2017 Review of Thomson Reuters UltraTax CS

From the 2017 Review of Professional Tax Preparation Systems

UltraTax CS offers a variety of deployment methods, including desktop and network installation, or users can opt to access the product as a hosted solution or SaaS application. Though mobile apps are not available for UltraTax CS, firms that utilize other CS Professional Suite applications such as Practice CS and NetClient CS offer apps that allow users to access client data, tax status and firm-related tasks.

The UltraTax CS home page offers quick access to numerous system features including e-filing transmission status, monitoring tools, client profiles, and links to frequently used functions. The product supports up to four monitors, and allows users to create custom views on each screen in order to access desired features quickly. Users can easily toggle between screens, and even display tax forms to their clients on a separate monitor if desired.

The NetClient CS Portal offers firms the ability to deliver completed returns directly to clients electronically in a secure fashion. Clients can also use the portal to enter tax information online using the Web Client Organizer. Clients also have anytime access to completed tax returns and other related documents via the portal.

For firms looking for paperless electronic processing, the optional FileCabinet CS can organize electronic documents, storing them securely until users are ready to access them. Thomson Reuters now also offers a fully web-based (browser-based with no local installation) document management solution, Onvio Documents, which integrates with UltraTax CS in the same fashion as FileCabinet CS. Although it is mentioned below in the section for other integrated applications, it’s probably most relevantly mentioned in the context of document management The Source Document Processing Service in FileCabinet CS allows users to scan client source documents and upload them to the server where they are labeled and organized into folders. When processing that client’s tax return, simply open the client file where the documents are stored in order to populate input screens with the previously saved data.

Those using other applications in the CS Professional Suite of products will reap the benefits of the seamless integration available. UltraTax CS integrates with Accounting CS, Accounting CS Payroll, Checkpoint, FileCabinet CS, Fixed Assets CS, GoFileRoom, NetClient CS, Onvio Documents, Planner CS, Practice CS, and Workpapers CS creating an all-encompassing system that offers tax planning, tax preparation, practice management, document management, client portals and document management capability.

UltraTax CS also integration with Microsoft applications such as Excel and Word, the application can also convert data from other third-party applications including Drake, Intuit Lacerte, Intuit ProSeries, Orrtax, ProSystem fx, ATX, TaxSimple, TaxWise, and TaxWorks.

UltraTax CS offers excellent built-in Help functionality, with users able to access help options for each field of entry. The Help & How-To Center offers access to troubleshooting resources, a searchable knowledgebase, access to the UltraTax CS Community.

UltraTax CS is an excellent application that is well-suited for accounting firms that have a mix of business and individual clients with increasingly complex needs. The functionality added by the seamless integration available to CS Professional Suite makes the scope of the product unlikely to be easily matched. Pricing for UltraTax CS varies, with final product pricing based on the number of users and the number of modules purchased, with the product commonly starting at around $3,000 for a single user. Product support is included in the final product price

2017 Rating – 5 Stars