UltraTax and Accounting CS

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#1
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Is anyone using anything other than Accounting CS with Ultra Tax? It seems as though QB will integrate with Accounting CS and then Accounting CS into Ultra tax (import).

My staff can't stand Accounting CS and for the short time I've played around with it, it stinks compared to their earlier version.

Thoughts?

The import feature is nice, but if we aren't importing, then QB is probably the way to go since 90% of our clients use it.
 

#2
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It's been a while since I worked with those systems, but the one dynamic I could never understand was the import feature from QB to CSA. The import feature, when fully mapped, pulls through all the activity from the account and not the ending balances. This is fine (kind of) for the P&L accounts, but if the beginning balance sheet account from QB doesn't tie to the last balance in CSA, then it is all screwed up and nothing ties. I ended up just copy/pasting balances from QB to CSA, but even then you have to have all the accounts lined up to make it work properly.
~Captcook
 

#3
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Thanks Captain - I really don't care for CSA and wish there was another program that we could use instead of it.
 

#4
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I didn't like CSA for bookkeeping. My current firm uses it for some payrolls since the W-2 printing function is rather robust and better than QB.

I did enjoy it as a YE support for tax prep. It's much better than Engagement coupled with ProSystem, which is what my firm uses currently. I have a deep seeded loathing for ProSystem.
~Captcook
 

#5
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We use CSA and UltraTax. We have tinkered with Accounting CS and can't stand it. It's slow and overall less efficient. Accounting software geared towards accountants should be fast and customizable. Accounting CS seems to be stuck somewhere between retail and professional software.

We recently started using Practice CS which we like. I'm hoping that it leads Accounting CS to be more friendly. Otherwise we are looking for a new solution.
 

#6
LMCPA  
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I use QuickBooks and UltraTax but I don't import. At my od firm we used CSA and slowly transitioned almost all of the clients over to QuickBooks but I never really used the import function. Something about checking off numbers on paper as I enter them that I just can't let go of. :-)

Liz
 

#7
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If your using quickbooks, then why not use lacerte for better integration.
 

#8
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I currently use Creative Solutions and know I need to switch to Accounting CS soon, if I am going to make the switch. I have been looking around for a good bookkeeping program that integrates with a tax program. I would like something that does import into the tax program, as CSA is great once things are set up properly. For the price and from what I've heard from others regarding Accounting CS, not sure that I want to make the switch to that. Has anyone found any good alternatives yet?
 

#9
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We are in the same boat here, Seaside. My boss is thinking about using QB for client write-up (I am underwhelmed at the prospect). You might like to take Acclivity software for a spin. You can get a free trial. They have a couple of programs for CPAs and EAs, but I am not sure if you get a free copy of the full software or whether it is a cut-down version.
 

#10
CPANATE  
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I too would like to see what others who dislike Accounting CS will be using. My firm has used it and did not like it at all.
 

#11
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Moving people to quickbooks online. We use ultratax but might switch once lacerte integrates with qbo.
 

#12
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I want to bump this thread up to get more feedback. I guess I am going to start transitioning to Accounting CS, from Creative Solutions (not by choice, mind you). I have not had time to look around as much as I would like at other accounting products that import into tax programs. For those of you that transitioned to Accounting CS, was the switchover very difficult? Time consuming?

Anyone found an accounting program that imports to a tax program that they absolutely love?
Does anyone know how well quickbooks integrates with Lacerte? Does it import information directly into the tax return?
 

#13
smtcpa  
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Have you looked at the ARNE board for comments on the transition? A vast majority say it was difficult and very time consuming. Some have started the transitioned and dumped it. I would review the ARNE comments if you want a lot of feedback.

Seaside CPA wrote:I want to bump this thread up to get more feedback. I guess I am going to start transitioning to Accounting CS, from Creative Solutions (not by choice, mind you). I have not had time to look around as much as I would like at other accounting products that import into tax programs. For those of you that transitioned to Accounting CS, was the switchover very difficult? Time consuming?
 

#14
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I use QB because my clients use QB, and I don't integrate it with UT. I've also read enough on the new ARNE replacement board to be content with my current system rather than looking to integrate UT with a current Thomson Reuters accounting product.

