Tax Software Slowdowns in February: Five Checks for Accounting Firms

A tax program that opens a return in seconds in January but takes half a minute in February can cost a firm hours of staff time—and push back client work. The slowdown may look like a software failure, yet a surge in simultaneous users, a slow route to stored files or background computer tasks can produce the same symptoms. Before approving a hardware purchase or calling support, firms can narrow the cause with five practical checks.

The pattern often follows workload. A data folder used by two preparers in January may be handling eight preparers, a reviewer and document scanning during a busy February afternoon. That added activity can strain a setup that worked well when fewer people were active. Start by recording how many staff members have the program open during the slowest period, then compare that number with the firm’s usual workload and system configuration.

Trace the route to the client files

Where the data is stored matters as much as the program itself. Files may sit on an individual preparer’s computer, in a shared folder on another workstation or on a server. When staff reach a shared folder over Wi-Fi, each file open and save has to travel across the wireless network. That route can become a bottleneck when many people are working at once.

Check the data location in the program’s settings or ask the firm’s IT provider to identify it. If staff connect over Wi-Fi, have two or three try a wired network connection for a day and compare their experience. A change in speed can help isolate the network path as a source of delay.

Check background activity and remote connections

Antivirus and backup programs inspect files as they change. During tax season, files may be updated throughout the day, leaving these tools with frequent work to do. Some software vendors publish recommendations about which folders to exclude from real-time scanning. Review the vendor’s current instructions before adjusting any settings, and maintain protection for the computers and data.

Also check the schedule for backups and software updates. If either starts during the firm’s busiest hours, staff may experience a slowdown that seems to come from the tax program. The time the problem occurs can be a useful clue: a recurring afternoon lag, for example, is worth comparing with scheduled background tasks.

Remote staff need a separate comparison. Ask whether the delay affects only people working from home or also those in the office. A remote connection depends on the office’s internet upload speed as well as the home connection. Have one office employee and one remote employee perform the same task, then compare how long each takes. If the remote employee is slower while the office employee is not, the connection deserves attention. If both are slow, check user load, file storage, background activity and the computer holding the data.

Inspect the computer that stores the files

On the computer or server where the data lives, check available disk space, memory use while staff are working and the type of storage drive. A disk close to full, memory under heavy demand or an older spinning hard drive can all contribute to sluggish performance during peak use. The computer’s task manager can show whether resources are under pressure while the problem is happening.

These checks matter before a firm buys new equipment. If the machine has limited free space or memory is nearly exhausted at the busiest hour, the evidence points toward a capacity constraint. If those resources look healthy, the cause may lie elsewhere. A purchase based only on the impression that “the software is slow” risks addressing the wrong part of the setup.

Measure the delay and take useful details to support

Use one repeatable task, such as opening a large return and running diagnostics, to establish a comparison. Record the time it takes in January and again when someone first notices a February slowdown. Keep the results with the number of people using the system and the time of day. If the task takes four times longer only when eight people have files open, that gives the software vendor or IT provider a concrete pattern to investigate.

When contacting support, have a concise set of observations ready: how many people were working, where the data is stored, when the issue occurred, which task slowed down and how long it took. That information helps support staff rule out likely causes and avoid repeating checks the firm has already completed. It also gives the IT provider a clearer basis for deciding whether the problem involves the network, the storage computer or the software.

Set client expectations early

A technical slowdown becomes a client service issue when it changes delivery dates. If the firm expects work to take longer, tell clients early and provide a realistic estimate for when their returns will be ready. A clear date gives clients something specific to plan around and reduces uncertainty while staff work through the backlog.

Peak-season slowness is common, but the cause is easier to address when the firm checks one variable at a time: the number of active users, the location and route of the data, background tasks, remote connections and the capacity of the computer that stores files. Measurements turn a vague complaint into a pattern. That pattern can guide the next conversation with support—and help the firm protect both staff time and client deadlines.

Mark Johnson, CPA, is an accounting and technology advisor at Cloud Innovics, which provides cloud hosting for QuickBooks and tax software.

Photo credit: Freepik