Online accounting software company Xero has radically overhauled the dashboard on its accounting app in a major update today. The interface update is the first step towards a “business performance dashboard” that will add business intelligence to the small business accounting program.
The overhaul contains several subtle visual changes such as a move from outlined pastels to bright, block colours and the removal of lines and axis labels on graphs. Overall the interface feels less cluttered and easier to use.
“This update to the dashboard begins the journey of delivering on our vision of providing big data capabilities for small business,” said Tony Rule, product manager for the Xero API in a company post.
Changes to the interface include:
- A new graph that shows incoming and outgoing cash each month for the past six months. The graph shows historical cash movements at a glance. A user can view a bank summary of each month to see the opening balance, cash received, cash spent and closing balance for each bank account.
- Invoice and bill graphs now have much bolder colours and display totals for all outstanding invoices or bills rather than just those overdue. Xero has simplified the charts to make them easier to read at a glance.
- While the dashboard is not yet customisable to the extent of third-party dashboards and some rival apps, a user can rearrange or hide any of the existing widgets.
Xero released a video earlier this year showing how the business performance dashboard will operate. Below are screenshots of the old and new dashboard, as well as two screenshots and video of the upcoming business performance dashboard.
SCREENSHOTS – click to expand
VIDEO