What does Xero prevent you from doing when there's a negative inventory quantity?

The correct answer is that Xero prevents users from reducing the opening balance when there's a negative inventory quantity because negative inventory indicates that a business has sold more stock than it has on hand. Maintaining an accurate opening balance in inventory is crucial for financial reporting and inventory management, as it reflects true stock levels. If a negative quantity exists, it suggests discrepancies or issues in stock control, and thus Xero prohibits modifying the opening balance to avoid further complications that may arise from incorrect inventory records.

This measure helps uphold accurate accounting practices within Xero, ensuring that financial data remains reliable. Accurate opening balances allow businesses to make well-informed decisions based on true inventory metrics. Any attempt to reduce this balance while negative inventory exists could lead to misleading financial statements and an inability to track inventory effectively, therefore, Xero safeguards the integrity of its accounting framework by restricting this action.