Anyone had any Drake Software Efile problems??

[Judy rocks]

Does anyone have any war stories to share about any Drake Software EFile problems? One of their main weakness's compared to Lacerte is an archaic EFile system. Has anyone had any problems sending Drake an EFiled tax return that was never received by Drake? And had them say when you called to inquire that their software shows it was never sent? When you know you did?

[David1980]

I've never experienced those issues but I also have an archaic filing system.

Once a return is ready to file, the physical folder goes into a "transmitted" folder in my file cabinet. Once that return is acknowledged it gets filed into the "filed" section. The upside is I can look at the dates on my "transmitted" returns and if something isn't getting an acknowledgement I know something is up.

[DTS]

No problems here. All returns have gone through and acknowledgments are coming quickly.

[S T]

I am new to Drake as of the 2012 Tax Returns filed in 2013 - there is a method and I efile one return at a time - I never have in the past filed "batch" returns with the old company and still would not with Drake - altho I know some people do

So other users with Drake might give you a better guideline, but here is what I do once the return is ready - hopefully I have this outlined correctly

Go to select EF - select the client - exit
Go to Transmit/Receive - make sure you review and that is the client, then select Send/Receive - brings up a screen that I PDF print for the EF Transmission

Then it is submitted and when Acks received I go to the EF Database and retrieve the ACK and again Print PDF to the client file.

Seems like you might not have transmitted - that is why I think it is important to do the print out on the Transmit/Receive as it will provide you a Transmission Report with the date, time and Name

Sandy

[DTS]

Just to save time, I have batched efiled a lot of returns together and have not had a problem so far. I worry a little bit that I might have an issue like the OP, so I am always checking the client list for statuses of a returns, as well as, the Process Acks in the EF tab.

Another way you can double check is to right-click the client in the personal client manager, select EF Database for Selected Client and then select Online DB on the right side. After you enter your EFIN and p/w you'll be able to see the acknowledgement. I have forgotten if the Ack you'll see is from Drake or the IRS, but I believe it's from the IRS.

Hope this helps.

[Steve Stang]

Drake User with EFile quirks

I am new to Drake as well for 2013. The only problem that I've experienced on a couple of 1040s is that once a return is efiled and I go into it later (to record payment or reprint for example) it will not show a message saying that it was already filed. I've then gone to the EF tab of the software to pull up the list and I've seen the return waiting to be checked to send again.

I've called Drake on this and they have said that it was an error. They then said that I should simply resend it and expect to get an EFile error.

I, also, keep a spreadsheet of the processing status and manually input dates sent. I also move the hard copies of tax files from one folder to another in the filing cabinet (work in progress, submitted, accepted, paid). I also submit each return one at a time and print to PDF the corresponding pending, EFile transmission and status reports. So it was pretty disconcerting to have random returns show up in the EFile list.

[DTS]

The only problem that I've experienced on a couple of 1040s is that once a return is efiled and I go into it later (to record payment or reprint for example) it will not show a message saying that it was already filed. I've then gone to the EF tab of the software to pull up the list and I've seen the return waiting to be checked to send again.

When I see this I check the client like I'm going to efile the return and when I go to review that return I check the box and then click remove. that seems to solve the problem.

[Judy rocks]

What software did you use before?

What software did you use before you moved to Drake? It sounds like you have a many step process just to confirm a simple EFile submission to your Software company. Did you have to go through this with your other software company? Do you think this is a significant weakness of Drake? The way it handles EFiled tax returns that you have sent. They have no method of insuring that an EFiled tax return that was sent didn't get lost unless a Tax Preparer creates a many step process like you have

[John of PA]

