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Why we’re making changes to Xero and what it means for you

Posted 2 years ago in Product by Anna Curzon
Posted by Anna Curzon

We recently marked 15 years since Xero was registered as a company, which is a long time in technology. In 2006, Facebook had only just opened up to the world, and Internet Explorer was the world’s favourite web browser. I’ve loved hearing stories from our founding team about the incredible changes they’ve seen over that time in our technology and the way we work.

Continually improving your experience

Of course, we’re planning to be around for many more Xero Days to come. I like to think we’ll be around to support multi-generational businesses with cloud-based tools well into the future. This long-term thinking isn’t just important for the way we work, but also the technology that underpins our platform as we continue to scale globally as a company.

That’s why we are ramping up our investment in technology. It’s no coincidence that this correlates with our biggest hiring drive ever. From this year, we’ll be getting more Xero teams around the world to focus on continuously upgrading and improving our technology, to make sure it doesn’t slow us down over time. This builds on our capability to deliver new features faster. 

This kind of work is essential for a tech company like Xero. Just as you need to upgrade your phone every few years, or refresh the apps on your device, we need to keep upgrading Xero’s technology to make sure we can build the features you need and help you make the most of new tools in the years to come (imagine how many of these innovations are still merely ideas in people’s minds?).

What you can expect in the months ahead

We make changes ‘under the hood’ of Xero every single day. But as we focus more heavily on this work, you may notice that some of our products are updated with a fresh new look. It’s a sign that our teams are working hard to upgrade the underlying technology. But it also gives us an opportunity to release some new features that I think you’ll really like.

We’ll also be making some bigger changes that will have an impact on the way you work. This may mean things like switching to a new version of a product, finding the information you need in a new place, or changing a workflow while we roll out product updates in stages.

I recognise that these changes may be hard, but we believe they will create a better experience for you in the long run. Every feature in Xero represents countless hours of development, care and attention from our teams, so these are not decisions we make lightly. But when it comes to technology, change is inevitable and necessary.

Please know we’ll do everything we can to support you and reduce the impact of any changes we make. We understand these kinds of things can be frustrating when you’re busy running a small business or practice, but we’re committed to keep you updated and make things as seamless as possible.

Standing the test of time – 15 years and beyond

Finding a balance between what our customers need today, and what they will need in the future, isn’t easy. But we truly believe this work will be a game-changer for Xero – so we could reimagine what is possible in Xero and help make it even easier to run your business on Xero. 

As we update Xero’s technology, we’ll be able to speed up development across these products and you’ll start to see many things you’ve been asking for come to fruition. 

Personally, I’m excited to see what the next evolution of Xero will bring. I want to say a big thank you to everyone in our technology team who are working so hard behind the scenes to make this as easy as possible for you. As always, please do reach out if you need support or want to share your feedback – we’re always listening.

233 comments

Tarryn
September 20, 2021 at 11.51 pm

Hi Xero, Sorry to add to the list of comments but we have only started using you since April and only just getting to grips with all functionality when you have updated the contacts so that you are not able to search by account number. Please advise if this is going to be sorted soon? We rely on the account number as this was a much quicker and easier way to find contacts.
I really hope this will be updated sooner rather than later.

Beeny Atherton in reply to Tarryn Xero
September 21, 2021 at 4.41 pm

Hi Tarryn, yes – improvements to search by account number is on our roadmap to rebuild so you will see this functionality return in coming iterations.

Diane Woodcock in reply to Beeny Atherton
September 21, 2021 at 9.33 pm

Please can you sort asap as this is the way most companies search for customers

Anita Marshall
September 22, 2021 at 7.24 am

Yes I agree, I used this all the time and now it’s gone! Surely it was providing no harm Xero – please bring it back, along with being able to merge and turn invoice reminders on and off from the front screen, via the check boxes! :-S again it seems removing this is a step backwards making it harder to manage…

Graeme Bartlett
September 21, 2021 at 12.43 am

This is very disappointing! I used to be able to right-click on a Contact to open in a new tab…not any more! Quite a painful procedure now.

I don’t accept that the cosmetic changes are “paving the way forward” …

Please consider reverting to the old system or at the very least make sure that ALL features are still working as they should be/have done in the past.

Totally frustrated!!

