Question

Shared TurboTax files between two computers

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
March 2, 2022
3 replies
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My wife and I both work on the same tax returns. I have a Mac laptop; she has a Windows--based laptop. The files that I save include the file name and "Macintosh HD......cloud storage" in them, and are saved automatically to the cloud. When she saves a file it goes to OneDrive with just the file name. The latter is the process we have used for years.

Are we asking for trouble by both of us working on the same file? We never work on a common file at the same time, but I don't understand why the Mac no longer uses just the file name.

C

CarissaM

This should not be an issue, as long as you both ensure that you are working on the latest edition of the return.

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G

GGBJrAuthor

Hi, Carissa --

Thanks for your response. I won't repeat my previous post. I believe the Mac file naming occurred during the setup of my 2021 TT Premier edition, when the previous year's data files are transferred into the 2021 software. I don't know why this occurs; it has not in previous years. I am tempted to delete all of the Mac-named versions to see if I can eliminate the problem, loading only the Windows-based versions created by my wife's Windows laptop.

Again, thanks!

VolvoGirl

Employee

Hi GGB, just me again asking another question. Did you install the CD on both the Mac and Windows? Or did you have to call in and get the other os version? I ask because once you install the actual CD you can't install it anywhere else again. It's been a big problem this year. Thanks

VolvoGirl

Employee

Yes it could cause problems. How are you moving the file between computers? I didn't follow your post. You need to copy the .tax2021 file back and forth each time to use it.

By the way, how did you get Turbo Tax installed on both Windows and Mac? Did you have to call in to get the other download? I hope you didn't buy 2 programs. You didn't need to buy 2.

G

GGBJrAuthor

Many thanks for your post. For some reason I thought that my account was set up to receive email notifications when someone replied to a post, but this did not happen.

We keep the TT data files stored on OneDrive, so we can access them from almost any location. We have done this for many years. Obviously, we have to ensure that we are both not working on the same file at the same time, but this has not been a problem. Currently, in the OneDrive folder, we have two data files for each person for whom we are doing returns (e.g., children, grandchildren, etc.). This is a first. The ones created (or saved) by my wife's Windows-based laptop are named as usual. The file names of the ones created by my Mac contain the extra verbiage, described in my original post. I have not taken the time to place a token change in one of the Mac files that I have been working on to see if it gets saved in both files on OneDrive. Since we have never had this problem before, I am tempted to delete all of the Mac-created files on OneDrive, and then load, edit and save one of the Windows-based files to see if the issue disappears. I believe that the Mac naming of the files occurred during setup when the previous year's files were being loaded into the 2021 format.

We have always bought the CD version of TT Premier, which enables us to load the main version onto both computers in their respective formats. Then, we download three states via the Windows computer, but contact TT Support to have Mac-based state software downloaded by TT to my TT account, which I then download to my Mac. If I attempt to duplicate the Windows download process on my Mac, the software wants to charge me a second time for the state software.

Thanks for your time and effort!

GB

Houston, Texas

R

robtyates99

How to change TT to save results on my OneDrive rather than on my desktop's hard drive?

T

TiffanyL

@robtyates99

To save your Tax return to your OneDrive, you would need to log back into your TurboTax account, click on the year you want and just save it from there.

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