New Manual Journals - Compact view
I’m honestly quite dismayed by the recent update to the Manual Journal interface for NZ clients in Xero.
I’m finding the new layout a little difficult to work with. In particular, there seems to be quite a lot of space allocated to the amounts section, while the Account Title and Description columns have less space. I think the interface would be more practical and easier to read if the layout could be made more compact, with more space allocated to the Account Title and Description fields.
Additionally, the date format appears to follow the US/American standard rather than the New Zealand date format. As this is an interface for NZ clients, it would be much more appropriate and intuitive for the date format to follow the NZ standard (DD/MM/YYYY). This is particularly important in accounting, where date clarity and consistency are essential.
Overall, I feel this update has made the Manual Journal screen less efficient, less compact, and visually less appealing. To be honest, it feels like a step backwards rather than an improvement.
Please consider reviewing the layout and functionality, particularly the column spacing and date entry. Ideally, I would strongly prefer if the previous version could be brought back, as the previous interface was much cleaner, more compact, and more practical for everyday accounting work.
I understand that updates are made to improve the user experience, and I appreciate the work that goes into these changes. I just wanted to provide feedback from the perspective of someone who uses Manual Journals regularly, as I found the previous interface easier and more efficient to use.
Elma Alfonso
shared this idea
Thanks for your feedback, Elma. Our product team is paying close attention to this and exploring ways to improve the experience for users working on smaller screens or using split-screen layouts.
The Account and Description columns are responsive, so widening your view will expand these columns and provide more visibility. We understand, though, that this may depend on your individual setup and processes.
I’ve updated the title of your idea to reflect your request for a compact view, which will help us track interest in this improvement.
Regarding the date formatting, dates in manual journals are localised. We recommend checking your browser’s default language and region settings and, if needed, updating them to match your location. For example, selecting English (New Zealand), English (Australia), or English (United Kingdom) will allow you to enter dates in the DDMMYYYY format.
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Accounts Manager
commented
I agree with everyone. Especially Nicola, she said exactly what came to mind when I first saw this change. I couldn't have said it any better! Who approved this change?
I switch back to the old version each time and hope they permanently change journals back the way it was. -
Rebecca Schaab
commented
Please put it back how it was, and stop AmericaniZing everything.
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Nicola Wilson
commented
I cannot believe the new Journal Experience here in Australia, what is wrong with you Xero, why fix something that isn't broken! Now instead of having everything available to look at, I now have to scroll across to see the rest of the entries, who thought up this great idea! So far, all the changes made, add extra work to my already busy day! Technology is supposed to make things easier but somehow your team make things worse and call it change.
Please find someone who actually works in accounts and in your program daily to oversee changes, before you send them out to us to test on us and make our workday more frustrating than it has to be. -
Carolyn Haley
commented
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Joanne Rennell
commented
I find the new Journal option to be awkward to use, lacks clarity and seems a way to justify the price increase - it makes my life harder and has not improved the program at all. you need to be able to see an entire row on the screen without scrolling and date formats need to be set to the region using it - I move back to old system every time and will continue to do so while I can - not a happy user
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Michelle McArthur
commented
New journal format is so clunky and not user friendly - this is the biggest backwards step I have seen in my 14 years of using Xero.
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Jacqui Grace
commented
I have Xero on full screen and find you still have to scroll to see the Credit column on the new journal screen. Surely it could fit within one window.
There no longer appears to be an option to cancel a journal, only save as draft or post. Can this be added back please?
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Janna Ciccotosto
commented
The new journal layout is not good. Please make it fit so we don't have to scroll across!!
Also, I can no longer select all and copy paste to excel, which I used to do as a workaround for not being able to export manual journals.
This is extremely frustrating. I need to export the manual journals to excel for my reconciliations to our external payroll package. -
Carolyn Haley
commented
I'm working on large screens and still having size issues and having to scroll across and there is a lot of blank space either side. I don't think the screens are the issue. This needs to be fixed and tested properly.
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Carolyn Haley
commented
The changes to the manual journal layout are impractical and add time. The full line can't be seen at one time which means to input or to view, you have to scroll across. This also means that you can't take a snip of the journal which is the quickest way to capture in communications. There is so much blank space on either sides of the screen. This is terrible and very frustrating. It worked much better before. I also preferred the look of the previous journal. Not sure why development time has been put into visual changes that are a step backwards. Please reinstate the previous journal layout and functionality that doesn't require scrolling across the screen to see the journal.
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Daniel Shepherd
commented
Yes, narrow screens need debits and credits, too. I have attached a mock-up image.
I love the new general journals, but can we have an option to hide, shrink (or line-wrap) the tax amount and tax rate?
I often don't use those, but I always need the debit and credit amounts!
Plenty of space is wasted for padding/borders on each left and right side, too.Or, move the debit & credit so I don't lose them off the right-hand side of my screen?
There is plenty of screen-space there, but otherwise it is going to make working with my split-screen setup very difficult.
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Murray Thompson
commented
On a computer screen that is 1920 x 1600 pixels, I still can't see the Credit Column. I have to vertically scroll down to the very bottom to find the Horizontal Scroll bar (quite annoying trying to see everything when I have a 50 Line Journal). This is just for viewing a Journal Entry as well - didn't even want to try to do editing / copying in this new mode - back to the old mode!
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Jessica Caddy
commented
Hi agree with all these comments on the interface - All the font/fields & columns are way to big, you shouldnt have to scroll across the page to be able to see all Columns please - that is not an improvement. Please rethink!
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Advanced Accounts
commented
I agree new layout is no good. The old layout you could view the whole row. This one turns it into a scrolling marathon.
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Jo Oakley
commented
I have only read a few comments but agree that the new layout is awful. Needing to scroll to see the entire row is very time consuming for both entering and checking journals. I have reverted to the old format for now.
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Steph Rugg
commented
I agree with these comments, scrolling to see the entire row is particularly annoying.
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Esther Hutchings
commented
I completely agree with all the comments about the new format for the manual journals. It is not well designed at all for accountants. It is cumbersome and inefficient. The overwhelming response is that the old format was great and met our needs. Why on earth does the Manual Journal entry screen need to match the rest of Xero? Most journal entries are completed by accountants whereas invoicing and bills are entered by people who aren't accountants. Rather match the product to the user than expect an important cohort of your customers to now "make-do" with an inferior product.
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Yvette Anelli
commented
The scrolling to view the entire row is ABSURD. Using a trackpad means you'll always accidentally scroll back an browser page and lose all your work.
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Grace Morris
commented
Agree with these comments. The old version is much easier to navigate and view. There is alot of white space and extra gaps which makes this particularly difficult. Using a portrait screen you have to scroll to see all the data. Some journals that we do can be 50+ lines long and these would get extremely hard to view with this new format. The post button being at the bottom of the screen seems pointless, it was much better directly under the journal.
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Samantha Billings
commented
The format is awful, can not see the whole line on screen and for a large journal have to go to bottom of screen move toggle to right and then head back up, and now can not see the account and value on screen. So clunky. We need the ability, if this is a permanent thing, to narrow the columns, lines.
