Intuit Link-Message regarding messages and comments

[sagarcpa]

I logged into Intuit Link today and saw this message. 

Comments and messages at task level will not be available post 5th of July 2020. If needed, please save your comments and messages for future reference.

Anyone know what this message means?  Can we not use Intuit Link to communicate with our clients up until October 15th???  Or even July 15th?

In addition to the ESignature issues, the other tool I have been using extensively to get information from clients is going away before returns are due?

[itonewbie]

@IntuitAustin @IntuitBettyJo Hi, Austin and BettyJo, could you please shed some light on what users of Intuit Link should expect?  This is the second question on this in a day.

There is an alert in Intuit Link for Accountant but there is no info about what users should do or what they can expect (see screenshot below).  If this feature is going away, users may need to take action now to archive the threads, consider how this will impact their worfklow going forward, and how to communicate this to their clients.

Thanks!

@lisa10You may like to keep track of the development here.  Hopefully, the helpful moderators will give us an update soon.

https://proconnect.intuit.com/community/lacerte-discussions/discussion/intuit-link-message/01/83865#...

[George4Tacks]

My translation of that wonderfully worded message is "The 4th of July fireworks will blow up everything, so if these are important to you, save your comments and messages on some form of backup device."

EDIT My guess is that it has to do with the end of Intuit's fiscal year. 

[sagarcpa]

So not official answer yet to this question?  Intuit is trying my patience this year.  Between the Esignature issue and 4 hours on the phone yesterday to fix a QBO issue...Now I can't use Intuit Link past 7/5 and I have to spend a day downloading information already there?  Do I need to call support for this too or can we get some kind of clarification?

[monarobinson]

We are also concerned with the meaning of this message.

I am hoping for a quick response from Intuit.

I am curious, also, regarding other firms practices regarding saving client responses in LINK.

Currently, we are printing/saving client responses.

The LINK export function is available, but difficult to make usable.

It is my understanding that Intuit LINK has no backup capabilities.

Thank you.

[itonewbie]

Link was never meant to be any firm's or taxpayer's DMS.  It's a portal that's controlled by Intuit and made available to ProConnect users but only those with current subscription.  If you don't have a current subscription, you will lose access to Link for all years, period.  For this reason alone, you should always download your data from Link.

The best way to download discussion threads and documents from Link will be as a ZIP file.  The discussion threads would be saved as a CSV file that's actually quite easy to follow (except Intuit should really restore the records of actual dates instead by reference to the number of days or months ago, which loses meaning without a base date to compare against).

Link is backed up automatically by Intuit.  The risk of losing your data is low.  However, the backup is only for Intuit's benefit, not yours.  If you accidentally deleted your data, Intuit has no obligation to help you restore anything from backup copies they maintain.

[mkscpa]

I understand the premise and I have been downloading the csv file with the messages and responses when they are done with their uploading and I work on the client's return.  What I don't understand is why July 5th?  Especially since returns aren't due until July 15th.  I will have clients uploading until the last minute...We all have clients like that.  Am I supposed to find another way for them to do that after July 5th?  This is the communication I am looking for.

[itonewbie]

You're not alone.  Hopefully, Intuit will respond soon.

[IntuitBettyJo]

Hi there, 

I'm working on getting more information about this messaging, I will update you as soon as I hear back.

Cheers! 

Betty Jo 

[IntuitBettyJo]

Hi there, 

I apologize for the delay.  As a part of an internal migration taking place, comments and messages at the task level will not be available post 5th of July 2020.

Comments and messages can be downloaded from the Link on a per-client basis.  Instructions on how to do so here: Common questions about using Intuit Link

I hope this clears up any confusion.

Betty Jo 

[itonewbie]

Thanks, @IntuitBettyJo.  But what are the changes users should expect from both the accountant's and taxpayer's perspective with these changes?  How will Link function after July 5 without comments and messages?  Users should be given a heads-up on what to expect in advance of these changes so that they can plan their processes/workflow as well as communicate with their clients accordingly.

[monarobinson]

Please provide more information on how the LINK system will be functioning after the changes are in place.

Thank you,

[sagarcpa]

Yes, please provide more information about how Link will work after July 5th.  The last thing any of us need in the last 10 days of "tax season" is confusion with our clients as how to receive communications from them.  Will the messages and comments be available at all or in a different way?  This is the first year for me for ESignature and IntuitLink, both features that were supposed to save me time and allow me to concentrate on preparing returns.  This is not the case for either.  Very disappointed in both services and the communication from ProSeries.

[IntuitBettyJo]

Hi there, 

So I reached out to get more information for you all and here's what I was able to find: 

Nothing will be changing until after July 15th.  The only change happening will be that comments and messages between you and your client at a task level will no longer be a feature and in order to have the comments for future reference, we recommend you download the chats/comments in a csv file. 

