Accounting Programs

[TaxmannEA]

Our office is investigating alternate accounting and payroll programs as our current vendor (CSA) is becoming more expensive than we can justify. Has anyone here used the ATX accounting and payroll programs? If so, what is your assessment of the program's performance? We have 50-60 payrolls that we do as well as about 250 GL clients. Any suggestions as to another program that will perform well without giving my boss price shock?

  According to CSA we'll have to covert to a new version of their software soon, so we are going to have a migration what ever we do. 

[Catherine]

I haven't used the ATX payroll or accounting programs -- but have you taken a look at the Medlin programs?  Their payroll system is slicker than slick and SO easy to use - and only $60/year.  I have no reason to doubt similar for their (standalone AND work together) AP, AR, and GL accounting modules.  What's more you can download versions to try and all you can't do (if memory serves) is print.  

[rfassett]

We use ATX Client write-up and Payroll as well as FAM.  It does everything we need it to do.  We do not do quite the volume that your firm does, but I do not think that the program would blink with a little more volume.  We converted from CSA several years ago.  If you go this route, make sure that every user does the webinar for both write-up and payroll.  The conversion was what most conversions are - great in some aspects and lacking in others.  But we made the conversion and never looked back.  We think it is a GREAT program.  And the report writer is light years ahead of what I remember CSA was.  Good luck and let me know if you have any further questions.

[Lynn EA USTCP in Louisiana]

Also take a look at Howell Software (howellsoftware.com).  I've used their write up program since the mid 1980's.

Lynn

[Lee B]

What or who is "CSA" ? I have been using Accounting Relief and Payroll Relief from Accountants World for almost 3 years now.

 

After tax season ends, I want to replace these programs, so I am really interested in this topic.

 

I have looked at both Howell and Medlin before and while they offer great value for the the price,

 

there are a number of features that they lack, so they aren't an alternative for me.

[Lee B]

We use ATX Client write-up and Payroll as well as FAM.  It does everything we need it to do.  We do not do quite the volume that your firm does, but I do not think that the program would blink with a little more volume.  We converted from CSA several years ago.  If you go this route, make sure that every user does the webinar for both write-up and payroll.  The conversion was what most conversions are - great in some aspects and lacking in others.  But we made the conversion and never looked back.  We think it is a GREAT program.  And the report writer is light years ahead of what I remember CSA was.  Good luck and let me know if you have any further questions.

 

 

rfassett,

 

Do you also use ATX as your tax software ?

 

I am a bit surprised to see that you're using FAM, since there have been so many complaints the last several years on the ATX Board ?

[Lynn EA USTCP in Louisiana]

What or who is "CSA" ? I have been using Accounting Relief and Payroll Relief from Accountants World for almost 3 years now.

 

After tax season ends, I want to replace these programs, so I am really interested in this topic.

 

I have looked at both Howell and Medlin before and while they offer great value for the the price,

 

there are a number of features that they lack, so they aren't an alternative for me.

CBSLEE - what features are lacking in Howell that you would need? 

Lynn

[rfassett]

rfassett,

 

Do you also use ATX as your tax software ?

 

I am a bit surprised to see that you're using FAM, since there have been so many complaints the last several years on the ATX

 

Board ?

 

CSA - I assumed was Thomson Reuters Creative Solutions.  I know of no other accounting software that carries that nomenclature around with it.  Yes - we do use ATX.  I have been using FAM ever since ATX made it a separate module.  I have not experienced the issues that othesr apparently have.  I have 287 clients in FAM with number of assets ranging from 1 to 429.  I hear and read about the issues others are having and my normal response - unwritten because I do not want to get into a protracted debate - is "check your hardware and check your setup and if those are not conflicting with recommendations, then call support".  I did have to call support when I installed new hardware - server and workstations - because the program would not locate my client files.  ATX support took charge and fixed the problem.  While watching what they were doing, it became evident that I DID NOT follow the installation instructions precisely.  They fixed the problem and did not even call me an idiot - at least not while I was on the phone.   Bottom line - I like the products that I am using - FAM included.

[michaelmars]

I am in the same boat, using CSA but I only use the trial balance worksheet and financial statement modules. I am getting very tired of how difficult the financial statement module is to use. It can take an extra hour to deal with roundings etc.

