How IRIS helps AJ Wheeler work smarter, serve better, and grow confidently
A loyal IRIS customer for almost 10 years!
Integration of modules connects tools and data for streamlined operations
User-friendly design makes the software intuitive and accessible for the whole team
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AJ Wheeler, an accountancy firm with offices across the South Coast of England, has been an IRIS customer for nearly a decade. Munaf, the Accounting Team Manager based in Brighton, shared his experience with IRIS Accountancy Suite - from onboarding and training to daily operations and future plans. With around 30 staff and a diverse client base, AJ Wheeler relies on IRIS software to keep their processes efficient, compliant and client-friendly.
A Smooth Transition and Strong Support
When Munaf joined AJ Wheeler, the newly acquired Brighton office was already using IRIS, prompting a company-wide switch from another software. “A decision was made to move everything over to IRIS,” he explained. “The transition was daunting but the training was really good and very hands on, which put our minds completely at ease.” Since then, the team has found IRIS to be consistently reliable, while Accountancy Suite stands out for its intuitive design. “It took a bit of time to get used to, like any new software, but I think it's easy to use and makes sense - it's intuitive software. It's great having everything in one program and the integration between the modules is a huge benefit.” Munaf said, highlighting the convenient integration of modules like VAT, Personal Tax, and Accounts Production.
Support has consistently stood out for Munaf, who shared “I’ve always been able to get through to the IRIS helpline pretty quickly and my issues have always been resolved in a timely manner.” He added that he’s been really impressed with the help and support, noting how easy it is to reach someone when needed. This reliability helps AJ Wheeler stay focused on clients rather than troubleshooting.
Features That Make a Real Difference
When it comes to day-to-day efficiency, Munaf has a few clear favourites in the IRIS toolkit. At the top of the list is the Personal Tax module, which he describes as both intuitive and powerful, saying “You have everything you need on the drop-down menu… With the smart tax calc, you can see in real time rather than producing a tax comp every time.” This live updating of figures means less time spent on repetitive tasks and more time focusing on clients.
Another standout for Munaf is the interactive reporting in Accounts Production. He tells us, “If you’ve missed something and it comes up with an exception report, you can do it all straight from there so it saves a lot of time.” For someone whose role involves a lot of reporting, this feature has been a game-changer. “Making changes in real time on the interactive report rather than having to come back out and go back in has been really helpful and made the process far more efficient.”
AJ Wheeler is gradually transitioning from paper-based processes to working increasingly online with clients. While they currently use the desktop-based Accountancy Suite, they’re already making use of IRIS OpenSpace to refine client communications. “We try not to send things physically anymore,” he said. “If we can get everything out on OpenSpace, the clients can then access their account and sign it digitally - it’s brilliant.”
Advice to Others: “It Just Makes Sense”
When asked what he’d say to other accountants not yet using IRIS, Munaf didn’t hesitate. “Having everything in one software is brilliant, and it links in really well,” he tells us. For a busy practice like AJ Wheeler, the ability to manage everything from VAT to Personal Tax in one place is a major advantage.
With varied levels of tech experience within the team, Munaf feels the software caters to everyone, telling us, “For those who are not particularly tech savvy, the basics are really easy to get the hang of. Then, for our more technical users, you’re really able to drill down into the software and get more from it. So it works perfectly for us in that respect.”
Looking ahead, Munaf sees cloud adoption with IRIS Elements as the natural next step, especially with Making Tax Digital (MTD) around the corner. “We’re very happy with it, and I think we will be looking at going onto the cloud at some point fairly soon,” he said. “With MTD, it just makes sense doing it that way.” Both IRIS Accountancy Suite and IRIS Elements, along with other IRIS products, are MTD compliant and offer specialised MTD tax software to help you comply with MTD mandates with ease. With cloud migration and company growth on the horizon, AJ Wheeler is well-positioned to keep evolving with IRIS.
