Switching Tax Software

[geekgirldany]

Just wondering if some of ya'll could give me some tips on changing software. I am going from Taxwise to Drake. A little bit of learning curve. I took the CPE course on learning Drake over the summer but of course I have forgotten. Isn't really hard, just need to know where to look to input information.

Should I just work back through the sample returns they offer and do a couple of practice returns on some current client returns? I just want to make sure I am ready. I am a little worried I will be slowed down this season learning the new software.

Thanks
Dany

[Snaggletooth]

Drake Is Fine

Dany I went with Drake this year as well, after years of suffering with lower-cost packages. Drake has held the line on prices, and operates fine. It is the oldest tax software on the market.

Drake is an American success story. I met Phil Drake a long time ago just before he left to go deer hunting. His father was an IBM programmer who retired to the NC mountains, and always believed that programmers actually COULD keep up with changes in the tax law. At the time everyone thought he was nuts.

Their office left the proverbial "garage" and moved into an overstuffed small building in Franklin, NC. Then into an office with three suites. Then into a long building which usurped one entire side of the public square in Franklin. They now have their own luxurious building on a mountainside overlooking the town.

Any time you make a change, expect a learning curve. You will be happy with Drake and enjoy dealing with good people. You can have every confidence that you will NOT be dealing with huge capitalized impersonal companies such as CCH and others. You can read some of the posts below to see what has happened to some of the other "big company" packages.

[Mo Sheets]

Price?

If you don't mind my asking, how much is the Drake software? Does it include the free e-filing for federal and state? Thanks!

[Snaggletooth]

Mr. Sheets

Mo, Drake has been $995 for probably at least ten years and hasn't gone up. Includes everything including e-filing.

There is a $1495 price tag, I think, if you are late. Depending on your circumstances, they might waive the higher price, but that would be between you and Drake.

[David1980]

The biggest problem to address with a conversion is really not the money, nor how good the software is. For me, the biggest issue is how much of my data is going to convert. And how different is it going to be. Not that different is bad, but it does slow me down. If I'm changing in January these are all VERY important. Try to sell me in May and I'm a more flexible guy.

So how will the data convert? I would guess most everyone has data covnersions. Some will convert very little information. Perhaps only the taxpayer name, address, and telephone numbers. Enough that you can call them to get them in for their taxes done. You suspect sales had a hand in those designs?

Also, how easy is the conversion process? Anything more than a couple clicks is just too much. I shouldn't have to indicate where my data is, when my data is in the default path for the program I'm converting from. Probably 99% of people using that software have their data there, just point your converter at that location by default. Make it very simple for me and I'll do it. Make it a full time job for a week like an unnamed company made me do last year printing every tax return out to PDF, 3 times per return, MANUALLY, in order to do the conversion. I could have TYPED faster!

And my perfect conversion, as I do know there's little poitn in converting 100% of everything, will convert absolutely everything that is used in a proforma in your tax software. So if your software can automatically carry forward long term capital losses, it sure as heck better have converted mine! I saw one convert that had a very impressive list of items converted. NONE of them would proforma. It was all data that was relevant to the tax return it was done on and nothing else. So as a result, their conversions did nothing more than give me contact info when I started preparing returns.

I also have problems if converting from one style of tax prep software to another style of tax prep software. Trying to make the transition from ATX to TaxSlayer would probably result in someone dying. Keep the guns out of the house. Not that either program is a bad or good software, but how they work is so totally different that it would be like learning to tie your shoes all over again.

This late in the year, I would want something that worked very similar to what I am using.

All of that is why I think this is a terrible part of the year to change. Given the choice of using Drake or TaxWise, I'd pick Drake no problem. I've used Drake, it's not a big change for me. I've used TaxWise, I could adapt to that. But for someone who is used to TaxWise and never seen Drake, I can see there being a very big learning curve. Drake is not hard, not in the least. It is different. So you basically have to relearn how to use a computer software entirely. So i could see myself staying with TaxWise, even though I deteste their company, simply because I didn't have time to property learn my other options and want to run the best alternative. Basically put up with 1 last season of TaxWise so I can make a more informed decision for next year.From what I hear, you can just threaten to cancel TaxWise and they throw the software at you for free.