Graeme

Beeny Atherton in reply to Graeme Bartlett Xero
September 21, 2021 at 4.38 pm

Hi Graeme, I’m sorry to hear that you are frustrated by the latest changes. To enable us to deliver on features that our customers really want, we need to upgrade our technology. In doing so, we have made some changes to the user interface along the way and the Classic List Page refresh is a part of that journey – however, these updates signal positive changes beneath the surface to prepare these products for new features in the future.

Jenni Stent in reply to Beeny Atherton
September 28, 2021 at 10.35 am

I agree with Graeme and Beeny – this hinders our efficiency and slows down all my billing. I appreciate the need for updates, however do you have a timeline to restore this functionality??

Marty Bloem in reply to Beeny Atherton
October 1, 2021 at 3.24 am

Please stop “fixing” what isn’t broken. Now you’ve changed the Business Tab and I assume that “Sales Overview” equals what used to be the screen for entering invoices. Now I get a message “Sorry, something went wrong” and I can’t enter anything. This is month-end. Very frustrating.

Xero in reply to Marty Bloem Xero
October 4, 2021 at 1.05 pm

Hi Marty, sorry to hear that you were experiencing some issues last week – this should now be resolved. In regards to your other feedback, this has been shared with our Product team.

Tracy
September 24, 2021 at 11.04 am

I agree this was a crucial part of our every day , along with the search by account or name or email , come on Xero listen to your customers

Vincent Tiong
September 21, 2021 at 3.55 am

Hi Xero team

I implore your product team to kindly read the comments given by so many users. I frankly do not care how easy it will be for you guys to update the version behind the new interface. I am finding it harder and harder to use xero. You have shown me that xero treats us simply like a bunch of lab rats, simply pushing out new interface, while you gather feedback, with no concern if it has affected my business.

I will dare say, if I treat my customers like this. I will not see the end of the year.

You guys have reminded me of my nightmare management team in my previous corporate job. You simply wish for something and it shall happen, by hook or by crook. It’s plain tyranny.

Please understand, we the users are the consumers. Not being paid by you to make things happen. If anyone of you still thinks they’re right. You can contact me and try to prove me wrong.

Thank you

Catherine
November 8, 2021 at 11.56 am

I was thinking of changing over from MYOB to Xero and wax looking for a contact number to speak with some. No luck. First strike against Xero. But the found these comments and having read all these comments about your upgrades really has put me off. It’s difficult enough to learn a new system and come to grips with it without having to contend with constant upgrades and changes. That counts for 2 strikes and Xero is out!

Xero in reply to Catherine Xero
November 15, 2021 at 2.33 pm

Hi Catherine, we’re sorry to hear that we’re out after two strikes – the updates we have been making to Xero lately go much deeper than just the look and feel…we are continuously upgrading our technology and redesigning experiences so we can deliver the features our customers want today and in the future. We are following a ‘test, learn, refine’ process and customer feedback is a very important step. Hopefully you will reconsider – however, if you do not – we wish you all the best.

Kelvin Bradley
September 21, 2021 at 1.51 pm

Why have you changed the contacts, we use customer account numbers which our customers use for making payments and now we can no longer find a customer using the account number, this is a problem as for some reason people pay under different names and the account number was our way of locating the correct customer. Is it possible to change the contacts list back to what it was previously.

Beeny Atherton in reply to Kelvin Bradley Xero
September 21, 2021 at 3.46 pm

Hi Kelvin, – thanks for your comment. You can read more about why contacts has been updated here. Improvements to search by email and account number are on our roadmap to rebuild so you will see this functionality return in coming iterations.

Felicity Maree
September 21, 2021 at 3.44 pm

Hi – I agree with all the comments. I need the account number search to be returned in the contacts ASAP. This is how we look for customer details. It is a nightmare if this is not returned. And the large font that has been rolled out in both the bank reconciliation and in contacts. Although temporary, working from home on a laptop screen during Covid lockdown, this large font creates inaccuracies and wasted time. Please roll back the original screens. Not all enhancements are improvements Xero.
Thanks

Beeny Atherton in reply to Felicity Maree Xero
September 21, 2021 at 4.17 pm

Hi Felicity, thanks fro your comment. We continue to work on improving some of the existing features and rebuilding search by email and account number is on our roadmap for contacts so you will see this functionality return in coming iterations.

Mickey Woo
September 21, 2021 at 7.42 pm

Hello,
We used to be able to search with customer’s account number but since you have changed the contact search interface we no longer able to do it. This is extremely inconvenient as some of our customer pay online with their account number, that is the only way we can know who paid what.

Please kindly get back to us and change back to how it was before.

