What are Client Letters in ATX Software?

ATX Software, by Wolters Kluwer, is one of the most highly-rated professional tax applications in the market. Tax professionals prefer it as it offers an extensive list of features, such as a comprehensive form library, interview tools, and tax organizer that ease tax-related tasks.

Likewise, one of the most prominent features that sets ATX apart from other tax software is the availability of client letters.

Client letters are templates that are used to collect information from clients to file tax returns. ATX has two types of client letters:

Standard Client Letters

Standard client letters are pre-built templates that are customized according to the settings saved by the user. Letters can be added to each new return easily.

Templates

Contrary to Standard Client Letters, Templates contain customizable default content. It also offers a blank template to create any letter from scratch.

Both of these client letters can be created or customized through Client Communication Manager. The software includes built-in tools to format letters and design various graphics, logos, signatures, tables, and more.

Furthermore, various preferences can be edited using Client Communication Preferences. It also enables its users to set the combination of required letters in every return upon creation. One can select the state and/or federal letters, change paragraphs, edit other information in the letters through the Client Communication Preferences option.

Here are steps to add, modify, and delete each of the letters with the help of these options:

Standard Client Letters

Adding Standard Client Letter

Standard client letters can be added automatically as well as manually to one or more returns.

To add letters automatically:

1. Select the Preferences option either from the Options menu under Return Manager or Tools menu in open return.
2. Select the Client Communication tab.
3. Select the letters that need to be added.
4. Click OK/Apply to apply the changes.

To add letters manually:

1. From open return, select Client Letters option under the Forms menu.
2. Select the letters that are to be added to open returns and double-click to open each of them.
3. Edit the letter according to the requirement.
4. Click the Save button on the toolbar to apply the changes.
5. Click the Attach Template button.
6. Select the required letters to attach to open returns.
7. Click Attach to complete the action.

Modifying Standard Client Letters

The following controls can be altered from the settings of Standard client letters and can further be customized once inside the return:

• Attach a combination of letters to new returns.
• Combine Client and Estimate letters
• Include Privacy notice to Client and Estimate letters
• Integrate State and Federal return letters
• Determine the pronoun usage (I/we)
• Include/exclude the required paragraphs

To change the dynamic content of the letter, follow the following steps:

1. Select the desired letter from the open return.
2. Click the Letter Options radio button.
3. Change the choices as required.
4. Click the Preview Letter radio button to get a preview of the result.

Deleting Standard Client Letter

To delete the letter from the return:

1. Right-click the client letter from open return.
2. Select the Discard Form option.
3. Click Discard to delete the letter.

Templates

Adding Templates

Unlike Standard client letters, templates can only be added manually and not automatically.

To add these templates to open returns, follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Under Forms, click Client Letters.
2. Select the desired templates, and double click to add or edit them. Template name permits no more than 30 alpha-numeric characters (Special characters are not allowed).
3. Click the Save button to save templates in the Client Communication Manager, which can store up to 20 templates.
4. From the Tools menu, select Attach letter(s) to Return.
5. Select the checkboxes for the required templates.
6. Click Attach.
7. Close Client Communication Manager.

Customizing Templates

Users can customize or create new templates and generate individual client letters easily. Furthermore, one can even modify Master templates that are pre-designed to cover basic tax filing requirements. These templates include:

• Engagement Letter
• Individual Tax Due
• Individual Refund
• Cover Sheet
• Mailing Slip
• Organizer Letter
• Blank

To customize these templates:

1. Click on the Forms menu and select Client Letter in open return.
2. Double click the template under the Templates panel.
3. In the Editor pane, make the required changes.
4. Click Save to apply the changes.
5. Select Attach.
6. Close Client Communication Manager.

Additionally, these templates can be edited both from inside or outside a return. These can be exported and imported in .RTF file format.

To further ease the tax filing task, ATX Tax Software offers the availability of variables. Variables help to extract the required data and show the system where to place it both in Standard client letters and Templates. The data inserted varies as per the data entered in the tax return.

In Conclusion

Client letters enhance the capability of its user. Tax Professionals can quickly gather the required information from their clients using this feature in ATX Software. Hence, making it a powerful solution for a seamless tax filing experience.

Want to know more about how to improve the functionality of ATX Software? Chat with our Solutions Consultant today.