Lacerte vs. Proseries time to prepare returns

[DLP]

I've looked a little in the forums and didn't see this question asked previously (sorry if I overlooked it). I think there would be some users familiar enough with both programs to give some feed back on this question.

I've been a Lacerte user for the past few years since I started taking over a practice where the old practitioner was retiring and he used Lacerte.  I also used Lacerte previously at another office so I had some experience with it.  Also had a few years with Ultra Tax with previous firm.  I'm considering making a change to Proseries.  I don't do particularly difficult returns but do have quite a bit of volume.  I've downloaded a trial Proseries and have been poking around it.  It seems like quite a bit more "mousing" than with Lacerte.  I'm pretty efficient with Lacerte and I like staying on the keyboard to jump to inputs.  Is it possible to do returns as quickly/ efficiently with Proseries once you are past the learning curve?  I've used other software and I know the learning curve is painful but I'm wondering if once you get past that if you can get through a return as quickly with Proseries as Lacerte?   I realize this is a subjective question - just looking for some input on other's experiences with efficiency between the 2 programs.

Of course this change would be motivated by cost - particularly the REP fees for out of state returns/ business returns.  Thanks  

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

ProSeries does have a list of keyboard shortcuts...every link I try to pull up the list is no longer functioning though.

https://proconnect.intuit.com/taxprocenter/practice-management/shortcut-keys-in-intuit-proconnect-pr...

https://proconnect.intuit.com/community/proseries-discussions/discussion/have-you-ever-wanted-to/00/...

@IntuitBettyJo  is there a new link to see this somewhere?  both of these go to pages with another link but those links are all no good.

[IntuitBettyJo]

Here's what I was able to find: 

Spoiler

ProSeries Keyboard Shortcuts

What are the ProSeries Tax keyboard shortcuts?

Solution Description:

The keyboard shortcuts below allow you to quickly navigate through the program.

Command Keys:

Key	Action	Key	Action
Ctrl + A	Calculator	Ctrl + V	Paste
Ctrl + C	Copy	Ctrl W	Remove Form
Ctrl + D	Override	Ctrl X	Cut
Ctrl J	Find
Ctrl N	New Client	Ctrl Shft+F	Find / List Notes
Ctrl O	Open Client	Ctrl Shft+J	Find Again
Ctrl P	Print Client	Ctrl Shft+L	Select Line
Ctrl Q	Quick Zoom	Ctrl Shft+N	Add / Edit Note
Ctrl S	Save Client	Ctrl Shft+S	Supporting Statements
Ctrl T	Tax Summary	Ctrl F3	Sort Data in Table

Function Keys:

Key	Action	Key	Action
F1	Program Help	Shift F1	Help
F3	Cross Reference	Pg Up	Page Up
F4	Tax Help	Pg Dn	Page Down
F6	Find Forms	Home	Front of Field
F7	Find Next Error	End	End of Field
F8	Mark as Estimated	Ctrl Home	Top of Form
F9	Calculate Return	Ctrl End	Bottom of Form
F10	Save Return	Alt F4	Exit
Tab	Go to next Field	Shft Tab	Go to Previous Field

Note:
Introduced in 2018, ProSeries offers improved dialogues to support shortcut keys and enable keyboard navigation without requiring mouse inputs.  All ProSeries dialogues support keyboard shortcuts and default navigation for the tax year 2018. This enables more efficient, heads-down data entry and navigation through tax returns -- using the keyboard by supporting hotkeys and logical default keystrokes.

Examples:

• Pressing “Esc” will close the dialogue without needing a mouse click to close
• The primary button will always be the “Save” button (previously it was the“Cancel” button), which required using the mouse to save inputs. Now if the customer wants to save they can just hit enter.
• All other buttons have a single letter underlined for the hotkey. Selecting that letter on the keyboard will activate the button

I hope that helps.

Cheers!

Betty Jo 

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

I have this in a stack of "stuff you might need one day" LOL   I dont know if Ive ever used it though, or how old it is....or why the forum turned the pic on its side?

[George4Tacks]

@IntuitBettyJo is there a link to this nifty chart?

How about one for Lacerte?

I don't think PTO has one, but if it does, is there a link? 

They used to exist.  Pretty please????

[IntuitBettyJo]

Hi @George4Tacks , 
Here's what I was able to find for Lacerte... We don't have an active article at this time.  For PTO, I didn't have any luck. 
I hope this helps! -Betty Jo 

Spoiler

The following tables identify the keyboard shortcuts within Lacerte - Click to Expand

Want to learn more? Visit our online portal.

Shortcuts Available in the Clients, Detail, Forms, and Diagnostics Screens

These Lacerte key combinations are available from the Clients, Detail, Forms, and Diagnostics Tabs and are an important feature allowing you to quickly navigate through the program.