Thanks, Mickey

Xero in reply to Mickey Woo Xero
September 22, 2021 at 11.34 am

Hi Mickey, thanks for your comment – your feedback has been shared with our Product team.

Vincent
September 22, 2021 at 1.54 am

Every time I attempt bank reconciliation I now have to spend 20 minutes checking Xero’s discussions to see if there’s any news on fixing it. It is an absolutely dismal experience. I just want to be able to see enough transactions to get the job done without giving me a headache.

PJ Puterbaugh
September 23, 2021 at 5.58 am

I agree!!! It takes forever for accounts to refresh and now of my 5 accounts they only refresh one at a time instead of all of them at once. If I try to update the other accounts too soon, I get locked out. Ugh!!!

Anita Marshall
September 22, 2021 at 7.51 am

Order and search by account number 🙁 I used this all the time and now it’s gone! Surely it was providing no harm Xero – please bring it back!

Being able to merge customers from the front screen, why has this gone? You’ve added more clicks and page loads to this previously fast job.

Being able to turn invoice reminders on and off from the front screen, via the check boxes for multiple customers! :-S I have hundreds of customers, and about 30-100 more imported each day…. I don’t have the time to click into hundreds of customers individually and wait for pages to load and then turn reminders off one at a time, and then go back to the customer screen, re-sort, remember which one I need to do next….. I can’t see anything from the front screen!
So I’ve had to turn reminders off on Xero so reminders dont auto send to non-credit customers – one of the main reasons I came to xero was this reminder function! So sad 🙁 I’d only just started getting used to all the fab stuff I could do!

It seems removing all the above is a step backwards making it harder to manage… please could you reassure me the above will be reinstated?!

Xero in reply to Anita Marshall Xero
September 22, 2021 at 11.57 am

Hi Anita, your feedback has been shared with our Product team. Thank you!

Glynn
September 22, 2021 at 3.04 pm

Hi,
What is your time frame to fix this totally unnecessary change you have made. I have had my team complaining about how it now takes them a lot longer to find the contact as they only knew them by the account code, not the name.
Thanks

Libby Sexton
September 22, 2021 at 3.59 pm

Can someone please explain why customers / contacts/ suppliers are now colour coded and what the coding means? or is just to make the page pretty? Suppliers and Customers have the same colours so……

I am trying to apply Group allocations and wondering if the colour codes will make the job quicker.

I clicked on to Suppliers and there are only 7 listed??? Yet on the support screen it says “Contacts are automatically classified as customers or suppliers once you’ve entered an invoice, bill, or credit note transaction for them”

Xero in reply to Libby Sexton Xero
September 23, 2021 at 11.15 am

Hi Libby, thanks for your comment. The colours have no significance – they are simply a design element to bring some vibrance to the page. Xero does auto assign contacts as customers or suppliers so are you able to raise a case with our Support team so we can get a better understanding of what may be happening here for you. Thanks!

Jenny
September 23, 2021 at 11.20 am

This morning I see that Payroll > Leave has been changed to Payroll > Time Off.

Why ‘fix’ something that isn’t broken? This is not an improvement or an enhancement, it’s just a dumbing down of terminology especially as the subsequent screens continue to use the term ‘Leave’.

Xero in reply to Jenny Xero
September 23, 2021 at 1.32 pm

Hi Jenny, this was an error and the wording will be changed back (if it hasn’t already). While doing a technical upgrade, the localisation changed on this word. This was unintentional and will be corrected. Thanks! ^BA

Dale Nursten
September 24, 2021 at 3.37 pm

Xero

You need to start listening to your users. We all understand that you need to update and improve the product however you have taken the whole platform backwards with the interface changes. I have not spoken to a single person that thinks what you have done is an improvement. It has seriously reduced the usability and efficiency for all users. To blindly continue rolling this out without taking on the avalanche of negative feedback is sheer folly. You are already losing customers – https://central.xero.com/s/question/0D53m000079iwRC/the-new-format-is-terrible-change-it-back

Daryl
November 10, 2021 at 1.36 pm

Dale: It sounds like you (and I) are wanting the Xero of yesterday; an efficient data-entry system with a great interface.
Xero isn’t that system any more. Now its so much better;
Acres of whitespace, because everyone loves scrolling their 27″ monitor, when they didn’t have to scroll their 15″ monitor.
Inconsistent keyboard entry, because everyone loves the back-and-forward of keyboard-mouse-keyboard, when it used to be possible to not touch the mouse for minutes at a time (and therefore be much more productive).
Pointless banners that could have been a single small button, because we all love clicking “Skip for now” and “x” repeatedly, only to have the stupid banner come back on the next page reload.
Xero wont listen.
Xero know that you won’t switch. I know you wont switch. Even you know you wont switch.

