I've often thought that it would be useful for the planner to generate the 1040ES payment vouchers from information developed in the planner. That's usually why I use the planner in the first place - to determine if additional estimated taxes need to be made. It seems an easy addition to the program since the core product already contains the calculation routines and forms software.Anybody else out there agree? Let 'em know.
It would make for a safer solution than exporting back into the original client file, but with all the things Planner won't do (like apportionments and OSTC) we have to dummy files through the main program as often as not.
I tend to disagree. After doing the estimate in the planner, I like to enter the voucher amounts in the 1040 prep package anyway, so they are proformed. Also I don't wish to have to enter the address and ID# in the planner, just more data entry. And I believe the fact that the planner does not have to print any forms, keeps the prgramming and cost down.
The main problem I have with that is there is no way to prevent or correct unintended changes because:
#1 -- The lock is all or nothing, not just items that impact the return.
#2 -- The client status says something was changed, but not what or from what.
While it is a necessary evil for depreciation schedules on interim work, and also how we are currently forced to work future year estimates, it would be better if we did not (and fixing the lock feature would take much more development work.)
From a coding stance, all it should need to do is form a conduit into Lacerte from the Planner telling it to print estimates %1 %2 ... %8 (given the current lack of multi-state functionality.) This would avoid any re-entry or duplication of forms to update or integrate.
