Lacerte Update not installing all modules

[steven]

I have been forced to manually install Lacerte updates.  I just verified the update for today was available.  As I scrolled thru the  contents (Release notes are not reliably offered) I noticed that there are a number of modules with updates that are older than the date of my last update.  I updated on Friday 3/13/20 which should have got me all the updates prior to the Thursday 3/12/20 update.

I now see the following updates on the list for tonight:

• Individual Alabama          3/10/20
• Individual Louisiana         3/10/19
• Individual Maryland        3/10/19
• Individual South Carolina              3/9/20
• Corporate Mass                 3/9/20
• Corporate South Carolina              3/9/2020
• Corporate Vermont        3/11/20
• S-Corporate Arkansas    3/10/20
• Fiduciary Oklahoma        3/9/20
• Gift Federal        3/10/20

Can any one else verify this content on their list?    If yes, please also let me know if you are on a Network (like us) or running Standalone.

I am now routinely updating with WebSetup /FORCE.

[George4Tacks]

I would not ROUTINELY update with the FORCE. Simply use Lacerte 20YY Web Setup. I have a shortcut to that on my desktop.

Here is what I have on my standalone install after the latest update (today,) which shows that not all states are updated when the Fed is updated:

2019 Operator Programs Version 40.0305
2019 Federal Tax Version 40.0317
2020 Proforma Not Found

2019 Alabama Tax Version 40.0310
2019 Arizona Tax Version 40.0310
2019 California Tax Version 40.0305
2019 Colorado Tax Version 40.0305
2019 Connecticut Tax Version 40.0310
2019 Delaware Tax Version 40.0317
2019 Dist of Columbia Tax Version 40.0225
2019 Georgia Tax Version 40.0317
2019 Hawaii Tax Version 40.0303
2019 Illinois Tax Version 40.0310
2019 Indiana Tax Version 40.0305
2019 Iowa Tax Version 40.0312
2019 Kentucky Tax Version 40.0312
2019 Louisiana Tax Version 40.0310
2019 Massachusetts Tax Version 40.0310
2019 Michigan Tax Version 40.0305
2019 Minnesota Tax Version 40.0317
2019 Missouri Tax Version 40.0305
2019 Montana Tax Version 40.0312
2019 New Jersey Tax Version 40.0312
2019 New Mexico Tax Version 40.0310
2019 New York Tax Version 40.0310
2019 North Dakota Tax Version 40.0312
2019 Ohio Tax Version 40.0305
2019 Oklahoma Tax Version 40.0303
2019 Oregon Tax Version 40.0312
2019 Pennsylvania Tax Version 40.0317
2019 Rhode Island Tax Version 40.0303
2019 Tennessee Tax Version 40.0305
2019 Texas Tax Version 40.0211
2019 Utah Tax Version 40.0305
2019 Virginia Tax Version 40.0317
2019 Wisconsin Tax Version 40.0317

[steven]

Thanks, I fully understand that all modules are not updated with each update. 

What I would really like to know is what shows as pending for install. 

Tools=>Lacerte Updates=>Version Info=>Status => What entries that have "Updates Available" that are 3/12/2020 or older.  IMHO, there should be none.  They all should have been installed during my last update.

I used force last week as I first noticed this issue then and wanted to make sure it was cleared.  I will try vanallia WebSetup (in about 30 minutes) and let you know.

[George4Tacks]

FORCE is more for program issues, as it updates MOST of the little bits and pieces that sometimes get kerfuffled.

[George4Tacks]

GENERALLY updates are on Thursday. An update like today is probably to correct an issue found in the update from last Thursday.

[steven]

We are a medium size business with close to a dozen employees running 7 days (or at least were up until this week) .  While updates are released on Tuesday and Thursday I need to spread things out to minimize disruption, so I update on Tuesday and Friday nights @ 7PM (Thursday update is applied on Friday night).  It used to be early am when I could rely on the Update Scheduler.  Friday is a good compromise as it's "the weekend" but I try to minimize the "loss" time (I get nagged if the system is down more than 30 minutes.  Half this is the time it takes to get the laggards out of Lacerte).

I ran the Websetup with no issues.  No modules show pending updates.  The release notes displayed at opening are for 40.0305 AGAIN.  These should read 40.0317, but it's worse than that.  I went back to look at older notes.  The release letter for 40.0213 is EXACTLY the same content as the latest note, but with a different version number.  Looks like they stopped updating that.  This should be UNACCEPTABLE.

The update itself is only about 5 minutes, but by the time I reboot the App server, download release notes, send emails etc it's 15 minutes or more.

[George4Tacks]

Maybe @IntuitAustin can give you more information. I agree that the links and the information in them are inconsistent and often confusing, especially the release notes.

The main Thursday UPDATES are 3/05, 3/12, 3/19... The RELEASE dates are shown in https://proconnect.intuit.com/community/help-articles/help/2019-lacerte-release-dates/00/6538. A release is a whole new program and this is often where they break the program. The updates are for fine tuning and correcting release. Not every component and not every state is changed with either the Update or the Release. that is why you see so many dates. 

A critical update will show up as a red dot with a white X in the lower right corner of the program. 

I hate to try to defend what is frustrating you, but this is a very complex program, that is made in a very short period of time to keep up with idiot Congress and crazy Treasury Secretary changes that quickly evolve to screw the whole system up on an ever evolving schedule. I think Lacerte (and all the other tax software programs out there) are pedaling as fast as they can to get it right. 

[steven]

@George4TacksThen do not defend them, call them out.  For the money we pay we deserve a lot more from what is supposedly the industry leader.

I have worked in manufacturing and software for almost 40 years now.  Virtually every company and client I have worked for has had better "service" than Intuit.

