Link is combining client accounts, why?

[trish-33540]

So...I set up a new client in ProSeries and invited.  When link opened, I needed to change my password, which I did.  When it created the new client it had new client's name and email with error message that email had been changed outside the system (this email was not in the system prior to today).  And then I noticed it had activity listed from June!.  THEN I realize it has picked up another client's documents and put them into the new client's account.  THAT'S why it thinks I changed the email address.  What is going on?  It will not let me delete the sensitive documents from the new client so I can send an invitation because they were "completed requests."  So now I can't invite the new client without sending them sensitive data from old client's account.  There was a similar question from January on the community but had to do with "changed emails" error message NOT clients being combined.  Anyone know how to fix this?

[jeffmcpa2010]

To start with I am not familiar with what you are doing, but have an idea.

Would it be worthwhile closing proseries, and within windows locate the "new client" proseries file, and manually delete it.

then open proseries, run homebase maintenance to get the deleted file out of the homebase.

Then re-setup the new client and try again?

Again, just a guess and something I tend to try, when something is messed up.

Jeff

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

I feel like people have complained about this before, I dont know what the "fix" is though.

@IntuitGabi  @IntuitBettyJo   does this ring any bells for you?  or was it Esig that was sending the wrong clients info?  I know one of them was doing something something funky a few months back.

I dont use either service so I dont know how they work....could it be a cookie or browser cache issue?

[cathybcpa]

I had this happen last year and now just had it again. This is pretty serious since we're dealing with sensitive information and if it's combining it with other clients - that's a huge issue. I am able to deactivate the client in Intuit link but I am not able to send them an invite. I'll try the option presented about taking them out of Proseries all together and reentering the information. 

Any other suggestions since I fear this is going to be an on-going problem into this tax season.

[ljr]

This maybe another case for not using Link until January or closer to tax season (just like not transferring clients). Seems like the bugs have not been fixed or updated. I have told my clients that used link last year who have called asking for link that they need to wait until January then call or email me a request and that it is not available yet - I hope by then it is working correctly.

[cathybcpa]

I tried this suggestion of completely removing the client from the 21Data file and then going back into Proseries and doing the Homepage maintenance when prompted. I then reentered the client information. IT WORKED!!! Luckily this was a new client that I entered. Not sure what would happen to the history if it occurred with an existing client that I had in prior years.

[jeffmcpa2010]

Glad it worked for you!

Jeff

[sjrcpa]

Sounds like a case for not using it at all. This is not the first we've heard of disclosing one client's confidential info to another.

This is a serious security breach.

[IRonMaN]

With all the teams they have assembled, I wonder if Intuit has a Security Breach Team  🤔

[Matt C]

Hi @cathybcpa, sorry you're having this issue. We think the issue might be caused by something specific in your workflow. Could you help us narrow down on the issue by providing some more information?

1. Can you describe how you created this new client? Did you literally start a new client file from ProSeries, fill in information, then initiated the Invite? Or did you copy this client file from an existing one by any chance?

2. When filling in information into the new client file, did you fill in the client's real SSN? I ask because someone on the team mentioned there being some users in the past who were filling in "dummy SSN"s which caused some issue..

3. Do you still have the original client file's cache file (before you recreated it)? If you do, could you email the cache file , along with the cache file for the client that the new client "combined" with, to proseries_engineering@intuit.com? If not, that's okay, but please send these files to us if you see the issue again.

In addition, please send us <your data directory>\Link\Clients.acs (ie C:\ProWin21\21Data\Link\Clients.acs).

Thank you,
Matt

[Matt C]

Hi @trish-33540, sorry you're having this issue. We think the issue might be caused by something specific in your workflow. Could you help us narrow down on the issue by providing some more information?

1. Can you describe how you created this new client? Did you literally start a new client file from ProSeries, fill in information, then initiated the Invite? Or did you copy this client file from an existing one by any chance?

2. When filling in information into the new client file, did you fill in the client's real SSN? I ask because someone on the team mentioned there being some users in the past who were filling in "dummy SSN"s which caused some issue..

3. Do you still have the original client file's cache file (before you recreated it)? If you do, could you email the cache file , along with the cache file for the client that the new client "combined" with, to proseries_engineering@intuit.com? If not, that's okay, but please send these files to us if you see the issue again.

In addition, please send us <your data directory>\Link\Clients.acs (ie C:\ProWin21\21Data\Link\Clients.acs).

For now, please try the workaround that Jeff suggested - that should let you create an entirely new "client" in Link, which shouldn't be connected to any other client.

Thank you,
Matt