ATX Client Write-Up & TaxWise Client Write-Up

From the November 2009 Review of Client
Write-Up Systems.

CCH
Small Firm Services, which includes the ATX and TaxWise professional tax compliance
suites, also offers professional accounting systems geared toward practices
who offer additional services to their clients. These programs, branded with
either the TaxWise or ATX name, include Write-Up, Trial Balance, Fixed Asset
Manager, Payroll, After-the-Fact Payroll, and workflow and document management
systems.

This review focuses on the ATX Write-Up Suite, which includes core write-up
functions, full reconciliation capabilities, GL and financial reporting, plus
Trial Balance, AP, AR and After-the-Fact Payroll. ATX Write-Up is a stand-alone
system that can support any number of clients and offers integration with the
ATX tax preparation suite and can import from QuickBooks and Peachtree. The
Suite costs $470 plus $89 for an initial training webinar. Users can also bundle
the Client Write-Up Suite with ATX Payroll for full live payroll capabilities.

LEARNING CURVE & EASE OF USE-
Although they interact and share data as needed, each of the separate modules
in the ATX Client Write-Up Suite operates somewhat independently, allowing users
to open different parts of the program into different clients at the same time.
For instance, users can access the Write-Up center while also working with payables
or receivables for another business, or even work within two separate Write-Up
windows. The initial interface screens for these client-service functions appear
as small popup screens that start with a client selection list that uses a check-out
process that allows users to easily access selected client data from non-networked
locations without allowing other users to work in the same client.

After selecting a client, the system opens into a full-sized window that includes
selection menus across the top for program functions such as accessing payroll,
write-up activities, Quick Looks, reports, utilities and lists for clients,
employees and firm data. The remainder of the interface is mostly blank, but
offers a small text-based menu for key tasks, including entering and printing
checks, making journal entries, reconciliation functions, generating financial
statements, reviewing statements, printing the GL and performing account inquiries.

For client data tasks, such as working with the check register, Client Write-Up
provides a sub-window screen that includes menus for accessing related tasks,
along with a spreadsheet view of account activity that includes drilldown functionality.
Users can process items in batch mode or real-time and can set up recurring
journal entries or use automatic distribution of transaction amounts to GL accounts,
while a financials review tool makes it easy to bring up summary and detail
views of a variety of statements and reports. Data-entry fields include pull-down
selection lists and calculators, along with a heads-down entry mode. Client
data can also be imported. Budgeting tools allow maintaining and forecasting
over multiple years, while reconciliation functions provide accurate tracking
and coding of checks and credit card transactions.

The Client Write-Up Suite provides after-the-fact payroll capabilities and
full compliance reporting, including federal and state forms and reports. Forms
940 and 941 can be electronically filed if the firm also has the ATX Payroll
Compliance Reporting program. Firms can also add an optional Client Checkbook
module for $19.95 that provides a utility for clients to use when preparing
checks, posting transactions and performing other day-to-day tasks. Professional
staff can then import that client data into the Client Write-Up program and
export any adjustments back into the Client Checkbook.

REPORTING & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-
Client Write-Up has a respectable library of reporting options, including trial
balance and GL, ratios, budget and cash activity reports, as well as payroll-related
reporting and compliance forms. The system also offers full financials, including
balance sheets, income statements, balance schedules, statements of cash flows
and capital reconciliation statements. Templates for reports and financials
offer customization of appearance, graphical elements, columns, orientation,
headers and other components, while maintaining GAAP compliance. Charts of accounts
and global financial statements can be generated into Spanish if desired.

INTEGRATION, IMPORT/EXPORT-
The ATX Client Write-Up and TaxWise Client Write-Up systems can import client
data from most small business accounting programs, including QuickBooks and
Peachtree, as well as from spreadsheets, and can export data into Excel and
text formats. Year-end balances can be transferred into the user’s ATX
or TaxWise compliance software, helping speed data-entry functions.

SUPPORT, TRAINING & HELP SYSTEM-
Both branded versions of the program include traditional Help indexes, right-click
menus, year-end guides and setup wizards, along with research functions for
finding task-specific guidance. Printed user manuals are also included with
the systems. Both ATX and TaxWise offer excellent online customer centers that
include numerous features such as FAQs, options for CPE-eligible training, and
access to ATX University or TaxWise University, both of which provide centralized
online learning centers with tutorials, interactive lessons and other educational
material.

RELATIVE VALUE-
Although usable as a stand-alone system, the ATX and TaxWise Client Write-Up
systems are at their best when used in conjunction with the professional tax
compliance systems offered under those brands, allowing users to easily transfer
year-end balances and other client data into a client return. The Write-Up Suite
offers a good core feature set at a very attractive price, and includes trial
balance and after-the-fact payroll capabilities that can help small and mid-sized
firms more effectively deliver valuable year-round services to their business
clients.

2009 Overall Rating: