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IRIS launches practice management platform as firms battle 105-day billing gaps and rising write-offs

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IRIS Firm Management unifies time recording, WIP, billing and financial reporting in a single platform, giving mid-to-large practices the real-time insight to grow more profitably

LONDON, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — IRIS Software Group (IRIS), a leading global provider of accountancy, HR, payroll, and education software, today announced the launch of IRIS Firm Management (IFM), a next-generation practice management platform purpose-built for mid-to-large UK accounting firms.

With an average gap of 105 days between completing work and receiving payment*, practice profitability is under serious pressure – in a survey of 140 UK accountancy firms, 37% identified time tracking as a key challenge, with only 33% tracking utilisation, and 76% only using basic, manual, or no WIP tracking at all**. This is compounded by the growing regulatory burden brought by changes such as Making Tax Digital to evolving companies house requirements.

IFM brings together practice management, time and billing, WIP management, and financial reporting into a single integrated solution. It gives practice leaders real-time visibility into utilisation, capacity, scope creep and margin erosion, with workflows designed to reduce admin burden, enabling senior team members to focus on high-value work. Firms using IFM have reported up to 25% reduction in write-offs and two to four hours per person per week reclaimed from billing admin.

Modern Firm Management

Most practice management tools were built for compliance, not commercial performance. IFM bridges that gap, acting as a financial control layer on top of compliance software.

Jonathan Priestley, General Manager, Global Accountancy Solutions and Transformation, said, “Accountancy practices are at an inflection point and the firms that will grow are those that can turn their operational data into commercial decisions. IFM is a demonstration of our long-term commitment to UK accountants – we’ve listened, we understand the pressures they face, and we’ve built a solution that will scale alongside them as they grow. The accounting profession underpins businesses right across the UK economy, and these firms deserve technology that matches the vital role they play.”

Support for diverse firms with complex needs

IFM is available in two configurations: IFM Core designed for firms needing foundational visibility with rapid deployment, with the system live within two to three weeks, and IFM Advanced for firms with multi-office, multi-entity or governance complexity. Importantly, both configurations have the ability to scale as firms grow, removing the need to re-platform as headcount, client volumes or structural complexity increases, while protecting margins throughout.

Key benefits of IFM***:

Real time insights to support accurate, data-driven decision making with enhanced tracking, reporting, and resource allocation – with an estimated five per cent or more time leakage recovery.Automation reclaiming between two to four hours per person per week for higher value work by reducing admin work on billing, reporting and spreadsheet validation.Boosted profitability by reducing write-offs by 15 to 25 per cent through early visibility into scope creep and margin erosion before it is too late.

Top 50 firm Larking Gowen has chosen IFM as its practice management platform, with plans to migrate from its current system following an evaluation of leading cloud solutions on the market. Richard White, Chief Information Officer at Larking Gowen, said, “We needed confidence in three things: Robust data migration from our existing system, extensive APIs to power our Power Platform apps and reports and connect the growing ecosystem of cloud applications across the firm, and the reassurance of a platform built specifically for accounting practices. IFM delivered on all three.”

Long-standing IRIS customer Morgan Griffiths LLP has chosen to migrate to IFM after using IRIS’ desktop solutions to manage tax, accounts, practice management, time recording, and job tracking. IFM has been transformational for the firm’s operational efficiency, giving them more reliability and control over essential functions. Manager Andrew Hunt said: “Billing can be such a time suck, which you don’t want it to be because that eventually comes away from your profit. These things should be super simple to do, and we’ve definitely achieved that now. That’s the biggest success of IFM for us so far.”

Beyond day-to-day efficiency, IFM has created stronger foundations for Morgan Griffiths LLP to evolve. Accelerated digitalisation and improved accessibility of real-time data has enabled partners to recognise opportunities for strategic growth. Andrew said: “I think that MTD presents an enormous opportunity for us, particularly in getting clients in a much better place where they’re getting closer to real-time information of how their business is going.”

IFM Core and IFM Advanced are now available – find out more here.

*Natwest Accountancy Benchmarking Report 2024.
**These figures are from the IRIS Discovery Tool Questionnaire taken by 140 UK accountancy firms who are IRIS customers.
***These figures are based on an ROI calculator that assesses adjustable assumptions, using a combination of industry benchmarks and early adopter feedback.

About IRIS Software Group 

IRIS Software Group is a global provider of mission critical software and one of the UK’s largest privately held software companies. IRIS provides software solutions and services for finance, HR and payroll teams, educational organisations, and accountancy firms that takes the pain out of processes and lets professionals focus on the work they love. Through simplifying, automating and providing insights on everyday mission critical tasks for organisations of all shapes and sizes, IRIS ensures customers can look forward with certainty and confidence. 
 
IRIS is the largest third-party online filer with the UK Government. Ninety-three of the top 100 UK accountancy firms use IRIS software. One in six of the UK’s workforce is paid by IRIS payroll offerings, and globally, six million employees receive their payslip via IRIS software every month. More than 850,000 UK employees are managed by IRIS HR solutions. Over 12,000 UK schools and academies use IRIS, with four million parents and guardians using IRIS apps to connect with their children’s school; 300 million messages are delivered between schools and parents each year, and over £15 million transactional payments are processed every month. IRIS is certified as a Great Place to Work® and recognised as one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality in 2023. IRIS is also recognised as one of the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing, one of the Best Workplaces in Tech and one of the Best Workplaces for Women. 
 
