Review of ATX Tax Software - 2011

Best Firm Fit:

Small and mid-sized full-service accounting firms with generally less complex clients, yet with broader entity needs, including payroll and wage compliance.

Strengths:

• Support for all entities at federal & state level
• W-2/1099 & wage reporting
• Form & interview-style input
• Excellent training options
• Scan & populate feature for W-2s & 1099s
• Options for research, trial balance, payroll, fixed assets & document management
• Integrated AR management system & support for client fee payments by credit card

Potential Limitations:

• No client portals
• Limited tools for in-firm review & collaboration on complex returns

The ATX tax preparation system offers a comprehensive suite of compliance for all entities, with accounting and payroll programs, integrated practice management tools, and workflow features that are best-suited to small and mid-sized professional tax and accounting practices with a broad range of clients. The program includes e-filing, support for bank products, electronic payment of preparation fees and a built-in AR management console, along with access to a broad range of training and assistance features. New for TY 2010, the system allows acceptance of credit cards for payment, can import data from Peachtree and QuickBooks, and firms can offer debit cards for deposit of refunds or bank proceeds.

Core Product Functions/Features

There are several versions of the ATX system, with the most advanced tax versions offering support for 1040, 1041, 1065, 1120, 1120S, 706, 709, 990 and 5500 returns, along with all states, amended returns and extensions. The system also offers local tax support for most jurisdictions, and an optional Ohio Cities Allocation package is available for income reporting among that state’s many taxing jurisdictions. Unlimited e-filing is included with the program for all entities and forms that are accepted. Additional packages offer integrated accounting products, including a client accounting suite, payroll, fixed asset management and trial balance. The tax package offers compliance tools for processing kiddie tax returns, as well as managing self-employment tax and AMT issues. CPE-eligible training is offered for these and other special taxation situations.

ATX’s primary interface opens to the Return Manager, which offers a master client selection list that can be searched, sorted and filtered based on entity type, status of returns, and client summary and return data. The list also offers tabs for moving to the AR functions of the program, which include aging status and billing information and the Tax Warehouse tab, which shows return details across all clients, including AGI, taxable income, tax, refund, amount owed, bracket, exemptions and other information for individuals. It also shows net sales, gross income, capital gains and other items for business entities. In addition to the Return Manager, there are central work areas for managing e-filing activities, bank products, data rollover and managing preparers.