My draft return is missing, started 3 months ago, we have 2 businesses, i put 12 hours into draft so far, due Mon, now i can't find my hard docs. Please help:(

[talaine11 · Accepted solution]

If the future, you will want to save a backup on your PC, and at least one other copy to a thumb drive, SD chip to the cloud or somewhere else then the PC you did the draft on.  You do this by using "Save As" and giving the location of the external place you want to save.  But then that drive becomes your default save location.  You don't want that.  So then re-save to your PC, by executing Save As a second time to write over the original file on your PC.  Then when you Save it will write over the file on your PC.  

For your missing file that you spent 12 hours on.  Try searching for it with your file app in the /documents/turbotax directory.  put *.tax2016 in the search box.  I hope you find it.  If you do then do save it somewhere else as I advised above.  Personally I save it to an SD card in my camera.  Good to encrypt it if that place you saved your backup is not secure.  Your personal info is on that file.  Good Luck!

[andrea-sink]

I’ll try this... the computer I used to prepare the return is down and I’ve taken it apart to troubleshoot. It is possible I saved a draft on that computer.

[SteamTrain]

IF you were using the ONLINE software (i.e. you did not use software installed on your computer), and your data is missing...

All that means is that you have logged into the WRONG account !

Log out of any TTX account you are logged into...then use the following FAQ to find the actual UserID that you had used before....and log into that other account.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901486

[andrea-sink]

This is an obvious solution, if it were the case.  I prepared an extension request under this account and it was approved, it shows up but the return I worked on doesn’t.

[SteamTrain]

@andrea.sink

Talk to someone....IF..big IF...you were working using the online software, and you filled in all your business information in the Exact-Same UserID as your extension....then it has to be there......but I've never filed an extension Online, so have no idea if there is a special route to get back into your data..

Talk to Customer Support:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number/00/25632http...

[botcalls]

Feb 2021 - I've just updated TT2020 and guess what?  Same issue.  Previous return is now GONE.  Clearly a software development FAIL........

And, yes, I've searched my HD repeatedly using a variety of wildcards.  Total FAIL on TT part.

[SteamTrain]

@botcalls 

This is a post from a year ago (actually more).....and may no longer be valid.

 IF you are using cloud storage (OneDrive or other) make sure you log in there and check it too.

.......hard to know what to do, other than to back up that file to a thumb drive occasionally.  But NEVER save directly to a thumb-drive, or other USB-attached drive...always just copy-Paste from your hard disk.

[botcalls]

yes, I'm aware of the dated post but couldn't see where I had any option to start a new thread.  Bottom line is this is pretty lame for the error in the application to persist.  I stopped using the cloud version as it seemed confusing to keep track.  With the app loaded on my machine I should have more control and avoid this EXACT issue. 

[SteamTrain]

yep...I have no idea why your system is having an issue...I've seen it in this community over the years, for about 1 in 10,000 posts  (bold guess)  .

I've used desktop TTX with Windows for more than 20 years, and never had a file disappear with an update.

There have been some occasional issues with brand-new computers with the most recent  SDDs, or with Windows 10 PRO and file access permissions.....but not with normal installations of  W10 Home edition.