[Lee B]

CBSLEE - what features are lacking in Howell that you would need? 

Lynn

 

Lynn,

 

I took a quick look at their website and they have more features than I remembered.

 

My biggest concern is my largest client ,  a small restaurant chain, 5 locations and over 60 employees.

 

I will take an in depth look at Howell after tax season.

 

Thanks,

 

Lee

[michaelmars]

I an wondering how easy it is to prepare a financial statement that gets issued to banks partners etc. how adaptable is it?

[Randall]

Out of curiosity, I'm wondering how people are using the so called 'write up' work with a trail balance type program.  Doesn't the client have to have some set of books to begin with?  I was thinking if they are a fairly large company with an in-house accountant or staff and they are using a higher end accounting program, this would work.  But my business clients are small, either using QB or just simple paper system of records.  I then use QB to use from their QB file or just enter info into QB from their records.  In these situations, I have not seen the need for a separate GL or TB type program.

[rfassett]

Out of curiosity, I'm wondering how people are using the so called 'write up' work with a trail balance type program.  Doesn't the client have to have some set of books to begin with?  I was thinking if they are a fairly large company with an in-house accountant or staff and they are using a higher end accounting program, this would work.  But my business clients are small, either using QB or just simple paper system of records.  I then use QB to use from their QB file or just enter info into QB from their records.  In these situations, I have not seen the need for a separate GL or TB type program.

Randall - not sure if I understand your question, but here is my answer to what I think you mean. In my practice we maintain the "set of books" for quite afew of my clients. We do monthly or quarterly write up work for them. And if I would take the time to map the accounts we could import the trial balance right into the tax program. I find it just as quick and controllable to print the TB and just hand enter it into the tax program. As an example of that, I did a Corporate return this week in about 15 minutes. We also have a large number of business clients that keep their own set of QuickBooks or Peachtree (Sage) and we get a back up of their books at the end of the year. I review their general ledger and then handle it the same way I do for those that we do the books in house. For those that we do in house, we issue a monthly or quarterly compiled financial statement.

So doing it that way, I agree with you, I have never seen the need for a separate TB program. I did try one once and it was way too cumbersome for what I was trying to accomplish.

[Randall]

rfassett, that's my thinking too.  I don't have the volume you have, but this works for me.  I also have my own in-house Excel spreadsheet 8 column WTB template I use for some clients.

[kcjenkins]

Just out of curiosity, do any of you use a WITTB  account for those 'write up' clients?

[rfassett]

Just out of curiosity, do any of you use a WITTB  account for those 'write up' clients?

 

WITTB meaning what it takes to balance?  Nope - all of mine balance.  It takes some client training -but it can be done.

[Lion EA]

"derivatively derived" someone once told me!  (But, they didn't tell me how to spell it.)

Edited March 1, 2015 by Lion EA

[kcjenkins]

WITTB meaning what it takes to balance?  Nope - all of mine balance.  It takes some client training -but it can be done.

Yes, for whatever they don't know where it goes.  I prefer that to them just putting everything in Misc.  I can then go to that account and correct those entries.  

[Lion EA]

For my clients that do their own bookkeeping, I have an income account and an expense account both called Ask Rita, so they can include the mystery amounts and reconcile their bank statements and then ask me where to put it.

[Randall]

QB gives them an account called Ask My Accountant.

[Catherine]

QB gives them an account called Ask My Accountant.

Which I always rename to "Ask Catherine" (like Rita's "Ask Rita") -- and I clear that one up first.  

 

I do have an "other" income and "other" expense for little niggly one-time things that don't really have a good place to live I don't want to co-mingle with "real" information.  For example, one of my clients rents space to "holistic practitioners" and once in a blue moon someone will write a check to the office rather than the practitioner.  Of course, it's *always* their last check.  So the office takes it and writes a check to the practitioner.  That really has to go in an "other" account because it really belongs outside their regular accounts.

[Lion EA]

I know, and only one of my clients actually uses Ask My Accountant.  So, I add the Ask Rita which they tend to spot in the drop down menu.

[kcjenkins]

Funny thing is, in 35 years of business, no client I set up the books for, or 'modified' the ones they already had, EVER asked me what WITTB meant, they just accepted it and used it. 

[Randall]

Then there's 'Opening Fund Balance'

[Randall]

I meant 'Open Balance Equity'