Different colors for different tax years

[Tim Crawford]

I just wasted an hour preparing a tax return in the wrong year.  I often have different years of ProSeries software open at the same time.  The different years look exactly the same, it is easy to have the wrong year open, and entering information in the wrong year.  There is a very simple solution, just change colors of the display from one year to the next.  This has happened to me a handful of times.  It is frustrating, especially when a very simple, common-sense solution could easily solve this problem.  

[Camp1040]

Check the box in options to turn on differnet colors for different years.

[Jim-from-Ohio]

look in 2021 program.. under tools > options > general >field navigation

here is more info https://proconnect.intuit.com/community/proseries-tax-discussions/discussion/re-proseries-update-for...

[IRonMaN]

But then you have to remember what color means what year, so the next suggestion will be for specific colors for specific years.  You can never make the software completely idiot proof.  But then again maybe Intuit can work with Elon Musk to make the software “self driving” so all we have to do is sit back and watch the software do its thing ———as long as no pictures of Burger King signs pop up to make the software stop😳

[rbynaker]

In my software I set all of the prior years to be bright pink.  It's pretty awful when I have to prepare a prior year return but it's been 100% effective at preventing me from entering data into the wrong year!

[Accountant-Man]

I have known about the color change for the few years that it has been available, maybe 3 years? But the funny thing is:

The PC for the prior year(2021) does NOT allow the color change unless the same PC has the newer(2022) year installed on it.

Since I sold my practice, my former primary PC did NOT get the 2022 version installed on it; therefore, my primary's 2021 software would not turn colors.

It is only AFTER the newest year is installed that the prior year will have the "Show Previous Tax Year Color" button added to the 2021 program.

[BobKamman]

I had a client who used a different color paper each year for printing out copies of receipts, 1099s and other documents.  Helped him sort them out by year.  I just "inherited" about a dozen reams of laser printer paper in different colors, from a retired tax practitioner.  Haven't yet asked him why the variegated office supplies.  Maybe the same reason.  

[Accountant-Man]

You could have instead used the "Show Field Color" button in Tools in the 2021 software and see that it would be harder to find input boxes in the prior year while inputting the current year (2022).

I have been doing that for years.

[Tim Crawford]

It sounds like I'm getting some good advice, but going to Tools>Options>General>Field Navigation does not seem to give me the option to change any colors.  I have tried checking the box "Show Previous Tax Year Color", then unchecking it, and nothing changes.  I like the idea of changing prior years to pink, that would be excellent and would solve my problem.  I wish I could figure out how to do that.

[Accountant-Man]

Check the box, close Tools, go to Home Base, open a 2021 file.