Love

[rchinchilla]

@jainen - Lacerte and ProSeries give you the option of how you want to enter the information? I know they have worksheets but inputs directly into forms or data input like Drake. What about interview mode? I know that interview mode is liked by the novice tax preparer, not necessarily the tax professional. Thoughts about interview mode?

[Lion EA]

ProSystem fx has worksheet mode and interview mode. I like the interview mode a bit better since it follows the forms more closely. It's easier for me to teach my assistant the worksheet mode, however. Actually, you can also use the government forms directly for data entry as well as to view what you've done. In fact, you can jump back and forth among all the data entry options with a click. From what I hear, the ProSystem fx customer base is pretty evenly split between the interview and worksheet modes.

[Margaret CPA in OH]

I love tax software that will give a BIG refund. My customers like big refunds. Jerome says that if you can make a program that will give everybody a big refund, you will make millions. Jerome is real smart you know.

Betty Sue

Welcome back, Betty Sue! We've missed you and Jerome so much. How is the beauty shop business these days? I'll bet Jerome, being as how he is soooo smart, has helped make your shop the best in town.

[Booger]

I love tax software that will give a BIG refund. My customers like big refunds. Jerome says that if you can make a program that will give everybody a big refund, you will make millions. Jerome is real smart you know.

Betty Sue

Yea, and base your fee on a percentage of the client's refund will make you even MORE money!!!

Tongue-In-Cheek Booger

[BettySue]

<<Yea, and base your fee on a percentage of the client's refund will make you even MORE money!!!>>

Isn't that what everbody does? Jerome says that is the only way to do it. Jerome is very smart you know.

Betty Sue

[David1980]

I like forms view. I would not complain if you gave me the ability to create custom template/worksheets to fill in some of that information. For example I could create a template for a HOH/EIC/Dependents/W-2 and put just the fields I need for that return on my template and then have the template carry it to the right places on the forms.

When someone else designs the worksheet it never seems to be something I like. They make design choices that make me wonder... or don't apply to my clients.

[rchinchilla]

@David1980 great idea, build your own tax form. PM me your direct email. This is what I was talking about, let's let the creative juices flow people!

[kcjenkins]

ATX allows both interview method and forms method. I would never choose any program that did not allow forms method, I hate input sheets.

[rchinchilla]

@kcjenkins - Is the interview method on ATX similar to using TurboTax?

[Julie]

I've never used interview mode.I only look at it on installation day, when I search my software for new features. One of the things I like about ATX is what used to be called the "bunny hop," where you can track a number from the 1040 all the way back to its source. Very useful when the number on the 1040 is not what you expected it to be.

I like the freedom to modify that ATX provides.....I can easily correct the nagging rounding problem that sometimes blocks California returns and that ATX has never been able to fix. I can override anything right up to the 1040...that's also useful when working on draft returns and the like, although I generally get rid of overrides (other than the Calif. error) before trying to file the return.

On the other hand, I can remember from my TPS days how fast you can input a return using worksheets. (HRB used a sort of guided, almost-interview mode...you selected the forms and F10 would flip you through the necessary worksheets in the right order). I have never been as fast with ATX as I was with TPS.

The problem with combining these concepts may be a structural one. Most tax software programs use a database system, where ATX uses spreadsheets. I think that a database system which can use auxiliary spreadsheets, would be more efficient than either alone.

[kcjenkins]

I can not answer that, Roger, because 1) I've never used TurboTax, and 2) I've never used the interview method. I did look at it once, and it seems to be designed to be used by 'data inputers' who do not know much about tax law, just want to 'follow the menu' and let the program make the decisions for them. Which does sound like what TT does, now that I think about it.

[Dan]

I really like how the return is arranged when you open it up. You see at the top the various forms arranged like you might see in a file cabinet. It is concise. It is easy on the eyes. That is better to me than some programs that have different forms listed on the left by name only and not in easy to see tabs. I also really like the bunny that links you to other forms or worksheets. To me the ATX program is the best, easiest, and fastest one to go from form to form. I also like the forms method approach, that allows you to see the form itself, that ATX offers.