Upcoming User Interface Changes

xTuple ERP version 4.0 will include significant improvements to the user interface (see the xTuple Product Roadmap and xT3270 - A better user experience). User interface consistency and source code maintainability will be improved by increasing the degree of code reuse throughout the application. This reuse will decrease the overall size of the application. This smaller application size has the following additional benefits:

• quicker downloads and installation
• reduced disk footprint once installed
• reduced memory footprint during runtime
• improved application performance
• simplified menu structure
• reduced documentation

With the expanded use of a few core user interface changes, such as grid entry, user-defined query filters, and auto-completion, we expect the number of distinct windows in the PostBooks edition to drop from over 700 in 3.5.0 to approximately 30. A recent PDF draft of the new Reference Guide showed a not-as-dramatic change, containing 138 pages (the 3.4 version had 1941 pages).

These changes will further ease the use of xTuple ERP for users with buttonless trackpads, other pointing devices, and those who were taught that pointing at things is rude. xTuple is paving the way for future alternative input methods, such as direct interfaces with shop floor equipment, pen input, and handwriting and speech recognition. We're currently working with development partners on integration of grid entry with graph and ledger paper, allowing people to work with the media they are most comfortable using.