Press	To
Alt+C	access the Clients tab
Alt+D	access the Detail tab
Alt+F	access the Forms tab
Alt+I	access the Diagnostics tab
Alt+Left or Right Arrow	move between tabs
Ctrl+H	open the Calendar
Ctrl+L	open Lacerte Email
Ctrl+O	open User Options
Ctrl+P	open Print Tax Return dialogue box
Ctrl+U	open the E-file Wizard
Ctrl+F5	open the Lacerte Appointment Manager
F1	open the in-product Help window
F2	open the in-product Help Center
F4	open the Client Status window
F5	open the REP window
F10	open the Technical Support window
Ctrl+Alt+I	switch to the Individual Module
Ctrl+Alt+P	switch to the Partnership Module
Ctrl+Alt+C	switch to the Corporate Module
Ctrl+Alt+S	switch to the S-Corporate Module
Ctrl+Alt+F	switch to the Fiduciary Module
Ctrl+Alt+E	switch to the Exempt Module
Ctrl+Alt+T	switch to the Estate Module
Ctrl+Alt+G	switch to the Gift Module
Ctrl+Alt+B	switch to the Benefit Module

Shortcuts Available in the Interactive Detail Input

Press	To
Delete	delete the selected text or the character to the right of the cursor if no input is selected
Esc	(once) move from the detail window to the Section list. (twice) save and exit the Detail screen.
+	access the calculator if the cursor is in an amount field.
PgUp PgDn	scroll the screen a page at a time
Ctrl+Tab	move among the lists and the Detail screen
Up Arrow Tab	move among input fields or selections
Down Arrow	move among input fields or selections -or- add a new property if the cursor is on the last property at a grid screen
Ctrl+A	add a new screen/property
Ctrl+C	copy a property (Active in the list panel only)
Ctrl+D	delete a property or all entries on the screen
Ctrl+E	open expanded detail for the current field
Ctrl+V	paste a property (Active in the list panel only)
Ctrl+X	cut a property (Active in the list panel only)
Ctrl+Z	undo the last action
Ctrl+Left Arrow Ctrl+Right Arrow	select the previous or next tab along the bottom of the screen
Ctrl+PgUp Ctrl+PgDn	move to the next input section on the screen
Ctrl+Up Arrow Ctrl+Down Arrow	move to the same input field for a different property
Shift+F6	insert the last number displayed in the calculator into the current input field.

Shortcuts Available in Batch Input

Press	To
Delete	delete the selected text or the character to the right of the cursor if no input is selected
Esc	(once) move from the detail window to the Screen list. (twice) save and exit the Detail screen
Ctrl+Tab	move among the lists and the Detail screen
Up Arrow Down Arrow Tab	move among input fields or selections
Ctrl+A	add a new screen/property
Ctrl+D	delete a full line of input
Ctrl+R	reset the page and cumulative hash totals to zero
Ctrl+Home Ctrl+End	move to the first or last item of the current screen
Ctrl+Left Arrow Ctrl+Right Arrow	select the previous or next tab along the bottom of the screen
Ctrl+Up Arrow Ctrl+Down Arrow	move to the next or prior property of the current screen
PgUp PgDn	move a page at a time
+	open the Calculator if the cursor is in an amount field.
Shift+F6	insert the last number displayed in the calculator into the current input field.

Shortcuts Available in the Client List

Press	To
Up and down arrows	scroll one client at a time in the direction of the arrow
Home / End	go to the first or last client on the screen, respectively
Type the client number, name, SSN, or status	scroll the client list as you type (based on the current category). The current search characters display in the Status bar at the bottom of the screen, in the Search box.
Alt	activate the menu bar. You can press Alt + the highlighted letter in a menu or feature to access that menu or feature quickly.
Spacebar	select or unselect the highlighted client
Ctrl+Up Arrow or Ctrl+Down Arrow	scroll through the Client list without moving the cursor from the highlighted client
Shift+Up Arrow or Shift+Down Arrow	select one client at a time in the direction of the arrow

Shortcuts Available in the Letter Editor

Press	To
Arrow keys	move cursor a character at a time, or a line at a time, in the direction of the arrow key.
Ctrl+Left Arrow	move to the previous word.
Ctrl+Right Arrow	move to the next word.
Shift+Insert	paste text that has been cut or copied
Home	move to the first character of the line
End	move to the last character of the line
Pg Up	move up one page or to the top of a subsection
Pg Dn	move down one page or to the bottom of a subsection
Shift+Right Arrow Shift+Left Arrow	mark text in the direction of the arrow
Shift+Up Arrow Shift+Down Arrow	mark a column of text in direction of the arrow
Shift+Delete	cut the selected text
Backspace	delete a character to the left of the cursor
Delete	delete the selected text or one character to the right cursor
Ctrl+P	print the current document
Insert	toggle insert/overstrike
Ctrl+Z	undo the last change
Ctrl+B	make selected text bold
Ctrl+I	make selected text italics
Ctrl+U	underline selected text
Ctrl+F	find text
F3	find the next instance of text
Ctrl+A	select all text in a section
F7	check spelling