Contacts - Allow multiple addresses for a single contact record
Ability to create and save multiple addresses for a single contact record
Purpose: Allow customers to map customer & supplier details against a single contact record
Hi community, we understand your needs in this feature and want to assure you were taking on board all your feedback.
As many of you accustom to this idea will know, multiple addresses requires a complex solution. It's been something we’ve been moving towards for some time and we’ve done a lot of back end work that will allow us to bring it to you in the future.
We have 12 different products within Xero that rely on contact data, as well as many of our app partners. This means that contacts need to seamlessly flow across technology, products and all connections on Xero. And that’s exactly what we’ve been working on.
One of the reasons we announced the retirement of classic invoicing is because many of the features being asked for, just can’t be brought into classic invoicing. The old technology has too many technology limitations to enable this. Change to new invoicing is key to being able to enable us to build features like multiple address details. Between now and September our invoicing team are focused on prioritising the features from classic invoicing that need to be brought across to the new version. Multiple addresses is one of the key features they want to work towards but includes many steps. For example, we enabled it in the back end of contacts last year, but now need to be able to build it into our new invoicing solution. We will keep you updated here of any progression.
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Fiona Guest commented
Having multiple shipping addresses in address 'books' for each customer is not an unusual request for any business selling physical products. Not having this facility requires us to enter the shipping address again for a customer with multiple sites whenever they make an new order unless it is to be sent to the site that they last ordered for. There is also potential for order mistakes if we do not change the delivery address. Some of our customers make a batch of duplicate orders for several sites which is a lot more difficult with the current set up.
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John Butler commented
I have been using accounting solutions for 20+ years as an end user and this 1 feature to me seems a given. MYOB at least had room for 5 additional branches but that wasn't enough for some of the bigger firms.
What's needed is multiple DELIVER ADDRESS AND BRANCH because invoices often need to be sent to the branch for authorisation first. -
Chris Rogers commented
I stopped offering Xero to most clients in 2018, then stopped altogether a couple years later. Micro businesses/PSCs use FreeAgent, everyone else with greater size/complexity is on Quickbooks. Recently some have gone to Sage.
This issue, the (lack of) duplicate contact names, and the credit note problem, are significantly inconvenient and time-consuming.
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Cable Tech Solutions commented
Newer user here, came over from QB. I’ve already been creating multiple “customers” for my larger distributors, Anixter, Wesco, Graybar …. They also ask me to drop ship to THEIR customers. So now I Temporarily change the shipping address but have no way to remove “Anixter” from the ship too address. So the ship too looks something like “Anixter - Company X” then the temp address for my packing slips.
Shipping to all the different branch locations of a single customer or drop shipping to THEIR customers was so simple in QB. There’s so much I like about Xero but this may be a deal killer for me
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Will Broome commented
Sorry it's all platitudes as we've been waiting about 5 years for one simple idea to be implemented (but we need about 15 things - including this issue to be actually dealt with rather than just commented on that they "are looking at it").
Please do not waste your time and energy on Xero - unless you have a very simple business with single customers and simple sales, Xero is not up to it in any form.
We have started moving all 3 of our businesses over (all over £1m t/o) to QB as they offer the right balance. Yes there's a few niggles - but not basic ones like Xero.
If they stopped creating such stupid ads and stopped being Aus/NZ centric in their development processes, maybe they'd take their customers in Europe a bit more seriously.
Bye bye Xero I won't miss you.
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Sharon Passmore commented
I transitioned from Sage to Xero a few years ago, largely because Xero was ahead of the curve in many areas. However, the lack of support for multiple addresses under a single contact record has been a significant pain point for my business. Sage handled this feature very well, and it’s disappointing that Xero doesn’t yet offer a comparable solution.
For example, we work with a client that requires individual invoices for numerous delivery sites. Currently, having to place the delivery address in the reference field is cumbersome and unprofessional. This feels like a fundamental feature that should already be in place.
