Rating tax software.User satisfaction with products dips a bit. Although tax software preparers are satisfied with the products they used this year, their fondness has cooled somewhat from last year. On the other hand, customer support has improved, they say. These are some of the conclusions of a nationwide survey just conducted by the National Association of Tax Practitioners (NATP NATP National Association of Tax Professionals NATP National Agricultural Technology Project (India) NATP National Association of Tax Practitioners NATP National Apprenticeship Training Program NATP National Athletic Testing Program ), an organization that provides educational services and research for tax professionals. NATP members were asked to rate their software, and 1,103 of them provided reports of what they liked and didn't did·n't Contraction of did not. didn't did not didn't do like about their software and their vendors' customer support. Although we received input on 35 products, we report on only the 18 that produced assessments from 10 or more users; we felt that assessments from fewer than 10 were not statistically valid. LIKES AND DISLIKES Users were asked to rank their software from 1 (very dissatisfied dis·sat·is·fied adj. Feeling or exhibiting a lack of contentment or satisfaction. dis·sat  is·fied )
to 5 (very satisfied). The 18 products received an average rating of
3.95, down a bit from last year's 4.22. However, the average rating
for customer support rose to 3.81 from 3.74. The 290 responding
preparers who use network versions of their software rated their
products an average 4.00; there are no comparable data for last year.
Exhibit 1, pages 28-29, lists the respondents' assessments.
Exhibit 1: How Users Rate Their Tax Software
Vendor Tax Program
AM Software AM-Tax Professional 1040
Arthur Andersen A-Plus-Tax for Windows
ATX Forms Saber 1040
CCH Computax ProSystem fx
Creative Solutions UltraTax
Drake Software Drake
Dunphy Systems 1040 Professional Tax Preparation
Intuit ProSeries
Lacerte Software Lacerte 1040 Tax Software
Micro Vision Software Tax Relief 1040
ORRTAX Software 1040 Preferred
TAASC The Professional Tax System
TaxByte TaxByte Tax Prep Software(*)
Tax$imple Tax$imple
Taxworks By Laser Systems Taxworks By Laser Systems
TK Publishing Tax Shop
Universal Tax Systems Taxwise
Xpress Software Xpress 1040 Software
Average for All Respondents
Average
Number of Number of
Surveys Returns Filed
Vendor Returned by Users
AM Software 32 231
Arthur Andersen 11 570
ATX Forms 41 209
CCH Computax 53 483
Creative Solutions 53 642
Drake Software 110 860
Dunphy Systems 34 523
Intuit 247 354
Lacerte Software 109 612
Micro Vision Software 57 655
ORRTAX Software 27 334
TAASC 72 486
TaxByte 67 655
Tax$imple 26 329
Taxworks By Laser Systems 20 514
TK Publishing 14 339
Universal Tax Systems 60 495
Xpress Software 10 658
Average for All Respondents
Satisfaction With
(1 = very dissatisfied
and 5 = very satisfied)
Program in Program in
Vendor 1998 1997
AM Software 4.19 4.32
Arthur Andersen 3.82 N/A
ATX Forms 3.32 3.41
CCH Computax 3.92 4.25
Creative Solutions 4.12 4.08
Drake Software 4.17 4.21
Dunphy Systems 4.21 4.39
Intuit 3.99 4.17
Lacerte Software 4.20 4.50
Micro Vision Software 3.35 4.12
ORRTAX Software 3.56 N/A
TAASC 3.72 3.97
TaxByte 4.28 4.57
Tax$imple 3.72 4.10
Taxworks By Laser Systems 3.55 4.15
TK Publishing 3.79 3.41
Universal Tax Systems 4.21 3.82
Xpress Software 3.80 4.29
Average for All Respondents 3.95 4.22
Satisfaction With
(1 = very dissatisfied
and 5 = very satisfied)
Customer Customer
Support Support Network
Vendor in 1998 in 1997 in 1998
AM Software 3.94 4.07 4.50
Arthur Andersen 4.55 N/A 3.50
ATX Forms 3.56 N/A 3.33
CCH Computax 4.02 4.38 4.28
Creative Solutions 4.00 3.76 4.13
Drake Software 3.81 4.05 4.29
Dunphy Systems 3.97 4.20 3.88
Intuit 3.76 3.89 3.57
Lacerte Software 3.98 4.49 4.17
Micro Vision Software 3.14 3.67 3.44
ORRTAX Software 3.41 N/A 2.50
TAASC 3.49 3.96 4.11
TaxByte 4.20 4.43 4.50
Tax$imple 3.88 4.4 3.87
Taxworks By Laser Systems 3.70 4.5 4.00
TK Publishing 3.57 2.57 N/A
Universal Tax Systems 3.97 3.8 4.38
Xpress Software 3.60 4.19 2.67
Average for All Respondents 3.81 3.74 4.00
Plan to Use Product
Next Year
Vendor Yes No Undecided
AM Software 88% 3% 9%
Arthur Andersen 55 9 36
