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
Hi team, thanks for continuing to show your support and share feedback here.
We understand your concerns around the amount of space used and the need to scroll to view all columns, particularly when entering and reviewing journals.
We recently released a few enhancements to help with feedback we've received including;
- Improving column sizing, spacing and typography meaning you can see more detail without as much need to scroll.
- Added more space for the Description field and ability to scroll this field
- Optimised widescreen displays
- Increased the amount of time the "Journal posted" confirmation stays visible
- Ability to open journals in separate tabs
- Auto-removal of currency symbols when importing to reduce validation errors
We’ve also started working on a more compact view, which we’re aiming to release soon. 🙂
We appreciate the detailed feedback and examples you've shared here.
I'll come back to share as soon as the compact view is rolled out.
-
Judy Grams
commented
Ability to amend the width of the
columns would be appreciated as I can't see the name in the tracking categories that I have set up as it is too small -
Martin McLean
commented
The new Manual Journals screen is much worse than the original screen. I have had to scroll across the screen to see all the lines of the journal. That's really slow and cumbersome.
-
Grace Gan
commented
I agree. The screen is so spread out now. Its nearly impossible to see current year year-end journals on one screen, much less if you want to compare them to what was posted last year. And its even worse if the client uses payroll since they post to the same screen.
-
Kate Hannigan
commented
I agree with all of the comments here. One of the things that is extremely important to me is to be able to see the whole journal when the browser window is reduced to half screen. The old format was actually great so not sure why it's been changed for the worse.
-
Daniel Shepherd
commented
This is an 80% huge improvement, and if a toggle for compact *narrow* view can be added, this will already be 99% for me.
This (attached) screenshot is my current experience: -
Judy Grams
commented
Need the manual journal page to fit on screen and also the ability to remove the Tax rate and Tax amount columns. Page is very cumbersome
-
John Goldsworthy
commented
Please keep the old journal format. There is far too much blank space on the new layout - which is made worse for us that use big screens. It is much slower and cumbersome. It was easier in its more condensed format
-
Christine Wallace
commented
Built for complexity. Feels like complexity NOT simplicity. Sorry Xero but whoever designed this hasn't for a second considered what the user experience is or its functionality. Its awful, beyond awful. Just make it so we can see everything on the screen without endless scrolling for goodness sake. Beyond frustrating and unnecessary.
-
Angelene Tan
commented
Hello Xero Team,I am writing to express my strong disappointment with the recent changes to the manual journal entry interface. This update has drastically slowed down our workflow and doubled the time required to enter manual journals.
Previously, the entire entry layout fit perfectly within the browser window. The new interface breaks this seamless experience by requiring excessive, counter-intuitive navigation:
Broken Workflow: After entering initial details for a line item, we now have to scroll all the way down to reach the horizontal scrollbar, slide to the right, and then scroll back up just to fill out the remaining fields for that same item.
Compounded Time Waste: Having to repeat this vertical-horizontal-vertical scrolling loop for dozens of line items across multiple journals is causing a severe drop in our operational efficiency.
Xero’s core strength has always been its swift, user-friendly data entry. This layout is a major step backward.Please pass this critical feedback to your product and UX design teams.
We urgently request either a fix to fit the table layout back onto a single screen without nested scrolling, or an option to toggle back to the classic, functional interface. -
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.
-
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
Still need help?
We're listening at Xero, small businesses aren't just customers — they're who we champion. If something's not right and you haven't been able to resolve it through our support channels, reach out directly to ceo@xero.com. Sukhinder and her team personally review these messages. -
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
-
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.
-
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?
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
