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Data share demographic information in Practice CS

Use the Data Sharing feature in Practice CS to update client demographic information across Accounting CS, FileCabinet CS, Practice CS, and UltraTax CS.
By enabling Data Sharing, you ensure consistency and reduce manual entry, enhancing your workflow efficiency.

Enable Data Sharing in Practice CS

  1. Open Practice CS and go to
    Setup
    Firm
    .
  2. Select the
    Preferences
     tab.
  3. Mark the
    Integrate this Firm with other solutions
     checkbox.
    note
    If the checkbox appears checked but grayed out, you already have Data Sharing enabled. Move on to the next step.
  4. Select
    OK
    .
  5. Go to
    Setup
    System Configuration
    .
  6. Go to the
    File Locations
     tab.
  7. In the
    Practice CS data path
     field, enter the correct shared files location. By default, this is typically
    X:\WinCSI\Practice CS Data
     (replace X: with your network drive letter).
  8. Add the data paths for any other programs where you want to use Data Sharing.
    note
    Data Sharing supports the current, previous, and next year of UltraTax CS. Double-check that you're entering the correct data location for each year, as client data can vary.

Data Sharing updates

Once you enable Data Sharing, Practice CS automatically searches for matching SSNs or EINs (rather than client IDs) across your integrated programs. When the system detects changes, it prompts you to review and either accept, decline, or postpone updates to your client’s information.
important
If you enter a taxpayer or business name in UltraTax CS 1040 before sharing, Data Sharing won’t replace the name fields from Practice CS, UltraTax CS 1065, or UltraTax CS 1120. The name only updates if the field is empty, protecting you from unintentional changes due to differences in prefixes, suffixes, or middle initials.
tip
If you're new to Practice CS and lack client data, you can import client information from UltraTax CS to populate your Practice CS database.

Updating Practice CS information

Practice CS differs from client-based programs like UltraTax CS or Accounting CS: it checks for updates only when you open a client’s setup screen and select
Edit
. Because users seldom edit this screen, I suggest these best practices to avoid missing critical updates:
  • Centralize Demographic Updates:
     Establish a firm-wide policy to update all client demographics in Practice CS first. When you access those clients in other programs, you’ll receive prompts to accept or reject the shared data.
  • Use the Sync Data Sharing Button:
     Select
    Sync Data Sharing
     on the Practice CS toolbar to process all pending updates immediately for all clients. You’ll still need to accept or reject each update as prompted.

This article applies to:

  • Product: Practice CS,UltraTax CS
  • Subject: Data sharing