Irvine, Calif. (May 14, 2004) -- Best Software is discontinuing CPASoftware’s tax product, CPATax Manager, but has forged an alliance with CCH Tax & Accounting to create an alternative by integrating Best’s CPAPractice Manager and CCH’s ProSystem fx Tax products.
Best, which has owned CPASoftware since fall 2002, said that it was becoming too difficult to properly service the 200 or so users of CPATax Manager.
“We felt with all the requirements in this heavily regulated area, with e-filing, forms in every state and the complexities in this product area, we decided we could no longer service clients the way we wanted to,” said Ray Jimison, general manager of CPASoftware and the Best Software Accountants Network. “We did this with our clients in mind and didn’t want to just sell off the client base. And in this case, I feel we have the best practice management product in business and CCH has the best tax product.”
With ProSystem fx Tax, CPASoftware tax customers will have access to over 300 federal, state, city and county modules to handle processing requirements. They can also access numerous federal and state features, forms, automatic calculations and options. Other features of the integration include a client information link, which links client name, number and address data between the two products; an invoice link that allows users to create invoices and electronically update CPAPractice Manager’s invoicing and accounts receivable systems; and a project tracking link that allows users to update CPASoftware’s Project Management tracking system while working on tax returns in ProSystem fx Tax.
In an attempt to ease the transition, Jimison said that existing CPASoftware tax customers will have access to free conversion services and Web-based training. In addition, Best is holding a customer conference later this month where CCH staff will be on hand for in-person training.
In addition to CPATax Manager and CPAPractice Manager, CPASoftware has CPAAccounting Manager and CPADocument Manager.
-- Seth Fineberg