-Betty Jo 

[sagarcpa]

Forgive me if I don't understand what "at the task level" means so I will ask a different way.   In the instructions to save the messages and comments, we are instructed to download a csv file.  This csv file contains the responses to the requests and the comments and messages.  Prior to July 15th (I did see the date change in the message this morning) I am planning on downloading those csv files.  My question is will only the message feature change (the one column with the chat box icon above it) or will the requests (the columns labeled requests and responses) made to clients also change?  In the current format they seem to be intertwined.

[monarobinson]

I still need more information on how this will work in practice.  What will we as tax preparers see?

What will our clients see?  

Will there be the availability to preview the new format prior to  07/15/20?

I agree that Intuit has not provided the information needed to users regarding this program change.

More information and a higher level of service would seem to be in order.

[itonewbie]

Hi, BettyJo,

July 15 is just around the corner.  When will Intuit be giving an update on this?

Thanks!

Jensen

[itonewbie]

@IntuitBettyJo 

---

@itonewbie wrote:

Hi, BettyJo,

July 15 is just around the corner.  When will Intuit be giving an update on this?

Thanks!

Jensen

---

[sagarcpa]

The Message is gone now in Intuit Link??? I'm confused!

[itonewbie]

Probably because they have replaced it with the Covid-19 thingy.  I wouldn't count on Intuit dropping the plan unless they make another official announcement.

@IntuitBettyJo  Hi, BettyJo, could you please give the users an update?  Thanks!

[IntuitBettyJo]

Hi there, 

I Just wanted to give you an update. The comments and messages are still going away on 07/15/2020.  Our content team is currently working on creating the new "How to" guides for Intuit Link Updates to come.  I will let you know when that piece of content is available.  

Cheers! 

- Betty Jo

[JoNewfield]

If we have clients on extension then are we not able to use the link for uploading the preliminary returns to them because it is going away?  Or will there be something else taking its place?

[George4Tacks]

I am sure all will be clear when @IntuitBettyJo gets here content teams new illustrative missives out for all to see. 

[IntuitBettyJo]

Hi there,

The only feature from Link that is going away is the comments and messages at a "task level". Link will still be fully capable of everything else. 

-Betty Jo 

[slenner]

What is the replacement for two communication(Intuit  link chat column)  between the accountant and the client.? 

[itonewbie]

---

@IntuitBettyJo wrote:

Hi there,

The only feature from Link that is going away is the comments and messages at a "task level". Link will still be fully capable of everything else. 

-Betty Jo 

---

@IntuitBettyJo  Intuit doesn't seem to understand the significance of this functionality when it decided to turn that off without offering any alternative or guidance.

Accountants depends on that particular functionality to follow up for various types of outstanding information, including clarification, at an item/task level.  Without that, follow up messages will lose the context and a lot of information will need to be provided with each request to pinpoint the relevant item/task.

Going into Intuit Link now, it does not even appear there is a chat function at any level and the only way would be to create a new item for each follow up, unless I am mistaken (but you will have to forgive me as there is no new update from Intuit about any substitute as I said).

Having a clear update on what accountants should expect before the next season gets underway would be critical as folks will start to get busy and may need to adjust their workflow as well as client communication when they come back to their offices after the new year.

[slenner]

Betty Jo

Thank you for your thorough and comprehensive response. I had no choice to leave the Intuit ecosystem( for Intuit link) and designed a simple Q&A spreadsheet using "Lists  in Microsoft..This tracks questions that are ordinarily posed during the tax preparation process or any other project that requires follow ups. MSFT have a very effective way to communicate via  Q&A's that require a dialogue and back and forth of Q&A's as well as the ability to pose questions to multiple users or different users, another Intuit short coming. If you are interested let me know and I will  share it with you. 

Happy Holidays 

Sandy 

[itonewbie]

Interestingly, the removal of the comments function in Intuit Link affects only the legacy Intuit Link website that is maintained for Lacerte and ProSeries.  This function still works as before for PTO because our clients access Intuit Link via a different site (https://prolink.intuit.com/) and Intuit Link for Accountants has since TY2017 been accessible only from the PTO drawer.

Just wonder why Intuit would turn this function off in the legacy site before it is ready to migrate these clients to the ProLink site.

[sagarcpa]

That is interesting!  One more thing that Intuit is using to push us to the cloud.  I for one don't trust that the cloud will work all the time.  I still need to be able to store my files locally so that I can work 100% of the time instead of spending my time with support trying to find out why my program won't open or why a function of the program won't work.  Now with limited face time with our clients they take away a feature that would have helped with that for the "desktop" versions but give it to the cloud users!

[sagarcpa]

I would be interested in this solution.  Is this through Teams?  Does the client need to use 365?

[dbarker]

Hi Betty Jo,

Would you happen to have any information on the ability to add request templates in Intuit Link? You used to be able to add to templates containing multiple requests to a clients portal, but that is no longer available. You can now only add 1 request at a time.

Thanks,