I understand the complexity of implementing such a solution, but it’s vital for businesses like mine. While this enhancement might not bring immediate revenue, it will undoubtedly help retain your loyal customers and improve user satisfaction.
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Julie Sutton commented
@William Hofer at just 2 years this is still a new idea - "ideas" (aka basic functionality_ that was suggested almost 10 years ago still hasn't been progressed let alone implemented!
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Chris Rogers commented
They aren't working on this, therefore it will never be implemented. The language in the April 24 community manager response is clear, it's something "they want to work towards", not are working on. They "need to be able to build", not are building.
Between April and September they were "focused on prioritising" something else, i.e. not this.
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William Hofer commented
An idea that has 1100 votes and was posted 2 years ago. it takes this long to implement this?
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Richard Berkley-Matthews commented
At present we do not use Xero's invoicing function for customers because it does not seem to be possible to store multiple delivery addresses for individual customers. In our business, where much of what we sell goes 'under bond' to a warehouse, most customers have at least two delivery addresses. And some, who for example send wine out as Christmas presents, have many different delivery addresses against their account.
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Stuart Wili commented
I Have been weighting since 2019 for this functionality!!! still nothing. we have this functionality in purchase orders so how hard can it be. i am exploring new software that has this function. i cant wait for ever for Xero to sharpen up and bring out this feature!!
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james thomas commented
10 days until classic (includes this function) is retired....
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Sameer Khanna commented
Option to add multiple delivery addresses for contacts. All our customers have different delivery addresses and there is no option to add multiple addresses.
We have to type in the product description currently which is not ideal.This is needed as soon as possible.
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kelly zhen commented
I switched from Sage to Xero because I find Xero more straightforward and user-friendly. However, Sage offers more features, like the ability to assign multiple shipping addresses to a single contact. This is important for me because I have clients with multiple branches, and my driver often gets confused about the correct delivery address. I currently have to handwrite the address on the delivery slip, which is time-consuming.
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Charles Hewitt commented
Some really good points here from @SamBond...
I would strongly recommend using the xero api to address these needs.
It is relatively straight forward now to create web pages that interact with the Xero api (which is well documented) and design pages to do just the type of thing you are describing.
It is not ideal and you would expect a competent accounts package to offer the features you are describing.I run a complete subscription and renewal package via an api web interface, the subscription and subscriber data is stored in a separate database and it links to invoices and quotes raised in xero, I am slowly expanding it to include account interactions like sending reminders and accepting quotes and purchase orders.
This leaves xero to handle the transactions and manage the financial accounts - rather than let it get too close to my business.
In the attached screenshot of my online subscription business I can see overdue invoices, expiring subscriptions and subscriber status in one shot with all the payment, quotes and invoicing data linked to xero and new quotes are automatically generated in xero when required.
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Sam Bond commented
@Dale Bourgeois
During your trial, consider if the following are important to you versus what might be available in other packages:
- Multiple addresses for a single customer:-::: no progress from Xero
- Activity statements with aging periods for customers (i.e. 30, 60, 90 days outstanding etc):-::: no progress or interest from Xero
- Invoicing:-:::Xero has implemented a new invoicing architecture that has caused our workflow to take additional time.
- Pricing:
- Basic package with 1 person payroll is 2 x more expensive than no payroll
- Comprehensive package with 5 person payroll is 2.57 x more expensive than no payroll.
- Key point is that if you have a payroll of 2 to 3 people and multiple business interests, then from our perspective Xero is more expensive than other options.
- Of the 10 businesses we run through Xero, the subscription plans are:
• 4 x Comprehensive
• 4 x Ultimate 10
• 1 x Ultimate 50
• 1 x Ultimate 100
We would overlook the subscription price if the first several points were addressed. For some of our businesses, it doesn’t matter. Still, the high-volume, transaction-based businesses with account customers and multiple addresses do matter, and Xero’s limitations are causing a lag in some areas of our account management and our end customer satisfaction. The real cost of Xero is in the additional hours we spend dealing with customers who are questioning basic information that should be automatic from Xero.
