Print Manager question for client letters

[Catherine]

Hey all --

Is there any way to establish new defaults for client letters in the print manager?

I _always_ print the letter and return cover sheet. I _never_ print the privacy notice (I have a separate one), options or mailing slip (why options at all?) (why mailing slip when everything (almost) gets e-filed or sent in a non-window envelope). So for every return I have to un-check and re-check those stupid little boxes and then the order of everything jumps around half the time and I get to fix _that_ -- it's getting seriously annoying.

So, is there any way to set a new default for client letter printing? So I can get my letter and return cover sheet and _nothing_ else unless I specifically ask for it?

Thanks.

Catherine

[B. Jani]

As far as i know since 1998, we always have to check and recheck those little boxes to print what we want.

[JohnH]

I haven't tried this, but it could be a work-around. You could edit each of the masters for sheets that you don't want to print and simply make each one a blank page. It would still eject a page, but it would be blank. You'd then remove the blank sheets for re-use when you're collating the return. Not very elegant, but it might work.

Another solution would be to print the letter and return cover sheet directly from the tab before even making your return print selections. I only print the return cover sheet for each return, so I just click on the "Client Letters" tab, select the "Cover Sheet", and then do a quick "Print Page" while I'm in the process of preparing the return. Then I right-click the "Client Letters" tab and delete the whole mess from the return since none of it is needed any more.

[HV Ken]

Unfortunately, I don't think there is any way to do this. One of the biggest productivity improvement areas for ATX to address is the Print Manager, in my opinion.

I submitted the following via the Suggestion Box:

Is there a way to change the defaults in the Print Manager?

For example,

The 8879 shows up by default in the Client Copy and *not* in the Filer Copy. I

have to check the Filer Copy and uncheck the Client Copy for every return.

It would be nice if we could set up a default "mask" for printing options.

[Terry D EA]

I TOTALLY agree with each one of you. I would love it if ATX could find a way that would allow us to print the return organized the way we want instead of a default method. Sometimes it takes longer to check and uncheck the boxes then it does to complete the return.

Cathering, unfortunately, I don't see any way of doing this. I've used this program since 1998 and have always considered the printing feature to be less than friendly.

Terry D.

[kcjenkins]

I agree, it's one thing we'd all like, to be able to set up our own personal 'default printing pattern' and have it stick. One thing I would suggest, Each year, near the end of the season, ATX asks us about things we would like to see changed. If ALL of us would request the ability to set a 'print default pattern', then perhaps we might get it next year. They have, every year I've used them, added at least one significant 'improvement', that was requested by lots of us. IF we take the time to request it, through the suggestion box and through that final 'survey' as well, maybe they will make it a priority. I know of no single change that would speed up my process more, frankly. I get the return done, then have to sit there, clicking this and unclicking that, before I can print. And MOST of those 'clicks' are ones I have to make for every single return.

[Catherine]

I will take KC's suggestion and submit print manager work as my end-of-year recommendation.

I also liked the idea to print from inside the return; if I set my default printer to my pdf writer, then I can do that _and_ hold off printing until I'm ready to print the whole thing.

Thanks, all.

Catherine