Are you choosing new accounting software? If so, you need a plan.

You have to clarify your goals, audit your current processes, and identify any gaps in your tech stack. Ideally, you need to do this before you speak to a single vendor.

This article is designed to walk you through this essential process.

What this article covers

• Why your firm’s goals are pivotal to your software choice.
• How to spot gaps in your current software with a 5-step tech audit.
• Where to go to get more information to help you make a confident choice.

So, let’s get started.

Why your firm’s goals are important when choosing software

If you want to choose the right accounting software, there’s something you should know: two firms can adopt the same technology and get different results. One might find their processes are now much faster, while the other is left frustrated.

One reason for this is because your objectives are different.

When thinking about how to choose accounting software, growth means different things to different firms. Are you trying to make your firm a better place to work? Prepare for an acquisition? Win larger clients? Expand your service lines? The list goes on.

The answer to those questions shapes your software and service priorities. A firm focused on staff wellbeing might prioritise modern, intuitive software for accountants and explore outsourcing services to ease workloads. A firm hoping to be acquired might put efficiency metrics first.

Different goals, different software choices.

However, your goal is just one factor that helps you choose the right accounting firm software. The following checklist takes you through the wider needs of your firm to help you make the right decision.

Key takeaways when looking at your software options

The essential point to remember is not to rush when picking software. The firms that get it right do the groundwork. They understand their goals and audit their current setup.

Remember, the software you choose must reflect who you are and what you need:

• Define your firm’s growth goals before evaluating any software or service.
• Audit five core areas: staff and clients, current technology, client needs, communications, and practice management.
• Look for accounting software that integrates across all of these areas, reducing manual processes and data rekeying.

Ready to go deeper?

Now you know what your firm needs, you need to get software that is made to measure.

So, why not take a look at IRIS Elements?

This software platform allows you to choose a solution built around your needs, services, staff and client numbers.

What switching to IRIS Elements looks like

IRIS Elements ticks the compliance, practice management and outreach boxes talked about in this blog.

IRIS Elements is one platform with one client record – everything’s in one place

IRIS Elements is a cloud platform that connects compliance, practice management and client engagement. You work with one login, one client record and one workflow – from AML checks through to HMRC submissions. It’s built for the cloud and works from a web browser. That means no installs, so your team can work from anywhere with an internet connection.

IRIS Elements grows with your firm – perfect for staff and clients

Elements is modular and comes in Essentials, Professional and Enterprise tiers. Pricing is per module, with scalable pricing according to the number of clients and users (varies per module). Solo practitioners and two-person teams can start with Essentials, firms of three to 20 staff typically fit Professional for Tax and Accounts Production, and Enterprise suits firms of ten or more staff if you have more complex clients.

IRIS Elements works with the tools you already use – a tech-friendly choice

IRIS Elements has built-in integrations with Xero, QuickBooks, and KashFlow, so it fits into your existing workflows without adding complexity. Because it all links to one client record, there’s no re-keying between modules.

IRIS Elements is secure and built for complex reporting – ready for those big expansions

IRIS is ISO 27001 certified, and IRIS Elements keeps client data encrypted in transit and at rest, with multi-factor authentication as standard. For practices with multi-entity clients, Accounts Production Enterprise supports FRS 102 and IFRS group accounts within the same workflow, at no extra licence cost.

IRIS Elements is Making Tax Digital-ready, and focused on helping clients

IRIS Elements Tax is ready to help your sole traders and landlords when they meet the criteria under the Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT) rollout. Its MTD Obligations Tracker gives a client-level view of upcoming deadlines and submission status, so nothing slips through the cracks.

Overall, Elements Tax covers Personal Tax (SA100), Corporation Tax (CT600) and Partnerships (SA800). It also includes AI Anomaly Detection for Self Assessment tax returns.

IRIS Elements Accounts Production supports FRS 105 and FRS 102 1A for sole traders, partnerships, limited companies and LLPs (LLPs covered by Professional and above), with full FRS 102, charities and CICs on the Enterprise tier. Accounts data flows seamlessly into Elements Tax.

Onboarding is streamlined too – pull client data straight from Companies House and send it on one journey through AML, work allocation, accounts and tax. Company Secretarial covers Companies House forms and confirmation statements, while Company Formations handles new incorporations. AML includes client risk scoring, biometric ID checks, a centralised audit trail, ongoing monitoring alerts and a firm-wide dashboard.

IRIS Elements helps you talk to clients securely

The IRIS Elements Client Portal (in IRIS Elements Practice Management) provides secure document sharing with clients, paperless approvals, and automatic chasing and reminders. IRIS Elements Proposal Manager, meanwhile, adds configurable proposals with defined services and pricing, online acceptance, and automatically generated engagement letters.

Digital records, bookkeeping and MTD

IRIS Elements Cashbook is a bookkeeping tool for sole traders, with MTD-compliant digital record-keeping at no extra cost, included with Elements Tax or Elements Accounts Production.