Xero has introduced a refreshed navigation in 2025, designed to make managing your business finances faster, simpler, and more intuitive. The redesign brings clearer labels, smarter groupings, and streamlined workflows that help users move seamlessly from one task to the next. By placing the most important tools and insights right where you need them, the update enhances efficiency for everyday tasks like sales, purchases, reporting, and payroll. It is worth noting that your navigation may look slightly different depending on your region, plan, and user permissions, but the goal remains the same, which is a smoother, more productive Xero experience.
Key Summary
Smarter, simpler menus
Xero’s refreshed navigation introduces clearer labels and logical groupings to save time and reduce complexity.
Right-hand panel upgrade
Access JAX (AI business companion), search, notifications, and apps in one place for uninterrupted workflows.
Dedicated Sales & Purchases
New top navigation sections for invoices, quotes, bills, and suppliers make cash flow management easier.
Enhanced reporting & insights
Reporting moves to the main menu with Analytics Powered by Syft for real-time, data-driven decision-making.
Centralised settings & compliance tools
From payroll and tax to bank rules, all core functions are streamlined for accuracy and efficiency.
Read: Getting started with Xero
What’s Changed In Xero’s Navigation?
Xero’s refreshed navigation has been reimagined to help users work smarter and faster. The update introduces simpler labels and more logical groupings, making it easier to find the features you need without unnecessary clicks. Whether you’re managing sales, purchases, reporting, or payroll, the redesigned layout ensures you can transition smoothly from one task to another, reducing wasted time.
Another key improvement is the emphasis on quick access to insights and essential tools. With reporting and analytics more visible, and features like JAX (Xero’s AI business companion) built into the workflow, businesses can make better decisions in real time. The result is a navigation system designed not only for efficiency but also for clarity empowering users to stay focused on growing their business.
Read: Xero Setup Guide: How To Set Up Xero
New and Improved Right-Hand Panel
One of the standout updates in Xero’s refreshed navigation is the new and improved right-hand panel, designed to keep essential tools within immediate reach. At the center of this upgrade is JAX, Xero’s AI business companion, which provides intelligent support to help you work smarter and make better decisions.
The panel also includes built-in search, help, notifications, and app access, so you can quickly find information, get assistance, stay updated, and connect with your business tools — all without breaking your workflow. By keeping these functions consolidated in one place, Xero has created a fluid and uninterrupted user experience, helping you focus on your tasks instead of navigating menus.
Sales and Purchases: Now In The Top Navigation
To better match how businesses actually work, Xero has separated Sales and Purchases into their own dedicated sections in the top navigation. This change makes it easier to manage both sides of your cash flow with fewer clicks and more intuitive access.
- Sales (new): You can now get to your sales tasks faster, with direct access to invoices, quotes, and related settings. Instead of navigating through the Contacts menu, Sales is front and center, helping you streamline customer billing and follow-ups.
- Purchases (new): Similarly, Purchases now has its own section for managing bills, expenses, and supplier relationships. This update allows you to stay on top of outgoing payments more efficiently, while still linking back to centralised supplier records in Contacts.
With Sales and Purchases easily accessible from the main menu, Xero has created a simpler, more logical flow for handling daily transactions, giving you a clearer picture of money coming in and going out.
Read: Xero Account Transaction Report
Reporting: Smarter Insights At Your Fingertips
Xero has moved Reporting to the main navigation, giving you faster access to the insights that matter most. This update ensures that essential reports are no longer buried within menus, making it easier to monitor performance and stay on top of business trends.
A major enhancement is the integration of Analytics Powered by Syft, which provides deeper financial insights and visual dashboards to help you make data-driven decisions with confidence. Whether you need to track profitability, cash flow, or business performance over time, these powerful tools are now only one click away.
Additionally, the Reporting settings have been restructured, giving you greater control and flexibility to tailor reports to your business needs. From simple overviews to advanced analytics, Xero’s refreshed reporting helps you transform raw numbers into actionable insights.
Payroll: Streamlined For Compliance and Efficiency
The refreshed navigation makes Payroll more accessible than ever, placing it directly in the main menu for quick entry. This change means you can manage employee payments without digging through multiple menus, saving valuable time during payroll runs.
Xero’s payroll system is designed to automate calculations and reduce errors, helping you process wages, deductions, and contributions with greater accuracy. By removing repetitive manual steps, you can free up more time to focus on managing and growing your business.
