB was that I can produce all the payroll returns, and e-file them if desired, also the 1099's. And this Acct's version has features that allow me to go into the general ledger and payroll calculations, and customize any unusual transactions. The main reason I have stayed away from QB in past was that it was a "black box" with the payroll module, designed for non-accountants in small businesses. It did lots of calculations in the background. The Acct's version gets rid of that "black box", so it is now more useable. Now I am glad I made the switch.

[lsowers]

I also tried the ATX writeup last year and was disappointed. Like RJM, so many clients use QB, I had to buy it anyway, so I went ahead and started using it for all of my write-up. I avoided doing so previously just because of the Intuit monster, but it makes financial sense for me to use it full-time now.

A couple of things I like about the Acct's edition: the fixed asset manager (IMO better than ATX), the financial statement designer (you can make the statements look much more professional than the canned reports in regular QB), the zoom feature on the reports (one thing I hated about ATX was fixing mistakes), you can import chart of accounts (this helps if you use the same numbering systems for all clients), the custom financials can be copied, too.

You can also purchase enhanced payroll for Acct's for $299 to do after-the-fact payroll. I am not crazy about the layout of the entry, but it is much faster than manually doing payroll in QB. I have e-filed a 941 in QB and it went well.

Where I used to work, they used EasyAcct by Intuit, it was a great write-up package except when it came to customizing financials, but the cost was too prohibitive for me (I believe over $1000).

I also tried the Drake write-up with the 2006 version and it had much left to be desired.

I am confident I made the right decision by converting all to QuickBooks.

I hope this helps with your decision.

[DevM]

Thank you both for the information.

Yes I am able to get historical data from CAO by changing the system date.

I also evaluated QB last year but QB Payroll does not have MICR check printing. I believe you can only use pre printed checks.

[lsowers]

You bring up a good point DevM. I haven't had any clients request check printing at this point. I have QB 2008 and checked and you're right about the MICR check printing. I submitted a request to QB to allow at least the Accountant's Edition the ability to print checks on blank check stock. I believe it is a great advantage to not have to maintain a client's check stock in the office.

Maybe if others reading this can submit a request, also. QB can update to include that feature. I will let you know if I get a response from them regarding the request.

[SunTaxMan]

You said....

"Is it possible that once ATX Tax program is discuntinued we will not be able to get the data..?"

I cannot imagine this would/could be a problem with "ATX Tax Program," since the "data" is in the "Database" folder ON our computer, IN the tax program. As long as the tax program opens, the database folder should be accessible.

One possible "ounce of prevention" could be to create a .pdf copy of every return, every year, something I have been doing anyway. I store a .pdf copy of client's return in client's folder (outside the ATX program) and also put a copy on a CD for the client. And just to be completely accurate, I usually create three .pdf files. "Filing" "Client," and "Preparer" copies, and the Preparer copy is EVERY form, worksheet, EVERY item listed in the print manager - just to make sure I have a copy of every component of the return, whether it was used (contained data) or not.

One other possibility is to make a copy of the "Database" folder and store it outside the ATX program. This would still require that the TAX program open in order to open the returns in that Database folder - at least to open them AS a tax return and work on them, rather than just open to "read." One "complication" in this is that the files in the Database folder are "named" with numbers, not the client names. It seems that I remember some method to convert this "name" to the client name, but I don't remember how.

By the way, you access the "Database" folder via "My Computer," "Drive," "Program files," ATX year involved, and "Database."

[joelgilb]

RJM,

I'm on the lookout for a new write up / payroll package. which one do you use.? can you please tell us about pros and cons..?

I used to use the TASSC EZ-ACCT program until Intuit took it over. Last usable version I had was a DOS version, as the Windows version I had never worked right until Intuit took them over and helped fix it. Great program and very fast, even in the bad Windows version I had.

Then when I tried to upgrade they told me I was not a customer and would have to pay full price, rather than the upgrade price which was 1000+ less. No Matter what I did or showed them I could not get them to see I was a previous user.

Got so frustrated I kept using my old DOS version and refused to renew (the proverbial "Biting your nose off to spite your face"). I also (this is the part where I am emmbarrASSED) purchased the QuickBooks Accountants Edition, with the hopes of using it for a cheaper write up package (don't do much write-up here), but it is cumbersome, slow to input, many features are crippled unless you purchase additional modules (specifically payroll). To create financial statements, you must exit (from within QB) to there external Financial Statement module, which is slow, awkward, difficult to work with and I believe Excel based. Not a good option for write-up.

Want to take a look at the ATX Client write-up package, but if it is not up to speed, I may have to reconsider EZ-ACCT. I believe that EZ-ACCT is still a good write-up package, even if it is sold by the accountant's competition and IMHO, enemy.

[PapaJoe]

I have been using EasyACCT since before Intuit took it over. Since it's designed expressly for client writeup it allows fast "heads down" data entry from client check stubs, etc. It tracks payments to subcontractors for 1099 printing. It has live as well as after the fact payroll (and it prints to blank check stock). It also prints accounts payable checks on blank stock. I use it for (obviously) client writeup for about 30 clients. I also do live payrolls for six or eight clients and print accounts payable checks for another client. I was afraid it would go away after Intuit bought it (like we're afraid ATX will go away now that CCH has bought it), but Intuit has only improved it. My small firm would have a hard time doing without EasyACCT. --And no, I am not an Intuit employee. Just a solo practitioner CPA with a lot of writeup and tax work to do.

[Lynn EA USTCP in Louisiana]

I've been using Client Accounting by Howell Software for 10+ years. They are VERY affordable, and very user friendly. The program has only improved over the years. They offer several different programs (client accounting, live payroll, fixed asset manager, bank reconciliation) but I only use the Client Accounting to do the after-the-fact writeup and payroll. Don Roberts in Florida is the owner. I have only good things to say about them. Here's their email and website:

email - [email protected]

website - www.howellsoftware.com

telephone number - (407) 323-1983

Fax - (407) 323-3892

Give my name as a reference.

Lynn Jacobs, EA

Kenner, LA

[lsowers]

I also evaluated QB last year but QB Payroll does not have MICR check printing. I believe you can only use pre printed checks.

Just an update to this. I just saw on the Sams Club website where they sell software (Versacheck) and blank check stock that works with QuickBooks for $30-$35. This will allow a QB user to use blank check stock instead of pre-printed checks. May be a viable work around if someone wants to use QB and hesitates because of the check printing restriction.