ATX Customer Advisory Board

[ljwalters]

H V Ken

The one time saver I would most like in proved is the print menu.

It would be really great, save paper and time if we could the pages we most often print on the Preferences menu.

Linda

[Catherine]

H V Ken

The one time saver I would most like in proved is the print menu.

It would be really great, save paper and time if we could the pages we most often print on the Preferences menu.

Linda

I agree! The Print Manager is the most time-consuming, aggravating bit of crap programming in an otherwise fabulous program. I lose MORE time checking and unchecking those stupid little boxes -- I want the same thing, time and again, but cannot make my own default print set. I've seriously considered switching to Drake -just- to get my own default print set.

Catherine

[JohnH]

Every time I complain about anything concerning printing, I keep getting told to e-fling the return and give the client a CD with the return printed on it. That's supposed to make all printing problems evaporate for eternity. :)

[Gail in Virginia]

I do e-file the return, but most of my clients would look at a CD and ask me if they could listen to that in the car. We still print paper copies internally as well, although we are hoping to eventually get away from that. It would be nice to have a print manager that is easier to use.

[Catherine]

Even if I'm "just" going to print to pdf, I want the forms I want, and not the default set. The forms I want include items ATX does NOT include in the default, and leaves out others ATX DOES include. So for every return, I am checking and unchecking stupid little boxes and it drives me nuts - especially when they all re-arrange themselves, as they are wont to do.

I print _only_ to pdf for my records, but my clients want paper copies. Nor am I going to go over a return with them on my monitor; while I love most of my clients I wouldn't want them sitting on my lap at the computer!

[mcb39]

Actually, as each return is different, I really don't mind choosing the forms and worksheets or reports that I want to print. It has become second nature to check the "usual" ones for the uncomplicated returns. I never use the default, I always use the custom.

I guess I am not complaining, because I can still remember the days of running all over town to find some odd form or other. My particular favorite memory is the 2106. Things have gotten so easy for us that we tend to forget at what price. Every time we ask for and get something new, the price goes up. I am about priced out in my one person office. Even though I prepare many returns, it takes a while before I reach profit mode. Just my take on being careful what you ask for.

[Margaret CPA in OH]

I am more in Marilyn's camp. Perhaps that comes with a small, one person office. I now print very few on paper so appreciate the selection. And I never use anything but the Custom. Every client gets the full set of client copy as a pdf and my client file is the full preparer copy plus the back-up, of course.

With each client paper copy, though, I am selective and perfer the custom feature so may not utilize a 'standard' set of printed forms.

[HV Ken]

I agree! The Print Manager is the most time-consuming, aggravating bit of crap programming in an otherwise fabulous program. I lose MORE time checking and unchecking those stupid little boxes -- I want the same thing, time and again, but cannot make my own default print set.

We had our first meeting, and they appear to be aware of the Print Manager concerns. I know this is one of the issues I will be constantly reminding them about!

[Catherine]

We had our first meeting, and they appear to be aware of the Print Manager concerns. I know this is one of the issues I will be constantly reminding them about!

Yay!! And thank you!

[Gail in Virginia]

I would be curious to know how that first meeting went, and what kind of things were discussed, if you are allowed to say.

[HV Ken]

I would be curious to know how that first meeting went, and what kind of things were discussed, if you are allowed to say.

I hope I stay within bounds! Certainly there are areas where I am not at liberty to comment.

It was an introductory meeting. The President of Small Firm Services welcomed us, the Director of Project Management explained the group's goals, and the group is being facilitated by the Product Manager. All the volunteer participants (like me) introduced themselves and gave a brief description of their perspective.

The role of the advisory board was explained as assisting SFS to better understand the needs of customers through:

• Increasing understanding of their need for new products or solutions

• Evaluating enhancements to existing offerings

• Contributing to development (e.g. through possible beta participation)

• Identifying workflow gaps SFS can help solve in their businesses

SFS had conducted and end of year survey and went over the results with us and asked us for our feedback on the issues identified in that survey.

From my perspective, they are quite interested in customer retention. This is certainly helping me to feel better about the future of ATX. I hope my sharing here can pass that feeling on to others, especially the skeptics!

[Catherine]

I hope I stay within bounds! Certainly there are areas where I am not at liberty to comment.

<snip>

From my perspective, they are quite interested in customer retention. This is certainly helping me to feel better about the future of ATX. I hope my sharing here can pass that feeling on to others, especially the skeptics!

Thank you for the information! From the outside, at least, it looks like you could not possibly have stepped on sensitive toes with what you posted, as there was nothing that we could not have guessed on our own. The most promising bit was the interest in customer relations. Now, if they can translate that from interest in sales to interest in actual _service_, that will be even better! Keep reminding them that the first sale is easy -- but they lose _all_ future sales to that person/firm with poor _service_. All they gain is ill-will that is widely shared with others.

Catherine

[michaelmars]

WELL after more years than i can admit too, we are changing software from profx to lacerte [50%cheaper] for my main practice and i can get a piggyback for my own clients for not much more than atx so i am most likely going to change. Having just one software program in the office makes a lot of sense in staff training /collating etc.

If the printing of atx were more automated i wouldn't even consider the change but i am so tired of having to click/unclick every form to get the printout that i want when everyother program has this automated. And lacerte is efiling NYC returns for 2010. From what i heard, atx doesn't even have it on their radar for the near future.

[Mike Block]

I am surprised there are so few people interested in this opportunity to have their voice for enhancements potentially heard....

