What happen to ATX

[Lion]

Atx

I was appalled to find the forum gone late last night when I went to check on Trust and Gift Tax issues, both tax-related and software-related. I use Pay-Per-Return for about ten returns now but will go out on my own next season. I was pretty sure I'd purchase ATX this spring, because I know it a little and because I could find experienced users on their forum 24/7 to help a sole proprietor like me. Now, I'll start the search for software in May.

The one time I needed ATX's tech support (since most of the time my questions got answered on their forum), the techie said they usually doubled as sales support but this year would not be doing that; ATX was training a new crop of sales people that day. I liked the idea of someone who actually knows the software helping me choose the right package for my needs, and not someone who's skill is marketing. The nice techie (as we waited through downloads) talked to me about what I expect next year in my business and suggested the 1040 package that comes with three states (know I need NY & CT) and pay-per-return to cover the businesses and other entities and other states, too.

[Connie]

Got an email back....not much help however.

Hi did complain last night when I was trying to find an answer to my question too. I sent an email and told ATX what I thought about them dropping the site at this point in the season and how unprofessional I thought it was. I got an email back that said not that many people used the site. For one I thing, that is a bunch of bologna. It was part of what I thought I had purchased when I bought the software. Lot of people were out there helping others. I especially liked it since I work alone and sometimes need to bounce things off another person.

Perhaps ATX is really on the way out and this is just another way to get us to purchase whatever CCH decides to offer and at whatever price.

I have used ATX for so many years I can even recall when I started with them. For the first time in years I will be shopping to see what else is out there... I would appreciate your suggestions and why you like your modestly priced, but accurate software.

Thanks!

[DonPriebe]

A Tale of Two Softwares

Perhaps ATX is really on the way out and this is just another way to get us to purchase whatever CCH decides to offer and at whatever price.

At this point, CCH owns two software products that are appropriate for the smaller tax preparer - ATX and TaxWise. ATX is spreadsheet based; TaxWise is database based. ATX is extremely comprehensive with thousands of supported forms, while TaxWise supports the usual complement. A spreadsheet program can (and ATX does) update individual forms rapidly while a database program requires a more measured process. Consequently, maintenance of ATX requires much more attention on the part of the practitioner, with hundreds of updates per season, while TaxWise may have ten. As a further consequence, ATX appears to be less stable, with some quality control problems.

If you were CCH and wanted to consolidate your two offerings into a single product, but technical considerations prevented that, what product would survive?

By the way, TaxWise is in the second (?) year of a five year contract with the IRS, and is used at all IRS walk-in offices and AARP/TCE sites.

[OldJack]

>>A spreadsheet program can (and ATX does) update individual forms rapidly while a database program requires a more measured process.<<

I have used ATX since they first started. If the practitioner knows where data goes on what form ATX blows database programs away. Years ago when I used database programs it was always a question of how many times do we have to print the tax return to see if it is correct. CCH will be hard pressed and down right stupid to do away with ATX software when there are so many more users than TaxWise. But of course CCH was stupid to discontinue their message board with only a week until the tax season ended. Really, how mad do you think that made thousands of tax professionals?

[Lion]

Email

Yes, I received an email also in response to my email to ATX. Too little, too late. Still no announcement via email or even on their site to all of us users. The board was part of their package, and now their software is incomplete. I'll be shopping.

[Maribeth]

I sent an email to William asking for an explanation and the reply I received from him was this, and I quote, "this is out of my control.".

I too will be looking at other software options after tax season. I abolutely hate the idea of having to go through another conversion after so many years with ATX but it just may be time before things get even worse at ATX.

Maribeth

[George Boutwell]

At this point, CCH owns two software products that are appropriate for the smaller tax preparer - ATX and TaxWise. ATX is spreadsheet based; TaxWise is database based. ATX is extremely comprehensive with thousands of supported forms, while TaxWise supports the usual complement. A spreadsheet program can (and ATX does) update individual forms rapidly while a database program requires a more measured process. Consequently, maintenance of ATX requires much more attention on the part of the practitioner, with hundreds of updates per season, while TaxWise may have ten. As a further consequence, ATX appears to be less stable, with some quality control problems.