ATX Forms 63 15 23
CCH Computax 85 6 9
Creative Solutions 91 6 4
Drake Software 93 5 2
Dunphy Systems 85 0 15
Intuit 85 2 13
Lacerte Software 90 5 6
Micro Vision Software 58 16 26
ORRTAX Software 74 7 19
TAASC 78 7 15
TaxByte N/A N/A N/A
Tax$imple 85 8 8
Taxworks By Laser Systems 70 25 5
TK Publishing 86 7 7
Universal Tax Systems 93 3 3
Xpress Software 70 10 20
Average for All Respondents
(*) Product discontinued dis·con·tin·ue v. dis·con·tin·ued, dis·con·tin·u·ing, dis·con·tin·ues v.tr. 1. To stop doing or providing (something); end or abandon: . Some 83% of the users said they would continue to use the same package this year; 6% said they planned to switch and 11% were undecided. These percentages do not include those who had to switch because their products are being discontinued (for more on consolidation in the tax software industry, see the preceding article, "Tax Software Hits the Net," page 24). Although we lack comparable year-to-year data, it appears that electronic filing continues to grow because of its convenience, accuracy and speed. Some 63% of the respondents In the context of marketing research, a representative sample drawn from a larger population of people from whom information is collected and used to develop or confirm marketing strategy. said they offered electronic filing, and they transmitted 44% of their eligible returns to the Internal Revenue Service. Some 58% of electronic filers charged a separate fee for the service, and they reported transmitting transmitting, v to send and receive information, signals, and so on; allows a therapist to perceive a client's physical, emotional, and spiritual states. an average of 25% of their returns. However, those that didn't charge a separate fee transmitted an average of 70% of their returns. Three-quarters Noun 1. three-quarters - three of four equal parts; "three-fourths of a pound" three-fourths common fraction, simple fraction - the quotient of two integers three-quarters npl → of the respondents said they planned to offer electronic filing next year, and 57% of these planned to charge a separate fee for the service. Details are in exhibit 2, page 28. And for a list of the 18 vendors covered by this survey, see exhibit 3, page 29.
Exhibit 2: How Respondents Handled Electronic Filing
Vendor Tax Program
AM Software AM-Tax Professional 1040
Arthur Andersen A-Plus-Tax for Windows
ATX Forms Saber 1040
CCH Computax ProSystem fx
Creative Solutions UltraTax
Drake Software Drake
Dunphy Systems 1040 Professional Tax Preparation
Intuit ProSeries
Lacerte Software Lacerte 1040 Tax Software
Micro Vision Software Tax Relief 1040
ORRTAX Software 1040 Preferred
TAASC The Professional Tax System
TaxByte TaxByte Tax Prep Software(*)
Tax$imple Tax$imple
Taxworks By Laser Systems Taxworks By Laser Systems
TK Publishing Tax Shop
Universal Tax Systems Taxwise
Xpress Software Xpress 1040 Software
Percentage of
Respondents Eligible
Offering Returns
Electronic Transmitted
Vendor Filing Electronically
AM Software 44% 33%
Arthur Andersen 40 24
ATX Forms 54 30
CCH Computax 51 34
Creative Solutions 50 31
Drake Software 93 68
Dunphy Systems 68 34
Intuit 56 31
Lacerte Software 69 35
Micro Vision Software 49 28
ORRTAX Software 85 50
TAASC 55 47
TaxByte 57 56
Tax$imple 46 16
Taxworks By Laser Systems 75 55
TK Publishing 86 51
Universal Tax Systems 88 60
Xpress Software 80 50
Percentage of
Respondents Percentage
Charging Who Plan
Separate Fee to Offer
for Service Electronic
Vendor This Year Filing
AM Software 64% 63%
Arthur Andersen 75 36
ATX Forms 68 42
CCH Computax 33 69
Creative Solutions 59 78
Drake Software 32 97
Dunphy Systems 57 78
Intuit 74 76
Lacerte Software 59 70
Micro Vision Software 86 58
ORRTAX Software 68 92
TAASC 51 71
TaxByte 54 74
Tax$imple 75 50
Taxworks By Laser Systems 33 80
TK Publishing 45 92
Universal Tax Systems 51 92
Xpress Software 88 90
Percentage
Who Will
Charge
for the
Vendor Service
AM Software 65%
Arthur Andersen 75
ATX Forms 72
CCH Computax 57
Creative Solutions 64
Drake Software 31
Dunphy Systems 48
Intuit 69
Lacerte Software 39
Micro Vision Software 81
ORRTAX Software 74
TAASC 44
TaxByte 49
Tax$imple 67
Taxworks By Laser Systems 44
TK Publishing 42
Universal Tax Systems 46
Xpress Software 56
(*) Product discontinued.