(Not that uncommon a practice actually. Most of the small tax softwares make the majority of their revenue after the sale thanks to misc fees they can charge on transmitted returns. For a long time, these fees were pretty well hidden in the bank fee. That $30 fee for the bank was setup in a way that the bank issued a $15 "rebate" to the tax software company. The actual numbers probably differ slightly, but you get the idea. Made it look like the banks were evil and tax companies the good guys, totally deceptive and I'm glad that's no more. That's why this year you'll see more software companies being up front with their fees. Transmission fees, state transmission fees, markup fees on bank products, "technology" fees. Anything that sounds good now gets added on in hopes nobody can keep up with these new fees instead of software companies just admitting "Yeah, we're charging about $30 per return you file with a bank product." Kind of makes the taxpreparer an employee of the software company in that way.)

Sorry for the long post, I'm up too late.

[geekgirldany]

Thank you all for posting.

After much research after the tax season I went ahead and switched. Taxwise has gotten so buggy the last few years I am just tired of it. Support hasn't been helpful. My biggest problem with TW was a bug with the tax software carrying over autos that had been traded in. Every year for the past 4 years this has happened. Even after repeated calls. They never would fix it. The only way I knew something was wrong was that there was just way too much depreciation expense for the customer. That among other things made me leave a company that I have been working with since about 1996.

Snag thanks so much for your input on the company. I could tell I was dealing with pretty good people. Support has been great through the conversion process. From my reading it looks like it converts most if not all the data over. It does say to double check the depreciation. I had one tax return that would not convert for whatever reason. They walked me through the process to get the rest to convert. Conversion process was super easy. A program that runs through the tax files then converts them over into Drake 08. You then upgrade them into Drake 09.

Like I said I studied this summer but I guess I'll just be a little slower this tax season and make sure I allow for the time to do the returns.

[geekgirldany]

On a little different note, has anyone dealt with TaxSlayer sales?

I have found them to be aggressive this year in their sales technique. Been getting what I would call spammed with their emails throughout the year. I spoke to a Salesperson that seemed peeved that he had not been able to get me on the phone throughout the year. Well when he got me on the phone he wanted to know why I went with Drake, why I did not like TS, and several other questions. Again seemed peeved that I went with Drake.

He finally said that they were not like Drake. They did have a deadline to order to get the special price. Threw some mud at Drake which I did not like. I really don't like people that put down another company. I don't do that to other tax preparers and I don't think they should do it to their competitors. But I told him Drake offers a refund up until the first of year. So that really isn't a problem. I also told him why I did not like TS. Which probably did not help his mood.

He sent TS to me but I am not going to install it. Just really did not like the attitude.

[AZ-Tax]

Conversion can be a nightmare

Dany, I agree with David, the converston can be a nightmare. When I converted to Pro Series from TaxWise, I was promised a nearly perfect conversion from the ProSeries sales rep, that did not happen and it was a nightmare. I believe I may received my repeated enhancement request from Pro Series. Pro Series did not support efiling form AZ140 with a filing status MFS. I was told by Pro Series support on Tues that Pro Series will now support that form. Due to that form I was really considering changing software for 2009 but I am now so relieved. One of the main reasons I stay with Pro Series is allowing me to convert a TurboTax file perfectly due to fact both Pro Series and Turbo Tax are made by Intuit.

[Snaggletooth]

TaxSlayer Too

On a little different note, has anyone dealt with TaxSlayer sales?

Dany I had TaxSlayer for five years. A couple hundred dollars cheaper than Drake. For the most part, my experience with them was very good. I am happy to be with Drake, but was sorry to leave TaxSlayer. Their entity package for most of the states was sadly lacking, and I have a few corporations operating in multi-states.

Their technical support is consistently voted #1 by NATP users. And it is well-deserved. Never called them when they didn't answer on the 2nd or 3rd ring. And the phone support was manned by tax people and not computer programmers.

TaxSlayer is a Georgia company out of Augusta. Their start came when they had a chain of tax offices in GA and SC, and did not want to be hostage to other software companies so they developed their own. Although I did switch, I have nothing but good to say about TaxSlayer.

