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.
Hi everyone, some time on since my last update I wanted to give you more of an idea of the work we have going on to help reduce the number of steps and actions in new invoicing. Along with the changes mentioned in my last update, we've since released a change to the view of an invoice to shift details back into their own columns (similar to classic), while a small change we know it's improved visibility for some of our customers.
We also have other work in development atm that’ll further help here like a new line item grid when editing your invoice - wrapped up in this we’ll be introducing changes you’ve been asking for like the ability to create a new tracking option or account code without having to navigate away from the invoice, we’re increasing the number of items that you can view from the drop down, and we’ll be bringing back the ability to view the number of stock on hand.
As mentioned in my last post, our team is developing shortcuts for the drop down actions like Approve and Save so you have more ease of selecting the option that's best for you.
We also have some updates coming to;
- The Contact card, so you’ll be able to add more details without having to go to the contact record, like more address lines, ability to look up addresses, and entering an Attention to all items we’ve heard lots of feedback on
- Issue and Due date picking where we’ll make it quicker to simply select a calendar date and we’ll be adding more keyboard shortcuts such as the ability to enter +0 for today’s date
- Ability to drag & drop files that we’re enhancing so you’ll be able to do this anywhere on the invoice rather than a specific area
Again, thank you all for sharing and continuing to let us know the improvements that make a difference for you when working with new invoicing. We'll update you as items I've mentioned above are released.
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Kathy Skinner commented
That's because they don't even know why it does that. I get similar answers when I have issues with other sites, log in under incognito mode still doesn't help in some cases even after clearing cookies etc - I use Google Chrome all the time and generally there is no issue so it's at their end with all the changes I bet and they just don't want to admit they are failing their customers.
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Claire Barning commented
@Emily Aspden - I have struck the same problem and contacted Xero Support about it, they just told me to clear cookies, history etc, and then to change from Microsoft Edge Browser to Google Chrome = guess what no difference, they then suggested I need to use Xero in Incognito Mode. Certainly not helping or getting much from support. Can I suggest you log this also with support and see if you get any better answer, as all the one's I got, have gotten me no where.
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Emily Aspden commented
There seems to be a glitch with the attach documents function. Often times when I try to attach documents to an invoice, I go through the process of uploading the file, click upload and then nothing happens. I then do it again (in exactly the same way) and it works. So I have to upload twice for it to register. Can this be fixed please?
So often I find invoices haven't had the relevant uploads because we have gone through the process and not realised it's not registered until it's too late, so we then have to go back through past files to find the relevant documents for that invoice. Now we know it's common we have to remember to do it twice... even then I still find invoices with no files uploaded so twice clearly doesn't always work either.
Also, there was the issue of when you copy an invoice to a new one, the default payment terms for that client didn't copy through with it. You seem to have temporarily fixed this (at least I'm hoping it's only temporary!), with a note to remove and reselect the customer. Yes this works but yet another set of unnecessary clicks which can easily be missed - just in case there aren't plans to change this, please take this as a request that it does need to be changed so that the defaults copy over with the customer.
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Jim Morris commented
Clicks to complete an invoice have increased at least 300%. Even using Tab more often to move between fields cannot solve the excessive click-fest that invoicing has become...
...and don't even get me started on the inconsistency of clicking into a field where sometimes it highlights the current data so you can overwrite and at other times doesn't or puts the cursor in the wrong place so you have to delete and start again... -
Lloyd Preston commented
Its been mentioned before in this post or some of the other post re new invoicing - trying to attach doc's to a new invoice is a paid. You have to open a window and not only that you have to save the invoice/quote before it will let you drag the doc into a specific area that you have to click on to allow attachments - more clicks and pain for uses and the customer whom pays for the solution which is becoming more a nightmare than a world winning solution.
Why will Xero not listen - even tried to get Herald to investigate - don't think they did but how do we communicate with management and shareholders that persisting with this forced change will lose a lot of goodwill and in the long run customers - hopefully they will do a survey - you know - how likely are you to recommend Xero to customer - 0 Unlikely
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Abby Stewart commented
The pop-up boxes on the bottom left of the screen are very annoying; we have to "x" out of them before adding another line in the invoice.
The "Attention" contact box is gone. We used this frequently.
We can't see the full text in the Account or tax settings boxes because the boxes are so large. An easy fix would be to make the Quantity, Price, and Amount boxes narrower, so we can see more of the other text.
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Massimiliano Cacciamani commented
Hey, revolutionary idea:
Keep the layout and functionality of classic invoicing, and only change what is happening in the background.
This will keep people happy.
The other option would be to carry on with your planned phase out of the classic invoicing, because Xero doesn't give a truck about what their users want.
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Mary Roberts commented
Hi...I am getting used to new invoicing, but there is still an issue for me when emailing an invoice. If I look at history it will tell me the email address of the FIRST person I sent the invoice to. However, if I send the same invoice to another email address, all history tells me is that the invoice has been updated. I really need to know all the email addresses this invoice has been sent to. An update for this issue would be appreciated please.
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Haidee Nightingale commented
@Kelly Munro - when will these updates be implemented? I tried new invoicing again today and the date picking hasn't been changed yet. At this point I cannot even fathom the amount of time entering hundreds of invoices is going to take me with the new invoicing. It is clunky and slow (it doesn't register my code input as quickly as the classic, there is a few second lag so I am constantly getting a pop up box for New Item on a code that already exists because I'm moving faster than your new invoicing can keep up). See attached screenshot. New Invoicing does not respond quickly, it isn't showing me a preview of my invoice on the odd occassion I hit approve and send (and don't get me started on approve and send being the default and at the top right instead of the bottom). This is a major issue for us. I had hope it would be fixed in time for the roll out but we're 20 days away and nothing has changed.
