Form 1040 issues

[aforrest]

Greetings ATXers -

I'm a newbie to the forum so please bear with me.

Just started my own firm (I'm a lawyer but have been preparing taxes using ATX for about 4 years with my old firm) and just installed the software about 2 weeks ago.

At first I had no issues. Started working on a demo return. After letting the program sit for a few days, I restarted it, logged in and tried opening the demo return. Program would crash at startup (using Win 7). I deleted the demo return and reinstalled the program. It would crash again whenever I tried to open/start a new return. Review the support/knowledge base forums and learned it may be bug with client letters. So I made sure I turned them off in the preferences and the software is now "stable" again (at least so far).

So I started a new demo return only to discover that my Form 1040 only shows the informational sheet. Form update says 1040 is installed and current. Even try to "replace" the info sheet by choosing to "Add Form" and selecting 1040. I confirm that I want to replace it and the software does its work. But then it still shows the only the info sheet.

Are others experiencing this too?

I did my best searching various forums/sites for more info but to no avail. I know that ATX is working hard to get forms and everything updated in light of the recent work of Congress and that another update is set for release tomorrow. But again, I'm not sure if my issue is "normal" or isolated.

Thanks in advance for any info!

AF

Edit: just tried "Add Form" to the 1040 EZ; selected to confirm the replacement and the program crashed. I will wait for the next update to see if its fixed and will call customer support if not.

[grmy2h]

I haven't seen that problem listed here or on the ATX board before. I am assuming you have updated your forms.??.. Other than that I don't know. My 1040 shows as it should, all pages.

[rfassett]

At the risk of asking the obvious, and I apologize in front for sounding simplistic, but have you run all of the updates? I have been reading about most of the issues folks are having, but yours is new to me.

[North Idaho Rich]

Check out the EIC thread. In it we discuss how to remove all forms including bad and missing forms and reinstall them using the program update.

[aforrest]

Thanks for the replies.

@North Idaho Rich - I just read that thread. But I don't seem to have an "Assets" folder.

@grmy2h & rfassett- I've clicked on the update button in the program. It seems says (paraphrasing) program is up to date and forms are up to date. The form update report is also blank.

AF

[aforrest]

@North Idaho Rich -

Hold on....my bad.

I was looking at "program files" not "program data"....trying your suggestion now

[aforrest]

Well that fix seemed to work! Thanks Rich!!

I also noticed now that the update numbers match. Previously, it would say update completed yet only show something like 87% completed on the status bar. Also things like updated 51 of 44 forms.

If others have a similar issue, here is the fix that Rich suggested:

Thanks again!

AF

[joanmcq]

Glad you got it working, and welcome to the board!

[aforrest]

Thanks, Joan!

[TaxMan60601]

AF, you came like a fresh morning breeze for me!

Damn these letters ... after you Client Letters hint, checked my Preferences/Client Communication menu again and it seems somehow ( I don't know how and don't remember when, if me ...) all check boxes there were ticked for me! Turn them off so today is the first day in last week or so for me seeing rolled-over or newly created return opened! In a second, w/t any issues or problems, and I was able to add forms, incl sch EIC, 8867, 8863, etc. ...

And EZ form as well.

Now I feel calm again I can open the forms.

A Big Thanks to everyone!

Also, it might be of help for the others.

Program Files in not Program Data. For relevant users this may be:

Windows XP: C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data

Windows Vista: C:ProgramData

Windows 7: C:ProgramData

[TaxMan60601]

oh, and I almost forgot - manually adding a Client Letter AFTER rolling-over or creating new return is a piece of joke!

so at this stage just avoid having them attached to the return by default - I think this may help, solve some problems ...

Lol, Can't wait for the next update now!

[frannie]

I have tried going to C:program dataCCHSmall Firm Services Atx2012Assets. I don't have "program data" in the list. Maybe I am not doing it right. I am running Win XP Pro. I went to "run" and then typed in "C:program dataCCHSmall Firm Services Atx2012Assets" and it said that "program data" wasn't there. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks for the help.

[TaxMan60601]

frannie, go to C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data and then look for CCHSmall Firm Services Atx2012Assets

but not straight to C:program dataCCHSmall Firm Services Atx2012Assets.

hope you already checked for your hidden folders settings ...

guys, also check your CLs preferences

[frannie]

Thank you so much TaxMan! It is now downloading 1088 forms so I am hoping this works. I use satellite for my internet and it is very foggy and icy so I will probably have to try downloading several times. Luckily I wasn't able to go to my "real job" because the roads up here in rural Michigan are too icy.

I am glad you are an early riser!

Frannie

[aforrest]

Glad to (inadvertently) help, Taxman!!

I did add client letters to an open return. Seemed to work fine so far. But a tedious process.

[frannie]

Oops, I guess I spoke too soon. Since making the suggested change I cannot open a return. I've tried rolling over the return again, duplicating then deleting the original return and trying to make a new return. When I do this I get the dreaded error message. I haven't rebooted my computer so I will try that next.

[frannie]

After installing the 12.5 version I could not open any returns. So I went back to the "old" version and will wait until tomorrow at 3:30am and download 12.5. Good luck out there.

[FedupCPA]

Good luck downloading 12.5! I did that today, rebooted, while the program updates successfully if I try to open a newly rolled over return, then the program stops working and Windows shuts it down. I am beyond furious at this point.