Exhibit 23 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Annual Report (Form 10-K) of IKON Office Solutions, Inc. of our report dated November 3, 1998, included in the 1998 Annual Report to Shareholders of IKON Office Solutions, Inc. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule of IKON Office Solutions, Inc. listed in Item 14(a). This schedule is the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion based on our audits. In our opinion, the financial statement schedule referred to above, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein. We consent to the incorporation by reference in the following registration statements on Forms S-3, S-4 and S-8 of IKON Office Solutions, Inc. and in the related Prospectuses of our report dated November 3, 1998, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of IKON Office Solutions, Inc. incorporated by reference in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1998, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. REGISTRATION NUMBER FILING DATE DESCRIPTION - -------------- ------------------ --------------------------------- 2-66880 March 10, 1980 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. 1980 Deferred Compensation Plan 2-75296 December 11, 1982 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. 1982 Deferred Compensation Plan 33-00120 September 6, 1985 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. 1985 Deferred Compensation Plan 33-26732 January 27, 1989 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. Non Employee Directors' Stock Option Plan (formerly 1989 Directors' Stock Option Plan) 33-36745 September 10, 1990 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. 1991 Deferred Compensation Plan 33-38193 December 10, 1990 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. 1986 Stock Option Plan 33-51183 November 24, 1993 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. Partners' Stock Purchase Plan 33-54781 July 28, 1994 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. Stock Award Plan 33-56469 November 15, 1994 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. 1995 Stock Option Plan 33-56471 November 15, 1994 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan 33-64177 November 14, 1995 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. $750,000,000 Debt Securities, Preferred Stock or Common Stock 333-24931 April 10, 1997 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. 10,000,000 Shares of Common Stock 333-47769 March 11, 1998 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. Partners' Stock Purchase Plan 333-47783 March 11, 1998 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. Stock Award Plan 333-66975 November 11, 1998 IKON Office Solutions, Inc. Retirement Savings Plan Philadelphia, Pennsylvania /s/ Ernst & Young LLP December 22, 1998