From Paper Trails to Full Visibility: HMCK’s Switch to IRIS iChannel

Based in central Nebraska, Hellman, Main Coslor & Kathol (HMCK) is a full-service CPA and advisory firm built on long-standing client relationships and a commitment to personal service. Like many accounting firms, HMCK relied on a collection of systems to manage documents, workflows, and client communication, including Thomson Reuters FileCabinet, NetClient, and ShareFile. While familiar, the setup required staff to move between multiple platforms and manual processes to keep work moving.

When Thomson Reuters announced the sunset of FileCabinet CS, HMCK saw an opportunity to do more than replace a document management system. The firm used the transition as a chance to simplify workflows, improve visibility across the practice, and create a more connected experience for both employees and clients.

Choosing IRIS iChannel

Katherine Schroeder, who manages day-to-day operations and handles IRS client work, was tasked with leading the search. She came to the process with a distinct advantage: she'd used IRIS iChannel firsthand during a stint at a South Dakota firm and understood what it could do. She evaluated it alongside Thomson Reuters GoFileRoom and presented both options to the partners.

The choice ultimately came down to how each system felt to use, not just what it could do on paper.

"iChannel just made more sense visually. GoFileRoom just didn't have the same user-friendliness, the same ease of navigating throughout."

With partners aligned, iChannel was selected. The work of bringing the team along began.

The Problems iChannel Solved

Managing work across multiple disconnected systems had become one of HMCK's most persistent operational challenges. Documents lived in FileCabinet, client interactions ran through ShareFile, and workflow tracking happened elsewhere entirely, requiring staff to constantly switch between platforms just to complete routine tasks. As the firm grew, the cost of that fragmentation became harder to ignore. The old workflow relied heavily on manual steps that, in a busy tax season, were easy to skip:

• Workflow gaps: Staff were expected to manually update workflow statuses as work progressed in Practice CS. In reality, those updates were often missed, making it difficult for managers and partners to understand the status of projects and where attention was needed most.
• Partner burden: Without reliable workflow visibility, partners spent valuable time manually tracking workloads and estimating project status instead of relying on a single source of truth. For a firm focused on margin control and identifying inefficiencies, this was time better spent on client work and strategic decisions — not piecing together a status picture the system should have been providing automatically.
• Fragmented document processes: Sending documents meant saving a PDF, importing it into a separate e-signature platform, and working through additional steps. For the e-file team, it meant physically carrying folders to their desks to work through by hand.
• No remote visibility: For hybrid staff, knowing what was on your desk required being at your desk. A sticky note on an office shelf offered nothing when working from home.

"I think our biggest thing was just trying to eliminate steps and make things easier."

A Clean Migration, A Strong Start

Before a single file moved, Katherine and a colleague carefully mapped out the firm's entire FileCabinet structure. That groundwork paid off. The migration was clean from day one: no backlog of mislabeled files, no month spent recategorizing, no mess to untangle. It was a sharp contrast to a previous migration Katherine had experienced at another firm, where the cleanup alone had taken nearly a month.

Their IRIS implementation consultant, Brian, played a critical role in helping the firm not only migrate documents successfully, but also design workflows that would improve efficiency long after go-live. He didn't just manage the transition. With his experience, he helped architect how the firm would actually work inside iChannel, building out automations that would change daily life for the whole team.

"Brian is amazing. I can't say anything bad about him. He's very knowledgeable and very helpful. I could tell him one of my problems, 'is this possible?' and he'd think on it and come back with a solution."

The Difference Day to Day

The impact showed up quickly and broadly. What had been a patchwork of manual steps, physical files, and disconnected platforms became a single, coherent system:

• Dashboard visibility: Partners now have real-time visibility into workloads, deadlines, and project status, reducing the need for manual tracking and helping teams prioritize work more effectively. The manual counting and estimating is gone.
• Automated workflow progression: Workflow progression is now automated, creating a more accurate picture of work in progress, reducing the risk of bottlenecks caused by missed updates.
• Faster IRS calls: Client information is immediately accessible during IRS and client calls, helping staff respond faster and reducing time spent searching for documents.
• E-filing transformed: The firm’s e-file process has transitioned from physical folders and manual handling to a fully digital workflow, improving efficiency and accessibility for the team.
• Simplified client communication: The secure client portal has transformed how HMCK interacts with clients day-to-day. Clients use the portal to upload documents directly, receive completed returns, and exchange sensitive information, all within a secure, easy-to-use environment. Previously, this meant emailing PDF attachments or relying on separate platforms, creating unnecessary friction on both sides. Now, staff receive automatic alerts when clients upload documents, keeping workflows moving without manual follow-up. DocuSign is also handled entirely within iChannel, replacing a multi-step export process. Client feedback has been positive: the portal is simpler, more secure, and more convenient than what came before.

"With the dashboard and the workflows, it just really puts it there for you. You don't really have to do much of the digging or the analytical thinking."

"Files used to be physically taken into the office to go through, now they don’t touch them."

Looking Ahead

HMCK is continuing to grow its services and modernize with client engagement, including adding online bill payment to the firm's website. iChannel has given them a foundation that can support that momentum: work is visible, documents are accessible, and automation handles the steps that used to fall through the cracks.

"I do feel like it saved a lot of time. Our biggest thing is just trying to eliminate steps and make things easier."

For firms considering a similar move, Katherine's advice is simple: do the preparation, trust the process, and lean on the team supporting you. The transition is worth it.