3.21.2022 Update SNAFU

[abctax55]

@IntuitGabi  and all the other PTB at Intuit.

It's 9:00 pm on the West Coast.  Most (all) of us have been unable to work for at least 8 hours.

At my billing rate, plus the billing rate of my staff preparers, plus the wages of the support staff for even MY small office - the downtime cost is SUBSTANTIAL.   The lost TIME is another issue, as the filing deadline is four weeks away.  The loss of 8 hours, times the number of employees, is not recoverable.  

I fully expect AND demand an explanation, and a partial refund of the software costs.  An apology would also be appreciated.  

Intuit's PR department really needs to take some CPE on the value of communicating with customers.

[EJO3]

I agree with "West Coast" totally.  I have been with Lacerte for 35 years and this is the WORST year

as far as mistakes on input sheets for us Batch users and I can't believe the number of Updates.  But

I have never been as frustrated as today with not being able to e-file.  If you're going to charge us

AAA rates, then give us AAA service.  Solve this issue NOW!

[MtnTaxMan]

I have been frustrated with Lacerte for years. I love the program for it's comprehensive diagnostics but the list of poorly written sections is insane.

1. Why I have to tell Lacerte to print Multiple Pages of a Client Letter? It should print all the pages by default - same with an invoice.

2. If the the software doesn't blow up, freeze or give me an error that I have an option to send to Lacerte AT LEAST 4 TIMES A DAY I'm astonished.

3. Why can't I set the Direct pay and Credit Card options ON by default to all balance owing clients?

4. Running a database report? Prepare to wait - no option to cancel it.

5. If I enter a locked return, forget trying to click on field to see the details.

6. E-Signature. No way to mark an e-signature as downloaded. So every day I scroll and scroll and scroll by activity to see who has signed.

7. E-Signature. Wow --- what a watered down version of Doc-U-Sign. Why can't I create a custom template for, say, an engagement letter? NOPE. Have to manually place the client fields to complete every single time for say, an engagement letter.

8. Why can't I "hide" screens and fields within screens that i will never, 100000% ever use as long as I live.

9. Ever try to customize a letter? Writing it by hand is faster.

I have tons more -- I thought I would state these 9 at a time. have about 40 more.

Bruce W Tyler, EA

[David10]

Amen brother ! 

[IRonMaN]

I believe they had this issue scheduled for April 18th and someone screwed up and released it early. 

That really, really, really sucks.

[abctax55]

Hey Gabi, thanks for the thumbs up.  But how about some info on whether the issue is solved. I need to notify employees - do they come in today or go skiing instead??????

[Strongsilence-CPA]

Curious and honest question:  Why do you use Batch input?  I know little about it.

[abctax55]

It's fast - if you use input sheets, or organizers that have the codes printed.

I can do the data entry in about 1/3rd the time with the batch vs interactive method.

[abctax55]

@IntuitGabi 

STILL waiting on some info/communication from you guys about this.

[TaxGuyBill]

---

@abctax55 wrote:

But how about some info on whether the issue is solved.

---

I'm sure they will have it fixed in a week or two.  😨 😬

[rbynaker]

I hear ProSeries will be ready starting on 3/24, maybe you should switch to that.

[IntuitGabi]

E-file and REP latency issues have been resolved and we are continuing to monitor closely.

[abctax55]

Unfortunately, stopping mid-morning to download ANOTHER update - that may or may not work isn't feasible right now.

"YOU" - meaning Intuit in general - have no friggin' clue as to how all this all works on the user end.  AND you don't seem to care.

I'll update during the lunch hour, maybe.  Or likely just limp thru my work-around solution until all employees leave for the day.

Sorry Gabi - this isn't directed at you.   But the overall dissatisfaction with Lacerte/Intuit is large - large enough to consider a software switch even this late in my tax prep career.  And I *know* how much me switching will hurt Intuit /S

[MtnTaxMan]

OH LET'S TALK ABOUT TWO MORE HEADACHES!

1. Ever try to rename a file once it's been printed from Lacerte to a PDF? Here is my scenario..... Once we receive the e-signature back from the client - we move the folder from "Waiting on Signature Documents" to "Ready to e-File.

NOPE - CAN'T DO IT. LACERTE LOCKS THE THE FOLDER AND IT CANNOT BE MOVED. The only way to get Lacerte to release it's POS FINGERS  from the folder is for me to use a utility called I/O File Unlock. Lacerte will not release it's lock on a file unless somehow the printed PDF is directed elsewhere.

I run the utility and it shows that w21tax.exe is locking the folder. I can use the utility to release the folder lock or I can exit Lacerte and re-enter the program, having to enter my 5,645 alphanumeric password again.

