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Intuit is truly a scummy company with the way they behave here and elsewhere. A simple example of one of these behaviors is that you cannot export data as CSV
by tristor 6y ago
Intuit is truly a scummy company with the way they behave here and elsewhere. A simple example of one of these behaviors is that you cannot export data as CSV from Quickbooks Online, instead if only exports as a PDF or as an Excel XLSX file. But the XLSX is carefully crafted so it reads out zeroes (0s) in all value fields if opened with LibreOffice or any conversion tools to get a CSV.
Why do I know this? I don't have any Windows computers, I mostly work on a Mac, and Intuit doesn't make TurboTax Business for Mac, only for Windows. TaxAct has an online service for filing 1120S/K-1 for LLCs which can import data via CSV that works on any OS, so Intuit responded by no longer offering CSV exports and ensuring they're broken using F/OSS tools. Really is making it a challenge to comply with the law this year for my LLC without me having to have Windows + Office 365 licenses.
- morpheuskafka 6y agoHmm that's really obnoxious, but why would Intuit benefit from forcing people to buy Excel? They don't make any money from that.
- archon 6y agoThey benefit by preventing easy access to an export of the user’s data that could then be importied into a competitor’s software, thereby (presumably) locking in a non-trivial number of their own user base who don’t want to deal with the hassle of re-entering all of their financial data in a new product.
- TeMPOraL 6y agoIIRC, they have an Excel plugin. So it's more like: stick with our SaaS; if you really prefer a desktop app, stick to Excel (and our plugin).