Jackie
September 28, 2021 at 11.30 am

Hi
Account Transaction Report
Please add the Quantity & Unit Price Fields as Column Selection options.
Thanks
Jackie
PS : The filter function is useful.

Xero in reply to Jackie Xero
September 28, 2021 at 1.21 pm

Hi Jackie – thanks so much for your suggestion, which has been passed on to our Product team. ^BA

Trish Rhodes
September 29, 2021 at 3.58 pm

Since the upgrade has taken place I can no longer tab across, more than two (2) fields without Xero having a fit. I have to exit out of the customer & go back in but it does not save what I have previously typed. If I try to click in the field with the mouse, it seems to take forever for the cursor to come up & allow me to type. If I start typing before the cursor is there it muddles my wording or figures up. This is taking me twice as long to do the invoicing & VERY frustrating. Can someone PLEASE contact me to help either resolve this issue or advise a work around for it? Thanks

Xero in reply to Trish Rhodes Xero
September 30, 2021 at 11.16 am

Hi Trish, sorry to hear that you are having some trouble. Can you please raise a ticket with our support team so we can take a closer look into what might be happening here and hopefully give you a hand? Thanks, ^BA

Craig
October 1, 2021 at 3.57 am

Please Xero please prioritise fix the existing BUGs especially with the bank feeds and reconciling, rather than introduce new ones with new features.

Xero in reply to Craig Xero
October 4, 2021 at 1.06 pm

Hi Craig – thanks so much for your feedback, which has been shared with our Product team.

Nicola Spackman
October 1, 2021 at 5.25 am

Hi,
Is there an issue with Xero as I can no longer see Bills to pay or see the link to import contacts? Has this changed or is there an issue with the site?

Xero in reply to Nicola Spackman Xero
October 4, 2021 at 1.09 pm

Hi Nicola, we were aware of an incident that has now been investigated and should be resolved. If you are still experiencing some difficulties, please reach out to our Support Team. We’re so sorry for the inconvenience this caused you.

Mike Wheatley
October 1, 2021 at 5.31 am

Third month in a row and for most of at least one day Xero is experiencing functional difficulties. This isn’t progress, perhaps instead of tinkering around with design your developers should concentrate on producing a stable platform.

Xero in reply to Mike Wheatley Xero
October 4, 2021 at 1.12 pm

Hi Mike, we were aware of an incident last week, which has now been resolved. If you are still experiencing some functional difficulties – please raise a ticket with our Support Team so we can look into it. We’re so sorry for the inconvenience this caused you.

Ben
October 1, 2021 at 5.34 am

Hi, are the servers down or something? I’m trying to place and sort the expenses through the app and it’s not logging me. I’m getting an error message?! When will this be sorted?

Xero in reply to Ben Xero
October 4, 2021 at 1.14 pm

Hi Ben, we’re so sorry that you were experiencing some difficulties – this should now be resolved. If you’re still experiencing some difficulties, please get in touch with our Support Team so we can take a look and give you a hand. Thanks!

Seth Proctor
October 2, 2021 at 2.46 am

Granted Xero is 15 years old. Yes makes perfect sense to figure things out [like the AWS move a while back]: BUT. The feature requests system is not fit for purpose. Requests are basically fobbed off with “not on our roadmap”. I know of two requests off the top of my head which are available either in other regional flavours of Xero or in competitor products., but not in Xero UK.

I believe the time has come for Xero to be open and transparent. Ditch the feature request portal. List all of them. List of all the other work Xero is doing. And let the users have their input, given the whole picture they would now have, and so have a better, more informed roadmap ahead

Xero in reply to Seth Proctor Xero
October 4, 2021 at 1.24 pm

Hi Seth, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback on our feature request process with us. Your comment has been shared with our teams for consideration.

Tim B. in reply to Xero
December 1, 2021 at 1.12 pm

Your reply is symptomatic of the feature request system – nice comments but no action

Alison
October 4, 2021 at 4.48 am

I find this whole Xero sales pitch bizarre! What software company runs an update which gets rid of simple great features that are replied upon by their users, being able to search Contacts by account number just one example of the current problems, BEFORE they have developed the new tech which at least includes these features even if in a new format. Completely crackers! And then saying, sorry, we know we’ve done this and it is having a serious impact on all of your business’ but we can’t give you any timeframe for the fix or switch it back until we work it out. It’s appalling really. Did you even run a beta test? On any actual user at all?

