New Invoicing - Reduce number of steps and clicks
New invoicing has introduced more clicks, taps, steps at almost every level.
Please remove the added friction as it increases processing time.
The "new invoicing" messages are full of comments regarding where these pressure points have been added.
We are paid subscribers, and beta testing/seeking feedback is wonderful, but being forced onto an inferior model is.. suboptimal.
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Hi team, thank you to those that engaged our team through the research of the new invoicing layout. With help and input from you all we have released improvements to the layout of new invoicing that involves shifting the placement of some fields and buttons which has also helped to reduce white space and condense the view.
Hearing about the differing flows and how many customers enter data when invoicing has helped inform where fields and buttons are now placed, and in many cases helps speed up the entry of your invoicing data.
We’re continuing to explore improvements such as default options, keyboard entry of fields and pathways when adding additional options within the invoicing grid (such as Tracking, or Accounts), and we have individual ideas for these elements that we’d encourage you to join and support, which I’ve listed below.
- New Invoicing - Remember default settings
- New Invoicing - Quick find Address
- New Invoicing - Select default for 'Approve' Button e.g not 'Approve & Email
- New Invoicing - Add new Tracking option
- New Invoicing - Move Save button to bottom of invoice like classic
- New Invoicing - Add Payment details on invoice screen
- New Invoicing | Files - Drag & drop anywhere on the page
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Jean Evans commented
I've just quickly scrolled through the 3 pages of comments from Xero users and from what I could see, no one seems to be enamoured of the new invoicing format. Surely that should tell Xero admin that they have a ton of dissatisfied customers. And dissatisfied customers have a tendency to take their business elsewhere and tell everyone they can think of about their bad experiences. That is where social media really comes into its own. You do a good job, we will tell the world; you do a bad job, we will tell the world.
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Jean Evans commented
Kelly, you state you have made some changes which will be beneficial for us, (the user of your programme, us, the people that pay to keep you employed) Adding a bin icon is not new, it was on the old format.
What would be helpful us to reduce the number of steps in processing in the new format. For instance to add a new client, I now have to enter the name, tab, enter and tab another 13 times to get where I can save. OR I can type the name, tab, enter and then go to the mouse to 'save' All of this is double if not triple handling. The old format saved the new client automatically. It would be interesting to know how many clients complained about the old invoicing format. If I was really cynical I would say that you were changing the format simply to justify your wages. After all if it is all running smoothly, the Tech Support department could probably be halved. -
Heather Palmer commented
These things are so irrelevant to what is actually missing in the new invoicing system, leave the classic invoicing as it works the way users prefer, there is so many options that are used in the classic invoicing that work well and are not in the new invoicing. I moved back to the classic invoicing as soon as the new invoicing became available and will NOT use the new invoicing again until things are rectified. You CANNOT discontinue something that works well for your user. XERO PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR USERS THEY PAY YOUR SALARY. There are other programs out there that we can all move to, but using Xero for the past 6 years has made me so frustrated time and time again that you dont listen to what users WANT.
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Kathy Skinner commented
I just checked the new invoicing to see if it allows me to do bulk invoicing like the old system and it doesn't. Under the old version I have multiple groups that get invoiced a membership depending on their tiers. I have been able to generate one draft invoice which then allows me to create the same invoice for everyone in that group and then approve them all at the same time. Some have up to 30 in a group and it saves so much time when you have over 100 invoices to do.
The new version doesn't appear to allow it that I can see as when I switched while trying to do it for a group instead I get a message it doesn't have a contact name and the next invoice number would be allocated.If it's to do with the old platform that this change has to happen then everything on the classic should have been moved over not be done piece meal like you are doing then adding things on the way as people complain.
Plus this should have been sorted before making your customers use it and retiring Classic - you have gone backwards on this badly. It's what I would expect when you first started out years ago and actually listened to people about what was missing or their suggestions on what was needed or wanted.The screen view is still horrible and despite multiple complaints on the view it's had nothing done about it and I haven't seen anything to say this is going to be looked at.
Has anyone else worked out how to do a bulk invoicing in the new version or do we have to do individual ones all the time and using "copy to" for the next client who has exactly the same invoice details.
I should bill Xero as doing over 100 invoices like this is going to take up so much time. I feel for everyone who has way more invoices than this to issue and send out each month.
Also does anyone have a suggestion on another NZ based accounting option, I have another client who doesn't issue invoices at all as they are a POS mainly and any invoices that are issued are done outside of Xero via a Hospitality program but does need bill entry etc, the Starter version isn't suitable as it only allows 5 bills a month and we need to enter more than that so she has to be on the Standard which is a higher fee and basically a waste of money for her. Not interested in using MYOB as I don't like that one either. I looked at Hnry but that also doesn't work for her.
