IRIS Launches AI Document Management for Accounting Firms in the UK and US

Document handling remains a sizeable source of manual work for accounting practices, even as software speeds up routine tasks. IRIS Software Group is addressing that gap with IRIS Document Management, a cloud-based system for accountancy practices and professional service firms in the UK and US. The product brings storage, search, filing and client document exchange into one service, with artificial intelligence (AI) and automation built into those workflows.

The launch gives firms two purchasing options: the system is available on its own or bundled with IRIS Firm Management (IFM). Existing IFM customers can add it as a module on the same platform. The product’s fit within that software suite is central to its pitch: staff can work with documents alongside client records, without switching between separate tools for storage, practice management and client sharing.

Reducing document handling across the practice

IRIS says its system can search documents using plain-language queries, read scanned files through optical character recognition (OCR), and apply tags from a firm’s own library. Its Auto Filing rules route documents according to templates, folder paths and year. The aim is to cut the steps involved in locating, classifying and storing files as they arrive.

The system supports PDF, Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, and OCR makes scanned documents searchable. Staff can also download, copy or move groups of files, and create documents in bulk. For Microsoft Office files, the product includes check-out, version control and in-browser editing. These features target the repeated administrative tasks that can accumulate across a firm’s client work.

Client exchange is part of the same workflow. A branded portal lets clients send and receive files and view the status of documents they have submitted. That gives firms a channel for sharing files without relying on email as the main route for sending and chasing documents.

IRIS frames the product against a change in how accounting work is delivered. Automation can sharply reduce the time needed for some routine tasks, putting pressure on firms to rethink how they use staff capacity and protect margins. Document work still includes collecting files from clients, reviewing them, and sorting and filing them. The company’s case is that automating those steps can give accounting teams more time for client service and advisory work.

Integration and firm workflows

Many practices have assembled separate systems for document storage, client portals and practice management. That setup can mean multiple logins and vendors, along with staff manually moving information between tools. IRIS says its integrated system reduces that fragmentation and avoids the need for IFM customers to establish new vendor relationships or build and maintain third-party connectors for document management.

The connection with IFM also extends to third-party platforms, including Microsoft Business Central and Apxium. For firms already using IFM, the addition is designed to place document work in the context of the wider practice workflow. Firms considering the standalone option will need to assess how it fits with the software they already use.

Jonathan Priestley, General Manager for Global Accountancy Solutions and Transformation at IRIS, said that faster completion of routine work changes the relationship between billable time and profitability. He described work that once took ten billable hours being completed in thirty minutes, while emphasizing that time still matters for planning resources. In his view, automatically reading, sorting and filing incoming documents can free staff to focus on client service and firm growth.

Priestley also pointed to a possible next stage for the product: helping practices act on the information inside documents and helping clients understand what files they need to provide and when. That is a statement of intended direction, rather than a description of a current feature. The capabilities listed at launch focus on finding, reading, tagging and routing documents.

Data controls and availability

IRIS says AI processing takes place in the region where a firm’s data is stored, and client data is not used to train AI models. Each firm’s data remains in its own tenant. Firms retain control over deletion under their own document retention rules, while the platform includes legal holds and full audit trails.

Access controls include Okta single sign-on, two-factor authentication, role-based permissions and conditional access. The branded client portal supports two-way document exchange. Together, these controls are relevant to firms weighing the convenience of cloud-based document work against their obligations to manage client files and limit access.

The product is available in the UK and US, both as a standalone service and in an integrated bundle with IFM. For firms evaluating it, the practical questions are how its search and filing tools fit existing processes, how the IFM connection works across the practice, and whether the data controls match their document management needs.