product suggestion for Pro Series DMS - Note Annotations
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We're attempting to switch to 'paperless office' using DMS. Our tax prep process include cross-referencing source documents figures to line items on tax return. We thought we would use the Note annotation to write in the cross-referencing on screen that was used to be done by hand-writing. Except each note annotation box in DMS has to have that blue area / 'box' on the top w/ the user name. Also, the annotation box is not transparent so the box can cover up text of the original document. These issues can be inconvenient for us because sometimes we have over 50 cross-referencing notes to do on a page. We wish there's an option to turn off / eliminate the blue area w/ user name and also an option to make the note annotation box's background transparent. That would really help if Intuit can add these options to DMS!!
Answer
A typewritter annotation tool in the DMS viewer would be beneficial for the reason given by the first comment. Right now I use a separate pdf viewer called Foxit Reader with a Propack attachment set of annotation tools that includes a typewriter tool in addition to comment boxes the same as Adobe Acrobat has. The tool allows you to type directly onto the pdf document controlling the font, size and color of the typed text without the text being inside the comment boxes, only on the document. Now, when you print the document you don't have the option to print without the typed annotations, but you just have to keep that in mind when you are making annotations. For workpapers, I prefer that the typed annotations print irregardless anyway the same as if you had written on the document manually in the first place.
Comment
We do, now, in fact, use the typewriter function from Foxit Reader, which also have other annotation tools like drawing arrows and such. Foxit Reader also allows for printing out the pdf document either with the annotations or without the annotations, and even printing only the annotations without the original document. These 'little' things are quite helpful. We just wish Pro Series' DMS can do the same so we only need to use only pdf reader program. We do very much like the "insert red / green check mark" function.
Comment
Completely agree - I am annotating a tax planner worksheet by pen right now because of that big blue banner. Suggestions above would be a great improvement.
Comment
I realize this comment is dated quite some time after the others, but we would also agree, a trypewriter tool would be very beneficial. I also use Foxit Reader with the ProPak for annotating in DMS rather than the native viewer/annotator because of the limited annotation functionality of the DMS viewer. The ability to highlight and underline in multiple colors and have a typewritter tool that types directly on the document as if you were actually working with the paper rather than just text boxes is very useful. I want to be able to work with a PDF document the same way as if I had it printed in front of me editing it without having to print it and then rescan it, which by the way ends up significantly increasing the file size. So to avoid this saves time and disk space.
Comment
Thank you for your recommendation. If there are other members of the community who would like this enhancement to DMS, please add a comment.
Intuit Accounting Professionals Division