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The Odoo ERP

Is Odoo still new to you, and do you want to gain a basic overview first? Find out everything you need to know about Odoo, how it works and what apps and features it offers below.

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What is Odoo?

Odoo is the world's leading open source enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and a direct competitor to companies such as Oracle's Netsuite, Microsoft Dynamics and SAP Business by Design.
Although Odoo was only launched in 2004, it already belongs to the Champions League of ERP systems.
Odoo has more than 12 million users and 2000+ partners worldwide

How does Odoo work?

Odoo is a modular system with more than 30 main applications and more than 16,000 third-party apps and plug-ins
Offers classic ERP modules such as purchasing and sales, inventory, production and accounting as well as many other integrations such as MRP, CRM, PMS, web and e-commerce
In Odoo data exchange between all apps is seamless and fully integrated
Odoo is browser based and fully mobile compatible

For which companies is Odoo a good choice?

Generally suitable for any industry and company size.
Fully customisable for your individual use cases.
Ideal for 0-1000 employees and 0 - 250m€ turnover.
Adaptable to business growth thanks to modular design: you can start with single apps and add modules as needed.

Discuss your questions directly with our experts!

These are the most important Odoo apps at a glance

CRM ACCOUNTING SALES INVENTORY MANUFACTURING Purchase HR Projects subscriptions point of sale field service helpdesk events timesheets

Odoo CRM

The Odoo CRM module is more than a database of all company contacts. CRM is able to acquire new customers as leads via your website or databases, manage the entire sales process in opportunities and simplify the maintenance of customer contact. The clear user interface with Kanban view allows you to plan the next customer communication and remind them proactively. In addition, each user is given the opportunity to analyse, evaluate and optimise data about contacts in individually configurable dashboards.

Creating leads: Capture leads with just a few clicks
Pipeline: Kanban Pipeline View
Reporting: Clear dashboard with numerous analysis and evaluation options
Sales activities: Create once, then simply assign to specific team members on selected leads

Team Management: Distribution of responsibilities, prioritisation, structuring in sales teams according to responsibilities, individual pipeline phases
Forecasts: Forecast sales, closing date etc. depending on category
Sales teams: Structuring into teams with their own sales targets, access rights and other restrictions
Automated Lead Creation: By receiving a mail to the stored address, a lead is automatically generated

Invoicing & sales: Easily create quotes and invoices directly from the CRM module
Website module: Automatically create website visitors as leads

Odoo Accounting

Probably the easiest invoice management in the world! The Odoo accounting module perfects book-keeping wherever possible. In the end, only the most necessary things become a manual task. The link to other Odoo modules creates an invoice overview, bank integrations synchronise incoming and outgoing payments with Odoo and many reports, such as a profit and loss statement, a tax audit report or balance sheets can be created automatically.

Receivables management: Arrears of receivables, automatic dunning (with e-mail & letter), automated booking suggestions
Accounts payable: Verify incoming invoices, invoices automatically with OCR read out, create SEPA collective transfers
Preparatory accounting: All business transactions automatically mapped in chart of accounts
Flexibility: Multiple currencies with live exchange rates, automatically determined tax rates

Reporting: Pivot tables, KPIs, dashboards, real-time year-end closing
Controlling: With hierarchical cost accounting, cost centres, reporting & budgets

DATEV: Export available
Bank synchronisation: payment matching
Full Web Service API for third-party software integration
Google Spreadsheet Integration
Easy import & export of all data

Odoo Sales – Offer & Order Management

From the quotation to the digital signing of the contract – the sales module can create a quotation in no time at all, send it by e-mail to the customer, have it digitally signed and, once payment has been received, automatically create an order and send an invoice. The amount of work per offer is thus reduced to a minimum. Further Odoo modules can automatically transfer the data set and offer further potential for improvement.

Tender preparation: Quick and intuitive, different design templates available
Invoicing: Low effort for invoicing, confirmation – completely digitised
Shipping options: Sending offers and invoices by email or post
1-Click: Processing quotations in sales orders
Client management: Master data maintenance, customer portal

Price lists: According to conditions of different customer groups, discount options
Product variants: Different variants of a product incl. price differences for the different variants

Finances: Linking invoicing with accounting
Encampments: Warnings when selling beyond expected inventory levels

Odoo Inventory

This function digitises a warehouse to a new level! Various functionalities shorten goods routes, automate the flow of goods, synchronise it with other departments and thus optimise the warehouse or logistics processes. Odoo makes no difference between drop shipment, cross-docking or the processes in several warehouses.

Supply chain management: Define individual procurement routes for each product
Overview: Good overview of stock movements through reports and information on current stock levels
Simple administration: Stock movements are created automatically on the basis of orders and sales

Delivery times: Adjustable depending on seller
Dropshipping: Sell merchandise without it ever being in stock
Lot & Serial Numbers: Tracking of products from order to delivery to the customer
Product removal: Different methods (LIFO, FIFO, FEFO) possible
Expiration dates: Define expiration dates for lot & serial numbers

Finance & Accounting: Warehouse fully integrated, movements are transferred to the books in real time
Purchasing: Simple re-ordering rules keep stock levels at the desired level
Sales: Warning/preventing the sale of out-of-stock goods
Dispatch: Integration of various shipping service providers

Odoo Manufacturing (MRP)

With Odoo’s manufacturing module, every production becomes a showcase example of Industry 4.0 in no time at all! The connection with other Odoo modules simplifies demand-oriented manufacturing. At the same time every product is traceable in every production step. With an IoT-Box it is even possible to read data from the production machines and integrate it into the quality control algorithms.

Odoo Purchase

This makes shopping even more fun! The purchase module facilitates the procurement of any materials, links expenditures directly with the bookkeeping module and grants an unprecedented clarity. Linked to the warehouse module, it can automatically place reorders when critical quantities are not reached. Integrated supplier price lists make it possible to compare prices in no time at all.

Vendor master data: Storage of contact persons, addresses, account information, etc.
Price lists: Possibility of integrating suppliers’ price lists, quickly and easily comparable
Terms of delivery: Minimum order quantities & delivery times per product

Evaluation: Many statistical evaluation options for suppliers
Contract award: All procurement methods can be mapped, from direct orders to requests for quotations and invitations to tender

Finances: All purchases are automatically created as open items.
Encampments: Orders can be created automatically, purchases automatically trigger expected product receipts into the warehouse

Odoo Human Resources

The entire personnel management in one module! From the job advertisement to the vacation application, Odoo’s HR module can cover everything that human resources management requires. It facilitates the creation of a job portal, organises job interviews, facilitates the selection process. Afterwards Odoo manages contracts, time sheets, employee expenses, vacation requests and even a vehicle fleet.

Odoo Project Management

Odoo Projects makes project management well structured, simple and efficient. A project manager can create tasks for each project, assign them to a specific employee and track the processing status in a clearly arranged display. At the same time, a document management system facilitates the exchange of data. Gantt diagrams clearly show the progress of the project and allow delays to be detected early.

Opportunities: Clear project management with little effort
Clearness: Kanban board for the overview of different projects, intermediate goals or stages, as well as the responsible persons, shifting between stages by Drag&Drop, folding and unfolding certain work steps
Information: Add explanations and additional information to project steps

Templates: Different templates already available
Management: Distribute responsibilities, prioritise different tasks, divide larger tasks into subtasks

Github: Automatically synchronise tickets between Odoo and Github

Odoo Subscriptions

Concluding contracts and subscriptions has never been easier! With this module, customers can subscribe to a product – the administrative management then runs automatically. The relevant department can be reminded of orders, and invoicing and billing is automatic. Customers have the possibility to customise the subscription, give customer reviews or get support via a customer portal.

Templates: Simplified subscription conclusion and administration through pre-defined subscription templates, products directly assigned to a specific subscription template
Automatic invoice generation

Customer portal: Possibility for customers to view and manage contracts online, possibilities for customers can be extended or restricted

Requires the following Odoo modules: Sales and invoicing
Website

Odoo Point of Sale

No matter if it's a web shop or store counter – Odoo is prepared for everything! And so it can also be used in restaurants and stores. The tailor-made module “Point of Sale” is the interface to the store. If you don’t want to work with a PC or a tablet, you can link a POS terminal with Odoo in no time at all using an IoT box.

Complete: Independent and easy to operate cash register system
Flexible: No hardware restrictions (also compatible with tablets or laptops)
Availability: Product-dependent availability for different points of sale
Synchronisation: Product availability is updated in real time
Interface: Designable through pictures and control elements, very user-friendly, processing different jobs at the same time

Receipts: Create your own layout
Payment methods: Offer or prohibit different payment methods
Currencies: Compatible with different currencies
Exchange & return: Can be realised without problems
Internet: No Internet connection required for normal operations
Adaptable: Individual configuration possible for each individual point of sale

Barcode scanner: For quick recognition of a specific product
Finance & accounting: Connection to the accounting department of your company
Email marketing: Use customers’ buying habits for personalized offers

Odoo Field Service

Always connected, even outside the office! As a cloud platform, Odoo is accessible from anywhere. This way, nothing stops you from using Odoo on the go. As a field employee, you can conveniently access Odoo via smartphone. You can record their hours via app, have customers sign digitally, record expenses directly in the app, and view and edit their work schedule in real time.

