Drake Tax - Home Menu

The main window of Drake Tax is referred to as the Home window.

The Home Window features includes the following sections:

1. Menu Bar - Allows you to complete various tasks in the program.

2. Toolbar - Allows you to complete various tasks in the program.

   • Open/Create - open existing returns or create new returns. See Drake Tax - Creating a New Return for details.

   • Calculate - Launches batch calculate function. See Drake Tax - Batch Calculation for details.

   • Print - Launches batch print function.

   • View - Launches batch view function.

   • e-File Status - See KB 10783 for details.

   • CSM - See Drake Tax - CSM - Frequently Asked Questions for details.

   • Scheduler - See Drake Scheduler - Overview for details.

   • Documents - See Drake Documents - Functions, Setup, and Technical Requirements for details.

   • Workflow - See Drake Workflow for details.

   • Portals - See Drake Portals - Overview and Pricing for details.

   • Partners: 

     • TheTaxBook

     • GruntWorx - Overview

   • Support - Contacting Drake Software Support

   • Chat Support - Chat Support

   • Feedback - Complete a feedback survey to provide your feedback directly to Drake Software.

   • Exit - Close the program.
     

3. Recent Returns - Lists the last nine returns that were opened by the logged-in preparer.

4. Appointments - Shows the logged-in preparer’s schedule for the current date (per the Drake Scheduler), and provides a link to open the Drake Scheduler.

5. Alerts, Notifications, and Update Status

   • Indicates when e-file (EF) acknowledgments are ready to be processed, the status of GruntWorx jobs, (such as pending or completed); important announcements, dates, and reminders, and informs you of Drake Software systems statuses.

   • Your system must be connected to the Internet to receive alerts; alerts are refreshed every 15 minutes.

   • The Update section keeps you informed of program updates available to be installed. If all available updates have been installed, the status is listed as Software up to date.

6. Status Bar - Provides system information about the logged-in preparer, program version, computer drive, and date

7. Preparer Notes - Allows you to write brief notes—visible only to the preparer who wrote them—that remain in this section until deleted

8. Personal Client Manager (PCM) - Allows the logged-in preparer to easily manage client records, which can be sorted by name, return type, status, transmission date, and more. See Drake Tax - Personal Client Manager Overview for details.

9. Enable Privacy - Hides the Recent Returns list, PCM, and Preparer Notes sections. Toggle back to full visibility on the Home window by clicking the Disable Privacy button.