What's new in IRIS Elements
Find out about the changes we've made.
You can also check our known issues, fixes, and what's coming soon.
2022 | 2023 | Jan 24 | Feb 24| Mar 24| Apr 24| May 24 | Jun 24| Jul 24 | Aug 24 | Sep 24 | Oct 24 | Nov 24 | Dec 24
December 2024
General
New videos available in the video library
Our video library is expanding! We have added videos for the IRIS Elements Accounts Production product. Check them out!
November 2024
General
Unexpected logout fix
We have fixed an issue that was causing you to be unexpectedly logged out of IRIS Elements while completing a task.
Client list refresh — More functionality
Due to popular demand, we have added more functionality to the Client list. You can now:
- Add more columns
- Reorder and resize the columns
- Filter and sort the data displayed
- Save client list views
- Use different criteria to search your client data — Previously, only Client ID and Client name were searchable in the client list. Now, you can use the column filters to search for specific text, such as Tax reference (UTR) numbers.
Client list refresh — Custom views
Once you have changed your client list view, you can save it to return to it at a later date or set it as your default view every time you open the client list. Saved custom views are accessed from the new drop-down:
If you haven't saved any custom views yet, only the predefined views of Active Clients and Inactive Clients are available.
The Actions menu has been expanded to help you manage your custom views, including allow you to choose your default view.
Introducing the bulk actions toolbar
The bulk actions toolbar is now available in the client list. When selecting multiple clients, icons appear in the toolbar where you can:
IRIS Elements Accounts Production Enterprise
We are excited to announce the much anticipated Enterprise edition of IRIS Elements Accounts Production is here. All current features of IRIS Elements Accounts Production are included as well as some exclusive features:
Multi year (up to last 5 years) trial balance report
You can now generate multi-year trial balance reports using the last five year's data, where available. This report is available from the Adjustments & Reports tab of IRIS Elements Accounts Production. This report can be downloaded as either a PDF or in Microsoft Excel® format (.xlsx).
Support for Community Interest Companies (CICs) accounts submission to Companies House
When creating a new business client, you can choose a new sub-type of Community Interest Company. When creating CIC businesses, you must add a relationship to a Director and the new relationship type of Secretary.
CIC businesses use the same chart of accounts as other businesses and have the same reporting standards available in IRIS Elements Accounts Production.
When completing the accounts, choose the CIC34 report type: Simplified or Detailed. The CIC34 report is appended to the Accounts Builder and must be filled in separately. A separate signature is required for the CIC34 report.
Support for farms (and other enterprises) accounts
A new chart of accounts has been added to IRIS Elements Accounts Production — ELTF - Limited Company chart - Farm.
When creating accounts for farms, turn on Enterprises in the Entity Setup tab. A new Enterprises tab is made available. Use that tab to enter accounting codes for this type of cost centre.
Support for multi address practices
If your practice has more than one office, you can choose the address of the office dealing with that particular client's accounts. The assigned address carries forward to each accounting period you create but you can assign a different address if required.
Support for revised accounts
For limited companies and Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) accounts, Enterprise subscribers can revise completed accounts, then file revised accounts electronically as either a replacement or as a supplementary note.
It is recommended you download a copy of the current account as revised accounts cannot be reverted.
IRIS Elements Practice Management
Ability to perform actions in bulk
You can now perform actions in bulk including:
These features have been moved into the bulk actions toolbar area and are only visible when multiple clients are selected:
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Practice Management Professional
IRIS Elements Tax Enterprise
We are excited to announce the much anticipated Enterprise edition of IRIS Elements Tax is here. All current features of IRIS Elements Tax are included as well as some exclusive features:
Asset register
A new register is available for Enterprise subscribers to record all business assets and movements for capital allowances calculations — Capital assets. You access the register through the new Capital assets widget on the client Dashboard.
When an asset is marked as disposed with the corresponding monetary values, the Capital Gains section is automatically added to the appropriate tax period's SA100 tax return and filled out.
Customisable IRIS Elements Accounts Production integration
Enterprise subscribers can customise the mapping of account and subaccount codes in IRIS Elements Accounts Production and the data input fields for tax returns in IRIS Elements Tax. You can only do this for:
- Limited companies
- Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs)
- Partnerships
- Sole trades
- A specific client
For partnerships, any customised mappings can be brought forward into future tax returns. This must be selected for each subsequent tax year.
For all other business types, you must specify a date the mappings apply from — all tax returns created after this date and where the data has been synchronised with IRIS Elements Accounts Production will have this mapping applied. You can add additional period dates that use different mappings.
