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Importing clients from other CFS software into TaxTools WorkShop

Eric Updated by Eric

When TaxTools WorkShop is first installed and launched, it will attempt to find clients in your other programs and automatically import them (you can then delete any clients you don't want to carry over).

If no clients were automatically detected, you can manually import your clients from other CFS software into TaxTools WorkShop.

Since TaxTools is our flagship program, this section will use TaxTools 2021 as an example.
TaxTools and TaxTools WorkShop are two different programs that perform similar functions. The main difference is that TaxTools WorkShop not only can do all the work that TaxTools can but also the work of multiple other CFS programs.
  1. Open TaxTools WorkShop.
  2. On the menu bar, click Utilities > Import > Import Clients from TaxTools > Import Clients from TaxTools 2021.
    To import from another software by CFS, click Utilities > Import > Import from Other CFS Software, then your desired program, and then the year. For example, we can choose Import Clients from Small Business Tools and then years from 2023 to 2021.
  3. The Import Clients dialog will appear so that the requisite .dbf file can be selected. The program will attempt to find the file automatically. Click Next when the correct file is selected.
    The import clients dialog, which shows a list of file folders, and the database file for 2021 selected.
    When the correct file is selected, the Data Path text will be blue, and a green checkmark will appear next to the .dbf file in the list.
  4. A list of clients to import will appear. To import all of them, click Import All.
    A dialog window listing clients found inside the database file, with Import/Import All/Cancel buttons underneath.
    To choose a single client or multiple clients, see Selecting multiple clients, then click Import.
    Preparers and custom labels will also be imported if the respective boxes are marked. See Import/Replace Custom Labels and Import preparers.
  5. A confirmation dialog will appear that warns that if a matching client already exists in the program, it will be overwritten. Click Overwrite all if you wish all duplicates to be overwritten, Ask each time to have another confirmation dialog appear for each duplicate, Do not overwrite to only import clients that are not duplicates, and Cancel to cancel the import.
    A popup asking how the user wants to handle importing duplicate clients, with buttons under to Overwrite all, Ask each time, Do not overwrite, and Cancel
    If you click Ask each time, this confirmation dialog will ask you if you want to overwrite clients with a matching SSN. Yes will overwrite, No will leave the client in your database as is, and Cancel will cancel the import.
  6. TaxTools Workshop will begin importing your clients.
    A popup with a loading bar for the progress of importing clients.
    The process ends with a pop-up informing you of the number of clients imported out of the total number of clients.
A popup totaling the number of clients imported out of total clients.
If at Step 4 you left Import/Replace Custom Labels or Import preparers checked, there will be additional messages. See Import/Replace Custom Labels and Import preparers.
Depending on the prior-year program, some saved data files or a client (i.e. the "work" you've done for the client in the program) can carry over. As in the past, some modules require you to launch them first before offering to carry over.

Import/Replace Custom Labels

If at Step 4 you left Import/Replace Custom Labels checked, you will be asked before Step 6 concludes whether you want to overwrite your custom labels with the ones in the database you are importing from.

A popup asking how the user wants to handle importing duplicate labels, with buttons under for Yes, No, and Cancel

If you click Yes, the labels will be imported, and the pop-up of the number of clients imported out of the total number of clients will also confirm the labels have been imported.

A popup totaling the number of clients imported out of total clients, and a message that labels were imported.

Import preparers

If at Step 4 you left Import preparers checked, you will be asked after Step 6 concludes whether you want to import preparers.

If there were no preparers, you will instead see this pop-up.
  1. A list of preparers to import will appear. To import all of them, click Import All.
    A dialog window listing preparers found inside the database file, with Import/Import All/Cancel buttons underneath.
    To choose a single preparer or multiple preparers, see Selecting multiple clients, then click Import.
  2. A confirmation dialog will appear that warns that if a matching preparer already exists in the program, it will be overwritten. Click Overwrite all if you wish all duplicates to be overwritten, Ask each time to have another confirmation dialog appear for each duplicate, Do not overwrite to only import preparers that are not duplicates, and Cancel to cancel the import.
    A popup asking how the user wants to handle importing duplicate preparers, with buttons under to Overwrite all, Ask each time, Do not overwrite, and Cancel
    If you click Ask each time, this confirmation dialog will ask you if you want to overwrite preparers with a matching name or ID. Yes will overwrite, No will leave the preparer in your database as is, and Cancel will cancel the import.
  3. A pop-up will inform you of the number of preparers imported out of the total number of preparers.
    A popup totaling the number of preparers imported out of total preparers.

How did we do?

Importing clients from a CSV file

Importing from Lacerte

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