How could Xero improve the homepage?

Add widget for due date (with countdown of days until date) for upcoming VAT return submission, and estimated amount. Link to VAT now missing entirely!

The new homepage is full of poorly designed widgets - but I wanted to give you a specific example where the new design has gone wrong.

Compare the old VAT widget and the new VAT widget. At a glance the old VAT widget:

1. Clearly shows two separate submissions, due to the line that separates them.

2. The payment due (in 2 days) clearly stands out as being important due to that entry being in bold and the amount being right-aligned within the widget.

3. The title (and time status since last update) being in a different colour, clearly indicates it's ancillary information. (The title being blue also indicates that this is a clickable link to take me to the VAT section.)

Compare this to the new widget:

4. The major eye-drawing information is "91 days". This is no where near as important as the 2 day payment deadline. (NB: It might be important if there wasn't a more important deadline before the 91 days, or if the 91 days was actually under 30 days or something.)

5. It's not as clear that there are two submissions being reported; indeed the second listed submission is done in such a way to suggest it's sub-information of the top listed information

6. As a result of the stylistic changes, it's very easy to miss the 2 day deadline - the most important information that's being conveyed.

I raise this widget specifically as it's a good example of why the new dashboard widgets completely miss the mark in being as efficient as the old dashboard widgets, and provides insight into where many of the new homepage design errors exist.

With the old widget it's easy to scan the right-hand side of the widget and see that a payment is due, and the bold text and line separators assist in the instant recognition this is for the previous submission. Everything just "pops" from a simple eyeballing, no actual reading is needed.

With the new widget, nothing "pops" - you have to READ the widget to understand what needs to be done. The only thing that's popping is the 91 days, which is the least important information.

Most other widgets suffer from similar issues.

Can we please look to undertake another pass of ALL the widgets to improve their usability, and efficiency of information presentation.

I've adjusted my homepage to include the CHART OF ACCOUNTS WATCHLIST, and specifically the VAT CONTROL ACCOUNT. On my homepage, I want to quickly access information to make decisions - but in this view, I can only see the columns "This month" and "YTD" ... how can I edit the columns, so that it can include the DUE status. This will then show me my VAT YTD, THIS MONTH and WHAT IS NOW DUE. Decisions are made for cashflow based on what is DUE, not what has been paid (YTD).

There needs to be a Tax and Reporting module like the old version. Please include this

A simple reminder on the homepage that the VAT submission is due and possibly a list of prior returns submitted as an overview

I need to retain the "VAT Return" box on the new landing page. There isn't a widget option for this in the beta version

Accounting - retain VAT Return