Dividend feed for all listed companies
The new Capital assets register also includes a dividend feed, allowing you track the purchase and disposal of cash, stock, distribution, and close company loans write off dividends.
Dividends added to the Capital assets register are automatically added to the relevant tax period's tax return dividend section.
Enhanced corporation tax losses calculations
A new module is available when creating corporation tax returns. You access this module in the Losses tab of the tax return. Values entered here form the Loss Reconciliation report of the return.
Enhanced groups and consortium calculations
The Group relief (CT600C) supplementary page has been enhanced for Enterprise subscribers.
Depending on the circumstances around the tax return being created, when using the Group relief supplementary pages, either Claims to group relief or Surrender to group relief (and relevant carry forward inputs) sections are made available.
You can now add the client records that form the group or consortium. Ideally, they would already exist in IRIS Elements but there is a link to create a new record if required. Their details are provided so you can select the relevant accounting period and pull through their profits and loss to supplement the claim.
Additionally, the authorising company details must be added to the group relief section now.
Enhanced loans to participators calculations
The Loans to participators (CT600A) supplementary page has been enhanced for Enterprise subscribers.
When adding the loan amounts and repayments, you can now add the person to whom the loan was made, the participator.
Also, when adding the loan and repayment amounts, IRIS Elements Tax automatically calculates:
- Total loans outstanding at the end of the return period
- Tax chargeable before any relief on repaid or written off loans
- Relief due on repaid, released & written off loans (within 9 months of period end)
- Relief due on repaid, released & written off loans (after 9 months of period end)
- Total loans, for all periods, outstanding at the end of the return period
- Tax payable
Enhanced partnership profit share calculation
The Partners' Shares module for partnership tax returns (SA800) has been enhanced for Enterprise subscribers:
- Unassigned amounts are now highlighted in red in the Remaining column.
- Splits between partners can be done using monetary amounts or by percentages.
If using percentages, the chosen figure is rolled forward to each subsequent tax return so does not need adjusting until the partnership or percentage split changes.
Additionally, if using percentages, you can manually edit entries to adjust individual share allocation. For example, if partner one typically gets a 75% share and partner two 25%, you can adjust say, property income, to have partner two getting a larger share. This adjustment is not rolled forward.
- Partnerships that use salaries and expenses are now supported, such as those used by doctors. When adding the Salary and Private expenses for each partner, IRIS Elements Tax, the partnership shares are automatically re-calculated to take these into account.
Enhanced property developer tax (CT600N)
A new supplementary page to record Residential Property Developer Tax (CT600N) is now available for Enterprise subscribers.
Farmers averaging calculations for 2 or 5 years
The Averaging adjustment calculator for personal tax returns (Self employment section) has been expanded. Enterprise subscribers can now choose to average out their taxes over two or five years.
Quarterly tax installment calculations for limited companies
Where client accounts are being used for limited companies, IRIS Elements Tax calculates the amount of tax due into quarterly installments. This calculation is based on the values inputted for the tax return against the comparative year, as well as the size of the limited company. This information is displayed on the Computation and you can choose whether to hide payment due dates.
You do have the choice of editing the figures pulled through for payments estimation and forecasting purposes. The Computation is updated accordingly.
HMRC does not tell IRIS Elements Tax about any payments made or payments due. You can request this information direct from HMRC themselves.
Support for client accounts for businesses and individuals
You can now track the amount of tax due and paid by corporation and individual clients during the tax period. A new tab is available in the relevant tax return — Client Account. You access the new Client account module through here.
Payments that are due for the tax return (nine months and one day after the accounting period) are automatically calculated.
Interest on late payments is automatically calculated.
Add payments made against the relevant account, or quarter if for a limited company. If you are familiar with the same functionality in our IRIS Accountancy Suite product, this replaces the matching process when adding payments where you had to search for the relevant account or quarter the payment was for.
HMRC does not tell IRIS Elements Tax about any payments made or payments due. You can request this information direct from HMRC themselves.
Tax credits hub
A new section is available to add to your corporate (CT600) tax returns — Tax credits. As the rates for credit are ever-changing, we have automated the calculations for the relevant tax years, helping speed up the processing.
IRIS Elements Trust Tax
We are excited to announce the much anticipated Enterprise edition of IRIS Elements Trust Tax is here. All current features of IRIS Elements Trust Tax are included as well as some exclusive features:
Asset register
A new register is available for Enterprise subscribers to record all business assets and movements for capital allowances calculations — Capital assets. You access the widget through the new Capital assets widget on the client Dashboard.
