IRIS Exchequer accounting software takes a walk on the wild side

Cumbria Wildlife Trust has become the latest Trust to invest in their future success by purchasing a new accounting software and business solution, IRIS Exchequer, to replace their existing Sage MMS. The Trust is the only voluntary organisation devoted solely to the conservation of the wildlife and wild places of Cumbria, and raising environmental awareness.

Formed in 1962 and supported by over 15,000 members, the Trust cares for over 40 nature reserves, campaigns for the protection of endangered habitats and species, and works with adults and children to discover the importance of the natural world.

The charity’s key requirement was to dramatically improve management reporting which will be delivered through the use of IRIS Exchequer’s Business Intelligence suite. Cumbria Wildlife Trust selected IRIS Exchequer over others short-listed because of its superior reporting tools, including integration with Microsoft Office, flexible accounting structure and facilities for paperless document processing.

IRIS Exchequer now supports 13% of the UK’s Wildlife Trusts in its customer base, half of which became customers in 2009. The Trusts continue to chose IRIS Exchequer, not only because of class leading integrated Microsoft Excel & Outlook reporting tools, but also increasingly due to the needs of the Wildlife Trusts for VAT Partial Exemption, an area IRIS has developed for these organisations.

IRIS Exchequer caters for both the restricted and unrestricted activities by providing total visibility of where funds came from and how they were spent. The SORP and SOFA statutory reports can be created and seamlessly linked using the reporting tools. This removes complications and ensures these often time-consuming processes are now quick and easy to prepare.

IRIS Exchequer demonstrates how they promote and encourage environmental performance both through features within the product and their own working practices. Through time-saving and cost-cutting tools such as document management, automated reporting via email and SMS, paperless documentation and transaction authorisation, charities and trusts can spend more time fund raising than the back office manual reporting, whilst saving paper and reducing carbon footprint.

Chris Haddock, Finance Manager commented; "What I initially read and saw of the product impressed me and this was supported by closer investigation.  A glowing report from another of the Wildlife Trusts was the final factor which enabled us to confirm IRIS Exchequer as the favoured product from our shortlist."