Any plans for TaxBook on CD?

[Unregistered]

I prefer the printed book for my office but a CD version would be great on my laptop out of the office........Any Plans?

[jainen]

Cd

I got the QF on CD in its first year. The interface was so slow I couldn't use it much. Besides I usually just want to nudge my memory or pick out a single number, and scanning the book is very fast. I have another, bigger reference product with the code and regs and analysis on my hard drive.

[B C]

cd

I agree. I also had the QF CD last year but used the book most of the time. If I'm looking for just a quick answer right away, I can find it in the book much faster.

[TMI Moderator]

TheTaxBook CD

We do have plans for a CD and other electronic versions of TheTaxBook. However, we will not have those products available until after the upcoming filing season.

We're looking closely at the suggestions on this board. We've always studied customer opinions to help us determine the content and presentation that will be of best use for our readers. However, we're in the planning stages for the CD and electronic versions, and the opinions we see now have special importance in influencing what characteristics the new products will have.

Your comments are part of our planning process. Please don't hesitate in letting us know what would be most useful for you.

Paul Roberts
Co-Author, TheTaxBook

[Brad Imsdahl]

Paul gave you the diplomatic answer. I’ll be direct. We are not going to produce an electronic version until we think it is something you will actually use. That means it has to be fast. If I can find the answer in 7.26 seconds in my hard bound book, I want the electronic version to be just as fast, if not faster. It also needs to be something that can be updated on a daily basis. Those are the kinds of things past versions of CDs never could do. It also ought to be something I can tie in with my tax software. Look for our electronic version to come out some time next year.

[accttax]

Hoping for a CD next year

It also needs to be something that can be updated on a daily basis.

I haven't had a chance to look at TheTaxBook yet, but I'm hopeful for its success. I plan to put my order in, right after this post. I simply couldn't resist the opportunity to share my views regarding the CD version with the editors (especially since they asked!)

Speed was definitely an issue with QuickFinder's CD, as was the difficulty in scrolling between pages, but . . .

My biggest issue with their CD version was that we could not fix their errors (and we all know how many of those we had to deal with last year!)

Plus, the CD version gives me an electronic archive and is consistent with my goal of a paperless office. Don't get me wrong . . . during tax time, I continue to be in the habit of pulling out the written version for quick reference, but it would be nice to leave the handbook behind after tax season (or when I'm working at home on the weekend.)

Please don't hold out on the CD version until it can be integrated with our tax preparation software though! It's not going to be compatible with all of the different software products, and some of us already have some pretty good help resources within our tax preparation software.

[Brad Imsdahl]

I can’t give you any indication of what we already have in the works. We don’t want our competition to know what we are up to. All I can say is it will be big, and it will be something you will use. Please keep in mind that we have always designed our books in the past to accommodate our own tax practices. That is the approach we will take with a new electronic version. It has to accommodate our needs during tax season for us to be satisfied with it.

This is a good opportunity for people to tell us how you would like an electronic version to work. Any and all suggestions will be considered.

[jainen]

install completely

<<tell us how you would like an electronic version to work>>

I must be able to install it COMPLETELY so I don't have to go looking for the CD or DVD when I click on any feature or link.

[BOB W]

Installation...?

Yes, yes , yes......that would allow a quick update from this web site at the start of each day.... Excellent idea..

Going one step further, let us purchase the "CD" version of "The Tax Book" online and download it upon purchase. Do whatever "passwording" you deem necessary, but I should be able to have at my finger tips a fully updated version everyday.

This version, should be "network" capable.

The installable version should be set up just like the book version, tabs and all. The screen should show the page in "full screen mode" with "enlargement" to make the reading area readable. It should have an indepth index and an intutive find capability with other suggested areas of research related to the original search question. That "other areas of research" should be not only within your book, but IRC or other official support documents with a direct link to those documents.

[accttax]

re: a CD version

. . . with other suggested areas of research related to the original search question. That "other areas of research" should be not only within your book, but IRC or other official support documents with a direct link to those documents.

Unless you have a lot of memory on your computer, you don't want what you wish for . . .

Maybe I am reading your post incorrectly, but the editors' product is meant to be a "quick reference," not a full-fledged research library with analyses. We already have CCH, RIA, Kleinrock, and other libraries for this purpose.

Significant cites in TheTaxBook will be helpful (as was done in QuickFinder); they refer us to the supporting IRC, Regs, Rev. Proc., Ltr. Rul., etc. This is obviously do-able. But if they were expected to provide links to the text of these "other official support documents," we would never see the CD. And where would they be able to stop? Everyone would expect a different level of cross-referencing to meet their research needs. A full research library (online or on CD) must be a separate investment.