When an asset is marked as disposed with the corresponding monetary values, the Capital Gains section is automatically added to the appropriate tax period's SA900 tax return and filled out.
Dividend feed for all listed companies
The new Capital assets register also includes a dividend feed, allowing you track the purchase and disposal of cash, stock, distribution, and close company loans write off dividends.
Dividends added to the Capital assets register are automatically added to the relevant tax period's tax return dividend section.
Support for client accounts for trusts
You can now track the amount of tax due and paid by trust clients during the tax period. A new tab is available in the SA900 tax return — Client Account. You access the new Client account module through here.
Payments that are due for the tax return (nine months and one day after the accounting period) are automatically calculated.
Interest on late payments is automatically calculated.
Add payments made against the relevant account, or quarter if for a limited company. If you are familiar with the same functionality in our IRIS Accountancy Suite product, this replaces the matching process when adding payments where you had to search for the relevant account or quarter the payment was for.
HMRC does not tell IRIS Elements Trust Tax about any payments made or payments due. You can request this information direct from HMRC themselves.
Trust tax form 50(FS)
Enterprise subscribers can now electronically fill out and submit form 50(FS) for non-UK resident trustees as part of their SA900 tax return.
October 2024
General
New videos available in the video library
We have added a number of IRIS Elements Tax, IRIS Elements Trust Tax, and IRIS Elements VAT Filer videos to the video library. Check them out!
August 2024
IRIS Elements Accounts Production
Ability to generate variance trial balance reports
You can now generate a variance trial balance report from the Adjustments & Reports tab of IRIS Elements Accounts Production. This report can be downloaded as either a PDF or in Microsoft Excel® format (.xlsx).
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional
Accounts Builder performance improvements
We have increased the speed at which the Accounts Builder generates the reports. Following this optimisation, we are happy to report this is now up to four times faster.
Bring forward opening balances
To help speed up preparing accounts from incomplete records or dormant accounts, there is now the option to bring forward opening balances from the previous period:
Available for all charts of accounts and client types.
You can also use this feature when preparing accounts from incomplete records or just wanting to roll forward balances for dormant accounts.
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional
IRIS OpenSpace integration is here!
This feature is currently only available for customers who have migrated from Taxfiler by IRIS. We will be announcing the full
We are pleased to announce that IRIS Elements can now integrate with your IRIS OpenSpace account.
Documents stored in IRIS Elements can be sent to IRIS OpenSpace for your clients. Statuses of those documents are then reported back to IRIS Elements.
You can send documents from the following IRIS Elements products:
This is a one-way integration:
- Documents sent from IRIS Elements and deleted in IRIS OpenSpace will not be deleted from IRIS Elements
- Documents only stored in IRIS OpenSpace are not sent to IRIS Elements
- Documents only stored in IRIS OpenSpace will not have their statuses updated to IRIS Elements
July 2024
IRIS Elements Accounts Production
Advanced rounding rules improvements
You can now have rounding applied to both the profit & loss and balance sheet statements. Rounding can be applied on a client-by-client basis and by accounting period.
IRIS Elements Practice Management
IRIS Elements Practice Management Professional now available
We are excited to announce that IRIS Elements Practice Management Professional is now here! All features currently available are included in IRIS Elements Practice Management Professional, with the addition of the ability to synchronise data from IRIS Accountancy Suite and IRIS Elements compliance.
A big feature of IRIS Elements Practice Management Professional is the ability to run alongside your installation of IRIS Accountancy Suite. You can create smart tasks in IRIS Accountancy Suite which synchronises with smart tasks in IRIS Elements Practice Management Professional
For a detailed breakdown of available features in IRIS Elements Practice Management Professional, go to IRIS Elements Practice Management subscription plans.
General
Help centre feedback
In our quest to make sure all provided content is as up-to-date and relevant as can be, we have launched a new feedback mechanism at the bottom of each topic:
You can now easily tell us when a topic is useful or if not, can provide extra information to allow us to correct this as fast as possible.
Welcome Hub relaunch
Following customer feedback, we have revamped our Welcome Hub, bringing the branding in line with our other IRIS Elements collateral and redesigning the structure to meet the best steps to take to get started. Check it out!
Video library launch
The first iteration of our video library is now available for you to use. We will be adding to the library, but in the meantime, you can start with:
- Get started with IRIS Elements
- Explore the Dashboard
- Adding users
- Add practice details
- Add new clients
- Import client records
- How Practice Management works
Have an idea for another video? Tell us about it in our Ideas Portal (you'll need to register for an account if you don't have one already).