Xero in reply to Alison Xero
October 4, 2021 at 1.28 pm

Hi Alison, thank you for your feedback in regards to our recent updates. Your comment has been shared with our Product team.

Deirdre White
October 5, 2021 at 3.17 pm

Hi Xero, I use the contacts by Groups when doing my monthly invoicing, the new look has now added 2 hours onto my invoicing.

When are you going to have the ability to view by groups and opening client in that group in a new window to complete the invoice?

You have just created more work for me not reduce my work load.

Joanne Tait in reply to Deirdre White Xero
October 12, 2021 at 6.00 pm

Hi Deirdre,
Thanks for your comment. There was a bug in the upgraded Contacts that prevented opening clients in a new window. That has now been fixed. To open the groups page in a new tab and to open clients within the groups in a new tab, you can either right-click on the group name in the navigation bar and click on ‘open in a new tab’ or ctrl+cmd click or middle mouse click to open in a new tab. If you need any further assistance, please raise a case with our support team in Xero Central.
Thanks,
Joanne

Andrew Purdam
October 8, 2021 at 3.54 pm

It’s disappointing when changes are introduced that actually make Xero take more effort to do the same amount of work.
The prettying up of multi-bill payments was a classic example. Looks more like the newer branding, added no extra functionality but takes three or four more mouse clicks (and window sweeps if like me you work with two windows side-by-side and now have to move the window view because of silly fixed-width issues in the new version)
And no we have the Change Organisation entry on the main menu, so another mouse click to swap between organisations. I thought we’d already said no to this “feature” a year ago! I’d sooner have all the “Add ons” (which are only ever clicked once or twice in our lifetime) consigned to being out of sight rather than my list of Organisations. Grrr!

Joanne Tait in reply to Andrew Purdam Xero
October 12, 2021 at 6.01 pm

Hi Andrew,
Thank you for your feedback, and we’re sorry that you’re finding our updates difficult. We are not making changes purely for beautification, this is part of a technology upgrade and the work beneath the surface will enable many of the feature requests that we know our customers want in the future. We strongly believe that these changes will support a better user experience and we will continue to improve and iterate on it as we move ahead. Thanks again for your feedback, I have passed it on to our product team.
Joanne

Andrew Purdam in reply to Joanne Tait
November 8, 2021 at 1.22 pm

Thanks for restoring more direct change of entities on the main menu. I can now remove my workaround.

Tim B. in reply to Joanne Tait
December 1, 2021 at 1.17 pm

When you say these backend changes will “enable many of the feature requests that we know our customers want in the future”, what does this actually mean?

In the Feature Requests forum, the common response from Xero is that the request “does not fit with our product roadmap”. Given that changes often appear in Xero without user input such as the new look in Reconciliation, I doubt that requests that have been actually made by users will be implemented.

Kim
October 8, 2021 at 5.20 pm

Hi,
Im not sure if this is being looked at in the new version but I would like to add a PDF to Quotations and this to be included in the email version not just the online link.

The same with Invoices too.

It has option to show it online but clients who dont use Xero dont know to click the file icon and there is no obvious reason for people to click on the file icon even if they do use xero.

the information Im attaching is relevant to the matterials we use and want the cleint to know the details of it to understand the quotation better.

Also when using the accounts report or balance sheet and you have to change somethign it is really annoying that after making the change it doesnt take you back to the page/line you where at but back to the begining. Its very time consuming to make these numerous changes when this happens.

Joanne Tait in reply to Kim Xero
October 12, 2021 at 6.01 pm

Hi Kim – thanks for sending that feedback. Stay tuned! These updates will be coming your way.
Joanne

Gordon Harrison
October 12, 2021 at 9.32 pm

I agree with the comments about not being able to search for customers by account number. I used it every day and it was by far the easiest and quickest way to search. Please re-instate that facility.

Joanne Tait in reply to Gordon Harrison Xero
October 13, 2021 at 5.37 pm

Hi Gordon,
Good news – the ability to search for customers by account number has been reintroduced as part of our latest iteration of the list view page in contacts. You can find out more about our updated contacts list view page on this blog.
Thanks
Joanne

Estate of IG
October 13, 2021 at 7.43 am

Had two subscriptions and just canceled one over the changes. The other one may soon follow. Feel stonewalled as a customer, there is no back and forth, just imperative statements with some lip service. This is really impacting productivity here and increasing bookkeeping bills. All software goes through changes and it takes getting used to, but this is really going downhill.

