[The Skuj]

Good day all.

My firm has several hundred existing T1 clients. This year, we wanted to email each of them a unique (Profile generated) T1013 with the name, firm, etc. info filled in in anticipation of using ePass this season (for those who follow that mess), and generated a suitable email template to deliver such a document.

Besides forms, we would use this process for many other functions, such as client letter mail-outs, providing PDF returns, etc.

That said, Profile includes the option to generate a PDF, and export it to a new email message using the email field on 'Info' (in text-only mode, but I digress). Obviously, one would expect that if you can print to email for a single client, one could do it for the bunch... Profile even has the option built in.

To our disappointment, after many trials, no combination of options would enable us to batch print these forms. :angry:

Emailing Profile on the subject:

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We have several hundred existing T1 clients. We want to send each of them a (unique, ProFile generated) T1013 with the name, firm, etc. info filled in.

As such, each (unique) email will have a PDF of the T1013, our message per the attached template, and a generic subject, such as the aforementioned "A Tax Notice From XXX".

The response ultimately being:

Quote

In speaking with our development team I was informed that batch email capabilities for Profile had been considered but were ultimately rejected from the point of view that we did not want to be responsible for exacerbating the problem of SPAM that is so prevalent these days."

Because Intuit considers us to be potential spammers just waiting for the option to appear in Profile (after all, we accountants have too much time on our hands around this time) I spent many hours manually PDFing and manually emailing each T1013 individually.

Anybody else find this to be stupid? How much time and money could we save with this simple feature?

[James1]

The Skuj, on Feb 1 2007, 02:21 PM, said:

Anybody else find this to be stupid? How much time and money could we save with this simple feature?

Seems like the answer you were given is a little strange.

James

[mikenice]

Wow Skuj! Annoying for sure. I guess Intuit hasn't really looked deeper into Quickbooks - the first time I opened it I thought I was getting spam, but soon realized I had an opportunity to get a Quicken mortgage! Yahoo. I have liked Profile, but ever since Cam and Stephen have left, it has become stagnant. No progress (see my response to the OAS\GIS thread). I am seriously considering a switch to CCH, but will probably tough it out with Profile one more year, hoping they actually read the product suggestions thread.

Until then, sounds like your stuck batch-emailing from say, Outlook for example, blank 1013's....that sure sounds like fun. Imagine the time you'll spend on the phone explaining what this fantastic 2-page form is for - you'll have more questions about this than people had on their tax returns. Too bad we can't be trusted - since we are such huge spammers. Gotta go - just got another Viagra e-mail....

[Joe]

mikenice, on May 9 2007, 01:05 AM, said:

Until then, sounds like your stuck batch-emailing from say, Outlook for example,

Emailing using an email client?

Wonder why didnt I think of that before?
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[James1]

Joe, on May 9 2007, 09:02 AM, said:

Emailing using an email client?

Wonder why didnt I think of that before?
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I think the question is why we cannot batch email the T1013 to our clients from profile using the outlook engine without having to create all the T1013' s and then attach them individually to emails in outlook.

I do not think he is trying to make Profile the default email program. ;)

James

[Joe]

James1, on May 9 2007, 08:09 AM, said:

I think the question is why we cannot batch email the T1013 to our clients from profile using the outlook engine without having to create all the T1013' s and then attach them individually to emails in outlook.
I do not think he is trying to make Profile the default email program. ;)
James

Yes, I suppose.... but the bulk 1013 issue was a "one-off" and an optional choice to do at that....

And there must be other ways to do the other things, whlch likely skuj has already invented...
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[James1]

Joe, on May 9 2007, 09:16 AM, said:

Yes, I suppose.... but the bulk 1013 issue was a "one-off" and an optional choice to do at that....

And there must be other ways to do the other things, whlch likely skuj has already invented...
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Yes I suppose that someone could write their own program that would use the Profile engine to create the T1013's and forward them to their resident email program for a batch email.

James

[Joe]

James1, on May 9 2007, 08:21 AM, said:

Yes I suppose that someone could write their own program that would use the Profile engine to create the T1013's and forward them to their resident email program for a batch email.
James

And how many T1013s (other than new clients) did you print "this" year? ;)
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[James1]

Joe, on May 9 2007, 09:26 AM, said:

And how many T1013s (other than new clients) did you print "this" year? ;)
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Just the ones I forgot to mail to CRA last year. :unsure:

I can think of other reasons to complete a batch email to your clients. For example, sending out a tax checklist etc. The only reason I got into this post was the reference to the spam. How does one spam their own clients? <_<

James

[Hardev@Intuit]

James1, on May 9 2007, 05:56 PM, said:

Just the ones I forgot to mail to CRA last year. :unsure:

I can think of other reasons to complete a batch email to your clients. For example, sending out a tax checklist etc. The only reason I got into this post was the reference to the spam. How does one spam their own clients? <_<

James

Thank you for the feed-back.

I have forwarded your suggestion to Development for further consideration.

