Combine Notes and Flags to be implemented at Line Item Level or Screen Level

[walkthrough]

Current Status: Notes are available on all screens with an overall limit of 2500 characters. Generally OK but the limit get exhausted very quickly if the return is complicated and you try and save client queries and pending return data in the notes for quick reference.

The Flags feature is a great implementation to review what is pending or what needs attention. However, it does not remind the preparer what exactly is required to resolve that flag. In addition to the current notes implementation, if each flag could also have an optional comment field to indicate what is pending or what further actions need to be taken, it would speed up the return review process.

As an example, see the use of comments feature of Microsoft Excel/Word. It allows you to post a comment thread with replies and also allows you to resolve it. If it is resolved it does not pop-up directly, but unresolved comments are quickly brought to notice. If this feature is implemented, it is absolutely important to allow to resolve or post replies to a comment (e.g. Asked Client about IRA investments, the client responded to not put money in IRA. Both these threads should be visible with a date and time so that these questions are not repeated and the preparer has a clear understanding of what had happened at time of preparation of the return.) It would be a bonus if the comments are marked seperately as "Internal Notes", "Client Queries and Responses", etc. and to mark Preparer and CLient Reponses seperately. It may also include a team member marking to indicate who wrote that comment on the team when multiple people work on the same return. I think you guys would be in a better position to determine what options the software gives as or you can allow to customize these seperate group of comments for each client or for the firm as a whole.

This feature should also allow the preparer to export the comments with backgroud references in a text format. It will be easy to email the text file to the client to remind them on what is pending from their end.

All in all, you can review the Microsoft Word comment feature, a similar feature should be helpful for all the preparers.

[IntuitGabi]

Thanks for the idea to add a comment for a flag (Like the Microsoft Excel/Word feature). We are changing the status to "Open for voting". 

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