Have You Seen Those New QBO Changes Yet?

by

General Ledger

QBO is changing its color schema and even adding some feature placements. So, have you seen the changes? Are you already working in this new user interface?

Earlier, we showed you examples of what Intuit had released in the way of preliminary illustrations of the new schema. Unfortunately, not many of our readers were very excited about the changes. 

Intuit now is rolling out the new user interface. During our QuickBooks Online Certification Virtual Bootcamp, one instructor was still using the old (perhaps current) QBO user interface, while the another instructor already had received the new user interface that was pushed out to her company files.

While attempting to capture some screen images during the Bootcamp, I received a press announcement from Intuit shortly to my publication deadline. The announcement featured very small and low-quality graphics, which I have attempted to use to supplement what I was able to capture to illustrate the new changes.

Here is an example (taken during our Bootcamp) of the new QBO color schema – or perhaps as many of our readers commented in our earlier story about the upcoming changes, a “lack of color” schema.

Here’s the way the QBO Home Page has looked with the blue-black left hand navigation bar (almost the same as since 'Harmony' was first released):

Where did all the color go...

In response to our earlier article, one theme ran through the comments we received, “Where did all the color go...?”

Insightful Accountant was able to garner some graphics captured from the new format. Unfortunately, the graphics Intuit supplied in a press announcement were not suitable for use.

Here’s another view of the new Home Page:

Intuit says the continuous header bar across the screen has unified color and includes the navigation buttons moved to the right. Its new look includes a clean navigation bar with lighter background and no icons, in which a dark green vertical indicator highlights your selection.

Some people already are wondering why there’s so much wasted white space on the home page.

Here’s an example of the new Customers page…

… as contrasted with the current user interface Customer page:

Intuit says the new format provides streamlined backgrounds (including headers) with brightened action items. What do you think?

Here’s an example of an invoice transaction in the new schema…

… in contrast to the user interface we have been using in QBO:

As they say, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Which one does your eye fancy?

Where oh where did 'Quick Create' Go?

During our certification course, I listened over and over again to either, “Click on the gear icon,” or “Click on the Quick Create' icon. 

Then I noticed that between the two sessions – where the morning's instructor was using the “old” QBO user interface and the afternoon's instructor who was using the “new” one – the Quick Create icon was in a completely different place.

If you’re looking for the “Quick Create” Plus icon (sometimes called the spinning plus) at the center top of QBOA, it used to be where the red arrow points below. To note, it has been moved to the right of the QBOA search box (the green arrow points there) in the new user interface.

When you click on the newly relocated Quick Create, there are a couple of things to note:

  • The icon appears to turn into a green badge
  • Any item clicked in the menu turns green

I wish I had better examples to share with you, but since I personally don't have access to the new QBO user interface yet, I'm stuck with the few depictions I could gather before we went to press.

If you’ve already received the rollout, we’d like to hear from you. Please post your comments below and let us know what you think about these changes.