[AuditorTurnedGood]

ProSeries to Drake

I did this last season. The conversion was simple to do. The only thing I had to be careful of was depreciation carryforwards, and making sure the depreciaable assets schedule transferred. It missed a section 179 carryforward, which I expected. Beyond that, it was a painless experience. I love Drake - the price is good, and the support is awsome!

ATG

[PIGLEE]

I switched to Drake for the 2002 tax season. Yes the conversion (any conversion) is trying. But Drake is well worth it. There support is the best, Also they have a forum where you can ask stupid questions and get good help from other users. My first year with Drake I started a notebook, and when I figured out something I did print screens, and notes and put them in my notebook. Was a great help for remembering how I solved problems (and to help my other preparers). Again there support is the BEST, and they answer the phone right away. The sample returns are a good place to start. Also putting in some of your last years returns is also good.

By the way there price includes a Document Manager and an Accounting Program.

Good Luck and have fun.

[RLymanC]

Changing software

After being with TaxWise since there first year out I have finally figured out why I'm still with them in spite of it all. I'm just to lazy to learn another software.

I've loaded Drake on for the past 3 years for a trial run.

I entered a new clients tax return that took me 40 minutes with TW,,,Info Sheet, Sch A/B (4 different banks) C/E (one unit) depreciation, child care and an IRA deduction along with a SEP contribution.

I tried to duplicate with Drake, YUK,,,after double time and still having a ways to go, I gave up thinking this will never work in a high volumn office. Just to lazy to learn.

I may load then again in 2010 and spent some serious learning time. Then there is the issue of my employees, the can fly through a return prepared with TW, they, like me, are scared to try another because TW is so darned simple to use. The productivity would go way down, for awhile anyway.

I appreciate all the good things the board has to say about Drake, and all the things about CCH. I have not calulated the DOLLARS one could spent with CCH/DRAKe, but here again, that's not the real factor, except when CCH gets so darned greedy.

Wishing all a Happy New Year, and above all, a smooth tax season.

[geekgirldany]

Although I did switch, I have nothing but good to say about TaxSlayer.

Snag maybe it was just the person I was dealing with. The first time I talked to TS they were really nice but their software was just not for me. Glad you had a good experience with them.

Well I tell you RLyman... its going to something else this tax season learning the software. If I was in your position with employees I would probably stay with Taxwise also. That would be be a big learning curve for your whole staff.

[David1980]

I tried to duplicate with Drake, YUK,,,after double time and still having a ways to go, I gave up thinking this will never work in a high volumn office. Just to lazy to learn.

Ultimately I think most of the software will be about equal in time to preparer taxes once you know what you're doing. The problem is that learning,... like you mention, "Just to lazy to learn" (but that's not a bad thing!) Time is money friend!, as those goblins in that Blizzard game are happy to point out. They all have little shortcuts that speed up tax prep. Key commands that you have to learn but once you learn make you look like a speed demon with that software. Once you have a few years using some software and know all those tips & tricks it will be a time consuming process indeed to relearn the little speed tricks on new software.

I think sales know this. It is much easier to keep customers than to recruit new ones, because your existing customers are "sticky", they don't want to relearn tax prep software and they don't have to if they stay with you. I often think my software company listens more to the suggestions of non-customers than it does customers because of that.

[taxxcpa]

Learning Drake

S
.. its going to something else this tax season learning the software. .

Now that Drake's software is out, you can begin practicing. It is easier to use this year with links to supporting forms/screens.
Be sure and go to the Drake Forums http://support.drakesoftware.com/forums/ and ask your questions and participate in the forum. It is extremely helpful. Also you can make suggestions and point out things that you want changed. For example I complained that the per-hour billing did not seem to be picking up all time. Adam Drake responded in a few days and said he would correct it and told me how to force it to work on an interim basis until he streamlined it.
You may have to call Drake support to get your password for the forum.

The Drake Client Writeup is good for payroll and will prepare 941s, W-2s and 1099MISC forms and can e-file them after you get set up with the IRS and SSA. It can also be used for bookkeeping, but I prefer Peachtree.