Xero was ugly but functional. I’d rather have economy of function than a “pretty” but ineffective and bug-laden experience.

Catherine (OG) in reply to Estate of IG Xero
October 15, 2021 at 6.59 am

I’m sorry to see things we’re doing are the catalyst for you to be canceling your subscriptions. We certainly don’t want to be hindering productivity and don’t want to ship software that’s “bug-laden”. I have your email address here so will have someone from our support team reach out to you and discuss the queries you (may) have raised with us about this previously. Thanks for letting us know your experience.

Kerryn Maguire
November 3, 2021 at 3.27 pm

Hi – wondering what is going on the main screen. The menu seems to have disappeared. Then on occasion reappears again. I am sincerely hoping that the Menu is to stay permanently and this is just a glitch.
Please let me know what the plans are.

Xero in reply to Kerryn Maguire Xero
November 3, 2021 at 4.06 pm

Hi Kerryn, yes – we are currently aware of an issue where some users are experiencing slowness and/or a missing navigation bar. We are looking into it as a matter of urgency and will provide further update on our status page: https://status.xero.com/. We are sorry for any inconvenience this is causing you.

Gary
November 3, 2021 at 4.02 pm

Hi Where has the Main Menu Gone?? or Home Page Link? I am Trying to get to Employees or Contacts and Nothing?? PLEASE FIX ASAP

Xero in reply to Gary Xero
November 3, 2021 at 4.04 pm

Hi Gary, we are aware of an issue affecting the navigation bar and we are investigating. Once we have more information to share, we will update the status page: https://status.xero.com/. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

David H
November 3, 2021 at 4.07 pm

One of the most important features to enable speed of access to different parts of the programme is immediate access to a menu. If you have removed the blue menu band from the top of the screen, this is cause for alarm. If not please contact me direct and urgently, so I can resolve an issue that I have.
(I currently have to refresh the screen to get it back, and then it only works sometimes)

Xero in reply to David H Xero
November 3, 2021 at 4.23 pm

Hi David, we were aware of an issue affecting the navigation bar but this should now be resolved. Can you please let us know if you are still experiencing an issue? Thanks!

Sharyn
November 19, 2021 at 7.48 pm

Where on earth have all the menu options gone??? I can’t actually navigate anywhere other than the bank accounts page – I can’t spend money, I can’t receive money, I can’t pick up an attachment from files…….WTH?!?

Xero in reply to Sharyn Xero
November 25, 2021 at 9.38 am

Hi Sharyn, hmmm…the menu options shouldn’t have disappeared. Can you please raise a case with our support team so we can get in touch with you directly to investigate what is going on here? Thanks!

David Smith
November 20, 2021 at 5.50 am

I am really surprised that Xero appears to have no feature to export the General Ledger to (say) Excel (via txt or csv), so that it can be used in a pivot-table. This is the most powerful tool to enable data to be viewed, sliced and diced in almost anyway. I have discovered a way of doing this but it excludes the contacts field which would give this immense power. I am using Xero for a not-for -profit using tracking codes for Funds. I had nearly given up on Xero until I found a way to do this. If you really love your users this should be on the to-do-list.

Linda
November 23, 2021 at 4.21 pm

Hi, I dislike the ‘fresh new look’ on the reconciliation page, it is wishy washy and not easy on the eyes, (the down arrows become a focal point for one). Much preferred the previous version. Updating for improvement is one thing, updating and moving backwards is another thing entirely.

Charlotte
November 25, 2021 at 8.28 am

Hi Xero.

Please can I check if there is an option to change the layout back or edit the colours?

I struggle with my eyesight and its hard to look at the screen to complete a large bank reconciliation when the full layout is white.

Thanks!

Xero in reply to Charlotte Xero
November 25, 2021 at 9.33 am

Hi Charlotte, thanks for getting in touch. No, there is not an option to revert back to the original layout. We’re sorry to hear that you are finding it hard to look at the screen with the new layout and colour. We have passed your feedback on to our product team. Thanks for letting us know.

Tim B. in reply to Xero
December 1, 2021 at 1.05 pm

Maybe consultation with users to see what they would like to see in areas or conducting surveys with several UI/UX options to gauge feedback from users PRIOR to product updates might go a long way in preventing the extra work which has occurred by responding to disgruntled users.

