Thinking about changing from TW to Drake

[arlo]

Has anyone went from taxwise to drake. If so how was the conversion?

[appelman]

Are you sure you want to do this?

I use Drake for entities and TaxWise for pro bono work with the VITA program. My workhorse program is TaxAct. The only conversions I've done are from TaxAct to Drake, which at least on first look seems to work ok. But are you really sure you want to do this? TaxWise has its problems and irritations, but Drake has always struck me as something written by an inebriated programmer. Stuff is located every which where in a totally non-intuitive fashion. I make more help calls to Drake support each year than I've made to TaxAct and TaxWise together in ten years! Drake's phone support is very good -- it has to be!

[taxmandan]

If you're going to change now is the time, you can spend the next few months verifying the conversion. Drake does a fairly good job, I changed along time ago so imagine it's better than back then.

Appelman must have different intuition than I, I've used Drake for 11 years now and find it easy to navigate and on par with the other affordable tax programs. I call tech support maybe twice each year, not excessive to me. I would have to be inebriated to use 3 different tax programs during the same year for whatever reason.

[tacks]

Hi Arlo,

I never converted from any software. But i will say that Drake is fantastic in the way of support, features and price. You're making a great move.

tacks

[David1980]

If you're going to change now is the time, you can spend the next few months verifying the conversion.

If the conversions for Drake were out yet, you mean. Looks like it was 9/23 last year that the email announcing conversions were ready got sent out by Drake.

That's pretty normal as far as I know (so it's not like Drake is late on conversions or anything). Conversion programs are usually released in the fall for most tax software?

Every conversion I've looked at has it's limitations. I don't think it matters which software you switch to, if you're switching, expect to double check depreciation after conversion and any carry forwards (especially the less common carry forwards like energy credits or AMT.) The thought of spending months verifying converted data seems super boring. I'd probably just plan to do a quick check at the time I was working on the return and fix anything that needs fixing at that point.

[ChEAr$]

arlo,, do it. You'll be glad you did. And save money I dare say.

But do it before 5/31 to get best price. Conversion program not ready till fall, and it doesn't, as you say, convert everything. Main thing I found not converted were capital loss c/o.

So I went on a learning curve this past tax season, and maybe it slowed me down overall by 2%, not a bad price in time to pay. Last year this time TAxwise wanted to DOUBLE;
yes, D O U B L E, my price. Heck, for half that I could learn new software. And I did.

Their support is superb.

[DTS]

Ditto

After I did a demo of Drake, I was very impressed. I just made the switch from TaxWorks to Drake last month and wish I had made the switch years ago. Basic discounted TW price was about $500 more than Drake and that does not include add'l states and entities I paid for during the year with TaxWorks.

I believe the Drake discount before 5/31 is $400, so around $1,095, plus sales tax.

[taxxcpa]

Learning Drake

The most difficult thing about learning Drake is the various screens you must use. However, there is a forms-based entry method you can select, then just look at a Form 1040 which is displayed and there is a link that takes you to the Drake screen where you input the information.
The screens for 1120s, 1065s, etc. are less confusing than the 1040 screens and are fairly easy to learn.

Also, if you use Drake's user forum, you can post your questions and get answers from other users as well as from Drake's support people. I've made very few calls to Drake support since I use the forum regularly. Also, the forum often has tips and tax help that are helpful in both software questions and tax questions.

You can get a copy of the 2010 program before you get the 2011 version and re-do some 2010 returns on Drake to get used to how to do it with Drake.

[outwest]

Drake input screens

I've used ATX which is forms based input. Converted to Lacerte to reduce the number of programs in our office. Lacerte is input screen based and I had a lot of the same complaints as to where to find something as is noted about Drake. Office changed to Drake this year.

As you might guess, I'm pretty adaptable to software, so I guess the test is the other CPA in our office, a self confessed stick in the mud. He has used Lacerte exclusively for 15 years. His review was that changing to Drake was a lot easier than expected and overall pretty pleased with the result.

Lacerte has its quirks about where stuff had to go, so does Drake. Some Drake things were easier than Lacerte, some not. As the season went on, we found more and more useful things in Drake to like, smoothed out some routine stuff with macros, and in general things went pretty well.

One thing I did like, being new to Drake, was that I could hit F1 on a input field and often get the rules for that field and/or a explanation of what that field was for. Got to be I would do that the first time to a input field just to better understand the program.

Second what others have said about using the Drake forums, I had a complaint about the work to extend a 1040. Through the forums, found I was overthinking it, added a quick macro to flag the right boxes and the rest of the extensions went quickly.

FWIW

[arlo]

Drake

Thanks for the input. From what I read I think you just convinced me to switch. Iam a small fry to most of you and just cannot afford taxwise anymore although I love the software. When the e-file fee gets to be more than the software it is time to move on.
I have entered several of my taxwise returns into Drake and found it is not as smooth
as taxwise but the more I work with it I think it will work out. This is a wonderful forum with a lot of knowledgeable people on board to help with any questions and look forward to the Drake forum.
Thanks Again
Arlo

[geekgirldany]

Arlo I found the first year switching to Drake was not difficult but time consuming. I had to make sure depreciation was carrying forward and tried to do that before the tax season started. But as others said the layout is different in Drake. You do sometimes have to hunt in the 1040 version for where certain items goes. I was calling the tech support with basic questions. Combine their help and the forum I got through the first year pretty good.

This tax season was my second with Drake. I found I was able to input rather quickly. I mark certain items that I need to make sure I input or double check. As others said you can set up Macros to save time also.

I too feel like I was paying too much for Taxwise. I do about 150 returns a year and paying for the software and the efile fees were eating me up also. Drake having so much combined is wonderful. I like their Basis worksheets for shareholders and their error pages that pop up have saved me a couple of times.

I used Taxwise since around 1996. It was a huge change for me but I am so happy I did. Drake's product and support far outweighs Taxwise.

[luke]

conversion

from Taxwise to Drake is practically worthless if you have lots of Depr Assets / use taxwise scratch pads and/or worksheets - also last year conversion did not convert Dividend "lists" for Sch B
ALSO by not having conversion ready till Fall (LATE fall for taxwise to drake program) caused me to request refund (too much work to re-enter practically ALL info for over 1000 clients) - Drake gave me refund MINUS $400 "RE-STOCKING FEE" Grrrr.......($200 fee per software pkg bought!)
I thought that was pretty "Chicken S%^#" of them!!!!!!!!!!!

[dhawkcpa]

I used Taxwise before changing to ATX before CCH bought up both of them. I seriously looked at Drake but could not get comfortable with the lack of a forms entry method. Since the CCH buyout, ATX has improved every year. Take a look at ATX. Since its the same parent company, the conversions may be better.