Files - Ability to add note to a file in the library
The new layout does not support our workflow. On the contrary, it slows us down and makes the system less transparent. For practices like ours, managing hundreds of clients, clarity and efficiency are essential. The previous dashboard enabled us to see key information at a glance. The new version creates unnecessary friction.
It is crucial that you retain the option to use the previous dashboard version and allow each Xero user to decide which layout best supports their work. There are hundreds of similar requests in community forums asking for this flexibility. In light of this, the current developer stance — offering no progress or support on the matter — feels unacceptable. If user feedback is requested, it should be meaningfully considered.
Each time we switch between clients, we now have to spend additional time navigating what feels like a chaotic layout. Simple operational questions should be immediately visible, such as:
Are there draft invoices or bills?
How many unreconciled bank transactions are there?
What is the client’s current open financial year?
If development resources are being allocated, we strongly encourage you to focus on improvements that genuinely support daily accounting work rather than redesigning functional elements that were already working well. At the very least, please preserve the option to use the previous dashboard.
If you are looking to introduce meaningful improvements, here are several practical suggestions:
Files Menu Enhancement
In the “Files” menu, there should be an option to add notes alongside uploaded documents.
Open Financial Year Visibility
Upon entering a client, the home screen should clearly show which financial year is currently open (i.e. not locked). It would also be extremely helpful to display, as at the financial year-end date, how many bank transactions remain unreconciled — broken down by bank account.
Multicurrency Reconciliation (Cross-Currency Payments)
For multicurrency clients, when an invoice raised in EUR is partially paid in EUR and partially in USD, it should be possible to reconcile this directly without needing to re-convert the invoice back into GBP.
Bulk Payment Functionality (Multicurrency)
For multicurrency clients, it should be possible to mark multiple invoices as paid in bulk. Currently, this must be done individually, which is inefficient.
We genuinely want Xero to improve and remain the most effective accounting platform for practitioners. However, developments should prioritise usability and operational efficiency for those managing large client portfolios.
Erzsebet Kovacs
shared this idea
Appreciate you sharing feedback, Erzsebet. However we do ask that each post be contained to a single idea in a feature to help;
- other members know what they're voting for
- product teams get a sense of the interest for a particular change
- us provide updates on any progress for a change
Being upfront, the new homepage will replace the Dashboard experience over the coming weeks, and we cannot maintain both experiences long term.
To help with some of the notes you've raised on your needs;
- You can view draft invoices/bills from the Invoices owed to you/Bills to pay widgets - This now sits beneath the graph
- # of items to reconcile should be visible from each Bank account widget, as well as within the Tasks widget
- Net profit or loss widget will provide a quick gauge of the clients FY
I'll update the title of your idea here for the first suggestion you've made around adding notes to Files, and we welcome you to start new ideas for the other improvements you've noted here so we can keep you updated.