Another key benefit is built-in local compliance support. Whether you operate in the UK, US, Australia, or New Zealand, Xero’s payroll tools help ensure you stay aligned with regional regulations and reporting requirements giving you peace of mind and confidence in every pay cycle.
Accounting: Tools For Period-End And Beyond
Xero’s refreshed navigation also improves how you manage your accounting tasks, particularly during period-end processes. A key update is the introduction of a new option for Bank rules, making it easier to view, edit, and manage rules in one place. This saves time on reconciliations and ensures greater accuracy in how transactions are categorised.
In addition, Xero has centralised Accounting settings, now accessible directly from the main navigation. This update provides accountants and business owners with quicker access to essential tools needed to close books, review financials, and keep records up to date without unnecessary searching.
Together, these changes mean less time spent navigating menus and more time focusing on the bigger picture whether that’s improving cash flow or preparing for strategic decision-making.
Tax: Dedicated Regional Menus
Managing tax in Xero is now simpler thanks to the refreshed navigation. Tax functions have been separated by region UK, US, Australia, and New Zealand so you can access the right tools and reporting options for your jurisdiction without confusion. This tailored approach ensures that each region’s unique tax requirements are easier to find and manage.
Another important update is the addition of enhanced permission controls. By assigning the right access levels to your team, you can protect sensitive tax data while still enabling advisors or staff to handle the tasks relevant to their role.
Finally, Tax settings have been relocated to the new centralized settings page, creating a single place where you can configure tax options alongside your other accounting preferences. This streamlines setup and ongoing management, helping businesses stay compliant with confidence.
Contacts and Projects: Quick Access, Smarter Settings
The refreshed navigation also makes it easier to manage the people and projects that keep your business running.
- Contacts: Customer and supplier management is now more streamlined, with a centralised Contacts settings page. Instead of navigating across different sections, you can view, update, and manage details for customers and suppliers in one place. This makes it simpler to maintain accurate records and stay on top of your business relationships.
- Projects: Xero has also introduced one-click access to Projects, helping you save time and focus on the work that matters most. With the new Projects settings, you can easily configure how projects are tracked, billed, and reported — ensuring better oversight and smoother project management.
By centralising settings and reducing the steps to access essential tools, Xero has created a smarter, more efficient way for businesses to manage both contacts and projects.
Read: What’s New in Xero: 2025 Product & Feature Update Guide
A New Home For Settings
Xero’s refreshed navigation in 2025 introduces a centralized settings page, streamlining how users manage their organisation’s preferences. You can now access all settings directly from the organisation menu, ensuring that key configurations are always just a click away.
For added convenience, settings are also available in relevant dropdown menus throughout Xero, allowing you to adjust options contextually without navigating away from your current workflow. This dual approach, central hub plus contextual access makes managing your organisation’s accounting environment faster, more intuitive, and less prone to oversight.
Key Benefits of Xero’s Refreshed Navigation
Xero’s 2025 navigation overhaul isn’t just cosmetic—it’s designed to boost efficiency and streamline daily accounting workflows. Key benefits include:
- Saves time with streamlined workflows: Tasks like accessing Sales, Purchases, or Reporting are now easier to reach, reducing clicks and simplifying day-to-day operations.
- Reduces complexity with simpler grouping: Logical grouping of tools and menus ensures you spend less time searching for features.
- Improves accuracy with better access to compliance tools: Tax functions, payroll, and bank rules are now easier to find, helping businesses stay compliant and reduce errors.
- Helps businesses scale with smart insights: Reporting and analytics are more accessible, giving SMEs actionable insights to make informed growth decisions.
Conclusion
Xero’s refreshed navigation is built for efficiency, accuracy, and growth. Staying updated with these changes ensures a smoother adoption process and allows businesses to fully leverage Xero’s tools for better workflow management and strategic decision-making.
How FastLane Group Can Help
Navigating software updates can be challenging, especially for growing SMEs. FastLane Group offers:
- Expertise in Xero setup and training: Get personalised guidance to configure Xero according to your business needs.
- Ongoing support to navigate changes: Ensure your team adapts smoothly to the refreshed navigation and maintains workflow efficiency.
- Tailored solutions for SMEs in Hong Kong and Malaysia: Practical, region-specific advice to help your business stay compliant and scale effectively.
Contact us for a free consultation today.