If you were CCH and wanted to consolidate your two offerings into a single product, but technical considerations prevented that, what product would survive?

By the way, TaxWise is in the second (?) year of a five year contract with the IRS, and is used at all IRS walk-in offices and AARP/TCE sites.

If I were CCH and wanted to consolidate the two programs, I would make sure the survivor had a more marketable name than ATX. IRS and other users don't have a contract to buy a database program; they have a contract to buy a program called TaxWise, a name to which the ATX program could easily be switched. If the competition uses database, the spreadsheet approach might result in differentiation, loyalty and higher market penetration.

The ATX "Community" started to prove its insignificance last year when they started showing how many hits each message received. None of the threads were read by more than 100 users (the hit count would occasionally exceed that number, when subsequent posts were viewed again by the same users). If you were ATX and had 70,000 users and only 70 showed up on your message board, would you continue to devote resources to it?

Nevertheless I will miss the dandruff from the off-the-top-of-the-head answers posted there.

[OldJack]

>>The ATX "Community" started to prove its insignificance last year when they started showing how many hits each message received<<

That may be true... but I quit posting on ATX mainly because there were so many posts that I did not have time to read them. Plus, a great deal of the posts were nonsense having nothing to do with taxes, rather what someone had for dinner or some relative died this morning and pray for me.

[erchess]

I was considering gettint ATX PRS for next season

But do I understand correctly that in order to use it efficiently I have to know without seeing a picture of a tax form not only the form but the line number where something goes?

When I first started in the business I developed the habit of knowing, for any tax issue I was competent to handle, what Form you made the first entry on but not the line number. I also knew what line number of F1040 every issue ended up on. I no longer remember the line numbers even on 1040. I would be totally lost with software that did not let me bring up a picture of the Form. I usually click to go to the underlying worksheet or schedule instead of making a direct entry, but as I say I need that snapshot of the form.

So, would I like ATX PRS or would I be sorry I bought them. I am not looking to change from Orrtax but I am looking for something that will have any form or situation that Orrtax may not be able to handle.

[DonPriebe]

ATX is forms oriented.

Do I understand correctly that in order to use it efficiently I have to know without seeing a picture of a tax form not only the form but the line number where something goes?

No you do not. ATX for the most part uses the real form for input. (Schedule E may be an exception). You click on the line where the entry goes and either enter it directly (which may bring up a warning) or "bunny-hop" to a linked worksheet.

(I've heard that there is an 'interview' mode for ATX but I've never used it.)

[Snaggletooth]

Corporatespeak

Again, speaking to an elite group of tax software users, as in connoisseurs of any product, consider the effects of absorbing creative productions like ATX into large corporate structures. The outcome at ATX is typical, as the wellspring creative slogan "find a need and fill it" crumbles under the onslaught of other objectives. I don't think any of you who used ATXers will ever receive direct answers to your questions.

I have taken numerous consulting jobs in the last six months in the accounting arena, some of which are not even remotely related to taxes. One of these was for the corporate headquarters of a very large national chain store with $2.5 billion in sales. The phenomenon I call "Corporatespeak" continues to fascinate me. There have always been fads consisting of buzzwords, such as the "Synergy" of the '80s and "TQM - Total Quality Management" of the early '90s. This particular company has renamed its corporate headquarters the "Store Support Center." Their 10,000 employees are referred to as 10,000 "associates." The image portrayed is that the headquarters, board of directors, etc exists to facilitate the stores rather than vice-versa. Also that instead of an autocratic direction from management, all employees are consulted and have voice in company decisions. As in all corporations, very little (if any) of the above image is true. For those of us who own stocks, we can find an overabundance of this language in corporate annual reports. So much smokescreen they are hardly worth reading.