These are all good comments. I switched from Lacerte to Drake. The Lacerte Efile wizard was much more easy to use, but I have gotten used to Drake's Nuiences. I also only Efile one return at a time. I have not had a problem, everthing is going smooth this tax season. My favorite feature to check the status of a return is simply to go into the return and go to the ESUM screen, it give the whole history Efile history. I too keep an Excel log on my own of all Efile activity as well as all extension activity. The 3 Drake screens mentioned above are all in a row, one after another, which makes it nice when ready to send SELECT, TRANSMITT, PROCESS. I suggest nailing down a stadard procedure and put it in writing (on Word or Excel) on the steps you go by to send, or check up on an Efile return. I do not use the Efile online Database, though Drake sais you should. I don't think we should have to go online to check the progress of our Efile returns. Again I have not had any problems. I have found once you get used to Drake, it's a great package.

[DTS]

Not sure which person you are asking, Judy, but if you're asking me, I used Lacerte then TaxWorks and finally Drake three years ago. The steps I mentioned earlier are only fixes for a couple of issues I had 2-3 times, not for every efile.

[Maribeth]

After the return has been efiled and accepted, I mark the return as complete in the client manager. If I go into the return after that, it warns me that the return has been efiled and that I should not make any changes.

Also by marking the return complete, it does not show up in the "to be efiled" box either.

[Judy rocks]

Not every file - just one

My point is with Lacerte's EFile Wizard everything is taken care of in one screen. With Drake you have to go through numerous steps - creating Excel Spreadsheets, checking in other parts of the Drake program, you don't have to do this in Lacerte - so it is possible that the "one" mistake can happen in Drake -

[David1980]

My point is with Lacerte's EFile Wizard everything is taken care of in one screen. With Drake you have to go through numerous steps - creating Excel Spreadsheets, checking in other parts of the Drake program, you don't have to do this in Lacerte - so it is possible that the "one" mistake can happen in Drake -

To be honest I think the risk exists in any software. What can go wrong?

1. I forget to efile a return.
2. The return gets lost between my computer and my software's.
3. The return gets to my software company but does not get to the IRS/state.
4. The IRS/state receives the return but fails to process the return or issue an ack.
5. The IRS/state rejects the return, but fails to send the reject back to my software company.
6. The IRS/state rejects the return, my software company fails to send the reject to me.
7. The IRS/state rejects the return, something happens in my software and I never see the reject.

Any system that relies upon "I transmitted it and never got a reject" has the risk that the return was not actually accepted. The only system I'll trust is one where I receive an acknowledgement on the returns. If I have an acknowledgement I can trust that the return was transmitted and got through. It is true you could go years under the "I transmitted it and never got a reject" system without issues - many people have done just that with all sorts of different software programs. Most of the time it works without issue. When it doesn't work, what does your system do to let you know? Consider #4. Return made it to the IRS but the IRS never sent an ack or a reject back. In Lacerte, how would you know that you need to take action on that return?

[taxxcpa]

I've had very little problem using Drake to e-file income tax returns, payroll tax return or W-2s.

Once I had a return rejected because there was an ampersand in the name.

Once I had a return rejected due to a "zip archive" problem which must have been a Drake error which they must have corrected because the return was later accepted even though I had not re-submitted it.

It is a little confusing in that you have to:
1. Select returns for e-filing
2. Transmit
3. Transmit for ACKs only.
4. Process ACKS

Maybe some tax programs just require you to e-file and then the rest takes place automatically.
Some programs also delete the ampersands, commas and other illegal characters when transmitting.

[taxmandan]

My point is with Lacerte's EFile Wizard everything is taken care of in one screen. With Drake you have to go through numerous steps - creating Excel Spreadsheets, checking in other parts of the Drake program, you don't have to do this in Lacerte - so it is possible that the "one" mistake can happen in Drake -

I've never created a spreadsheet of efiled returns, CSM shows status when I am in the program if I need to know. Never had a problem with Drake efile in 14 year either, sometimes issues arise between the keyboard and chair I'm sitting in but not with the software. Don't ever recall a return getting lost enroute to Drake either. How much did you pay for that Lacerte again?