Regards,

Hardev Koonar
Intuit Canada

[mikenice]

Thank you - but there is so much more Hardev....can you also recommend that Profile host or at least advertise a development input session from practitioners? I recall there used to be a Profile "Suggestion Box" built into the program, but that disappeared. I am unaware of any other FORMAL outlet for feedback & suggestions. Too often, there is no feedback from the development team to understand why or why not a requested program change was not implemented. Thanks.

[Joe]

James1, on May 9 2007, 10:56 AM, said:

Just the ones I forgot to mail to CRA last year. :unsure:
I can think of other reasons to complete a batch email to your clients. For example, sending out a tax checklist etc. The only reason I got into this post was the reference to the spam. How does one spam their own clients? <_<
James

Yes, but thats really really really easy to do using Excel formula and concatenation functions, then using your email BCC to email out....
(If you are ending the same file/message to all or a subset of clients)

In that case, NO NEED for Profile to CHARGE BIG BUCKS for reinventing the wheel and adding in Excel plus Eudora/Outlook to a so-called "TAX-PREPARATION" program.

That being said, if the issue is extracting individualized items/forms from the profile data file then I suppose we are looking at the "Client explorer" functions to extract on a "group/batch" basis?
If that desired data is outputted with client name or some other identifier, then could proceed as above using Excel.
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[James1]

Joe, on May 10 2007, 10:27 AM, said:

Yes, but thats really really really easy to do using Excel formula and concatenation functions

That is a great function. I use it all the time.

Never considered using it in the manner you suggest. I will need to look into that further.

James

But then again the email function is already in profile, just not the ability to email batches.....

[Joe]

James1, on May 10 2007, 09:48 AM, said:

But then again the email function is already in profile, just not the ability to email batches.....

Yes, but batches of what?
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[D Jarrett]

Having been on both sides of the fence, I figured, what the heck, I might as well respond.

I always chuckle when I see people write "I would like such and such a feature, it can't be very hard to do". I think as the software continues to add more and more features, it is getting away from being what made it successful...tax software. Unfortunately, if one person suggests something, unless it is something extremely easy or the product managers feel is something that is going to help drive sales, you aren't going to see it. It takes time to code the change, time to compile it, time to QA it. Is bulk email capability going to increase the number of products sold, I don't think so. Hence why there is no rush. Is the inclusion/exclusion of a GIS entry in the letter going to increase sales? Nadda. Besides, the tools are in the software for you to add that to the template yourself.

I always get asked about the all in one printers, the ones that staple, sort, print, copy, fax, do the dishes, bathe the kids, etc. They do a whole bunch of stuff ok, some quite terribly, but nothing great. I liken that to what will happen as the programs (not just ProFile, but the Other Calgary Company's product as well) continue to suffer from feature creep. You'll have software that does lots of stuff ok, some good, and some badly. The QA will go out the window due to having to test features with every new release, version of Windows etc. When the quality goes to the crapper, no end users, and finally no program.

When I started working for Greenpoint in 2000, the thing that amazed me about the product was the look, feel and ease of use. My training on the software consisted of looking over the manuals and shadowing a senior guy for about two calls before I was thrust on the phones. Had the software been less easy I would have been lost. Personally, as a part time end user now, I would like to see it go back to the intuitive, easy to use tool, with a few cool items thrown in. (Still love the T1adj!)

Anyways, my two cents...and mine alone. :)

[Joe]

D Jarrett, on May 11 2007, 09:26 AM, said:

I think as the software continues to add more and more features, it is getting away from being what made it successful...tax software.

HEAR HEAR...

I would even, in fact, prefer some of the already included "features" to be removed in exchange for "lower-priced" and less "bloatware"
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[unknown]

Hear Hear!

See my post in the thread on "OAS in the client letter"

[David Blue]

I am one who loves new features, but at the current cost of programs and every new feature seems to cost $ 150.00 in increased program costs each year. I don't want anymore fluff upgrades. T1 ADJ, great. E-Mail batching. not willing to pay for, and as for the OAS, and other social programs, I would hate to see the additional costs for them to be implimented into a letter. $ XXXXX.XX.

I want a nice clean program that works from the get go. Not one that I cant wait for the upgrade so that the program works great.

Thats my two cents.

[RL Tax Joe]

David Blue, on May 11 2007, 03:31 PM, said:

I am one who loves new features, but at the current cost of programs and every new feature seems to cost $ 150.00 in increased program costs each year. I don't want anymore fluff upgrades. T1 ADJ, great. E-Mail batching. not willing to pay for, and as for the OAS, and other social programs, I would hate to see the additional costs for them to be implimented into a letter. $ XXXXX.XX.

I want a nice clean program that works from the get go. Not one that I cant wait for the upgrade so that the program works great.

Thats my two cents.

The cost of the added features is what drove me away. I will say now that I did not use Profile this year. I used a less expensive CCH product. Someone on here said it was garbage and did not work. I personally did not have any problems with it. The only 2 features I would have liked to see in there was the T1Adj photo fill feature and on forms with a simplified method, just check off simplified and it would fill in the rate (i.e. moving)

Other than that. Saved about $1,100 in software costs and had pretty much the same productivity.

Sorry Intuit, you went to building your product for the DIY's that want to be Pro's and not for the Pro's themselves.