Two softwares

[clr]

Has anyone ever tried to run two tax software programs on the same computer. Will it work.
Thanks

[Jiggers]

Yes

Has anyone ever tried to run two tax software programs on the same computer. Will it work.
Thanks

Each year after tax season, before I renew with my current software, I try some of the competitors.

All on the same computer as my current software.

Then I delete them.

[Uncle]

Why not?

Has anyone ever tried to run two tax software programs on the same computer. Will it work.
Thanks

I used three this past season, I may use four next year.

[David1980]

As long as they're separate programs it should work no problem. Just like how you can have both Microsoft Office and OpenOffice installed at the same time. You could run into a problem if the software is in fact the same software. For example, with all the companies that resell TaxWorks you could end up with two copies of TaxWorks with slightly differing features turned on. I would worry about both copies sharing registry keys and information causing problems. That would be a rare situation though.

[lenboush]

Two copies of Drake at the same time

Drake allows you to run multiple copies of their program at the same time. I routinely keep two copies open all the time.

[JohnH]

Does that mean you work twice as fast, or you do double the amount of work?

[S T]

2 copies

2 copies of same program and same clients? That is scary? Sounds like "file corruption issues" or is it

Heck I can't even open 2 individual client files in Quickbooks at the same time under the same Version - and my Tax Program no Way.

Different Tax programs from various vendors, as posted above, yes! You can have more than one vendor software program on your computer at a time, as long as your computer can support.

Sandy

[lenboush]

2 copies of same program and same clients? That is scary? Sounds like "file corruption issues" or is it

Heck I can't even open 2 individual client files in Quickbooks at the same time under the same Version - and my Tax Program no Way.

Different Tax programs from various vendors, as posted above, yes! You can have more than one vendor software program on your computer at a time, as long as your computer can support.

Sandy

Actually, in Drake, you can have two copies of the same client open at once but the second copy would only be for viewing purposes. But that's not what I have the second copy open for. It is either to view a different client or to use a different part of the program, such as scheduler, client status manager, administrative functions, or such.

[Lion]

E-File

I vaguely remember someone running into trouble trying to e-file from two different software programs on one computer. That may have been program specific and not an e-file issue. But, I know there are some of you out there that run both a high-end program for those returns that need it as well as a more affordable program for the bulk of your returns. So, more preparers will jump in with their experiences.

[clr]

Drake allows you to run multiple copies of their program at the same time.

Now that's something to think about for next year.
Thanks to all for your responses.

[lenboush]

I vaguely remember someone running into trouble trying to e-file from two different software programs on one computer. That may have been program specific and not an e-file issue. But, I know there are some of you out there that run both a high-end program for those returns that need it as well as a more affordable program for the bulk of your returns. So, more preparers will jump in with their experiences.

I had that problem, one year. I was going out to peoples homes and offices part of the time using my laptop while continuing to do most of the returns in the office. I would back up the files from the laptop and restore them to the desktop in the office for e-filing. They kept getting rejected. I found out that the problem was that, since I was running the program off the network, the program was starting the series of DCN numbers over again. As a result, I had a lot of duplicate DCM numbers. Since I was running the program on multiple computers at the office, it never occurred to me that it would be a problem running it from the laptop. We solved the problems by changng the program so that it would start the DCN numbers on the laptop about 10000 higher than we were starting them at the office.

[David1980]

I vaguely remember someone running into trouble trying to e-file from two different software programs on one computer. That may have been program specific and not an e-file issue. But, I know there are some of you out there that run both a high-end program for those returns that need it as well as a more affordable program for the bulk of your returns. So, more preparers will jump in with their experiences.

I recall that to, think it was TaxWise & ATX? Because both are owned by the same company and the way their system was setup they couldn't use the same EFIN in both softwares.