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IRIS to acquire Intex. By John Stokdyk

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24th May 2006
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Tax and SME business software developer IRIS is to acquire Intex Software, developer of the EARNIE payroll system, for an undisclosed sum.

Based in Stockton-on-Tees, Intex has around 4,000 large business customers and will continue to develop and support the program under its new ownership. Having bought Freeway in 2001, IRIS will now control two of the country's best known payroll software programs.

"We will be retaining both the Intex EARNIE products and our own PAYE-Master range, ensuring that our customers are totally unaffected by this acquisition. However, both teams we will be working very closely together to further enhance all of our payroll and HR offerings," said IRIS Group chief executive Martin Leuw.

Leuw has made no secret of his strategy to grow IRIS through acquisition, and has backing from Hg Capital, which controls assets of around 750 euros. IRIS took over Exchequer Software last year and now has a mixed software portfolio that caters for everyone from one-man bands to accountancy firms, mid-sized enterprises and blue chip corporates.

IRIS said the new, enlarged group will be expected to generate £35 million in revenue by serving 9,000 accountancy practices and 45,000 businesses with accounting, payroll and HR software.

Many more deals like this, and Leuw and his team will begin to enjoy the enviable technology and marketing challenges of his big, listed rival Sage.

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Replies (8)

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By M3MMM
03rd Jun 2006 10:55

Alternatives to IRIS payroll
I can report that we had no problems with Q-Tac submitting on-line.

But, as a user of IRIS Practice Software I am concerned that another major difficulty with payroll software might adversely affect the company's reputation to such an extent that I lose something I have come to rely on.

One of my friends awears by TAS Payroll. Does anyone else out there have any comments about its performance.

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By carnmores
25th May 2006 18:53

why am i not surprised..
the writing has been on the wall for sometime for HG / IRIS' strategy even if i dont agree with it at the moment.

i would love whether the PAYE MASTER fiasco drove this deal or whether it was in play already i have my suspicions


this is a high risk business model and one fruaght with difficulty, i look forwaard to hearing Dennis Howlet's commenst on the matter.

incidentally i have heard diddly squat from IRIS for a month

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By AnonymousUser
25th May 2006 17:29

I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!!
AS THE SAYING GOES.

After the nighmare with PAYEmaster we have just transferred all our payrolls to Earnie.

Boll..ks!!!

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By daveforbes
25th May 2006 13:47

Big Assets
I am impressed. Hg Capital have assets of 750 euros. Don't spend it all at once.

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By stratty
25th May 2006 14:07

Earnie
We have just been looking at Earnie as an alternative to the nightmare which has been IRIS PAYE Master.

Now that Intex are being bought out by IRIS we will rule out Earnie as an option.

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By User deleted
25th May 2006 14:33

Payroll Software
Having read all the problems with Iris payroll promoted me to write to say that we use Sage Payroll Bureau and it was a dream this year. We do about 25 payrolls, monthly and weekly, and all were submitted without a hitch. The system removed all the extra spaces and other problems which would have caused the e-filed P35 etc to be rejected, before they were sent, and if the Gateway was busy the system just kept retrying until it was accepted. Their hot line support was also excellent with any problems being dealt with within a few minutes. Sage may cost more than some other packages, but the speed at which we cleared all our submissions saved the extra many times over.

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By Robertnz
25th May 2006 13:06

Iris Acquisition
Based on the Iris fiasco over the past few months, do ERNIE users know what they are likely to face, apart from massively increased fees to pay back the purchase costs?

Since Iris bought Freeway PAYEmaster, costs for us have gone up by almost 600% with no
increased functionality and major disasters over the past 3-4 months.

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By ALISON K
26th May 2006 09:15

Sage v Iris
In reply to Chris Rupp .. well said I have managed to complete 30 plus payroll of all sizes via Sage and echo all you have said. Sage maybe more expensive but with a superb backup with customer support they are my top choice and long may it remain so.

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