(I apologize in advance if I have misinterpreted this part of your suggestions.)

[BOB W]

I was just ........

..... looking for "links" to other readings on a topic, not to have a research and opinions CD. Sorry if I implied otherwise.

I agree there are many other "long winded" research and opinion reference books on the market but in todays electronic world their use is becoming less and less. Information is a lot easier to find then in hard copy books. Behind my desk in four wood/glass cabinets is a full set of Binder refference books, some 35 volumes. They are there for show purposes only. The data is mostly out dated. With publications like QF, and now The Tax Book, the "research" process has become convient and fast. Although deeper research may be required, The Tax Book should give links to those other areas of research.

IRS has free info that I find very useful, with interpertations of the law. I am a very poor "researcher" and even at the IRS web site it can take me many attempts and lots of reading to find what I need. The "The Tax Book" will be solving those problems for me, especially having the "locally installed" electronic version- click the link and I'm at the IRS web site exactly where I want to be, who could ask for anything more.

[accttax]

IRS info

[QUOTE=BOB W. . . there are many other "long winded" research and opinion reference books on the market but in todays electronic world their use is becoming less and less . . . even at the IRS web site it can take me many attempts and lots of reading to find what I need. The "The Tax Book" will be solving those problems for me. . . [/QUOTE]

It would, in fact, be very hard to find what you need by going to the IRS' web site! In addition to the severe limitations of their search function, very few resources are actually available on the IRS' site. They have the Code and the Regs, but these are but a snippit of taxation. The IRS site has only two years' worth of Rev Ruls and Rev Procs; even then, the text is organized by IRBs - this is not helpful! Relying on the IRS for documentation could easily cause tax results ranging from missed opportunities to positions which generate a tax preparer penalty.

They do not document Tax Court Memos, Tax Court and other Federal Court case law, and most other sources of substantive authority. They also do not provide other guidance such as TAMs and PLRs which still have an important role in tax compliance and planning (and are oftimes cited in the quick reference books.)

Very little documentation is represented on the IRS' site. They do provide links to other web sites for some resources, but many document types are not referenced at all! If the editors had to produce a CD (or an installed program with updates) that linked each cite in TheTaxBook to an outside source, our cost of a "quick reference" CD would be formidable. They would be competing with RIA, CCH, BNA, Kleinrock, and others for our business . . . and our substantial investment in the $100s of dollars! Plus, they would have to continually monitor the integrity of their links to the various web sites or maintain a library of their own.

One more thing . . . I would be careful not to consider TheTaxBook a "meets all" source of research. Quick references are just that; I loved my QF and I look forward to TheTaxBook, but I wouldn't do without a more complete library as well. Those "long winded" research libraries still exist, and for a reason. (They have electronic versions, too - I would be surprised if anyone subscribes to a hard copy anymore!)

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the editors have planned for us! I'm sure that we won't be disappointed - we've come this far with them, haven't we?

[BOB W]

Links

Appearently your practice is different than mine and I appreciate your "most corrrect" interpetation of the ultimate true "link" from The Tax Book. I'm not asking for that. I realize there are specialized research services available for a fee and The Tax Book cannot link to them. All that I'm saying is, whatever is available free, a link would be a good way to get further info on the topic. This is what QF already does and I sure TTB will also do.

The convience of an electronic TTB would allow a quick jump to additional info. TTB is primarily for "everyday" tax practice issues, not the unusual that require an indepth or overlapping tax code problems. My practice involves every day tax issues and I seldom need to go further then that.

You are correct in all that you have replied to and I appreciate the time that you took to respond in such a professional way, thank you. But I was thinking of more simplistic ways to use the electronic TTB. Again, your points are well rec'd and correct on all issues, I'm just less envolved with tax issues then you are and only need the basics for my everyday type of practice.

I'm looking forward to Brad & company's new book.

[accttax]

Our posts . . .

Bob,

I truly hope that I did not offend you in even a small way. I guess I strive so hard to be totally "clear" in what I want to communicate, that I sometimes "overdo a good thing" (if one even perceives it as good!) Thank you for a reply that remained totally polite.

Laura

[BOB W]

Your Post.....

........ was perfect and I had no problem with it. As I mentioned, I just have a different practice than you. I'm sure many on the board gained from your post.

Thanks,

Bob W