I use a program called "FINEPRINT". It is a utility printer intercept and, if I remember to print the Lacerte job to Fineprint, I can now direct the print job to any printer, including a PDF. Fineprint does not lock the file like Lacerte does.

2. Ever have a client start taking care of an older parent? Of course we all do. Try entering the dependent birthrate as 04/01/27. Lacerte placed the date 04/01/2027. GEE WHIZ - I DIDN'T KNOW I COULD HAVE A DEPENDENT THAT WASN'T BORN YET!

They raise the price every year. That's fine --- SHOW ME SOMETHING FOR MY MONEY.

More to come. Infuriating. Either the program is not tested well enough (hello, Drake?) or the developers just don't give a crap. I vote #2.

More to come.

Bruce W. Tyler, EA

[MtnTaxMan]

AGREED !

Let's talk FOUR MORE INTERFACE ITEMS THAT DO NOT WORK AND TAKE UP OUT TIME.

1. Add PDFs to return. Oh, how fun. If I add a PDF and re-enter screen 4 to add another, I cannot click add PDF --nope-- Lacerte assumes I'm changing the prior PDF. I must click add new PDF. SLOPPY.

2. Anyone ever press the ESC to go back to the previous screen and nothing happens? The we touch ti again. NOTHING. Then we touch it AGAIN AND BANG WE ARE KNOCKED OUT TO THE CLIENT MENU -- SLOPPY PROGRAMMING. JUST HORRIBLE FOR THE PRICE OF THE PROGRAM

3. The Client Info menu. Great if you are 25. Not so great if you are 55. The text is so small I am constantly entering the wrong screen. Yea, yea, I could enter the screen number and press enter. Ever tried that? Try it and see what happens. I enter 25 enter and win up in screen 2.

4. Type CTRL-I to search for a client. Type SMITH and press enter. CLIENT NOT FOUND. I have 13 clients with the last name of  SMITH. Good job for a $10,000 software package.

5. BIGGEST ONE THIS WEEK. Type a string such as Ameritrade Long  to enter the summary transaction amounts. I scroll thru the available options and find Ameritrade long term summary press enter and Lacerte enters a completely different Table Editor string.

SLOPPY - JUST PLAIN SLOPPY.

Next Year, I will try another package and try to convert a few data files. If it goes smoothly, I'm done with Lacerte. I do know that converting from ProSeries to Lacerte was a total pain in the neck. I would have done it quickly by re-keying every return from the prior year and doing a pro-forms.

6. Not sloppy but impossible to do correctly -  create or modify the Client Letter. I wanted to add a closing paragraph that stated. Your fees for the preparation of your 2021 Income tax returns is ______ and have Lacerte take the number from the Invoice screen. Doesn't work (and I know what I'm doing).

SLOPPY!  I have total trust in the integrity of the calculations and diagnostics. 

[IntuitGabi]

I apologize for the belated response. Thanks for posting back! 

I'll take responsibility for the delayed communications on the outage early Monday morning, @abctax55. There were a few program errors we were looking at during that time. The latency you most likely experienced was due to a temporary misconnection with a third-party server, it was a bit out of our hands.

As for your comments @MtnTaxMan, I collected your feedback and will review it. 
Lacerte Idea Exchange is where program enhancements are submitted. Thank you for taking the time to write these out and thank you for the compliments as well, I'll be sure to pass it along. 

[abctax55]

The latency you most likely experienced was due to a temporary misconnection with a third-party server, it was a bit out of our hands.  

Sorry - that's just B.S.

[IRonMaN]

The buck stops here - X

                         No, it stops here - X

X here?

                                                                   Maybe hereX

     Possibly here X

I don't screw up that often but when I do, I take responsibility.  Evidently Intuit doesn't quite have the same philosophy.

Sorry Lisa, I know I shouldn't post here because I don't have a dog in this hunt, but sometimes as Intuit customers we have to have each other's back.

[Jenhenheacpa]

I lost 6 days of my time and my staff - from Friday after the update to Wednesday when they finally fixed it.  I think Intuit needs to get us an extension of time too!

[MtnTaxMan]

LACERTE SLOPPY PROGRAMMING NOTE FOR THIS WEEK-----

EVER RUN A CUSTOM DATABASE REPORT, LIKE, OH WHICH CLIENTS FILE A SCHEDULE D AND 8949 SO THEY DON'T SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT BEFORE FEB 15TH?

Yes, I have too.

Ever try to click "Cancel"?

Me, too.

Doesn't work.

SLOPPY!

With Intuit raising pricing virtually 6-8% every year......I am going to entertain the idea of Ultra Tax. Like I have mentioned, I am confident in the calculations with Lacerte, but the interface and pop up errors are getting to be too much. Sole practitioner paying close to $10,000 per year should not have to deal with sloppy programming.