Editing the organizer client or engagement letter in Lacerte

Lacerte highly recommends editing letters directly within Organizer. Edits and updates can also be done in Notepad and then copied and pasted into the organizer letter. 

We don't recommend editing the letters in Word. This recommendation is based on the rich text formatting Word uses, which isn't supported by Lacerte. Editing letters in Word and copy/pasting into Organizer can cause hidden text or spaces to appear when the letters are printed.

1. Open Lacerte to the Client List.
2. From the Tools menu, select Organizer.
   • If you are editing the Client Letter:
     1. Select the + next to Client Letter.
     2. Select the applicable Letter to edit:
        • Single Window Default
        • Double Window Default
        • Custom Client Letter (if you have one you created), or
        • Create a New Client letter
   • If you are editing the Engagement Letter:
     1. Select the + next to the Engagement Letter.
     2. Select the applicable Letter to edit:
        • Single Window Default
        • Double Window Default
        • Custom Engagement Letter (if you have one you created), or
        • Create a New Engagement Letter 
          • If Create New Client/Engagement Letter is selected, Lacerte will ask if the new letter should start out as a copy of an existing letter, or if it should be blank. Select the appropriate option, and the desired letter to copy if applicable. Lacerte will require that a name be entered if a new letter is created.
   • If you are editing the Slip Sheets
     1. Select the + next to Slip Sheets
     2. Select the applicable Slip Sheet to edit:
        • Single Window Portrait
        • Double Window Portrait
        • Double Window Landscape
        • Note: You can edit the default Slip Sheets, but they can't be copied or deleted.
3. Make the necessary changes to the letter. The following options are available for modification:
   • Adding or removing text
   • Style and size of font
   • Alignment
   • Text features (italics, bold and underline)
4. Select File
5. Select Save (or select the Save button on the lower right corner of the window.)

If you use the Single Window Default for the client letter and choose to use the firm's stationary, you must make a copy of this letter and remove the Firm Information keywords. The paragraph marks ( ¶ ) should be left in place. Use this copy when processing organizers.

Keywords are placeholders in your letter for specific information about a client. Using keywords, you can compose generic title pages, letters, and questionnaires, and use them for multiple clients without having to enter each client's information separately. Lacerte reads keywords in your letter and replaces them with information from each client's data file. For example, if the keyword [CLIENTNAME] appears in your letter, Lacerte will insert the client's full name in place of the keyword when it prints the letter. You can use as many keywords as needed in each letter.

1. Open the letter you want to edit.
2. Place the cursor where you want the keyword to be.
3. Select Tools.
4. Select Keywords.
5. Select the Keyword Category under the Categories section:
   • Firm Information
   • Client Information
   • Miscellaneous
   • Appointment Information
6. Select the Keyword under the Keyword Names section.
7. Select Insert.

Note: The appointment information must be in the same year that is creating the organizer. Lacerte 2024 sends the organizer for tax year 2025. The appointments must be in the 2024 Appointment Calendar to appear on the organizer.

1. Select the letter you want to change the settings for.
2. Select Tools.
3. Select Letter Settings.
4. Make the necessary changes.
5. Select OK when finished.

1. Select the letter you want to modify.
2. Select Tools.
3. Select Letter Settings.
4. Edit the margins under the Page Setup section.
5. Select OK.
6. Select File.
7. Select Save.

Note: The use of page breaks isn't officially supported. It may work as expected, but has also been known to cause various issues.  If you encounter any issues with letters using page breaks, then you will need to recreate your letter without the page break.

To insert a page break in the organizer's Client or Engagement Letters:

1. Open the Lacerte Organizer by clicking Tools along the top menu bar, and then choosing Organizer.
2. In the left-hand column of the Organizer window, click the plus (+) sign next to Client Letter or Engagement Letter to open the list of available letters.
3. Select the letter to be edited by clicking on the name.  The letter text will appear in the larger right-hand portion of the Organizer window.
4. Type {PB} on the line where a page break is necessary.
5. When finished, click the Save button located at the bottom right of the Organizer window.