How to Update Lacerte

Keeping your Lacerte tax software current is essential for accurate returns and seamless e-filing. With tax laws and forms constantly changing, every update contains critical fixes, new calculations, and functionalities required for a successful tax season. This article will guide you through the different ways to update Lacerte, from automatic background downloads to manual installations, ensuring your software is always ready for the job.

Why a Lacerte Update Isn't Just "Recommended"—It's Required

Unlike other software where you might skip an update or two, ignoring a Lacerte update can have serious professional consequences. The tax world is dynamic, and software updates are Intuit’s way of keeping you compliant and efficient. Neglecting them can lead to calculation errors, rejected e-filings, and even incorrect tax advice based on outdated rules.

Here’s exactly what Lacerte updates deliver:

• Form and Calculation Changes: The IRS, state, and local agencies frequently revise tax forms and release new calculation schematics. Updates ensure you are preparing returns on the most current versions, preventing automatic rejections.
• E-filing Schema Updates: The electronic filing system has specific requirements (schemas) for how data is transmitted. These schemas are regularly updated, especially at the start of tax season and after major legislative changes. Using an old version of Lacerte means your e-filed returns won't match the current schema, resulting in rejections from the IRS or state agency.
• Software Enhancements and Bug Fixes: Intuit regularly addresses pesky software glitches, improves performance, and adds new features based on user feedback. These quality-of-life improvements can save you significant time and frustration.
• New Legislative Implementation: When Congress passes new tax credits, deductions, or regulations, Lacerte developers work to build those changes directly into the software's calculation engine and workflows. Running an outdated version might mean you're missing out on key client-saving opportunities.

Think of it this way: your professional expertise is only as good as the tools you use. An un-updated Lacerte is a dull instrument, increasing the risk of errors and costing you valuable time.

Method 1: Using Lacerte's Automatic Updates

For most users, setting up automatic updates is the most efficient and reliable method. It allows the program to download necessary patches and updates in the background without interrupting your work. You can then choose when to install them.

How to Enable and Configure Automatic Updates

Follow these steps to ensure your Lacerte is set to receive updates automatically:

1. Open Lacerte: Launch the program and sign in.
2. Access Options: From the main menu at the top, navigate to Settings and then click on Options. This will open the Options dialog box where you can configure the program settings.
3. Go to the Setup Tab: In the Options window, click on the Setup tab. This section contains the core settings for your installation.
4. Configure Update Settings: In the grid of options, locate the "Program Update Notification" settings. You have two primary choices:
   • Display when an update is available: Lacerte will check for updates when you open the program and show you a pop-up dialog if a new version is found. This gives you direct control over when to start the update process.
   • Download updates in the background: This is the recommended setting. Lacerte will automatically download new updates as soon as they become available without prompting you. Once downloaded, you'll receive a simple notification that an update is ready to be installed at your convenience. This is ideal because the time-consuming download process happens while you work.
5. Save Your Changes: After selecting your preferred option, click OK to save the configuration.

Once an update has been downloaded in the background, you will typically see a prompt to begin the installation when you close Lacerte. It's best to run the installation at the end of the day to avoid work disruptions.

Method 2: Manually Checking for Updates Within Lacerte

If you prefer to have full control over the update process or want to ensure you haven't missed a background notification, you can trigger a manual update check at any time. This is a great habit to get into at the start of each workday during tax season.

Step-by-Step Manual Update Process

1. Close Any Open Returns: While not strictly required for the check itself, it's good practice to save and close any client file you are working on before initiating an update.
2. Navigate to Tools: In the top menu bar, click on Tools.
3. Launch Lacerte Updates: From the dropdown menu, select Lacerte Update. A new window will appear and immediately begin checking for available updates for your installed tax years.
4. Review and Install Updates: The update utility will display a list of all available patches. It will show the version number and often a brief description of what the update contains. By default, all recommended updates should be checked.
5. Click "Update": Press the Update button to begin the download and installation process. Stay on this screen until you receive a confirmation that the updates have been successfully installed.
6. Restart Lacerte: Once the process is complete, close the update utility and restart Lacerte to ensure all changes take effect. Your program's title bar should now reflect the new version number.

Method 3: Downloading and Installing Updates from the Intuit Website

This method is your failsafe option. If the in-software update utility is not working due to network errors, firewall restrictions, or file corruption, you can always download the update files directly from the Intuit support website.

This is also the method used when setting up a new computer or if you need to manually patch a workstation in a network environment.

Finding and Installing Updates Directly

1. Very Important: Close Lacerte: Ensure Lacerte is completely closed on the computer where you plan to install the update. If other users are on a network, ensure they are logged out as well.
2. Navigate to the Intuit Support Website: Open your web browser and go to the official Lacerte updates page which can be found on the Intuit ProConnect support site. Search for "Lacerte Updates" to find the download index.
3. Select the Tax Year: The page will be organized by tax year. Be sure to select the correct year for which you need an update (e.g., "Updates for 2023 Lacerte").
4. Download the Latest Update File: Locate the most recent update, which is usually at the top of the list. Click the download link. The file will typically be a web patch (e.g., `websetup23.exe` for the 2023 tax year). Save it to a location you can easily find, like your Desktop or Downloads folder.
5. Run as Administrator: Once the download is complete, navigate to the file, right-click on it, and select "Run as administrator." This elevates permissions and helps prevent installation failures.
6. Follow the Prompts: An installation wizard will launch. Follow the on-screen instructions to apply the update. After it's finished, you can safely delete the downloaded installation file.
7. Launch Lacerte: Open Lacerte to confirm the update was successful.

Troubleshooting Common Update Issues

Sometimes, updates don’t go as planned. Here are a few common problems and how to resolve them.

• Stuck Update Process: If the installer seems frozen, open the Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), find any processes named `Lacerte Update` or `lupdate.exe`, and end them. Then, try running the update again, preferably by downloading it directly from the website.
• Permission Errors: If you receive an error about insufficient permissions, it's almost always resolved by right-clicking the update file and choosing "Run as administrator." Ensure your user account has administrative rights on the computer.
• Network Installation Problems: In a multi-user office, only the Lacerte administrator on the server or primary machine should run the main update. After the server is updated, individual workstations will typically get a prompt to install a workstation update when they next launch Lacerte. Do not have users attempt to update their workstations before the server installation is complete.
• Corrupted Update Utility: If the in-program updater consistently fails, your best bet is to use the direct download method from the Intuit website. For persistent issues, the Lacerte Tool Hub, also available for download from Intuit's support site, contains utilities that can diagnose and fix common program file problems.

Final Thoughts

Making Lacerte updates a routine part of your workflow is a foundational step for any tax practice. By choosing the method that works best for you—automatic, manual, or direct download—you ensure your software remains compliant, accurate, and functional, protecting both your firm and your clients.

While software updates keep the tax forms and calculations current, understanding the intricate tax law changes that drive those updates is a separate challenge. Knowing when a client might benefit from a new provision or how a state-level change affects multijurisdictional businesses requires fast, reliable research. When you need to go beyond the software and get citation-backed answers on complex tax law, our Feather AI is built to provide verifiable answers from authoritative sources like the IRC and IRS rulings in seconds, so you can advise your clients with complete confidence.