Hi there: I too am on the ATX Advisory Council, due to mentioning prior ProSeries and QuickBooks Council experience when signing up for ATX this year. My computer tax and accounting program use began in 1963 and 1968. Heavy Quicken use, and near full time QuickBooks use, began when they became available.

I am here now due to Ken. ATX wants an Advisory Council to increase user satisfaction (and revenue). I spent lots of time thinking about how to do this for Intuit (http://www.blocktax.com/Intuit_change.htm). My answer was to combine a forum like this (where we argue about what we want), with a poll (where we can see how many want each item). This often shows that what is very important to some is of no importance to many others. The poll should cover all topics, organized in related areas. It also can link to applicable message board sections.

The former Intuit CEO had the current CEO contact me, before the new hire reported to work. Intuit then created bad versions of my sites for QuickBooks and TurboTax. One thing sadly missing, which Intuit's founder initially wanted, was a way to contact contributors of ideas that took years to implement.

I will now gladly help the ATX Community add poll software, if others wish. Meanwhile, please keep a note sheet or Word file handy for suggestions, as you work. Many here, like Ken, know far more than I about what we need to make ATX better.

[Catherine]

Welcome, Mike!!

Catherine

[Margaret CPA in OH]

My issues are pretty much the same as those mentioned but here is one I forgot about until now. Why is the screen to enter K-1 information so dominated by the input at the top (name, address, etc.) leaving just a couple of lines to scroll through the line numbers? I would much rather scroll through the upper part and have the line or window fixed just under the name of the partnership or entity. I know that I can change to side tabs but really dislike that look and feel. I also am aware that part of the problem with limited real estate for K-1 entry is because of so many form tabs at the top. But my clients with lots of K-1 entries have lots of forms in their returns.

[Catherine]

Here's another one.

I had (still have) an issue where a state e-file won't create for a taxpayer with a foreign address. Went through the (generally useless) knowledgebase and carefully followed the instructions I eventually found. Still no state e-file (federal _would_ create just fine).

So I emailed support and very carefully detailed what I had done and the error messages I still got; the next day got a reply telling me to follow the knowledgebase instructions that I had already told them I had followed step by step! So obviously the support person did not read my email in anything more than the most cursory fashion.

Called them at that point; spoke with someone who requested that I a) send the return and reply to the email they'd sent stating that I'd sent the return, so they could watch for it. Promised they'd get back to me next day on it. I sent the return AND the reply, as requested, immediately (all this was within ten minutes of my receipt of the annoying email), and told support that I had already sent the return while we were still speaking. And yes, it was coded with the incident number, too.

SIX days later, still nothing. So I called again. No one had looked at the return. No one had noticed my reply. No one had done anything I'd been promised. As it turns out, this issue had to be bumped up to the developers. And I am still waiting to find out how they're going to fix this problem. My client is still waiting. This return has been DONE (complete, reviewed, ready to e-file) since July 6th and I am stuck in the water in large part because of their inattention. This is July; it's not like 4/12 and they are being swamped with calls. I am _seriously_ ticked off.

I'd call them again right now but whoever answers the phone does not deserve to be on the receiving end; writing this all up has riled me up again. I'll wait until I've calmed down.

But a consistent complaint on this board (somewhat better over the last couple of years) has been the non-responsiveness of ATX support to emailed requests. If they wake up, they would see that email requests can be better for them than phone calls for many support issues. BUT -- they have to READ the emails sent, and they have to RESPOND in non-geologic time!!!

Catherine

[Gail in Virginia]

But a consistent complaint on this board (somewhat better over the last couple of years) has been the non-responsiveness of ATX support to emailed requests. If they wake up, they would see that email requests can be better for them than phone calls for many support issues. BUT -- they have to READ the emails sent, and they have to RESPOND in non-geologic time!!!

Catherine

I have also used e-mail support with sometimes less than satisfactory results. I like to email problems because I feel like it is a more efficient use of my time - I do the email when I have the problem, and move on to something else while waiting for an answer instead of being on hold and keeping the problem in front of me to be ready when they answer. I would think that it would be more efficient for ATX as well, but perhaps I am mistaken.

However, there does seem to be a problem with information stated in the email being overlooked, and with turn around time for any followup question. And since the information overlooked is most likely going to lead to a followup question, this situation only gets worse and encourages us to telephone so that we can get our followup/clarification all done at the same time.

I have wondered if email support is outsourced. They tried that with phone support, and it was so unpopular that it was discontinued. Email support could be outsourced and we would probably never know. :dunno:

[mcb39]

I have been waiting many months for a reply to either of two emails that I sent regarding the same subject. Have long since given up on receiving an answer. When I called, they could "see" that I had emailed twice, but could not give me an answer as it was not her department. I understand the frustration that both of you are experiencing as it appears that nobody READS these emails. It would be better if the option were not even offered. I am moving on to other things. Catherine, if I were you, I would paper file that return and call it good.

[Catherine]

<snip> Catherine, if I were you, I would paper file that return and call it good.

The paper return problem is that the client is in Peru, and mail sent from there gets here only about 25% of the time.

Catherine

[GeneInAlabama]

>>Email support could be outsourced and we would probably never know<<

Unless they wrote with an accent!

[Eric]

Would the forum benefit from a new "ATX Customer Advisory Board" section to keep these product enhancement related threads and polls organized?

It could be a temporary addition, if that is the need.

If anyone is interested in this, please send me a private message, along with any ideas you may have.