The only one I have been able to find that is pretty competitive as far as what I need is "Reckon" that is giving 50% off for 6 months but I think it is AUS based but still cheaper after conversion to NZ$ and has more options for their Accounting Plus plan which would probably be suitable and much better than Xero's Starter plan is. Has anyone used this one or knows a bit more about it?Time Xero realised their customers maybe starting to look elsewhere for cheaper options that have basically the same if not more functions. Pity they have such a hold on customers that it can be difficult to change over to someone else, especially when you have multiple clients and then it can also depend on other factors outside of your control in regards to moving to a new program e.g Accountants, Auditors etc who all use Xero and won't use anything else.
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Chris Curlett commented
I do so agree with Damon - Keep the old system
Do not break that which is working.
I still have not been told WHY these changes have to happen
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Freya Pieroz commented
@Claire Barning that's just one of the many reasons the New Invoicing doesn't meet the Accessibility requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Anything that requires mouse usage is unusable for people who can't use a mouse (like when I had hand surgery)
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Helen Mutch commented
The more i read the comments the more i feel like Xero should scrap the new invoicing and just leave the classic version as your new version is not as user friendly.. why do you not listen to your actual users???
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Chris Curlett commented
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE reinstate the ability to create a Repeating Invoice from a draft invoice
I SO AGREE WITH THIS
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Ziegfried Kritzinger commented
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE reinstate the ability to create a Repeating Invoice from a draft invoice. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😭😭
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Denise Barnard commented
When copying an Invoice - please keep the customer's name. In the new invoicing when you copy an invoice you need to re-add the customer, which not only cause more clicks but can also lead to mistakes.
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Rob Pennoyer commented
Xero: Check our our new invoicing! It has 25% of the features of the existing version!
Customers: The missing 75% includes dozens of show-stopper problems and missing functionality that aren't merely inconvenient but literally prevent us from working.
Xero: How about 30%? It'll be great! You just don't understand software! -
Mark Larrington commented
Well Xero you are certainly living up to your UK TV advert and running a marathon in quicksand! I for one feel totally insulted by ignoring of the simple message that users are telling you to simply IMPLEMENT ALL THE CLASSIC INVOICING FEATURES to keep you client base happy.
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Claire Parker commented
Great, but these are additional features and not ones that most users are having issues with. This is the proverbial re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic - we need the basic functionality sorted out before you switch off Classic.
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Tara Broderick commented
Hahahahaha - Ignoring every comment here AND updates showing that they are ignoring them. That's bloody hilarious.
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Linda Brown commented
Thank you.
These are all great improvements, but please remained focused on the operational side of data entering an invoice. Like - copy invoicing keeping the client selected, and tabbing between fields in a Z (sequential) order and where the date picks up today's date just on a tab function etc.
If you can restore the data entry time back to where it was for Classic invoicing, then you're well on your way to keeping your clients happy.
Thx
Linda -
Ali J. Karim commented
Unfortunately it's still terrible.
Can there be a lawsuit against Xero for getting to move from traditional systems getting used to fantastic features and then moving it back to the old legacy weird clunky shyte systems? -
Lloyd Preston commented
Agree entirely with last two comments - thanks Fiona for stating it clearly - if it isn't broke then don't mess with it.
What would be good for you to play with is the inventory system - a few years back you brough up another company inventory system and was supposed to incorporate it into Xero - this included the batch and location facility - here we are years later with no update on that which would add a lot more value to the basic Xero package - but instead you mess up invoicing. Listen to the users - or at least talk to them about what is working and what could be improved - unless there is some big picture stuff we are missing?? -
Claire Barning commented
Hi Kelly - in the original invoicing system, we could tab through easily, selecting customers, date, etc = now we need to use our mouse all the time to select options (customer, date etc), and if you do tab from one of these, it starts back at the top of the internet browser. Please fix this also.
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Fiona Dieleman commented
I actually would dare someone from the "design team" to call me and talk about what they did and why it is not a good thing. It won't happen, my phone won't ring....
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Fiona Dieleman commented
Kelly, that is all pumping water to save the ship. You need to put ALL the functionality of old invoicing back in place, and get rid of that stunted 70ies telex page look and go back to the old look, then introduce new features. You have taken away ALL of the features a small business uses daily. Like the new reporting which is diabolical, this is another suck it up people effort from Xero without asking us what works and what we want. Mumble about old platforms how ever long you want but the essence is you took a good working system and dumped it in the bin and ****** off a lot of people by rolling out and hunk of junk.