Helen
November 26, 2021 at 1.21 am

The bank feed look has updated today and the general feeling from the team is that it is HORRIBLE.
It looks like something 10 years out of date.
I think the main issue is the bold text – it is harder to see and isnt very inclusive for people with bad vision or dyslexia.

Stuart
November 26, 2021 at 11.42 am

Hi,
The new layout for the reconciliation screen is definitely a downgrade in terms of appearance and user-friendliness, it’s now more cluttered and less efficient in terms of space as a consensus from our team. We would really appreciate an option to revert to the old layout as well.

Craig
November 29, 2021 at 12.06 pm

The new look bank reconciliation is terrible. The light green colour and shaded background is hard to see clearly and I feel is a real backwards step for Xero. The idea of the compact and enlarged view is great but simple is better. Please seriously consider reverting back to the old look!

Julie
November 30, 2021 at 2.12 pm

I agree with Craig above. The new look bank reconciliation is a nightmare!! It’s so hard to read properly!! Not to mention the fact that it will promote errors. What was wrong with the old look?? I would like to be able to use the old look please ….how can we revert back??

Joanna
November 30, 2021 at 11.57 pm

Regarding the new reconciliation screen – harder to use, text overlaid in places, larger data entry boxes so you see fewer reconciliation items at one time… not an improvement at all. “Compact view” is hardly different and a better option would have been to choose between “new” and “classic” layout. Please put it back the way it was.

Brett
December 1, 2021 at 3.57 am

The new bank reconciliation “technological updates” make it harder to reconcile transactions efficiently. Previously, we were able to “tab” through after inputting the xero contact name, then use the arrow keys to select the chart of account. Now, when using the arrow keys, Xero doesnt highlight the selection so we are guessing what account is selected. Now, we usually have to go in and use the mouse to click each thing now, which slows down reconciliation.

It doesnt show everything on one page either, like it used to. Now, i have to maximize my browser in order to see both sides of the reconcile page, which isnt helpful when I need other windows open in order to help reconcile things.

100% get the need for technology improvements, but most of these are cosmetic and make it harder for us to use Xero efficiently. Did anyone even test these new “improvements” before rolling them out? Come on Xero..

Tim B.
December 1, 2021 at 1.00 pm

This blog post is all fluff and no substance. Users, such as myself, want to see a publicly documented product roadmap that gives clear direction on where Xero is headed. Comments such as “changes ‘under the hood'”, “fresh new look”, “switching to a new version of a product”, “this work will be a game-changer for Xero’, “we’ll be able to speed up development across these products and you’ll start to see many things you’ve been asking for come to fruition” are clever marketing strategies, not actual product updates.

Without documenting what these “under the hood” changes are or what requests will come to fruition, customers have no clear picture of where Xero is headed. When our ideas or enhancements are shot down in the Community forum because they “do not fit with our product roadmap”, this diminishes the effectiveness of the Community forum’s purpose. Some of the big issues that face Xero users are:
* Need for emails to be sent using a company’s own domain using SPK and DKIM records which is standard practice for products like Sendgrid or Mailchimp. Email management is a user’s right and should not be held hostage being using the Xero domain resulting in countless hours of chasing up clients and suppliers only to find out that emails from Xero have gone to Spam. When a company policy dictates that company emails are privileged, Xero’s platform prevents the company for retain any emails sent through Xero servers.
* If the above point is implemented then requests such as the following will be obsolete:
~ Bounced Emails – Include body of the email when reporting a “message delivery failure notification”
~ Email Settings – Rename links in emails sent from Xero
~ Email Templates – Set overriding From email address per template
~ Email Settings: Edit Email Name
~ Email Send As @company-name.com not message-service@post.xero.com
~ Email Settings – Choose the ‘Send me a Copy’ email address
~ Client email address to appear on quote Comment Emails
~ Set Reply to Email address for emails generated in Xero
~ Email log for all emails sent via Xero
~ Email Templates – Set default email template per branding theme
~ Invoice Reminders – CC/BCC on outgoing emails
~ Sales Invoices – Schedule a one-time invoice to be sent via email
~ Automatically send paid invoice once generated
~ Own Email Settings

* Greater flexibility with the “From email” field
* Link an email template and email address to a branding theme
* Reinstitute dates for posts made in the Community forum

The point is clear: if Xero does not release a product roadmap that details changes over the next 5 years, then this blog has basically come from Marketing and not the Head of Product Development.

