How to resolve slow performance issues in Lacerte

A simple way to test network performance is to copy the SetupYY folder from the server to the desktop on a computer. You don't need to wait for the whole folder to copy—you just want to see the speed at which it's copied over.

Click the arrow next to More details while it's copying to see the speed.

You need to check the last item listed: Speed. When performing this test, the speed should fall between 30-60MB/second, or more. If it's significantly less than 30 MB/second, then your network performance is likely affecting Lacerte performance. A common solution for this is to move from 100MB switches to 1GB switches. We recommend consulting your IT professional for assistance.

Once you verify the speed, click Cancel and you can remove the SetupYY folder from the desktop.

If your system meets the system recommendations and your network speed, if applicable, is sufficient, perform the steps in the sections below and check the program performance after each set of steps.

• Some performance issues may be specific to a particular tax type. Switch to a different tax type to test performance.
• If performance is an issue during program startup, then switch to a different tax type and close the program. The program should then open to the new tax type.
• If the issue is specific to the tax type, it may be due to an issue with the database for that type, or due to the size of the database, which would be a limitation of your system's resources (CPU usage, available RAM, network speed, disk speed, etc.).
• If it is tax type specific, try a database repair using the steps in this article.

There are a few columns that are known to sometimes cause slowness on the Clients list. Specifically, the Intuit Link column and Appointment information columns.

The Intuit Link column is used for inviting clients to Link and keeping up with their Link progress. The appointment columns displays date, time, and other information regarding the clients appointment with the preparer.

Try removing the following columns from the display to see if that improves performance:

• Intuit Link (Individual module only)
• Appt. Date
• Appt. Location
• Appt. Preparer
• Appt. Time
• State E-file Status

Refer to this article for instructions on adjusting your display columns.

Follow these steps to rename the file:

1. Close the Lacerte program.
2. Open File Explorer.
3. Locate the WYYTAX.ini file and right-click it.
   • Refer to this article for instructions on locating the file.
4. Rename the file WYYTAX.ini to WYYTAX.old.
   • For example, if the problem is occurring in 2023, rename the W23TAX.ini file to W23TAX.old.
   • Some of these folders are hidden folders and you'll have to enable hidden file and folders by doing the following:
     1. Hold down the Windows key + E on your keyboard.
     2. Go to the Tools or Organize menu and select Folder Options.
     3. Click on the View tab and find the Hidden files and folders section.
     4. Select Show hidden files and folders and click OK.
5. Open Lacerte and check the program performance again.

There can be a significant slow down if you have an antivirus, backup programs, or other program with real-time file scanning active on the Lacerte folders. To avoid this, you'll need to exclude the Lacerte folders on the server and on the affected computers. In some cases, the scanning program needs to be turned off, disabled, or uninstalled to test whether it's causing any performance issues.

The folders you need to exclude are detailed in the Anti-virus Configuration section of this article.

After excluding the folders from real-time scans, open Lacerte and test to see if the overall performance has improved.

"Clean boot" (sometimes called "selective startup") is an effective troubleshooting technique which restarts the computer in a state with minimal drivers or startup programs. This can help you determine if the issue is being caused by Lacerte, ProSeries, or a third-party driver or application. For example, if the problem no longer appears in a clean boot, it's likely being caused by third-party software. If you're uncomfortable restarting in a clean boot, consult your local IT professional before proceeding with the following Microsoft article:

• How to perform a clean boot to troubleshoot a problem in Windows

After the computer has restarted, open Lacerte and try the operation again. If the program performance improves, then one or a combination of programs or services is causing Lacerte to run slow. To find out which program or service it is, run msconfig again, re-enable the programs and services a few at a time, and restart your computer (as described in the above article). Eventually, you should be able to narrow it down to a specific item causing the performance issues.

If performance doesn't improve with a clean boot, then you should re-enable all disabled items.

This is a feature that auto-calculates during input in a return to provide e-file diagnostics in real time.

Follow these steps to disable the Show Input Warnings feature:

1. From the Settings menu, select Options (or Primary Options).
2. Go to the Setup tab.
3. Locate the Program Options section.
4. Set the Show Input Warnings in the Detail Tab setting to No using the dropdown list.
5. Click OK.
6. Test the performance of the program.