Enter your idea

Sarah - I put "DISPUTED" before the invoice number. BUT that relies on me seeing that when raising payments, and also means that there could be duplicates as if the invoice number is entered again with DISPUTED it doesn't recognise a duplicate. It is not a good work around.

I use the 'planned date' function too, but now they have taken away the old style supplier reports, it automatically populates the blank planned dates with the due date and so I cannot run reports excluding them anymore!! Well done Xero!

Being able to flag purchase invoices (bills) as being in dispute was a feature in the pre-Windows version of Sage in the 1980s - I am that old! - which tells you that it's fundamental to a basic accounting system.

Kelly, you ask why it's so important: well, unless a bill is approved in Xero it doesn't hit the ledgers, so the expense and liability aren't reflected in the accounts and the VAT that could be reclaimed isn't picked up by the VAT return in Xero. However, there's often something wrong with a bill that involves some to-ing and fro-ing with the supplier, which means that it should be excluded from payment runs.

The only way I've found round this is to use the 'planned date' functionality and just not enter a date for something in dispute.

Totally agree, I have used Sage in the past but felt it wasn't keeping up with its competitors although all it had all the functions we're asking Xero for. Time for another look I think.

Arnis - You're not the only one in the partner programme considering the move. I know a particular platinum partner who have been challenged recently as to why they stick with Xero based on recent lack of tangible, useful, customer based progress. Maybe when those in the 1,000s of clients start migrating they'll wake up...

Arnis - Totally agree and Sage had this flag functionality decades ago!! It's a basic requirement for any accounting package. Why Xero seems to think it unnecessary I fail to understand.
COME ON XERO, WAKE UP AND LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS.

Just received price increase notification.... Really Xero?

Will & Lorna - I had used Sage for over 10 years before this and would say it's a far superior product and is also cheaper (even before the latest price hike).
I'm currently looking into moving our 70+ project companies over to Sage

I was a Sage dinosaur, and came to Xero because my director had his ‘head turned’.

At the time Sage was being left behind in their field, but I think they have done a lot of work on their package recently and I wonder if it is worth another look now.

I totally agree @Will Broome. Xero are way off the mark with understanding their customers. Charging more, reducing the functionality, making our lives more and more difficult each day!

I would also like to know any good package that also handles multi currency.

Well there's your answer if you're in the UK : Check your email.

Xero pricing changes in the United Kingdom

They have to pay for their coffees - s**t advertising and World Cup sponsorship somehow.

Anyone know a good package out there that can handle :

Accounting
PO's
Quotes
Products in to a database in order to create quotes.

I would rather pay more now than stay with a company that clearly doesn't value it's customers - the only way they will listen!

I am absolutely amazed that Xero want our opinions but at the same time ignore our needs. All programs I have worked on have the ability to put purchase invoices on hold except Xero.

Very Very Important- We must record the cost for monthly accounts, but it's essential to hold off on making the payment until the issue with the subcontractor is resolved. This is particularly important when dealing with multiple subcontractors. Keeping the payment as a draft can lead to inaccuracies in our books, and it may affect the accuracy of our monthly accounts

Please add this as a matter of urgency. So important.

Collis - exactly what most long term users have been saying for 5 years or more... there is no two way communication or listening exercise with Xero. It's their way or no way.

The truth of the matter is we're all mugs for continuing to pay monthly for a sub standard product...

After reading the comments on this thread, what I don't understand is why Xero even bothers with this forum. It's very clear they don't want to listen to their customers. Time to start looking at alternative suppliers methinks.

Why Xero are you not going to develop this? It is a fundamental part of the purchase ledger procedure. We need to be able to see bills on hold or under dispute with a reason code or something. As per previous posters comments, it is all too easy, especially for a larger company with several staff to pay bills under dispute if there is nothing there to indicate they are! There seems to be no comment from Xero since November 2022. You asked for a clearer understanding. Surely the amount of comments and explanations would sway you to actually take action on this!!

Arnis - total agree and posted following on your thread:
I am struggling to understand why when requested by so many that XERO does not even think it is worth investigating being able to dispute bills, a very basic requirement of an accounting system. Today this has caused problems with a supplier, when a junior accounting person promised payment for a bill that is in dispute. Fortunately long standing relationships have resolved this, but what if this was not the case? I'd be interested to know on what basis it has been reviewed, analysed, and deemed not a priority by product team.

At the moment, the only way to track all bills and recognise ALL liabilities is to add the bills/credit notes in draft and send them for approval, and then post a journal at the time of preparation of accounts, i.e. monthend or yearend..

("Send for Approval". That's a joke as nothing is sent, not even an email to the approver to advise them that a bill is awaiting approval.)

The bill then sits in Awaiting Approval, but no posting is made to the P&L, Balance Sheet or VAT Return. It is fundamental to ALL good accounting practice to recognise liabilities as they arise, not as they are approved.

I wonder how Xero account for disputed bills in their accounts. Maybe they use another accounting package!!!

I've commented too - and also mentioned about not being able to include credit notes in a payment run and having to allocate credit notes to totally random unrelated invoices

Good idea, Arnis, I've added my comment, think we should all do it!

I'm wondering if Xero now has a "clearer understanding" of this.
Looks pretty clear to me. You have 326 votes on the old thread and 471 on the current saying that this is a highly required feature.

I have added a comment on LinkedIn in hope that it might attract some positive traction.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7082476364972363776/