How to Suspend calculation?

[jeff1]

Need ability to suspend auto calculation in ProSeries.  A return with large depreciation schedule, ACA subsidy and QBI calculations are forever calculating when change made.  A problem when wanting to elect out of Bonus Deprecation to see results.  Every new asset in a class needs the election box checked and each check box triggers a new lengthy calculation.  One of these returns is taking hours to obtain results.  Is there any help coming on this issue?

[Matt105]

there isn't a way to stop the program from auto calculating every time you make a change.  Are you saying that you make a change, and the program just sits there and spins for hours, and you are unable to do anything during that time?

If so this is very concerning.  It is possible that it is due to the fact that most of these calculations are not yet ready, and the program is struggling to work through them, but I would like to look more into it.

[rbynaker]

I've noticed some slower calculations with PTC/SEHI/QBI as well.  But my lag is 5-10 seconds.  Still mildly annoying.  The closest thing to a "fix" that I can come up with is maybe have a worksheet like the Education Credit optimizer where the user has to click a box when they're ready to run the PTC/SEHI circular math calculation.  I don't like that solution either.  At least with the Ed credits you're still filing an accurate return even though it may not yield the optimal tax result.  With the PTC/SEHI you could end up with an inaccurate return if you just forget to go back and check the box.

[Matt105]

That is a good suggestion.  We could put an error on the checkbox to prevent you from efiling the return without having checked the box first to stop the inaccurate return.  

[jeff1]

The delay is longer with more assets you have, old (prior) and new assets.  One change can take a minute or two to see the results.  If you are electing out of Bonus, across lets say 30 assets, you are now an hour to find results.  There was a suggestion of plugging in a single dummy asset (by class) to test before entering them all, which is a good idea and I will probably try this approach on the next planning session.  A far easier approach would be to provide a button to suspend calculation as changes are made.  The Dummy asset approach will not work if I'm in the middle of tax season and and all of a sudden a new piece of information comes in and the whole strategy changes.  Time is money and I think this is a reasonable request to allow us to suspend calculation.       

[jeff1]

Actually another issue with the loss of 1031 exchange for traded equipment, we really need another line for those assets that have been traded and traded to the point where you have only the OLD boot difference of lets say $10k and the trade allowance is $20K, you probably don't have a Capital Gain.  In this example we have been increasing the cost by $10k and the prior depreciation by $10k to force the Ordinary Gain treatment instead of partial Cap Gain Treatment.  These new depreciation rules are really turning planning on its head.  Maybe there is a box or election I can make to force ordinary treatment without fudging the numbers.  Any suggestions?     

[rbynaker]

I don't do a lot of LKE but I see where you're coming from.  Maybe if you treated the two assets as a group sale?  Or really just manually allocate the "sale price" (trade-in value) between the two assets, that should get you the correct tax on the depreciation recapture.  I *think*.

Rick

(And just for clarification, folks with the Moderator tag work for Intuit, folks with the AllStar tag are just fellow users who've been around the block for a few years.  Or at least long enough to give hundreds/thousands of answers here!)

[IRonMaN · Accepted solution]

Why not load in all of the assets as one total in a dummy asset to see what the result is and go back afterwards and load in individual assets based on your preference?

[jeff1]

Good idea during our planning stage, enter one dummy asset per class, I will try it.  Not good in middle of tax season and something comes up requiring elections to change.  I would rather suspend calculation until I am ready for the results.  I thought years ago we had this option as I can remember punching F9 key to make the calculation when I wanted it.  
 

[Matt105]

I was able to recreate a return that acts similar to what you are mentioning.  It wasn't taking hours, but it took long enough to not seem right. I am reaching out to development to see if there is anything we can do about this.  

To clarify, you are still able to work and enter data while the calculation is running correct? you just don't see the result until it finishes?

[jeff1]

No, the mouse just spins and we have to wait until the calculation is finished.  If you are not experiencing hours of wait time, then you don't have enough assets (old and new) in your asset schedule.  Also, try putting a subsidized health care 1095-A into the mix and make sure to tag the 1095-A to the business for the infamous circular reference in the code.  You know the SE Health Insurance Deduction vs Subsidy repayment.  I realize some of this is the law and not a software issue which is why we need the ability to suspend calculations.  Staff just informed me that the field on the asset schedule, under the disposition section, that ask for acquisition date also needs populated.  Once that is populated, the wait gets worse.  Thank you for looking into this!  

[Matt105]

Would it be possible to email me a sanitized copy of the client file that is taking hours? I do not have a test file with a large amount of assets.  

If you would like instructions on sanitizing the file, please see https://accountants-community.intuit.com/articles/1627450-how-do-i-sanitize-a-client-file-in-proseri...

Thank you,

[Matt105]

the most recent update to ProSeries included a change that should improve this slow calculation.  After installing the update, can you please try it again and see if the performance is any better?  

[jeff1]

Sorry it took so long to respond.  Yes, it is much better.  Thank you.