Orrtax Software — IntelliTax

From the April/May 2008 Review of Tax Compliance Suites

Orrtax offers several bundled versions of its IntelliTax system for professional preparers, from a 1040-focused bundle to a complete individual and business suite as well as an option for practices with multiple offices. The systems all include e-filing, and Orrtax offers several integrated bank products and loan features. Depending upon the IntelliTax bundle, the program offers compliance support for individual, corporate, S-Corp, partnership and fiduciary returns. The company also offers several add-on applications to give tax practices added revenue streams, including the warranty-like SafetyNet audit protection plan; the InfoPrompt phone-based automated, bilingual return status information system; Vertical Lend for mortgage products; and XpressCash for offering payday loans. The Essentials system, which provides 1040 preparation software and e-filing, costs $995 and gives users access to the business entities on a pay-per-return basis. At $1,495, IntelliTax Expert provides 1040, 1065, 1120, 1120S and 1041 compliance with unlimited e-filing. The Enterprise system costs $1,995 and includes all entities plus remote access and multi-office capabilities.

General Operations/ Ease-of-Use -- 5 Stars
The IntelliTax interface offers a clean and intuitive design with traditional icons across the top of the main screen, which resembles a web browser and actually can be used as one, with a web address bar and browser navigation buttons. By default, the main work area (the browser window) opens to the Launch Pad, a box-based menu that offers icons for the most common program features, such as starting or opening returns, transmitting e-file returns, printing checks, accessing reports, viewing client profiles, downloading updates or using support options. The Launch Pad also has links to third-party add-on services, including iHost and Pay1040.com.

The bottom of the menu displays links to the IRS website, official forms, state tax entities and other tax resources. While each of these website links opens within the main screen, the program-specific functions, such as working with returns and the report center, open within a separate window. Users can access a comprehensive client selection screen at any time using the Client Profile icon on the main toolbar, which opens the system into a multi-paned view that includes a spreadsheet list of returns with the ability to filter by type of entity using a menu on the left. The program also allows searching by TIN, name, phone number or invoice, and provides a detailed profile selection below the client list. When a client is highlighted, this profile section immediately shows a breakdown of virtually all return information, including refund, prep fees, check numbers, e-filing fees, transmittal date, acknowledgements and other information, and it provides tabs for viewing specific data regarding Client Info, Federal Filing, State Filing, RAL Bank, Fees/Refund and Comments. This allows a full overview of any client’s return even while working within a different
client’s files.

When working with a client return, the interface of the return window provides text-based links for the various data-entry tasks and directly accessing forms, with a vertical menu on the left for moving between forms and data-entry areas, a tax summary, billing/invoicing and other functions. Data entry can be performed either on interview-based worksheets or form replicas, both of which include field-specific instructions, popup calculators and smart ZIP Code entry, with all data moving to forms as necessary. Calculations are automatically performed, including withholding for SSI and Medicare. Forms and worksheets include drilldown access as well as the ability to add W-2s, 1099s, 1098s, K-1s and other forms simply by clicking on the appropriate field on the primary return. Even though the program moves between a few interfaces, IntelliTax provides a very intuitive environment that is a quick learn and aids in workflow.