Pro Series Multi-Factor Authentication

I just received notification from Pro Series that beginning next month every time I log into their software I will have to not only enter my password, but they will also be sending a code via text message or email that I will need to enter. I am the only person in my office and therefore the only person that uses my computer, so this is a total and complete waste of my time. Where are these computers located that need to have this additional security??? Do you feel like your office needs this level of security?

I understand your frustration. With Thomson Reuters you have to use their Android or Apple App. No texting or emailing for TR. With TR every 30 minutes your software will time out if not being used. If you're on a long telephone call or busy doing some research guess what happens, you're logging in multiple times a day.

I just logged on to ProSeries to read the update. It does say the MFA will be required upon 'initial login." So what does that mean? Maybe if you get logged out due to inactivity, you can just enter your password as you do now.

But same as FLAcct, I have a one-person office and it's an annoying fact of extra security. Virtually all that we do now, requires email and smartphones....no living off the grid if you want to prepare taxes! Okay....paper-tax pros, you can respond! (um, using your computer though).

I understand your frustration. With Thomson Reuters you have to use their Android or Apple App. No texting or emailing for TR. With TR every 30 minutes your software will time out if not being used. If you're on a long telephone call or busy doing some research guess what happens, you're logging in multiple times a day.

That's not all quite accurate. You can also purchase a card that generates the required MFA code for a reasonable one time fee.

The software only times out after 30 minutes of lack of any use at all on your Window computer, not just use of the tax software. In other words, if you walk away from your computer for more than 30 minutes, yes UT and related products will time out (and it only takes one fresh login to get all the products back to online status). But if you are active in any way on your computer, such as "doing some research", it will not time out.

TR has had it with UltraTax for at least a year. I never complain when software companies up their game to protect my data. Once it's set up, it takes an extra 2 seconds to authenticate. Hard to complain about that.

I understand your frustration. With Thomson Reuters you have to use their Android or Apple App. No texting or emailing for TR. With TR every 30 minutes your software will time out if not being used. If you're on a long telephone call or busy doing some research guess what happens, you're logging in multiple times a day.

That's not all quite accurate. You can also purchase a card that generates the required MFA code for a reasonable one time fee.

The software only times out after 30 minutes of lack of any use at all on your Window computer, not just use of the tax software. In other words, if you walk away from your computer for more than 30 minutes, yes UT and related products will time out (and it only takes one fresh login to get all the products back to online status). But if you are active in any way on your computer, such as "doing some research", it will not time out.

What you say is true (and it is also true with ProSeries) except if you use UT on TR's SaaS or VO platform. In that case, you can be doing research on your computer and UT will time out if not being used. I should have made this clear in my original post. UT does give you a one minute timeout warning. I usually miss it because it is buried under other open windows. My main point was not that you have to log in ( I am using multifactor authentication with much of what I do online) it is that you have to use a TR proprietary product to do it.

TR has had it with UltraTax for at least a year. I never complain when software companies up their game to protect my data. Once it's set up, it takes an extra 2 seconds to authenticate. Hard to complain about that.

except when their systems are down and no one can log-in, after support hours, and you can't even access their community page because that also requires a log-in.

There is a reason we left UltraTax and the current tax season down-time is a good reminder.

Old thread, but I didn't see a reason to start a new one to rant about a problem that still exists 3 years later.

(we are still transitioning out of File Cabinet and Practice which the whole staff is locked out of now)