TaxWorks users

[DTS]

Since I posted last time, the program seemed to be working fine, but has returned to not functioning well. Error messages galore, program shutting down, all data lost, etc.

I have sent tons of emails to support and get worthless "fixes". Support seems to be throwing anything at the wall in hopes something will stick.

Seriously, I am so weary of this and have sent an email asking for my money back.

[dtlee]

I find that TaxWorks is a memory hog. If I have anything else going on in my XP machine, TaxWorks will likely crash.

This is my first year with their software, so I am not impressed. However, as a New York State preparer, I believe I am required to e-file all New York returns and my regular software does not seem to support state e-filing that well, I have had to prepare 6 New York returns in TaxWorks (which required the federal to be completed as well) so they could be e-filed.

I did not see this behavior in their 2007-2009 software I auditioned or I would likely not have chosen them.

[DTS]

Doug,

You are correct. The software was not doing this before '10. I keep waiting for the next client's file to go south shortly after I start on it. I am a phone call away from going back to my previous software.

[PIGLEE]

I am back to having problems. Yesterday Tax Works froze up 3 times (twice with same client). The only solution was to close everything out and reboot. I am thinking about calling Drake and going back to them, but the cost is 1495, and I am a small business and can not afford that after paying for TRX and the TAX WORKS this year. I also get errors every time I install the updates. I have given up calling them because the wait is to long.

[gman]

Next Year

Maybe we will all get next years software for free. It has been a painful year with them.
I have been with them for at least 15 years. Never had problems like this year. Really don't have time to sit on the phone with them. Seems like they could have corrected the problem by now.

[DTS]

Maybe we will all get next years software for free. It has been a painful year with them.
I have been with them for at least 15 years. Never had problems like this year. Really don't have time to sit on the phone with them. Seems like they could have corrected the problem by now.

I got an email from my regional sales rep late last night. He is forwarding my request to the proper channels within the company, so I'll see how that goes. I agree, none of us have the time to stay on the phone with this stuff.

I have not been with them as long as you have, since '04 and have been pleased up to this year. I contacted Drake this morning and thought I would explore the program. I would be interested in talking with some Drake users, if someone has a little free time. Leave me a p/m and I can get contact numbers to discuss Drake. Price seems good and lots of things are included that are not with TW.

[dtlee]

I am back to having problems. Yesterday Tax Works froze up 3 times (twice with same client). The only solution was to close everything out and reboot. I am thinking about calling Drake and going back to them, but the cost is 1495, and I am a small business and can not afford that after paying for TRX and the TAX WORKS this year. I also get errors every time I install the updates. I have given up calling them because the wait is to long.

I am sorry to hear of your problems.

I have been somewhat pleased with TaxWorks support. With Drake I have to ask for a change to be requested as an enhancement and get no "warm and cozy" that anything will ever be done with it. Apparently, TaxWorks has a more formal way of flagging a problem as a request for a a change, so at least I feel better.

Drake has frequently fixed problems for me in a short timeframe without escalation, but lately that has not been the case. However, a flaw in TaxWorks was fixed within a week without my escalating it.

Overall I am not impressed with either product this year. I had a 1041 which received a K1 with interest from another Fiduciary return. I tried several ways to tell each product that most of this was US Government Interest. Drake had a field for it but just plain ignored it. At least I was able to override the appropriate field in NY. TaxWorks allowed me to separately account for it but either included it twice as income (if I included it in the total interest) or ignored it in other calculations (if I indicated total interest was the non US Government portion).

Makes me wonder what is wrong with the returns I am not redoing by hand.

[gman]

taxworks

Has shut me down twice this morning. frustrating....

[DTS]

Has shut me down twice this morning. frustrating....

Senior support contacted me this morning and I uploaded two returns to them to check out. I will call them in an hour or so and discuss the returns. I will try and get back to let you know what I found out, if anything (I am not encouraged!). If you would like to discuss this with me leave me your contact number in my p/m and a good time to call.

[PIGLEE]

It is nice to know that I am not the only one with problems. I do not have the time to call and complain, I just moved, and I work out of my home, I am on a walker, and my husband has Alzheimer's. I am so far behind I don't have time to complain. At least I know that is not all me. The program is getting easier as I go along. I changed from Drake because it could not do my personal return correctly, Tax Works did. But there are way to many lock ups with Tax Works. I also think it is a very slow entry program, I have to go from keyboard to mouse to many times. Sometimes the program shows the clients age, and sometimes not, a lot of "way is it doing that?". I have a list of 20 items (and growing) that I will send them when tax season is over. A lot of them are "wishes". Another main complaint is that the wait time for technical support is way to long, they told me they were as good as Drake, NO way. I will say when I get someone, they have been able to solve my problem. It is to bad we have to vent our problems here. I wonder if they are aware of that, not good advertising.

[DTS]

I called TW and found one thing, they do not know how fix this mess. The solution I was given was for them to do a remote on my computer for 12 hours or more to see if they could see what was going on. I was not keen on this idea.

I did get one minor fix for a problem I was getting on all of my detail statements.

Sorry I could not get anymore insight regarding fixing this mess for all of us.

[gman]

another patch

Looks like we got another update. Lets see what this one might do..

[S T]

Email Support

I would suggest that you "print screen" error messages, that you email to Support and a Copy to your Sales Rep.
Sooner or later - TW will figure it out.
I gave up on the phone support, unless I really need something drastic, as I just don't have time.
One of my emails to support came back stating to call in, and I simply emailed back that I don't haved time - escalate the problem to the programmers and get it fixed! with a cc: to the Sales Rep. And let them know how unhappy I was with the program this year, and that I know of many others that are having issues as well.

Good Luck to all of us!

Sandy