Not sure how many users of e-Courier there are but this doesn’t make me very happy.
I see DocuSign still integrated?
Oh, wonderful. /s
I was wondering when they’d start forcing us towards more expensive options.
I don’t use Tax Folder but I do use e-courier.ca and it is still available under Options/Service Providers/e-courier.
You must not have updated to the most recent version.
TaxCycle says I am up to date. version 11.2.48375.0. Is there another newer version?
below is a screenshot of my options.
There is. 12.0.48650.0
There is a work around which restores the functionality but it appears it will be only temporary.
I use e-Courier and hadn’t noticed this msg. Thanks for pointing it out to us, @Arliss.
I’ve only used TaxCycle’s integrated service a handful of times, usually preferring to send the files by e-courier manually and copying /pasting a script that I have saved in Note++. I did have plans to explore the integration option more before this upcoming tax season. I haven’t had time to look at TaxCycle’s message in more detail, and will do that when I have time.
Thanks.
Until I find a better and/or less expensive option than this I’ll continue to use SharePoint with an email drop to notify the client. They can down/upload at their pleasure.
As far as Docusign goes…WAY too expensive an option for me. Upload to SharePoint, notify client, get a signed scan back, store, file. Cheap and effective.
In inexpensive sub-100 pack would be good but I haven’t seen that yet.
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@Cameron I will have to find a permanent workaround, as I plan to continue using e-Courier… Very sorry to hear of this development…
Does the temporary workaround maintain full functionality for now?
It seems to. Just sent form for signature as normal.
Adobe. I have the full subscription but just Acrobat Pro is only $20 canadian
With the latest version downloaded, it’s gone from options
I am disappointed as I use e-Courier. Why would you discontinue the e-Courier integration? These integrations help our tax seasons run smoothly and quickly.
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I’ve had a couple of lengthy discussions with e-Courier about data security, especially about keeping data in Canada vs on platforms owned by non-Canadian companies that could be subjected to review by those non-Canadian government agencies. Now that TaxCycle is owned by a non-Canadian company, it appears that they aren’t concerned about these issues. They discussed this briefly during the training sessions on Oct. 26th stating that the legislation hasn’t been implemented yet, that it would be very rare for a foreign gov’t agency to supena tax related documents, and thus they are in monitoring mode and not encouraging tax practitioners to keep their data on Canadian soil. It’s TaxCycle’s way of promoting their own product under this new, non-Canadian ownership. Thus this lack of support we will continue to see practitioners using other, cheaper, non-Canadian products like Adobe Sign, DocuSign, SignNow, SharePoint, etc, due to a lack of cheaper or similar product owned by Canadian companies.
TaxCycle’s decision to terminate support for e-Courier is very disappointing indeed.
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We are all in with Taxfolder for e-signatures and data portal but use e-courier for transfer of large files (QB’s files for example) with clients and any sensitive data with third parties (Taxfolder wasn’t meant for this). Was convenient to sent (with one click) PDF copies of returns via e-courier, but if we have to save as PDF first that wouldn’t be a big issue.
I know Marc wasn’t impressed with e-courier releasing their own e-signature product competing with Taxfolder after TaxCycle drove a ton of business their way.
I personally think the integration with TaxCycle isn’t a big deal and will continue to use e-courier stand alone as I did prior to the integration.
Jim
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First, I’m sorry that this is happening. I don’t know how long we will be able to keep this integration in TaxCycle, as our integration agreement with e-courier has expired, and the team at e-courier will not engage with us.
I don’t want to get into all the details, but here is a little context:
In the fall of 2018 (before we built TaxFolder) we asked e-courier to build an electronic signature solution. At that time, they gave us no indication that they had plans to build one. In 2020, when COVID happened, we decided to offer a fully integrated solution that was more affordable than DocuSign, so we built TaxFolder.
We offered to extend and improve our integration with e-courier. They declined. Our preference was to continue our integration with them, but they have insisted that we shut down our “competing product” first.
So that’s where we’re at. We need an updated API and a new agreement to continue. We’ll keep the existing (hidden) integration until it is either technically or legally infeasible to do so.
We’re happy for all the e-courier customers to continue using e-courier. We’re sorry that we won’t be able to offer the integration over the long term.
~ Cameron
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Well that is too bad I hope something can be worked out.
Other than the e-signature capability they are really quite a different product appealing to different users. Kind of like a full featured Cadillac compared to base model Chevy. I personally just require a Chevy.
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