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David Roff commented
The drag and drop attachments in new invoicing is SO BAD, you have to click a button to get a window to appear and then drag before it closes, the old way was better just drop on the invoice, im not sure who thought that this new way was better.
The other thing that's now unusable in the new invoicing it the file library, try taking pictures of the receipts or things you need to add and put them in file library for use later. When you go in the invoicing you can no longer preview them, and they just get a random file name from the camera i.e. photo-1, photo-2. so which ones do I need to add to THIS invoice is impossible to do. I have to have two windows side by side.
I really want to like the new invoicing but its nowhere near as usable as the old version (yet) and I feel we are fighting to make that clear to Xero there are so many points raised on this its not against change and this post sums it up well, 'sub optimal' and 'forced into'. The product manager for invoicing should take a day out and read the posts and talk to the users and ask them to show why its not great and could be better.
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Angela Collins commented
The new invoicing is a downgrade not an upgrade. Who in their right mind wants to add extra clicks, steps and scrolling to each invoice having to be generated, adding to their already busy days?
This is a true case of someone trying to justify their job.
Let us continue to use the old invoices!
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Justin Durrington commented
Dont know if this is where I should be putting this feedback, but since the new invoicing has been released it glitches every time I try to upload attachments to go with the invoices.
I have to click it and select the documents 5 times before it registers it needs to complete the action. If I do it in the quotes section it works instantly, just in the new invoicing section.Would be great if this could be reviewed as it is so frustrating and wasting time.
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David Stenson commented
Xero’s new invoicing system is a textbook example of a “downgrade disguised as an upgrade.” What used to be a simple, efficient process has become a frustrating mess of extra clicks, unnecessary scrolling, and a user interface that looks like it was designed by kids for a school project. Tasks that once took seconds now require navigating through cluttered menus, hunting for options, and wading through a poorly optimized layout that sacrifices functionality for a less than modern look.
Frankly, the only way I could express my dissatisfaction was by voting with my wallet. After exploring my options, I downgraded from paying £39 per month to £19 per month – for the same features. It’s infuriating that rather than improving functionality, Xero seems more focused on pushing customers into higher-priced plans while offering a worse user experience.
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Rosina Karmacharya commented
New Invoicing doesn't have network sharing and its such crucial feature for my company.
In terms of additional clicks, I don't like how it doesn't show calendar view to chose date and you have to choose " pick a date " to go to Calendar view and choose date.
They should leave it at Calendar view , the way it is currently.
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Mark Larrington commented
Kelly
How about you FIX the BUGS before telling us what's coming?
I reported a serious bug to Xero Support in January 24 - ITS STILL NOT FIXED!!!!
Bug - When copying a Purchase Order to a NEW INVOICE it copies the items Purchase price rather than the Sales Price of the item. (Old invoicing works correctly)
The first time I encountered this bug, a customer had to call and tell me I had invoiced them several thousands of ££££ to little!!!
So now I have many more clicks and Invoice anxiety ensuring Im using the correct sales price rather than trusting Xero to put the correct info in.
Come on Xero... FIX THE BUGS!
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Nigel Harper commented
You still have Approve & Next running in REVERSE Chronological Order!
This is so perverse. Why can't the order be taken from the Sort order in the Drafts View - that way if you really do want to process the invoices backwards, you can. But at least the rest of the world can keep working normally !!!PLEASE PLEASE DON'T STOP US FROM USING CLASSIC UNTIL THIS IS FIXED - IT'S CRITICAL .
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adrian walker commented
Your making it sound like your doing us a Favour and were benefitting from all your hard work!! Using phrases like:
"our team is developing"
"further help"
"the work we have going on to help reduce the number of steps"
" it's improved visibility for some of our customers"
"We also have other work in development"
Etc..You and your team might be working hard but your making us work harder and all your doing is trying to fire fight all the issues Xero has created...
It is simple, Turn off the new version and keep with the classic version???
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Chris Dwyer commented
Some positive steps, but still when will you fix the issue of imported invoices unable to be auto-allcoated the next invoice number.
We import end of month invoices, and do not know what our invoice sequence should be as it's automated. We would import, then delete the placeholder invoice nuber that our external system generated, and then Classic Xero would give us a correct next invoice number. New Xero just re-shows the same placeholder number.
If this is not possible, has the API been updated to allow 'next invoice number' to be checked ?
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Pyroclassic Fires commented
We are getting closer to when Xero says they will be turning off classic Invoicing and still there are way to many bugs to make this a useable system.
Come on Xero, how about you delay the go live until the issues are sorted. we pay you enough to deliver a system that is robust and fir for purpose.
There's way too much to list here and besides everyone else ahs already said it.
There is no point in saying what's coming as you don't seem to get how stressed we are that come November we will be forced to use an inferior product.
You say this is fixed etc but I'm not sure as when I try in my version it isn't. Are you rolling out the fixes to every customer or just a select few? -
Olga O'Keefe commented
Kelly,
How many versions of new invoicing are active at the moment?
I tried to email an old invoice in the locked period to check that this action would appear in the invoice's history. We have two companies. One company did not have any warning, I emailed the invoice and received it. But there is no addition to the history. It even does not say that the invoice was updated.
When I tried to do the same in the other company a pop-up window appeared saying that it was impossible to amend this invoice as it was in the locked period. (this nonsense was discussed before). But the message was sent regardless, and I received it. Of course, nothing was added to the invoice history.
As you can see, my experience is different from @Roshelle Dalziel's.
I am afraid that on 20.11.2024 we will still be comparing apples and oranges and not seeing the proper invoice history.