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Lacerte display columns reset after updates or when using the program

SOLVED•by Intuit•4•Updated October 20, 2023

This article will help you determine why your Lacerte Client list columns change or reset, and take steps to prevent it from occurring. This issue can happen for 4 different reasons, and the solutions to each are listed below. Solutions 3 and 4 should only be performed by an IT professional. Support agents can't help with those steps.

1. Verify each workstation has a unique workstation number

  1. Open the program on a workstation.
  2. Press F10 on your keyboard.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the screen presented, noting the workstation number.
  4. Repeat the first three steps for each workstation.
  5. After all workstation numbers have been collected, compare the numbers in order to ensure all are unique.

If a duplicate workstation number is present:

Before proceeding, it is important to note that this step creates a new workstation number. As a result, new personal user options will be the default, potentially impacting your experience. For example, general forms, printing task, your Client List, etc.

  1. Right-click the Windows Start menu and click Run.
  2. Type in %appdata%.
  3. Click OK.
  4. Open the Lacerte folder.
  5. Rename the LacerteHostName.ini file to Lacertehostname.iniOLD for any workstations that have a duplicate workstation number.

If you want to increase the workstation number by 1 increment, you can open Lacertehostname.ini with Notepad and make a change to the MachineName. Changing the name will cause Lacerte to recognize it as a new workstation. For example:

  • Original name = MachineName=Computer1
  • Adjusted name = MachineName=Computer1x

If you can't open Lacerte, or if you need to check without opening the software, you can enter C:\LacerteYYtax\wYYtax.exe show in Windows Run and it will open a window. Replace YY with the tax year, and make sure there is a space between .exe and show. The network ID in that window will be the workstation number.

2. Verify your computer name in Windows matches the machine name in Lacerte

Note: These steps will reset your display columns, but they will resolve the root issue so that once you reconfigure your display, your changes stick.

Lacerte pulls some information from the workstation itself so that it can assign you the right options every time you login. One of those key pieces of information is the computer name that you have set in Windows. Follow these steps to make your Lacerte machine name match Windows exactly.

First, check the workstation hostname:

  1. Right click the Start Menu and choose Run.
  2. Type in cmd and press OK.
  3. Type in hostname and press Enter.
  4. Make note of the hostname that shows here.

Then, check the Lacerte machine name:

  1. Right-click the Start Menu and choose Run
  2. Type in %appdata% and press OK.
  3. Open the Lacerte folder.
  4. Locate the Lacertehostname.ini file and open it with Notepad.
  5. In Notepad, edit the Lacertehostname.ini file so that it exactly matches your computer hostname in Windows.
  6. Save the file.

Error Observed: Unable to Check Encryption Mode of Database Error Code -70

Frequent or unexpected network drive disconnects can cause several symptoms in both Lacerte and DMS including the program freezing, the client list showing all the same client, errors about saving, and database errors. There are several possible solutions. These changes should only be made by IT personnel who have researched and reviewed potential impact of the changes to their network and taken appropriate precautions to prevent data loss or downtime.

Each security program is different, so we can provide the list of exceptions and file structure for Lacerte but we cannot assist you over the phone with making these changes. These changes should only be made by IT personnel who have researched and reviewed potential impact of the changes to their network and taken appropriate precautions to prevent data loss or downtime.

See Firewall and Anti-Virus Software Configuration for Lacerte Tax for the list of recommended exceptions to add.

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