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Resolving Lacerte e-file message "Unable to apply acknowledgements for client originally sent..."

by Intuit•2• Updated 7 months ago

This article explains how to resolve the following error message which may appear after opening Lacerte or receiving acknowledgments:

"Unable to apply acknowledgements for client originally sent from the current data path. Client # is missing. Restore the client through Client Maintenance."

Possible causes:

  • You tried to receive acknowledgements for a client that isn't in your chosen data path.
  • You renumbered the client after transmitting the electronic return.
  • The client number contains a special character, such as an ampersand, pound, percentage, etc... (ie "&, #, %" symbols).

To resolve this issue, create a new client with the same information as the client originally electronically transmitted. The acknowledgements must be received from the Intuit Electronic Filing Servers.

To create a new client:

  1. From the Client menu, select Add.
  2. Enter the same client number as the deleted client in the Enter client number to add field.
    • The client number should be provided in the original error message.

The client file can be deleted again once the client has an e-file status of either Accepted or Rejected. The error will no longer appear for the deleted client.

If creating a new client doesn't resolve the e-file message on its own, try these additional steps.

  1. From the Client menu, select Add.
  2. Enter a new client number in the Enter client number to add field.
  3. Complete screens 1 and 2 for the new client.
  4. Press F10 on your keyboard to open the Technical Support Information window.
  5. Make note of the Data path and Program path and close Lacerte.
  6. Browse to the data path and go into the Detail folder.
  7. Make a copy of the [client#].?dy file.
    • This is the Detail file for the client experiencing the issue.
  8. Delete the new [client#].?dy file for the client # created in step 1 of this section.
  9. Rename the original [client#].?dy file to [client#].?dyOLD.
  10. Rename the copy of the original [client#].?dy file to the original client # of the client.
  11. Click the back arrow to get back to the data path.
  12. Go into the EF folder and rename the original [client#].?Ey and [client#].?Ay files with OLD on the ends of both files.
  13. Go to back to the data path and make a copy of the Data folder the client is in.
    • For example, IDATA for individual returns.
  14. Browse to the program path and and locate the YYCLPACK.EXE file (where YY=the two digit tax year).
  15. Double click YYCLPACK.EXE to launch the Lacerte Client Database Repair Utility.
  16. In the Tax Program field, select the program module in question.   It will default to the last tax type that was open.
    • If you're unable to access the Calendar, click the Reindex Calendar button, available in 2014 Lacerte and later.
  17. Verify the Data Path field is correct.
    • The utility will read the Lacerte options for the Data Path and automatically set it.
  18. Select Reindex/Repair and click Start.
  19. After reading the Warning message, click Yes to continue.
    • CLPACK checks the database for duplicate clients, clients with missing detail files, and orphaned details files.
    • The CLPACK results are displayed in the Messages section and are written to a log file that is saved to the ?DataCLPACKLOGS folder.
    • See CLPACK: Running the Lacerte Client Database Repair Utility for more information.
  20. Open Lacerte.
  21. Renumber the new client created in step 1 to the client # of the original client.
  22. Obtain REP Access, if required for new client.
  23. Open the clients detail and verify the client is checked for efile.
  24. Click the E-file menu Step 3: e-file Acknowledgement Statuses >  Update Acknowledgement Status for Selected Return(s) after highlighting the client.
  25. Click OK to complete the update process.
Lacerte Tax

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