For those of you who have used the ATXers, I want to take the opportunity to welcome you to the TAX BOOK message board. We hope you will find a forum here to address appropriate topics and also freedom to speak your own mind, so long as you don't denegrate others.

As many of you know, THE TAX BOOK itself owes its very existence to a spirited departure from a corporate takeover by a huge publishing corporation. Enjoy this message board and bring your input to us.

[sdiazea]

Atx

but I have seen reference to alleged negative comments on ATX' customer support allegedly drawn from the ATX Communities. The references were in advertising by Pro Series.

Since you are obviously an ATX user, I would like to know what package you have and how you like it.

May I jump in? I too, am confused and concerned about the ATX community board being discontinued. I have been an ATX user since 1998 and am very happy with the software, the support and the additions and improvements over the years. I have learned much from the software because things pop up that I wasn't aware of and when I research where they came from and why, I am sooo happy that I continue to use ATX. Clients get a benefit when they stay with the same tax preparer rather than switching around because of the things that roll forward from year to year. If I switched programs many of those benefits would surely be lost. I sure do hope nothing happens to ATX.

[sea-tax]

Disclaimer: Please do not read if a good natured ribbing is not your bag.


You get what ya payfor! You want a program that doesn't get bought out everyother year and works. Then spend the money and buy a program like Lacerte or Proseries. Otherwise don't act so shocked and dismayed when your less expensive programs get bought out and then change the ball game on ya.

Most tax people tell me I am crazy for spending over ten grand on Lacerte but ya know what I don't have half the complaints that you all have. More time for me to make more money instead of crying over spilt milk.


Now that I have that off my chest , I would like to appologize to all who seem offended but I warned ya not to read if you can't take a joke. Good luck to ya all with the final days of the Season.

[BOB W]

Well.......

.......... you comment is not a joke. These buy-out have been going strong since 1998. ATX has been around a long time and am supprised it took this long to get boughtout.

When the founders of these programs start getting on in age they all start thinking of calling it quits, and what is better way than a half of billion retirement pot.

I've been involved in two buy-outs since 1998 and it is no fun making the switch over. But each time I ended up with a better program. I've given up on looking at cost and went with the high priced more stable companies. You all should do the same.

I've been with my current program for 4 years and know the program inside-out. My fears of a buy-out are gone and I price my services to account for my overhead. Some of you in these small towns or not so affluient towns may have to stay with the "cheapies" and put up with the potential buy-outs in the future, that's the way it goes.

But for those that just choose "cheap" should re-evaluate your cost when every year or two you have to re-learn a new program. It is hell...............Re-learning is not the only problem, but will save that for another time.

[BJM]

Cheap

I have been with ATX for quite a few years, one of the victims of the Parsons take over and then using Proseries for a few years after that being offered a low price as a former Parsons user. When Proseries then went to the full price for renewal I found ATX and have been with them since. To me price is a factor at this time because my practice is not my lively hood. I am a former IRS Agent and upon retiring had family and friends wanting me to prepare thier returns, with referrals and such I turned this into a seasonal part time business for residual income for that vacation, trip to the casino etc. If I were just beginning my career and this was my only source of income I would have a different approach, actively seeking new clients and using a more expensive program. To many small time preparers cost is a concern. Looking at the new price offering from ATX, the least expensive program is the 1040 preparation software, it is priced at $390 which is reasonable, but what they changed was the e-filing, which was free in the past to now be billed at $3 for the federal return and $2 for the state, at $5 a return and you did just 100 e-files per tax season, the cost of that program is now $890. For those with a small client base, this would be hard to incorporate in a fee increase along with any increase due to cost of living or whatever increase you may do yearly. It would seem CCH would just as soon price the basic package so that you find a different provider or purchase their more expensive package. Now that said, this is probably why the tax message board was done away with so that postings like this would not appear. So, it is not that in all cases people needing tax software are cheap, it is just a matter of economics that fit thier particular practice.