June 2024
IRIS Elements Company Formations
Introducing IRIS articles of association
We are pleased to announce, with the help of our legal team, we have created an IRIS article of association. This article sits alongside the standard Companies House article, used when forming a company.
Use IRIS articles when forming a company with one or more directors. Make sure all subscribers have agreed to the articles before submitting to Companies House.
May 2024
IRIS Elements Anti Money Laundering (AML)
We are pleased to announce IRIS Elements Anti Money Laundering (AML) subscribers can now make use of the AML usage information widget. This widget is found in the AML tab of the client record and indicates the subscribed client limit and how much has been used up. A warning is displayed when the limit is near or reached allowing you to plan ahead and upgrade before you need to.
IRIS Elements Accounts Production
Support for Limited Liability Partnerships
We are pleased to announce IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional subscribers can now prepare and electronically file Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) account formats for accounting standards FRS105 and FRS102 1A. Support for both trading and dormant accounts is included, as well as a dedicated chart of accounts.
When creating accounts for LLPs, use the new Profit Share interface to distribute profit or loss between members.
Trial balance data is shared with IRIS Elements Tax when creating partnership tax returns — a subscription to IRIS Elements Tax is required.
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional
IRIS Elements Tax
Form SA303 for reducing payments on an account
When completing the Claim to reduce payment account section in your tax return, you can now digitally complete and download the SA303 form as a PDF that you print out, sign, and post to HMRC.
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Tax Professional
Want to know more?
IRIS Elements Tax and IRIS Elements Tax and Accounts
Tax and accounts due date widget
Following customer feedback, we have introduced the Tax and accounts due dates widget. This widget combines the information available in your VAT obligations, Corporate tax returns, Self assessment tax returns, and Accounts widgets. All tax-related deadlines now available in a single place and help make sure that no important dates are missed.
Product subscription required:IRIS Elements Tax Essentials, IRIS Elements Tax Professional, or IRIS Elements Tax and Accounts.
April 2024
General
Document management
The document management feature of IRIS Elements Practice Management is now available to all — you can now store documents against your client's record. Clients can then access the document through the client portal.
If you already subscribe to IRIS Elements Practice Management, existing document management functionality is not affected.
Client contacts management
If you do not subscribe to IRIS Elements Practice Management, you can now grant access to the client portal to your client's primary contact. Subscribers to IRIS Elements Practice Management are not affected.
If you already subscribe to IRIS Elements Practice Management, contact management functionality is not affected.
Client portal available for all
A basic version of the client portal is now available to all users. If you do not subscribe to IRIS Elements Practice Management can now add grant access to the client portal, only to client's primary contact. In the client portal, users can download documents you have shared with them for their review and signature.
If you already subscribe to IRIS Elements Practice Management, existing client portal functionality is not affected.
IRIS Elements Accounts Production
Ability to generate basic trial balances
You can now generate a basic trial balance report from the Adjustments & Reports tab of IRIS Elements Accounts Production. This report can be downloaded as either a PDF or in Microsoft Excel® format (.xlsx).
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Accounts Production Essentials or IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional
Ability to generate detailed trial balances
You can now generate a detailed trial balance report from the Adjustments & Reports tab of IRIS Elements Accounts Production. This report can be downloaded as either a PDF or in Microsoft Excel® format (.xlsx).
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional
Importing trial balances from a CSV file
IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional subscribers can now import their trial balances as CSV files from:
- IRIS Elements Accounts Production Essentials
- IRIS Elements Accounts Production Desktop
- IRIS Elements Accounts
- IRIS KashFlow
- Xero — Make sure the file is saved as CSV before importing
Want to know more
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional
IRIS Elements Tax and IRIS Elements Tax and Accounts
Due to legislative changes, the following updates have been made:
Personal tax returns
Self-employment (SA103) section updates:
- Accounting period
- Capital allowances and non-taxable items
- Add: Balancing charges and Goods for own use
- Adjustments
- Losses, other income and deductions
New section added:
- Transitional profit
Want to know more?
Partnership (SA104) section updates:
- Trading profits
- Balances carried forward
- Overlap relief on untaxed income
Want to know more?
Trust tax returns
Trade profit / loss (SA901) section updates:
- Capital allowances
- Accounting period
- Basis period adjustments
- Profit /(loss) calculation
New section added:
- Transitional profit section
Want to know more?
Partnership profit / loss (SA902) section updates:
- Share of trading income
- Overlap relief
- Profit and losses
New section added:
- Transitional profit
Want to know more?