Xero in reply to Tim B. Xero
December 1, 2021 at 3.07 pm

Hi Tim, really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback with us. We have shared your comment with our product team who are reviewing all the feedback we are receiving on the latest updates as we test, learn and refine. Thanks again – this is incredibly helpful.

Tim B. in reply to Xero
December 1, 2021 at 7.08 pm

But does that actually mean that there will be a product roadmap for users to visualize? People want to know where their funds are being spent when it comes to development.

Xero Xero
December 1, 2021 at 3.20 pm

Hi Everyone, we’d like to thank you all for continuing to share your thoughts with us regarding the latest updates. We are listening and have passed all your feedback onto our product teams. Please continue to let us know your thoughts – it really helps. Thanks again!

Emma
December 2, 2021 at 12.56 pm

Not liking the new layout for reconciliations. If it ain’t broke, why fix it?

CB-S
December 8, 2021 at 6.29 am

What have you done!!!
This is HORRIBLE! I can’t find anything and nothing is straightforward anymore…
Totally agree with Tim B – if aint broke, don’t try to fix it.

Jinnie
December 8, 2021 at 6.37 am

Where have my dashboard headings gone for all the menus?..

Xero in reply to Jinnie Xero
December 13, 2021 at 4.15 pm

Hi Jinnie, can you please raise a case with our support team so we can give you a hand here? Thanks so much!

Jason Cassar
December 8, 2021 at 2.38 pm

Thanks Xero. Hate the new layout.
Cannot upload files to items in the Products and services field.
This was a major function to my business.
Why do you keep removing stuff that is useful, and replacing it with rubbish.
Printing receipts is also a long process. Why can’t i just hit print receipt and be done??
Is there any chance i can go back to the “old” Xero??

jalpur millers
December 8, 2021 at 10.35 pm

PLEASE CAN YOU ADD ON RECENT PURCHASE DATE ON THE PROUCTS AND SERVICES BROWSER BECAUSE IT WILL BE VERY HELPFULL TO US.

Marianna D.
December 9, 2021 at 12.46 am

Hi,

The last update I have noticed in Xero is that the files attached to products and services items are no longer available. My company was uploading very important documents to the items and suddenly all files have disappeared from the system. Have you deleted this tool at all or is it just a particular problem with our system? Please contact me ASAP as we need to know how to restore the files we have lost.

Xero in reply to Marianna D. Xero
December 9, 2021 at 11.21 am

Hi Marianna, thanks for your comment. Can you please raise a case with our support team so we can take a closer look into what may be happening here? Thanks so much!

Isaac
December 9, 2021 at 8.37 pm

Hi Xero Team
I am trying to make changes in the pantry of products list – like price or item name, but the new version don’t let me?

Xero in reply to Isaac Xero
December 13, 2021 at 11.24 am

Hi Isaac, sorry to hear that you’re having some trouble. Can you please raise a case with our support team so we can take a closer look at what may be happening here and hopefully give you a hand? Thanks!

Tracy Quigley
December 9, 2021 at 11.35 pm

Good Morning
On the producets and services we had uploaded drawings to accompany the product so that when an order comes in we have the plans/drawing against a particular part number.
Since the update all of our attachments have disappeared. Will they come back or has the upload facility gone for good? We found it very useful

Thank you

Xero in reply to Tracy Quigley Xero
December 13, 2021 at 4.10 pm

Hi Tracy, can you please raise a case with our support team so we can give you a hand with this? Thanks!

Mahesh Pagarani
December 10, 2021 at 1.23 am

Hello,
Having read this thread, I would like to know what process Xero goes through before changes are implemented ? It seems paying customers are way down on the list of importance. I am shocked at the changes made to products and services. The attachments feature has not been migrated to the new look and I have many many import product related documents. I need them back asap as my business will suffer. If this happens, then sadly I will have to take my business elsewhere. Everyone seems angry at changes being made without consideration to customers need. Isn’t it obvious to migrate over attachments. This is beyond reckless…its arrogance. After all, without us, you don’t have a business!!

Zaher Almahmoud
December 11, 2021 at 6.49 am

I can not see the items photos on the side of each products. please bring back all these photos …

Xero in reply to Zaher Almahmoud Xero
December 13, 2021 at 4.11 pm

Hi Zaher, would you mind raising a case with our Support Team so we can give you a hand here? Thanks so much!

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