Data Conversion in Rightworks for Intuit Hosting

Before you start

Data Conversion is now online in the 2024 tax products.

This article will help you convert data from a competitor tax software in the Rightworks hosted environment for Lacerte and ProSeries Intuit Hosting users.

If you don't have Intuit Hosting, see this article instead.

Table of contents:

Creating a backup in a ConversionData folder

You'll need to follow the steps to create a backup of the competitor software's files locally before placing that backup in the hosted environment to submit for data conversion.

For information on which software programs and tax types client files can be converted from, see the Can my data be converted? section of the data conversion site for the product you are converting to:

• Lacerte
• ProSeries

See the Ready to submit your data? section for the link to the backup instructions for the competitor software and be sure to follow the backup instructions carefully.

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Placing your ConversionData folder in the hosted environment

Once you have followed the instructions to create the ConversionData folder with the needed files inside, you'll need to move them into the hosted environment.

Zipping and uploading your ConversionData folder

1. Right-click on the ConversionData folder that you created following the steps for backing up the competitor software and from Send to choose Compressed Zipped Folder.
   • Windows 11 users will need to select Show more options first to see Send to.
2. Sign in to the Rightworks File Manager.
   • File Manager should be accessed locally, outside the hosted environment.
3. Click on the blue ↑.
4. Either drag and drop the file(s) into the Drag and drop files here area, or click Add... and highlight the zipped ConversionData folder and click Open.
5. Once you have the zipped ConversionData folder added to the Upload Files window, click Upload.

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Unzipping your ConversionData folder

1. In the hosted environment, open File Explorer and browse to your I:\ drive.
2. Highlight the uploaded ConversionData zipped folder.
3. Select the Compressed Folder Tools Extract tab that appears.
4. Click on the Extract all button.

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Copying your extracted ConversionData folder to the appropriate location

1. Copy the extracted ConversionData folder.
   • You can use Ctrl+C (keyboard shortcuts work by default in the hosted environment when it's maximized) or select the Home tab in File Explorer and use the Copy button.
2. Browse to the H:\ drive.
3. Click on the View tab in File Explorer and check Hidden items.
4. Open the Settings folder.
5. Paste the ConversionData folder.
   • You can use Ctrl+V or select the Home tab in File Explorer and use the Paste button.

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Run the Tax Data Conversion Wizard

Data conversion is meant to help you move forward with the new tax year, bringing over information from the prior year. These requests get sent through the newest year of your tax program.

Submitting the data for conversion:

1. In the hosted environment, open 2023 Lacerte or ProSeries.
2. From the Import menu, select Client Data Conversion and choose Submit Client Data For Conversion.
3. You'll be prompted to sign in again with your Lacerte/ProSeries login.
4. Follow the steps provided in the wizard to upload your data.
   • Allow one business day for most conversion requests.
   • Lacerte only: Lacerte gives the option to Select the Tax Year to convert to which defaults to the newer year. The only reason we suggest converting to the older year is when you plan to send the client an organizer. The converted file won't match the return prepared by the competing software since data conversion just takes some of the information to help you move forward. When files are converted to the older year, additional steps will be needed.

See this article for more details on the wizard.

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Importing the converted files

Once the files have been converted they'll need to be imported.

If you converted to Lacerte into the prior year for organizers, see this section below. Otherwise follow the steps in the article for your product:

• Lacerte (unless you chose to convert to the older year for organizers)
• ProSeries

Lacerte only: Importing converted files into the older year for organizers

If you selected 2023as the year to convert to while submitting your data for conversion, follow these steps to import the converted files:

1. In the hosted environment, open 2024 Lacerte.
2. From the Import menu, select Client Data Conversion and choose Download Converted Client Data.
3. You'll be prompted to sign in again with your Lacerte login.
4. Check the box next to the batch you want and select Download.
5. You will be prompted: Prior year tax files were detected. You will need to restore the files in the Lacerte prior year program. Do you wish to continue?
6. Select Yes.
7. Browse to your H:\ drive.
8. Click on the View tab in File Explorer and check Hidden items.
9. Open the Settings folder.
10. Copy the conv folder.
    • You can use Ctrl+C (keyboard shortcuts work by default in the hosted environment when it's maximized) or select the Home tab in File Explorer and use the Copy button.
11. Browse to your I:\ drive.
12. Paste the conv folder.
    • You can use Ctrl+V or select the Home tab in File Explorer and use the Paste button.
13. Open 2023 Lacerte and go to the tax type you'll be importing.
14. From the Settings menu, select Options.
15. Choose the Setup tab.
16. In the Program Options section, make note of the current Data Path and then click the ... button to the right.
17. Browse to I:\conv and select the folder for the appropriate tax type:
    • IDATA for Individual
    • PDATA for Partnership
    • SDATA for S Corporate
    • CDATA for Corporate
    • FDATA for Fiduciary
18. Click OK on the Data Path Directory pop-up and OK on the User Options pop-up.
    • Lacerte will then expand the converted files so they are ready to restore to your normal path.
19. From the Settings menu, select Options.
20. Choose the Setup tab.
21. In the Program Options section, click the arrow down button to the right of the Data Path.
22. Select the previous data path from the dropdown then click OK.
23. From the Client menu, select Restore.
24. Click the Browse button and browse to I:\conv and select the folder for the appropriate tax type.
25. Click OK.
26. Highlight the desired clients then click OK.
    • You can select all clients by clicking on the Group button, selecting the All Clients radio button, then clicking OK.
    • You can hold down Ctrl or Shift while clicking to select multiple clients.

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Troubleshooting the Missing Backup message

When attempting to submit your data for conversion, you may receive a Missing Backup message:

We could not find any valid files inside C:\CONVERSIONDATA folder. Please follow the backup instructions on the screen to backup your files.

Lacerte and ProSeries do not look to the C:\ drive for the folder in the hosted environment. This message is just letting you know that the types of files it is looking for are not being found where it has been told to look for them. Check on the following to resolve this issue:

• The files you are submitting for conversion need to be in H:\Settings\ConversionData for Lacerte or ProSeries to see them. If the ConversionData folder is spelled incorrectly or has a space in the name or was placed somewhere else, the program can't see the files to convert them.
• Make sure that you choose the correct "software to convert from" choice in the wizard. Each software's backup files are unique. Lacerte and ProSeries will look for only the types of files it needs based on the software selected.
• Check the contents of the ConversionData folder. The instructions for backing up each competitor's software include a How do I make sure my backup is correct? section that lets you know what you should see inside that folder. If the files are inside a folder that's inside of the ConversionData folder and the backup instructions do not advise to have them arranged that way, then the contents are basically being hidden from the program. Lacerte and ProSeries only look for specific files in a specific place for data conversion.
• Remember, Lacerte and ProSeries only convert the prior year's files. If your backup is for a different year's files, they'll likely be different names than the files our software is looking for; many tax software's files indicate the tax year in the names of their files.

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