March 2024
General
Multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication is now available for all IRIS Elements accounts.
Customers making use of the IRIS Elements to Xero integration must have multi-factor authentication turned on the accounts used to connect to Xero.
IRIS Elements Company Secretarial
Due to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, we have updated the forms you must submit to Companies House — AD01 and CS01.
CS01 Updates
If a registered email address was not provided when the business was originally formed with Companies House, one must be provided the next time you submit the CS01 form.
The email address entered is not saved against the client record — this is only for IRIS Elements Company Secretarial purposes. To add the registered email address for the client, go to the record's Information tab, Contact details sub-tab.
When reviewing the form before submitting to Companies House, you must also confirm the Declaration statement.
AD01 Updates
When reviewing the form before submitting to Companies House, you must confirm the Declaration statement.
Want to know more?
IRIS Elements Company Formations
IN01 form update
Due to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, we are updating the IN01 form you must submit to Companies House:
- You must supply a registered email address that Companies House will use for all relevant correspondence
- You must confirm the Declaration statement before submitting the form
Want to know more?
Ability to query the status of a submission to Companies House
The formation submission process to Companies House has been enhanced to allow you to request the status of your submission. After submitting, you can now use the Query status button to retrieve the latest status of your submission.
IRIS Elements Tax
Improved self-employed tax return data entry
You no longer need to link to a sole trader client when creating a tax return for the self-employed. When adding a Self-employment section to the SA100 tax return, you can choose between linking to a sole trade client as before, or create a stand-alone tax return.
This streamlines self-employment data entry, reduces complexity, and prevents unnecessary duplication of client records.
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Tax (any level) or IRIS Elements Tax and Accounts
Investor relief tracking
You can now track the Investors Relief Lifetime Limit for your clients. When adding a Capital Gains section to your tax return, a new section has been added to the Business Asset Disposal Relief tab (renamed to BADR/Investors Relief), Investors Relief. Add your figures here.
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Tax Professional
64-8 forms now available
You can now complete and download an Authorise a tax agent (64-8) form for your client. This informs HMRC that you are authorised to act on their behalf for individual or business tax affairs.
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Tax (any level) or IRIS Elements Tax and Accounts
Amendments to previously filed CT600 tax returns
CT600 tax returns that have been successfully validated, now have a new Filing option to indicate to HMRC to process it:
- This is an original return
- This is an amendment to a previous filing
Amendments to CT600 tax returns that have a status of Accepted by HMRC, are automatically set to This is an amendment to a previous filing before being submitted.
Updates to the CT linking to IRIS Elements Accounts Production process
Previously, if you did not link a matching accounting period when creating a corporation tax return, to do this at a later stage, you had to delete the tax return and start again, making sure to select the accounting period from the linking drop-down. In this release, the linking, or synchronisation, process has been improved using customer feedback, so you can now go back into an existing tax return and retroactively link and synchronise the data from a matching period.
For new tax returns, if a matching accounting period is now found, the synchronisation is turn on by default so associated data is pulled into the trade pages.
IRIS Elements Accounts Production
Option to exclude accountant's report to Companies House
You can now choose whether to exclude the accountants report when submitting accounts to Companies House.
When creating an accounting period, in the Entity Setup tab, select None as the Type of independent review (defaults to Accountant).
Want to know more
February 2024
Role-Based Access Control
You can now control what your users can access in your IRIS Elements tenant — from a basic level of access to full administrative control. To make sure your day is not interrupted existing users are assigned the highest role, giving full administrative access to all licensed areas of IRIS Elements. If required, your system administrator can adjust assigned roles.
When added to the system, new users are assigned the lowest role until their permissions are adjusted by the system administrator.
Role-based access control is separate to our practice roles feature available in IRIS Elements Tax Essentials, IRIS Elements Tax Professional, and IRIS Elements Tax and Accounts.
Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication is now available for all IRIS Elements accounts.
January 2024
IRIS Elements Accounts Production
Limited by Guarantee accounts formats now available
IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional customers can now prepare and electronically file Limited by Guarantee account formats for accounting standards FRS105 and FRS102 s1a. This includes appropriate terminology for surplus and deficit, disclosure for a Members’ liability note, and appropriate fully-tagged electronic filing options to Companies House and copies for HMRC.
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional
FRC Taxonomy report now available
When preparing accounts, you can now select the FRC Taxonomy report as the practice's default.
Product subscription required: IRIS Elements Accounts Production Essentials or IRIS Elements Accounts Production Professional.