Andica CT600 Software

Poor Customer Service

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Having purchased Andica CT600 following HMRC's decision to not continue with their software support, I started using the CT600 for accounting periods to 31st March 2016.  Everything was going well until my hard drive crashed and I had to reinstall the software on the new machine.  Not a problem I would have thought but the chap at Andica said this was not there normal practice as it was a single instal only.  However, he said that they'd provide a free of charge reinstal this time!  

After going well with the software for a few months, I started to complete accounts for periods after 31st March 2016 so needed the updated software to 31st March 2017.  After installing the software things seemed to go ok, until I looked at the number of licenses I had left.  When accessing the number appeared at just short of 100 which I found strange as I'd puchased the 100 for 2016 and used around 15 and then another 100 for the 2017 period.  I expected it to showing around 170 unused!  Having emailed Andica after several emails they final came back with a email that didn't really clarify anyhting apart from saying that each license was 100 and they were used in cronological order.  Also that their user agreement would have stated their polociies on the software!  Having reviewed this at no point does it say you will lose any unused previous licenses!  

After many months of emails being ignored and getting no further joy, I decided enough was enough and issued a claim through the court for the lost licenses.  Funnily after I emailed Andica saying this course of action was being taken they started to reply!

This is reply I got today from them regarding what they class as customer service :

"Notwithstanding what we believe is a spurious claim, our product price for 100 Companies is £ 110 + VAT (download) and you have used 15 companies thus the usage falls within our 25 companies licence at £ 85 + VAT (download), a difference of £ 25 + VAT. Note that we gave you a free licence for version 2015 which would have costed you £110 + VAT if you had to purchase a licence for your second computer/hard drive. This free licence is the one you are purporting to claim against and as such this is another reason we believe you do not have any claim."

Just be wary when looking at buying CT600 software as clearly these guys are not interested in looking after the customer but into making a quick buck!   

Replies (10)

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Keep Calm, I'm and Accountant!
By i-accounts
18th Oct 2016 14:36

I had a run in with them back in January over a single licence trust return, the download failed to install properly and I was unable to complete the submission, after 2 weeks of debating the point they still refused to help and I bought an alternative product from another provider so as not to miss the deadline, I still have not had a refund from them!

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RLI
By lionofludesch
18th Oct 2016 15:01

I used Andica a few years ago but I found the HMRC software easier to use!!

Not overly impressed.

Or impressed at all, really.

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By Duhamel
18th Oct 2016 15:14

Never used Andica but I have never ever come across software where you carry forward unused licences. Unless I misunderstood, you bought 100 licences for 2016 and 100 for 2017. That's it, unused ones are lost.

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Replying to Duhamel:
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By paullacey007
18th Oct 2016 15:35

Using a corporation tax based system on the CT600 means that most accountants will be filing both 2016 and 2017 periods especially during the period between April 2016 and December 2016 when most 2016 accounts periods would have been filed at HMRC. If this is the case then they'd be a lot of unused licenses each year as I doubt many accountants would wait until they've filed all their 2016 period licenses. The fact is the 2017 over wrote 2016 when I still had licenses unused. This was never pointed out and surely I should have been given option as might have been able to install this on another computer, thus enabling the use of all licenses. But nothing was said prior or during the installation.

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By lesley.barnes
19th Oct 2016 09:52

I had a problem with the partnership return software from Andica. Like the poster my computer packed up and when I came to install on the new computer from my backups the Andica software came up as single install. On contacting Andica they sent link which let me recover the software but advised if it happened again I would have to pay a fee. I don't use them anymore I switched to taxfiler.

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Freddie
By Slim Freddie
19th Oct 2016 10:35

I’ve had my own bad experiences with software providers. But this seems to take the biscuit. They are obviously doing so well for themselves that they don’t need to keep their customers happy. Their attitude is shocking, whether you are in the right or in the wrong, you should never dismiss a customer like this -

"Notwithstanding what we believe is a spurious claim"

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By Joyce Annand
22nd Feb 2017 20:55

I have actually used Andica for SA and Partnership returns for several years because at the time I started, it was cheap. In the last year they have changed the reports to look like HMRC which is much better than previous where you got different reports for PAYE, SA, Tax etc. I find the software easy to use and the the tax calculation at the end is very good and easy to read for clients although separate from the main return. Having said that, I agree the after sales support service leaves a lot to be desired, bordering on being totally rude. I had problems with my computer a few years back and had to ask for a new activation code to reinstall the software and unfortunately my IT engineer had to reload Windows a couple of times which meant asking for another couple of activation codes - at which time I was told 'you had better get your computer fixed because we are not giving you any more codes' they also disconnected the service saying I had it on two computers because I had installed a new hard drive. By this time I was used to the software so continued to use it and fortunately they have made a few improvements and I have thankfully had no more issues. Sorry but on the licence issue of a previous reader I would say that this is based more on an annual subscription for 100 licences and not a cumulative total

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By LESLEY MEIR
25th Apr 2017 15:31

I purchased Andica tax software to allow me to deal with a R&D tax credit claim as the HMRC system won't deal with this. Had a couple of issues with the software which were eventually resolved, had to wait 8 days for one reply. They don't have telephone support, you just get an answer phone directing you to send an email. Not good. I then came to file a tax return for a company with a 15 month accounting period. Quite common. The software asked the relevant questions about start and end date of accounts and then said I couldn't use the computation section as it was a long period. What's that all about. Tried to call and discuss - got voicemail. I thought the price was too good to be true! I've now purchased PTP, have their accounts software which is fine and you get telephone support. Andica, I wouldn't bother.

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Replying to LESLEY MEIR:
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By legerman
27th Apr 2017 14:46

LESLEY MEIR wrote:

I purchased Andica tax software to allow me to deal with a R&D tax credit claim as the HMRC system won't deal with this. Had a couple of issues with the software which were eventually resolved, had to wait 8 days for one reply. They don't have telephone support, you just get an answer phone directing you to send an email. Not good. I then came to file a tax return for a company with a 15 month accounting period. Quite common. The software asked the relevant questions about start and end date of accounts and then said I couldn't use the computation section as it was a long period. What's that all about. Tried to call and discuss - got voicemail. I thought the price was too good to be true! I've now purchased PTP, have their accounts software which is fine and you get telephone support. Andica, I wouldn't bother.

Similar experience. I only used it 3 times, once for an extended return and I had to do the returns separately as it can't handle an extended return. Email contact was terse although I did get the info I needed in the end. Then I had a computer crash (5 user licence) and it said it was a single install only. Couldn't be a*sed contacting them again so switched to tax filer instead.

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Karen Lowen
By Karen Lowen
19th May 2017 11:59

We have found the product to be good until you get an error. Then getting hold of someone is difficult and their customer service is definitely not the best. I have used them for several years, but we are now shopping around.

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