Using 2013 ATX for 2014 Organizer

[David]

I switched to a new tax software for 2014. Since I unchecked the automatic updates box in ATX 2013 I'm wondering if I may have problems using the 2013 program to prepare 2014 tax organizers.

 

It appears that I won't be able to prepare the organizers in my new software because the 2013 numbers from the ATX data conversion won't appear in the 2014 organizer prior year numbers.

 

Are updates still being applied in the 2013 ATX program for the 2014 organizer? Or am I safe preparing organizers in the 2013 ATX program?

 

Thanks.

[Margaret CPA in OH]

I don't know if there are additional updates recently. I printed out my organizers in early December and mailed them last week. The 'simple' organizer (don't know why they don't have distinctive names) is vs 5 on my program and the multipage (8+ mailing slip and Custom) organizer is vs. 7. If others have later versions, you and I are in the same boat with outdated organizers. I will live with it, though, as I use them primarily to prompt folks to recall what they need to provide and what last years' figures were without having to dig out the returns.

[Jack from Ohio]

You must do the latest program update for 2013 in order for the organizer to be completely functional.

 

Turning off automatic updates is a HUGE mistake on the prior year programs.  I cannot imagine what reason you have for doing that?

 

If you intend to e-file any 2013 or 2012 tax returns, you must also do the program updates for both years as well.

[jklcpa]

David left ATX for another vendor so he will no longer have the ability to efile through the ATX server using those prior year programs.

[David W Ristau CPA]

As of today, I know of no further updates to the 2014 organizer being sent to current subscribers by CCH/ATX.

 

Up to now, I've been in dialogue with one of their troubleshooters over the mailing slip remaining in the organizer packet despite unchecking all known boxes to remove it, however, I've not heard from him since last Friday.

 

There's also a known issue of additional blank pages being generated and installed in the organizer while printing. 

And, occasionally, the program generates the short version of the organizer rather than the detailed organizer even though he box to force detailed organizer is checked.

 

So, as long as David has downloaded the latest version of the 2013 program, or used the link found on other threads for prior years to download the zipped version he should be able to print 2014 organizers from the 2013 program.

[David]

My understanding is that if I didn't turn off automatic updates for all prior year programs and i needed to prepare amended returns or do anything else in 2013 or prior year programs, that the program would try to connect to the ATX server and, since I am no longer an ATX customer, the connection to the ATX server would not be successful and I would not be able to open the return.

[Jack from Ohio]

My understanding is that if I didn't turn off automatic updates for all prior year programs and i needed to prepare amended returns or do anything else in 2013 or prior year programs, that the program would try to connect to the ATX server and, since I am no longer an ATX customer, the connection to the ATX server would not be successful and I would not be able to open the return.

Have you experienced this?

[David W Ristau CPA]

David, I'm not sure what the dance is for you for 2013 and 2012 for amended returns.

To test 2013 form access, I just now disconnected my computer from the internet and closed all the preliminary message boxes until I landed in Return Manager.

I then opened a return and clicked "amend return" and the program generated the original return plus 1040-X and state amended form.

I presume if I spent the time I'd get the same response for 2012.

For 2011 and all prior years, it's been a non-issue.

So, friend, my advice is disconnect your internet or network cable or turn off your wireless connection and have at it.

Print the amended forms as ATX PDFs, then reconnect yourself to your network and print out the PDFs.

Problem solved for you by trying this approach?