Case studies, written honestly

Workflow studies for the messy middle of finance work.

These studies show where ReconcileIQ, CodeIQ and LedgerIQ fit in common bookkeeping and finance workflows. They are not anonymous testimonials, and they do not invent customer ROI.

Read the studies Measurement framework
Method note: each study is a modelled implementation pattern grounded in product capability and external research. Use the measurement section to capture your own before-and-after evidence.

Research base

The studies start from documented finance problems.

Before writing the workflows, the assumptions were checked against current payment, MTD and reconciliation guidance rather than invented from marketing copy.

Stripe documentation Payouts are settlement batches, not simple sales lines.

Stripe's payout reconciliation report groups transactions included in automatic payouts and supports itemised CSV downloads for reconciliation.

Read Stripe docs
PayPal developer documentation Disbursements carry payments, refunds and fees.

PayPal's Disbursement Reconciliation Report is designed to reconcile bank payouts with payments, refunds and other transactions contributing to each payout amount.

Read PayPal docs
GOV.UK, updated 27 March 2026 MTD requires quarterly digital records.

HMRC's quarterly update direction says MTD for Income Tax requires compatible software to create and preserve digital records and send quarterly income and expense updates.

Read GOV.UK direction
UK prompt payment impact assessment Late payment still affects SME cash flow.

The 2026 impact assessment cites a 17-day UK B2B payment gap and reports that 50% of FSB members saw late payments in 2025.

Read impact assessment

The studies

Four ways the suite changes the shape of the work.

Each study follows the same structure: situation, workflow, and the evidence a team should capture before it claims improvement.

Study 01

Ecommerce payout reconciliation

For sellers receiving Stripe, PayPal, eBay, Amazon or marketplace deposits where bank receipts rarely equal gross sales.

Best fitOnline sellers and D2C brands
ProductsReconcileIQ + CodeIQ + LedgerIQ
Primary evidencePayout, fee, refund and bank files

The situation

Marketplace and payment deposits often combine sales, fees, refunds, timing differences and reserves. Treating the net bank receipt as simple sales income creates weak margin analysis and messy clearing accounts.

The IQ Suite workflow

  • ReconcileIQ matches bank receipts against payout and sales exports.
  • CodeIQ separates fees, refunds, shipping and sales categories where merchant files support it.
  • LedgerIQ reviews margin, cash lag, revenue concentration and seasonality after posting.

Measure before claiming results

  • Unmatched payout deposits before and after implementation.
  • Merchant fees and refunds split from gross sales.
  • Clearing-account balance age by platform.
  • Month-end exceptions requiring human judgement.

Study 02

MTD practice client onboarding

For practices moving sole trader and landlord clients from annual catch-up work into a quarterly digital-record rhythm.

Best fitBookkeeping and tax practices
ProductsClient accounts + CodeIQ + ReconcileIQ
Primary evidenceClient account status and upload completion

The situation

MTD for Income Tax changes the rhythm. The practical issue is not only submitting updates. It is getting client records digital, current and reviewable before each quarterly deadline.

The IQ Suite workflow

  • Practice plans provision client accounts with separate logins, dashboards and monthly credits.
  • Upload links collect bank statements and invoices without sharing a practice login.
  • CodeIQ codes and reviews the transaction data before formal filing software is used.
  • ReconcileIQ checks bank activity against book or invoice records.

Measure before claiming results

  • Clients provisioned, activated and uploading by quarter.
  • Transactions coded automatically versus manually reviewed.
  • Low-confidence or missing-evidence exceptions.
  • Time from client upload to reviewed pack.

Study 03

Late-payment invoice matching

For service businesses where cash is tied up in partial payments, missing remittances and invoices that look paid until the bank is checked.

Best fitConsultants, agencies and contractors
ProductsReconcileIQ + LedgerIQ
Primary evidenceInvoice export, payment export and bank file

The situation

Late and partial payments distort cash visibility. A business may know what it invoiced, but still lack a clear view of what actually cleared, what was short-paid and what needs chasing.

The IQ Suite workflow

  • ReconcileIQ compares invoice data, payment records and bank activity.
  • Unmatched invoices, unmatched payments and partial matches become a review queue.
  • LedgerIQ turns the finished record into cash-flow and trend analysis.

Measure before claiming results

  • Number and value of unpaid or partially paid invoices found.
  • Average days from invoice date to matched receipt.
  • Cash-flow forecast movement after reconciliation.
  • Exceptions requiring client contact or write-off.

Study 04

Multi-entity finance control

For controllers and advisers trying to standardise reconciliation, coding and review across several ledgers or entities.

Best fitGroups, franchises and practice portfolios
ProductsReconcileIQ + CodeIQ + LedgerIQ
Primary evidenceBank files, GL exports and exception logs

The situation

Multi-entity finance work fails when every entity has its own spreadsheet logic. The audit trail weakens, intercompany items are harder to explain and month-end becomes dependent on who built the file.

The IQ Suite workflow

  • ReconcileIQ standardises bank-to-book matching across entities.
  • CodeIQ applies repeatable coding and VAT review with visible exceptions.
  • LedgerIQ compares statements, ratios, working capital and anomalies after close.

Measure before claiming results

  • Entity-by-entity unmatched transaction count.
  • Intercompany or transfer exceptions still open at close.
  • Low-confidence coding requiring senior review.
  • Time to produce a board or audit evidence pack.

The standard

Evidence before claims. No unsupported savings.

The useful question is not "what percentage did someone claim?" It is "what records, exceptions and review steps will change in my workflow, and how will I measure that change?"

Explore the suite Map a workflow

Measurement framework

How to turn a workflow study into your own evidence.

Before using any automation claim, collect a baseline. Then compare the same process after implementation, using the same file types, entity scope and review standard.

01 - Baseline

Count the work.

Record transaction volume, file types, systems used, manual steps and exception count before changing the process.

02 - Exception rate

Separate automation from review.

Track matched, coded, low-confidence, unmatched and rejected items rather than treating all transactions as equal.

03 - Evidence quality

Check the audit trail.

Measure whether adjustments, supporting files, VAT decisions and coding changes are easier to explain after processing.

04 - Close output

Review the final pack.

Compare how quickly the team can produce a reconciliation report, exception list, coded ledger and analysis pack.

FAQ

What this page is, and what it is not.

The page is intended to help teams reason about implementation. It is not a substitute for a pilot, adviser judgement or formal tax software.

Are these real customer stories?

No. They are workflow studies based on common UK finance scenarios, external research and the product surface in The IQ Suite.

Can I use them as ROI promises?

No. Use them as implementation patterns. Your own baseline, data quality and review threshold determine your actual result.

Do these workflows replace professional review?

No. The suite helps match, code, classify and analyse. Judgement, tax filing and adviser responsibility remain with the business and its professionals.

Which study should a practice start with?

Start where the exception count is highest: payout reconciliation, MTD client intake, invoice matching or multi-entity close control.

Next step

Run the study against your own files.

Pick one workflow, gather the baseline files, process them through the suite and compare exceptions, review time and evidence quality.

Start with Starter Compare plans