Ultratax issues ... anyone else?

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#1
Andrew  
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I've run into a problem with one computer when installing the 2021 Ultratax software. It doesn't connect to Ultratax servers. Ultratax still uses Internet Explorer (which will be retired in June 2022) to connect to their servers (connection is needed for everything, from updates to e-filing). A second computer with the Ultratax software runs fine and can connect to the Ultratax servers. All proxy server settings on computer 1 and 2 are the same. All other Ultratax versions on computer 1 can connect to the Ultratax servers. I've tried reinstalling 2021 Utratax, with anti virus disabled, but to no avail. Has anyone else run into the same issue?
 

#2
Andrew  
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Okay, my IT person solved this issue today. We both laughed out loud, I merely cried, because bilion dollar Thomson Reuters solution to the problem was "contact your IT person" in their recommended solution. Yeah, it's like my IT person solves problems like this for 1,000 accounting firms who use TR in my local area? Thomson Reuters is still using the outdated Internet Explorer, which will be retired in 5/2022 or so. So brace yourself for losing your whole business mid 2022 because TR doesn't want to spend the money to update their software to current standards. I was taking aback when one of their reps told me the software development team decided they didn't want to spend the money to update the CA software for 2020 PPP loans. Explain that to your clients ... so sorry about the IRS notices ...

If you're new in the business, I would not recommend using Ultratax as tax software as it is today. And I've used it for 20 years. Ultratax is severely outdated and if there's a problem, they recommend your IT person fixes it ...for which you'll have to pay. By mid 2022, Ultratax may be obsolete because they put profits before updating their software. Internet Explorer, it's outdated, it's unsafe, and billion dollar Ultratax aka Thomson Reuters keeps using it to save money on programming. Profits before you, profits before your clients.
 

#3
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I decided to implement Onvio (another TR product) this fall. I've had nothing but problems and issues where our rep will say "It's not supposed to do that..." *smh*
I'm not amused.
~Captcook
 

#4
Andrew  
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CaptCook wrote:I decided to implement Onvio (another TR product) this fall. I've had nothing but problems and issues where our rep will say "It's not supposed to do that..." *smh*
I'm not amused.

Absolutely terrible! I wrote about this in some other post but the businesses we built, based on care for clients, are not our own anymore. Billion dollar software companies can take your business away ... because they have the power to decide what they update or not ... which affects if you can file returns or not.
 

#5
Andrew  
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CaptCook wrote:I decided to implement Onvio (another TR product) this fall. I've had nothing but problems and issues where our rep will say "It's not supposed to do that..." *smh*
I'm not amused.


The rep said that because he gets paid... for every hour he answers the phone for TR, even if no solution is provided. You signed on with a billion dollar company which is too big to fail and therefore can spend their dollars where it matters most to them: advertisements.

in 2022, your business success including the ability to file returns electronically is out of your control. After I couldn't update my 2022 Ultratax tax software, hours on the phone, TR Online Knowledge Based gave the solution: "consult your IT professional". Yep, my local IT professional deals with about 1,000 CPA businesses dealing with issues of TR using Internet Explorer (Not, of course). Internet Explorer is outdated and will be retired in June 2022 by Microsoft (which is in about 5 months from today). What will happen to TR users when June 2022 hits? The TR rep will say "It's not supposed to do that..." *smh* while you can no longer file returns for your clients?
 

#6
Andrew  
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To me, it sounds like that TR has decided that tax prep is no longer profitable to them. They decided to not update their software for CA PPP loans issues in 2021, making all users subject to losing clients because the users could not correctly prepare returns (without a ridiculous work around which included setting up a non existent trust to get the K-1 to compute correctly for a CA S Corp).TR has plenty of other businesses going on so tax prep isn't needed. I would run as fast as I can from TR. I'm looking into other options myself after 20 years of TR and realising this is not the same company anymore.
 

#7
smtcpa  
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I'm confused, UT hasn't even released the states yet, have they? What is the PPP loan issue for CA you speak of?

I went to Lacerte 4-5 years ago and Lacerte was a disaster and quickly switched back to UT. The grass is always greener...

Andrew wrote:To me, it sounds like that TR has decided that tax prep is no longer profitable to them. They decided to not update their software for CA PPP loans issues in 2021, making all users subject to losing clients because the users could not correctly prepare returns (without a ridiculous work around which included setting up a non existent trust to get the K-1 to compute correctly for a CA S Corp).TR has plenty of other businesses going on so tax prep isn't needed. I would run as fast as I can from TR. I'm looking into other options myself after 20 years of TR and realising this is not the same company anymore.
 

#8
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We were having issues with TRs technology. They kept saying have your IT person do this or that. Finally my IT guy said they are just making stuff up. I did a tour of Onvio and decided it was time to use a company that knows how to develop software.

We made the switch to CCH Axcess. Was it perfect? No. Was the conversion decent? No, perhaps the worst experience of my life. But I feel like I have software I can use for the next 20 years where I didn’t before.
 

#9
Andrew  
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smtcpa wrote:I'm confused, UT hasn't even released the states yet, have they? What is the PPP loan issue for CA you speak of?
I went to Lacerte 4-5 years ago and Lacerte was a disaster and quickly switched back to UT. The grass is always greener...


Yes, the states have been released. I found out yesterday. The strange thing was that I had to click on a proforma-ed client's ID and then all of a sudden the state got added to this client.

I've been mostly happy with Ultratax, except for the last 3 years. From what I remember, the issue was that the amounts for a PPP loan entered in the data entry mode, didn't show up on the K-1. One rep told me a very complex workaround which involved setting up a new client that was a 1041. I think you could than import this K-1 into the S Corp and it worked. Again, it's been while.
 

#10
smtcpa  
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Andrew, that sounds like a bad rep. I've never had any PPP loan forgiveness issues but I have not had one in CA yet. I help admin a Facebook group for UltraTax. Maybe you should check it out. Many times the support is better there. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/757176094367835
 

#11
Andrew  
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smtcpa wrote:Andrew, that sounds like a bad rep.


Thanks. The rep was actually good. She told me that Thomson Reuters had decided to not update their software for how CA handles PPP loans.
 

#12
Andrew  
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They keep messing up the software: "Mark box if requested payment date is 4/18/2022". Marked the box and then the letter says " make a check payable to IRS ...." Marking the box worked in prior years.
 

#13
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The checkbox has been working for me.
You have bank info in and verified?
 

#14
Andrew  
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Yes, of course.
 


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