Taxdr1965 wrote:If your using quickbooks, then why not use lacerte for better integration.


A software package is a package deal, and each piece of software has its own pros and cons. To me, the pros of UT in my situation beat cons including its lack of integration. Different practices would come to different conclusions.

Also, I will admit that to me, one of the cons of Lacerte is that it's part of the Intuit family. I would prefer to not give them money for their tax preparation product, mainly because of their complete disdain for my profession (including the marketing of a competing consumer-level product and their atrocious customer service in general). I recognize that it's not the most rational reason to not choose a product, but it is part of my thought process.
 

#15
AZ CPA  
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I agree. Intuit is too greedy. I have to use QB as my clients are using it. They charge for every little thing. They don't care about our professionL users. I am not going to buy their tax software. Drake is good enough and is improving every year. I need to look into Xerox accounting software. Any experience and comments on Xerox? QB needs a competitor.
 

#16
smtcpa  
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If you think Intuit is greedy, you should seeThompson Reuters.

I am Xero certified.Been using it on three clients and my firm's books for a year. I hate it. If you listen to the Xero evangelists, you will become convinced it is the best thing in the world. QB is much better. Xero's data entry is awkward, the reporting totally sucks, I have a whole list of complaints. But it is the best thing that happened to us QB users. It spurred Intuit to pour massive dollars into QBO development and make huge strides in the QBO product over the last two years. So far, Intuit is winning the battle, IMO.

AZ CPA wrote:I agree. Intuit is too greedy. I have to use QB as my clients are using it. They charge for every little thing. They don't care about our professionL users. I am not going to buy their tax software. Drake is good enough and is improving every year. I need to look into Xerox accounting software. Any experience and comments on Xerox? QB needs a competitor.
 

#17
makbo  
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missingdonut wrote:I use QB because my clients use QB, and I don't integrate it with UT.


I used to use ProSeries and took advantage of the "import from QB" feature for a number of clients.

Now, what I find almost as easy, is to simply use Tax Line Mapping in Quickbooks. After a 10-20 minute one-time effort to map client's active QB accounts to the lines on the corresponding tax return (1120S, Schedule C, etc) it is very easy to just key the Tax Summary report totals into UT when preparing the return, while QB easily produces reports documenting all the details. This also works better with my system of review and how I "check off" items from source documents, I couldn't really "check off" the import into ProSeries.
 

#18
makbo  
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smtcpa wrote:I am Xero certified.Been using it on three clients and my firm's books for a year. I hate it. If you listen to the Xero evangelists, you will become convinced it is the best thing in the world. QB is much better. Xero's data entry is awkward, the reporting totally sucks, I have a whole list of complaints.


I had one client using Xero this year, I didn't need to spend much time in it, but my first impression was similar to the above. I couldn't understand why a credit card account (liability) was lumped in with bank accounts (assets), and I don't think cash-basis Balance Sheet reporting was even an option.
 

#19
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Thanks for the feedback on this. I was not aware of the ARNE site. Lots of feedback there regarding converting, most of it not good. I have a lot of clients that use QuickBooks as well. Makbo, I was not aware of the Tax Line Mapping function. Is this in regular Quickbooks, or the Accountant's QuickBooks? Are you saying the numbers do not transfer into UT, but you can easily key totals into UT to flow to proper places on return? Where would those totals be entered in Ultra Tax?

I have quite a few clients that give me their year-end QuickBooks file. I have then been transferring their balances into my Creative Solutions software, and import that into the Ultra Tax tax return, where everything is populated to the proper lines (after proper set up).
 

#20
smtcpa  
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I will miss the QB to CSA to UT transfer feature also. Would be the only reason for me to consider ACS.

I've played around a bit with Pivot Tables in Excel to mimic the CSA tax code report. And then enter directly to UT. Still takes extra time which I really hate to waste.

Seaside CPA wrote:I have quite a few clients that give me their year-end QuickBooks file. I have then been transferring their balances into my Creative Solutions software, and import that into the Ultra Tax tax return, where everything is populated to the proper lines (after proper set up).
 

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