Caseware just told me my price is going from 325 to 493. Of course, they’re including new features I don’t need.
I can’t remember when I started with Caseware but it came on a bunch of 3.5" disks. I don’t use many of it’s features, just upload client’s GL, if possible, or TB, make adjustments, produce financials and export GIFI.
Suggestions? Alternatives? Nothing Cloud involved, thanks.
Excel.
Take a few hours, set it up right, good forever.
I use Excel as well. Lots of formulas so everything transfers nicely but once you have it set up initially it is very efficient.
I only use EXCEL and it works very well for what i need
If you don’t have the time or resources to build the Excel spreadsheets yourself do a web search on
Pendock Mallorn. They have created a farrow to finish accounting product called AFP (Accounting for Practitioners) designed for professionals who need to produce working papers & presentation quality financial statements. I believe it is Excel based, but you don’t need to know much about Excel to use their product.
I don’t use it myself, but do know of several practitioners that do use it.
Cloud might be the only other option other than excel. If you don’t do a lot of engagements, caseware cloud, which doesn’t have all the functionality of the desktop version, is not a bad option. for $100, you can do T2 and Com or Review for up to 5 clients. There is a set up fee for the first time.
I’ve used CaseWare for 20-odd years now. And I use the PEG templates from CPA Canada. Once the gifi codes are set up, you just have to add codes for new accounts and review them each year. I have set up gifi in Sage before, and it does come into TaxCycle fine, but setting it up in Sage is a royal pain. I use both the the review & compilation templates. When using the new templates for the new sections CSRE 2400 & CSRS 4200, the files are hellish slow to open & close. Reminiscent of Windows 2000 when it came out. You’d rather chew off your right arm rather than wait for it to shut down or boot up. What does bother me is the lack of notification from CaseWare when program updates are available. Unlike TaxCycle that tells you there’s an update and then it takes only one or two clicks to install it. I guess I’m spoiled.
I used AFP until I sold my practice a few years ago. Great product. And Cleve Pendock is a real nice guy.
What dies afp stand for?
Read the whole thread… and you will know…
How did you get such a discounted price? When I started purchasing Caseware in 2017 it was already over $400 for a single user license, and the price has gone up steadily every year. This year it was $500 + tax. And that’s with no add-ons or anything - just the basic “Working Papers” product.
I concur with @snoplowguy - I haven’t used AFP, but I know fellow practitioners who do. In fact, one of my fellow ATAP members is working with Cleve to provide AFP with Veriguide compliant templates for the engagement letter, engagement report, etc.
(Veriguide is the non-CPA alternative to CSRS 4200)
Between the price of Caseware and Jazzit, I’m considering switching to AFP, myself…
Wow! Surprised to see that AFP still exists! I looked at it and got a demo version, oh…maybe 15-20 (?) years ago …can’t really remember when it was but it was a LONG time back. It was OK, but it wasn’t any better than what I’d built in Excel really. Mine is obviously personalized, but I still use the same file I built in its base form in Lotus 123 and then ported over to Excel. It looks nicer now. 
I also built a T1 tax-calculation package back in the day, but Cameron’s was a LOT better (Cantax/Zimmer).
Has anyone used or looked at Excel Financial Reporter? Excel Financial Reporter | Excel FSM | Financial Statement Masters