Regarding Revisions.  This is no different than any manufacturing or software company I have worked with.  An update\version\revision is a "bucket" of "parts" (components or software modules) each of which has it's own "criteria" (master data, code, VERSION, etc).  A "Release" (Version) is a CLEARLY defined set of the "parts" that are in the "bucket" that is released TOGETHER on a specific date with some type of official authorization.  The document that opens after an update should generally or specifically define this; it indicates a version and until recently I took this as the standard type of document which defines the changes for the "Bucket of parts" defined by the version. 

2019 Lacerte Desktop Release Letter
Version 40.0305

The value 40.0305 is totally meaningless.  It's a date and there is no way to track back to the bucket.  First the lack of these documents and even worse the distribution of the wrong document means that the user has no understanding of the Versions "high level functional updates" (ie what new forms or calculations have been fixed and what can I now process) or from my perspective what may have been broke. 

In prior years (as I have posted previously) Lacerte had a web page related to the link you included that one subscribed to which would send an email both alerting the subscriber to an available update in a timly manner as well as a preview of the important contents.  Today NADA UNACCEPTABLE

The blatant failures of the built-in update tools which are basically driving us to do a manual WebSetup EVERY time to get this to work are unforgivable and for us, EXPENSIVE and DISRUPTIVE compared to past years.  This is not likely to impact a single practitioner, but I need to coordinate a dozen users during some part of the business day as opposed to a benign late night update.

I have called  Support on the updates, the letter and many other non tax calculation issues.  I submitted a ticket on line regarding the Update Letter and was directed to call support.  If first line support can not answer a question satisfactorily it ides, there is no escalation.  If one goes on line to look at service requests the tickets have NO content for phone interactions and are generally "closed on hang up".  UNACCEPTABLE  After much nagging of my rep I got a placebo call from Second level support.  While I was given some links to articles, all of which you already new, there was no real followup and now no response from him or my rep.

Update Scheduler is an unsatisfactory product for a Network install.  It's a client based app and not a server based background service.  UNACCEPTABLE.  Note that it has a radio button for "Daily" instead of check boxes so I can NOT set Tuesday and Thursday (or Friday in my case) .  I literally had to run this (last year when it worked) on 2 different PCs (my FAX and Conference room PC that are on 24\7) to update this 2 times a week.  3 years ago I wrote a detailed software spec and sent it to my rep.  Lost in the Intuit BLACK HOLE.

The "DataBase" that Intuit uses is, well not a real data base.  It's a bunch of DAT files.   These do not support any report writing or query tools.  This tech is so outdated and the supporting "tables" like OPT files are extremely large, complex and prone to corruption.

I can go on but need to address things I can fix.

@George4TacksI do appreciate your help and support.  This is not directed at you, but Intuit.  Maybe my rep will call.

[George4Tacks]

@IntuitAustin is the face of Intuit here. He will sometimes facilitate a personal contact to inform or smooth feathers.

[steven]

After installing the update on Tuesday the 17th "Tools => Lacerte Updates" showed no missing updates. 

Now I show that there are 20 modules available that have a date of 3/16/20 or older, the oldest being 3/9/20.

Not clear on what this means.

[IntuitAustin]

Hey @steven, 

I'm going to reach out to support to see if I can get any clarification on this. 

Austin 

[steven]

@IntuitAustinThank you

[steven]

@IntuitAustin The issue persists.  This list is the modules that Lacerte indicates it will update tonite include this list of "OLD" updates. 

To make matters worse the ones with * in front were updated last week and after the update I was told were current.  These 7 are back again (Ie I have updated these dates before).

Continuing on the "To make mattes worse" theme, I this time compared the modules Lacerte wants to update with the currently installed version.  All but 1 have an installed version that is the same as or newer than the module Lacerte wants to install.  Why would the software want to install a 3/16 version over a 3/17 version. 

And the stock was up today.  Don't know why

3/24/2020 – V40.0324 -

19Update Scheduler       3/11      

Individual Federal            3/19       40.0319

*Individual Alabama       3/10       40.0310

*Individual Louisiana      3/10       40.0310

Individual New Hampshire           3/18                       40.0319

Individual Oregon            3/18                       40.0319

Individual South Carolina              3/18                       40.0319

Partnership Arizona        3/13       40.0313

Partnership Corp Dist. of Columbia           3/16       40.0312

*Corp Mass        3/9         40.0310

Corp Pennsylvania           3/16       40.0317

*Corp Vermont 3/11                       40.0312

*S-Corp Arkansas             3/10       40.0310

S-Corp Ohio        3/18                       40.0319

S-Corp Wisconsin             3/18       40.0319

*Fiduciary Oklahoma      3/9         40.0310

Exempt Org New York    3/16       40.0317

*Gift Federal      3/10       40.0310

[George4Tacks]

Not all states are updated weekly. My ever evolving California is still at 3/5. I would expect most states to update as the "due date" changes are implemented. Generally every update will update the Operator and Individual Federal. Hopefully @IntuitAustin  can confirm my statement and put your worries at ease. 

[steven]

I'm not clear that you are following me, that said, if you look at the update date and version numbers you will see that the installed version of the problem files are the same or newer which makes no sense.  The installed version MUST be older than the release date.

I stand by position in other posts that an update should be a package of a defined set of components and the package should contain a Master revision number.   I have also noticed that if I download a release a day later than scheduled that I may also get a component that is newer than the release date. 

Release notes are expected for EVERY release and not redundant boiler plate.  Apparently  release notes are delivered when the operator version changes.

And then there is the update process, or lack there of...

[RalphT]

same problem with  my stand alone.

[George4Tacks]

If I am understand that which I did not appear to understand a year ago, many updates are schedule for Thursday and will have that Thursday date, even if they are released on Wednesday. 

Don't sweat the small stuff. Updates happen on a schedule much like my daily bowel movements.