IRIS software

IRIS software

Didn't find your answer?

My firm is contemplating switching to IRIS software - currently all our accounts, tax, secretarial and practice management software are with different providers.

Each of our offices runs their own accounts, tax and practice management software and the offices are set up in to departments eg audit and accounts, tax, secretarial etc.

The sales pitch would make it seem that there would be a lot of time savings by avoiding duplication etc but there would seem to be an issue in bringing all the data across.

Are there any other issues that might arise and how do users actually find using the product (I asked a friend who used it and expected an enthusiastic reply but was told it was a bit inflexible!).

Thanks

Paul

Replies (5)

Please login or register to join the discussion.

avatar
By carnmores
30th Mar 2007 13:38

we would all be interested to know
how you arrived at iris, what sort of comparative tests have you done with digita , sage , keytime or even ptp (iris)

Thanks (0)
Euan's picture
By Euan MacLennan
30th Mar 2007 14:14

Sage 200 ? - You cannot be serious!
Sage 200 - previously known as MMS - is book-keeping software for medium-sized companies, i.e: sales, purchase and nominal ledgers, cash book and a bit of CRM. It cannot handle - and was never intended to handle - the statutory accounts preparation, tax returns, company secretarial and accountancy practice management functions that Paul is looking for in IRIS.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By lukemellard
30th Mar 2007 10:26

IRIS may not be the best option for you
Sage 200 might be a better option if you have your doubts about IRIS.

email: [email protected] to find out more

Thanks (0)
Euan's picture
By Euan MacLennan
29th Mar 2007 11:01

Ask IRIS
... to suggest some local users who would be prepared to let you and a couple of colleagues to visit them to see IRIS in operation and to talk to the staff who use it.

I think your friend's comment should be treated in much the same way that accountants treat comments by clients that their mate in exactly the same trade told him in the pub that he never pays any tax.

Company accounts and tax returns have to be prepared to rigid formats prescribed by law, accounting standards, the Revenue and increasingly, the restrictions imposed by internet filing. No flexibility is permitted except for the wording of notes in company accounts and of additional information in the white space on tax returns. IRIS provides as a default accounts that comply with the requirements, but you can override the default by opting for full disclosure of an item while claiming all the other FRSSE or small company disclosure exemptions and you can add text to or completely replace most of the standard default notes. IRIS provides considerable flexibility along with a recommended standard.

Or did you friend mean flexibility of ways of entering the data? For example, you could enter the figures from a P60 into a personal tax return:
1. using a posting screen containing all the relevant fields, or
2. using a facsimile P60 on screen into which you transcribe the figures from the paper form in front of you, or
3. using a facsimile of the Employment page of a return onto which you enter the figures as you would do with a paper return.

IRIS provides Route 1 and only Route 1, not just for P60 input but throughout its product range. If you prefer to input data using either the source document or the finished article on screen, do not choose IRIS. If you feel the need to offer your staff the choice of methods, again do not choose IRIS.

The central database does indeed avoid duplication of input. Every business or person has to be entered only once; for example, you do not have to enter a person 3 times if he is a both a director and secretary of a company and you also do his personal tax return. Any change of the name, address, tax and other details is also entered only once.

I cannot comment on the difficulty of importing data from your various different systems. Do you know of any other integrated software that has better import facilities? IRIS now uses a SQL database so I would have thought that it would be easier than most. I am sure IRIS would be keen to help you if they are going to get all your lovely business.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By User deleted
29th Mar 2007 16:39

Pro and Con
Pro = excellent.
Con = expensive.

Thanks (0)