Exhibit 3: Tax Software Vendors
Vendor Tax Program
AM Software AM-Tax
Professional 1040
Arthur Andersen A-Plus-Tax for Windows
ATX Forms Saber 1040
CCH Computax ProSystem fx
Creative Solutions UltraTax
Drake Software Drake
Dunphy Systems 1040 Professional
Tax Preparation
Intuit ProSeries
Lacerte Software Lacerte 1040
Tax Software
Micro Vision Software Tax Relief 1040
Orrtax Software 1040 Preferred
TAASC The Professional
Tax System
Tax$imple Tax$imple
TaxByte TaxByte Tax Prep
Software
Taxworks By Taxworks By
Laser Systems Laser Systems
TK Publishing Tax Shop
Universal Tax Taxwise
Systems
Xpress Software Xpress 1040 Software
Vendor Address
AM Software PO Box 25010, Kansas City,
Mo. 64119
Arthur Andersen 2805 Fruitville Road, Sarasota,
Fla. 34237
ATX Forms PO Box 1040, Caribou, Me. 04736
CCH Computax 21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance,
Calif. 90503
Creative Solutions 7322 Newman Blvd., Dexter,
Mich. 48130
Drake Software 235 E. Palmer Street, Franklin,
N.C. 28734
Dunphy Systems 6740 Huntley Road, Suite 103,
Columbus, Ohio 43229
Intuit 2535 Garcia Avenue,
Mountain View, Calif. 94043
Lacerte Software 13155 Noel Road, 22nd Floor,
Dallas, Texas 75244-5088
Micro Vision Software 140 Fell Court, Hauppauge,
N.Y. 11788
Orrtax Software 13208 NE 2 Bellevue, Wash. 98005
TAASC 6914 S. Yorktown Avenue,
Tulsa, Okla. 74136
Tax$imple 8 Emery Avenue, Randolph,
N.J. 07869
TaxByte 1801 6th Avenue, Moline, Ill. 61265
Taxworks By 350 North 400 West, Kaysville,
Laser Systems Utah 84037
TK Publishing 5422 Carrier Drive, Suite 201,
Orlando, Fla. 32819
Universal Tax 6 Mathis Drive NW, PO Box 2729,
Systems Rome, Ga. 30164-2729
Xpress Software 203 Bradley Drive,
West Columbia, S.C. 29170-2404
Vendor Telephone E-mail address
AM Software 800-859-8537 support@amtax.com
Arthur Andersen 800-872-1040 aplustax@
arthurandersen.com
ATX Forms 800-944-8883 sales@atxforms.com
CCH Computax 800-457-7639 cust_serv@cch.com
Creative Solutions 800-968-8900 sales@
CreativeSolutions.com
Drake Software 800-890-9500 drakeinfo@
drake-software.com
Dunphy Systems 614-431-0846 dunphy@dunphy.com
Intuit 800-934-1040 www.proseries.com
Lacerte Software 800-765-7777 www.Iscsoft.com
Micro Vision Software 800-829-7354 www.microvisioninc.com
Orrtax Software 800-377-3337 webmaster@orrtax.com
TAASC 800-998-9990 sales@taascforce.com
Tax$imple 800-989-8955 sales@taxsimple.com
TaxByte 888-829-2983 taxbyte-inc.com
Taxworks By 800-230-2322 www.taxworks.com
Laser Systems
TK Publishing 800-639-1040 sales@taxshop.com
Universal Tax 800-755-9473 sales@
Systems universalsystems.com
Xpress Software 800-285-1065 sales@
xpressoftware.com
RELATED ARTICLE: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY * TAX SOFTWARE PREPARERS continue to be satisfied with the products they used this year, but their fondness has cooled somewhat from last year. * CUSTOMER SUPPORT HAS IMPROVED, they report. * SOME 83% OF THE USERS said they would continue to use the same package this year; 6% said they plan to switch; and 11% were undecided. * ELECTRONIC FILING continues to grow, it appears. Some 63% of the respondents said they offered electronic filing and transmitted 44% of their eligible returns to the Internal Revenue Service. * SOME 58% OF ELECTRONIC filers charged a separate fee for the service. Three-quarters of the respondents said they plan to offer electronic filing next year. STANLEY Stanley, town (1991 pop. 1,557), capital of the Falkland Islands, S Atlantic Ocean, on East Falkland island. It is the main port and trading center of the islands. The name is sometimes written as Port Stanley. ZAROWIN is a senior editor on the JofA. Mr. Zarowin is an employee of the American American, river, 30 mi (48 km) long, rising in N central Calif. in the Sierra Nevada and flowing SW into the Sacramento River at Sacramento. The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill (see Sutter, John Augustus) along the river in 1848 led to the California gold rush of Institute of CPAs and his views, as expressed in this article, do not necessarily reflect the views of the AICPA AICPA See American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). . Official positions are determined through certain specific committee procedures, due process and deliberation deliberation n. the act of considering, discussing, and, hopefully, reaching a conclusion, such as a jury's discussions, voting and decision-making. DELIBERATION, contracts, crimes. .3 |
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