Now that you’ve enabled Lacerte integration and installed TaxLink, the next step is making sure imported status codes and preparer IDs are properly mapped to Lacerte fields. Proper mapping is critical to correctly viewing and managing your Lacerte data. Follow this guide to successfully map these fields from your Lacerte integration settings in BigTime.
Managing General Settings
Navigate to Your Lacerte Integration Settings
One way to access your Lacerte integration settings is from MY COMPANY...INTEGRATIONS in the navigation menu. Choose the Lacerte logo from the list of applications. On the Lacerte integration page, select the hyperlinked text labeled MANAGE.
You can also simply go to the Engagement Manager by clicking WORKFLOW...ENGAGEMENT DASHBOARD on the navigation menu.
From there, select the gear icon next to the TaxLink status bar. This will be located on the upper left corner of the Engagement Dashboard.
Either method will take you to the GENERAL tab of your Lacerte integration settings.
Set the Current Tax Year
Once you’re there, the first thing to do is select the most recent/active tax year from the drop-down menu. This ensures that the most current addresses will be used and brought into BigTime.
Determine Preparer Import Settings
Below the tax year picklist, you will see settings that determine the way preparers and staff preparers are imported from Lacerte to Bigtime. By default these options are selected for you. If you prefer not to import this information based on assignments in Lacerte, simply uncheck the box next to either of these settings.
Lock Status Updates in Bigtime
Finally, if you’d like to prevent staffers from making any changes to return statuses or assignments in BigTime, you can check the box next to “Lock Updates in BigTime.”
Mapping Status Codes From Lacerte to Bigtime
Just as you did on the GENERAL tab, pick the most recent tax year from the picklist at the top of the STATUS CODES tab.
If you haven’t yet mapped status codes, you’ll see that the numbered field boxes below the tax year selection are empty. In order to fill those fields with the correct values, open Lacerte and go to SETTINGS...OPTIONS from the menu bar.
Click the STATUS tab. Here you’ll see a list of your status codes. Each status code in Lacerte is linked to a number ID, and this number is your guide for manually inputting and mapping those status codes in BigTime.
For example if Proforma’d has an ID of “1” in Lacerte, you will enter that value into box 1 of the Status Codes tab. Once you’re finished assigning the proper codes based on the relationship in Lacerte, click SAVE to apply the mapping.
If the mapping was done correctly, you’ll see these statuses reflected on the Engagement Manager.
Mapping Preparers From Lacerte to Bigtime
The final tab in the Lacerte integrations settings is the PREPARERS tab.
You will use the same process for configuring this section as you did for mapping status codes. The difference is that you’ll find the list of preparers and corresponding IDs on the Preparers tab in Lacerte, accessible from the same SETTINGS...OPTIONS menu.
Before mapping, though, you will also want to create a staff record for each preparer in BigTime from MY COMPANY...STAFF LIST. Once these preparers are a part of your BigTime Staff List, you can go back to the Preparers tab. Now you can properly link the preparer to the correct number ID as assigned in Lacerte, and also choose the corresponding staffer in BigTime from the available picklist.
TIP: Save Your Work
Make sure to click the SAVE button whenever making changes to any of the tabs within the Lacerte integrations settings. Clicking this button on one tab does not apply a save across the others.
Troubleshooting
- I SEE NUMBERS IN THE STATUS CODE COLUMN ON THE ENGAGEMENT MANAGER EVEN AFTER I’VE MAPPED STATUS CODES FROM LACERTE.
Try refreshing the Engagement Manager by clicking the REFRESH button.
If nothing changes, double-check that you saved your status code mapping. You might have blank fields on the Status Codes tab of your Lacerte integration settings. If that’s the case, input the information and be sure to click SAVE at the bottom of the tab.
If the information is saved and you’re still having issues after re-mapping status codes or preparers, another possible solution is to run SYNCHRONIZE ALL TAX RETURNS within the TaxLink program.
- I DON’T WANT TO MANAGE STAFFER ASSIGNMENTS FROM LACERTE IN BIGTIME. CAN I SKIP THIS STEP ALTOGETHER?
Of course. Feel free to skip the preparer mapping process if you will not be using BigTime to track staffer assignments. You might also be interested in unchecking the boxes for importing preparer assignments on the General tab of your Lacerte integration settings. - MY STATUS CODES HAVE DRAMATICALLY CHANGED SINCE LAST YEAR, AND I’M HAVING ISSUES WITH SYNCING THE MOST CURRENT STATUS CODES. WHAT CAN I DO TO RESOLVE THIS?
To resolve this, please open your TaxLink software and right-click to run SYNCHRONIZE STATUSES. This will open your Lacerte product to grab the latest status code information available. Then re-check to make sure the latest status codes are mapped within BigTime. - I USE QUICKBOOKS AND LACERTE AND INTEGRATE BOTH WITH BIGTIME. IT LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE OF THAT I HAVE DUPLICATE CLIENT RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM. HOW DO I FIX THIS?
To resolve this, you will want to merge duplicate client records. The order of the merge is important. If you would like to keep the Lacerte ID for that client, then you would open the client record brought in from QuickBooks and merge into the one imported from Lacerte. Read Merging Duplicate Project Data for help with this process.