To see how IRIS helps organisations get things right first time, every time, visit www.iris.co.uk or follow IRIS Software Group on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.  

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LEAP Group Relaunches HumanView, a Growth Intelligence System Built to Explain Why Customers Behave the Way They Do

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Reimagined from the ground up, HumanView pairs statistical modeling with expert analysts to turn millions of real-world customer signals into business decisions

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LEAP Group today announced the relaunch of HumanView, its growth intelligence service. The new version has been rebuilt from the ground up and now has a dedicated home at leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

HumanView analyzes what customers say and do across social platforms, e-commerce sites, review platforms, search behavior and user-generated content, including signals from Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, Meta, Amazon and Walmart+ that general AI tools cannot always access. Because the data reflects unprompted, real-world behavior, it avoids the response bias built into surveys and focus groups.

The service works in three layers. HumanView captures signals at scale, decodes millions of records through validated statistical models such as regression, correlation and clustering, and then relies on experienced analysts to interpret the patterns. Clients receive clear, human-validated insights instead of another dashboard.

“Machines find the patterns. Humans find the point,” said Alan Gilleo, CEO at LEAP Group. “The first version of HumanView showed us how much customers reveal when nobody is asking them questions. This version is built to explain why they act the way they do, and to put those answers in front of everyone making decisions, from product to service to marketing.”

HumanView focuses on three areas:

Growth Intelligence: customer motivations and how people perceive a brand and its competitors

Market and Category Intelligence: product pain points, service friction, unmet needs and competitive gaps

Audience Intelligence: new segments, positioning opportunities and gaps in the market

Every model is designed and validated by data scientists and benchmarked before it informs a recommendation.

To learn more about HumanView, visit leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

About LEAP Group
LEAP Group is a boutique marketing agency holding company with offices in Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Chicago. Guided by the belief that brands should “Market Less. Matter More.,” LEAP gives clients access to specialized experts across its entire network. Learn more at leapgroupnetwork.com.

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SOURCE LEAP Group

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STEPHEN A. SMITH ADDRESSES WHITE HOUSE DINNER ATTENDANCE, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO HBCUs AND PROTECTING CORPORATE INVESTMENT IN BLACK EDUCATION

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NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stephen A. Smith, media mogul, New York Times bestselling author, and proud 1991 graduate of Winston-Salem State University, is addressing the public discussion surrounding his decision to attend a White House dinner with President Donald Trump, emphasizing his commitment to the long-term financial stability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

For Smith, the decision was rooted in a commitment to institutions that have educated generations of Black leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and public servants.

“I will always advocate for HBCUs and the students whose futures depend on them,” Smith said. “My reason for attending the White House dinner was to discuss the challenges these institutions face in securing long-term funding and to make the case that corporate America must continue to invest in them.”

Smith acknowledged federal support through the FUTURE Act while expressing concern that political tensions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) could discourage private companies from supporting HBCUs. He maintains that these institutions deserve sustained corporate partnerships, philanthropic contributions, and public investment.

“If we truly believe in free-market capitalism, businesses should be able to support educational institutions and charitable causes without fear of criticism or repercussions,” Smith said. “HBCUs have made extraordinary contributions to this country. They deserve sustained public and private investment.”

Ashley Christopher, Esq., Founder and CEO of the HBCU Week Foundation, recognized Smith’s advocacy and decision to engage with the administration.

“Stephen A. Smith has been a powerful advocate for HBCUs, using his platform and influence to shine a national spotlight on our institutions,” expressed Christopher, “His continued support of HBCU Week helps advance our mission of connecting students with life-changing educational opportunities, and we are proud to have him as our ambassador.”

Since Smith became an HBCU Week Ambassador in 2019, the initiative has facilitated more than 15,000 on-the-spot college acceptances and raised and awarded more than $150 million in scholarships, according to the HBCU Week Foundation.

As public discussion continues, Smith is emphasizing the importance of ensuring HBCUs have the resources and partnerships needed to educate future generations and expand opportunities for students.

CLICK HERE to watch Smith’s full response to his White House visit.

MEDIA CONTACT:

media@mrsasinc.com

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SOURCE Straight Shooter Media

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Advantex Announces Completion of Financing and Extension of Maturity Date of Previously Issued Debentures

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TORONTO, Oct. 23, 2026 /CNW/ — Advantex Marketing International Inc. (CSE: ADX) (“Advantex”), a leader in the merchant cash advance and loyalty marketing products for merchants, today announced the completion of a $250,000 secured debt financing. Advantex issued a $250,000 non-convertible debenture which bears an interest rate at 12% per annum and matures December 15, 2027. The proceeds raised from this issuance of the Debenture will be used for working capital purposes.

Advantex has also extended the maturity of its existing $700,000 in 12% secured debentures from October 10, 2026 to December 15, 2027.

About Advantex Marketing International Inc.

Advantex provides working capital to merchants. Advantex also provides specialized marketing programs that enable members of Aeroplan to earn Aeroplan points at participating merchants.

Advantex shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol ADX. For more information go to Advantex’s profile on www.sedar.com

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the future business and operations of Advantex. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The business and operations of Advantex described herein is dependent on a number of factors and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ material include, but are not limited to, changes in Advantex’s economic and competitive conditions including but not limited to the industry sectors in which Advantex operates.

The statements in this news release are made of the date of this release. Forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made and Advantex undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Advantex Marketing International Inc.

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