While integrations are helpful for Xero to offer greater features and not have to manage them, the additional costs required are questionable.
Our accountant thinks Xero is great, and it functions well from a compliance standpoint. Operationally, we are reviewing alternatives.
Review Xero, and make sure it meets your minimum requirements. Don’t expect things to change if they have been ignored and/or patronised for so long. A short trial may not give you exposure to some of the items that are important to you.
Good luck Dale. -
Cable Tech Solutions commented
I'm on a trial run to see if Xero can replace my use of QB. I was surprised that this feature isn't there...I ship to big distributors (Anixter, Wesco) who have locations all around the USA, but one billing address. I guess the only way to do this is to create the same customer multiple times with the different shipping addresses. Seems like a waste of time and maybe an accounting nightmare to send multiple overdue invoices.
I would also need the billing and shipping addresses listed on the invoice I send to the customer so they know where product was shipped. James' post is concerning, that this was requested 12 years ago and it still hasent happened, so I guess it wont and I need to see if this is a deal killer to move forwarrd with Xero.
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James Moore commented
+1 to Graham's post. Had a similar experience interacting with Xero on X. Continue to bring it up there until they get this fixed. I have been with Xero for 12 years now. In year 1 I expected this to get fixed in the next year or two. It's insane how long it has taken while silly projects like the Apple Watch app were developed.
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Graham Tottle commented
I have recently been in direct e-mail contact with Kelly regarding this issue. Here is my latest reply to her:
Kelly,
Thank you for your reply. I will indeed reserve judgement as I believe actions speak louder than words. However, my expectations are low given that there has been no progress for such a long time. Furthermore, I have written to you several times over the last three years through Xero Central without getting replies or progress on subjects that are critical for a large number of your clients. After I wrote about the situation on X (Twitter), I was contacted by telephone by one of your colleagues who said he would follow up, but he never did, so I'm sure you will appreciate my continued cynicism. There has been no progress or any updates regarding multiple delivery address for months if not years. Nor has there been an update regarding the removal of the available stock figure in the quantity field in new invoicing.
For a large company professing to be a market leader along with Quickbooks, Sage etc this lack of communication is both unprofessional and insulting to your clients. Xero has been "working on it" for too long - exactly how many programmers are working on these issues? I simply fail to believe that it can be that difficult (if there is a will to do it) and that it should take this long - particularly as multiple delivery addresses are already available in Purchase Orders and available stock is shown in the quantity fields of both Quotations and Credit notes - presumably these features integrate across all of Xero's applications, so why are they not included in new invoicing? Given the aforementioned, the fact that Xero are delaying their deployment within new invoicing leads me to the conclusion that they are both possible but are being lined up as chargeable extras in the future - not something that will be welcomed, I'm sure.
I will therefore continue to make people aware of these issues on X (Twitter) as a matter of public service, until at least these two issues have been satisfactorily resolved.Sincerely,
Graham Tottle
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Andrew Brace commented
I do not believe that a company that is advertising on mainstream TV in the UK to use their software consider this BASIC function as "complex"!!!!!!!!!!
It is a basic function on all the major accounting software suppliers. If Xero can't implement basic functions due to "12 other products" and "other apps", then don't have 12 other products and other apps before the basics are in the software!
And what idiot would use the "add delivery address" function on new invoicing if it updates all other existing invoices for that contact to that new address!!!!!
What elicit drugs were they on when they thought that was a good idea!!!!
In the UK, Tax Invoice records have to be held for 7 years. I'm sure it would be illegal for any details to change on any Tax records once submitted to the HMRC & Companies House. Plus, how would you be able to track where any goods/products were previously shipped?
I see that this has been an issue for many years now, so I won't hold my breath on it happening any time soon. Hello Quickbooks.....?