Odoo Helpdesk

With this helpdesk, customer satisfaction shoots through the roof! An easy to use customer portal and an equally easy back-end. Tickets can be assigned to an employee with a mouse click and can be assigned to the current status in a clearly arranged Kanban view. In addition to the customer portal, tickets can also be submitted by e-mail, via a web form or via live chat.

Function: Integrate a helpdesk to improve customer service
Overview: High clarity by means of Kanban boards, intuitive operation, easy moving or editing of tickets, setting priorities
Ticket creation: Creation via several channels mostly automated possible (automated creation at mail inbox, specific Twitter hashtags, requests via specially created web form)

Self-help: Possibility to provide customers with a database of FAQ’s and other information material
Optimisation: Process customer inquiries with templates or automatic responses as quickly and efficiently as possible

Live chat: Possibility to address and help customers directly
Fully integrates into the multiple Odoo apps
Forum
Customer management
Website

Odoo Events

No matter if conferences, webinars, festivals or exhibitions – Odoo makes their organisation a delight with the event module. Various functions are adapted to almost all kinds of events. An online store enables digital ticket sales, sponsors can be managed in a separate tool and comprehensive advertising tools help with marketing. In addition, SEO and Google Analytics ensure that everyone is aware of the event.

Organise events: Create events of all sizes and types, publish on website with associated agenda, specify number of participants
Ticketing: Different types of tickets to sell the event on the site
Social media: Create hashtags for events

Categories: Events can be assigned to different categories and filtered
Overview: View event participants by origin, event, registration date, etc.
Reminders: Send automatic reminder E-Mails to participants
Organisation: Form for suggestions from visitors
Sponsoring: Add sponsors to specific events

Google Analytics
SEO

Odoo Timesheets

For a company to be successful in the long run, it needs flexibility and a system that works in line with the workflows and pace of your employees and doesn’t get in their way. With Odoo Timesheets, all of your employees’ activities can be logged down to the second and so quickly that they are not pulled out of ongoing workflows.

Fast and easy logging: no matter if at the beginning of the day, during operation or at the end of the day
Time tracking directly on projects and tasks: Simply select the desired project and corresponding tasks, click start and your time will be recorded in the tasks.
Offline tracking and synchronisation: even if your internet connection is down, your working hours will still be tracked and synchronised with your accounts as soon as you are back online.
Grid view: as a manager, you can get an overview of your employees’ timesheets with just a few clicks and see at a glance who is working on which project.
Demand forecasts for project execution and employee availability: with the help of forecasts derived from past projects, upcoming ones can be better planned in advance, taking into account vacation planning

Vacation management: vacation days can be integrated automatically with timesheets
Visibility: visibility of timesheets can be restricted individually for other employees
Day planner: plan your working time proactively and distribute your hours in advance to the daily tasks.
Simplified management of billable service hours: Get an overview of your billable time and all resources assigned to each project. Automatically create invoices for your billables based on the timesheets of your employees

Fully integrated with the following Odoo apps:
Odoo Employees
Odoo Accounting
Odoo Sales
Odoo Project

FAQs about Odoo

Is Odoo an open-source system?

Yes! Odoo originally started as a 100% open source project and the entire core of the system can be freely customised and modified.

Odoo Enterprise or Community?

As previously mentioned, Odoo is an open source software, but there are differences between the two versions of Odoo: although the Odoo Community Edition is open source and free of charge, it has only limited functionality. If you want to use the full functionality of Odoo, you need the Enterprise Edition. Especially for companies with more than 20 employees or more than 2m€ turnover, the Enterprise license should be purchased by all means.

Why is Odoo less expensive than the competition?

Odoo is still a comparatively new player in the market compared to other, more established vendors, and thus does not carry any technical legacy. The core of the software is less than 10 years old and is being renewed in many areas every year. Odoo benefits on the one hand from the countless partners and volunteers who participate in the continuous development of the core, and on the other hand from its more than 5 million users, which enable efficient scale effects.

What is the Odoo OCA?

OCA stands for the Odoo Community Association. The OCA is a non-profit organisation whose mission it is to support the community development and advancement of Odoo features by the Odoo community and to promote the widespread use of Odoo. For this purpose, the organization provides financial, organizational and legal support. At the same time, it serves as an independent legal entity to which community members can contribute code, funds, and other resources, knowing that their contributions will be preserved for the common good.

The Association’s projects are all freely available and usable under an OSI-certified open source license.

What technology is Odoo based on?

Odoo is based on modern web technologies and can be used easily in the browser as well as a mobile application. The stack mainly uses Python, PostgreSQL, JavaScript and XML.

Is Odoo reliable as an open source software?

Compared to other, more established market players, Odoo is still a fairly young system with no legacy issues. The core of the software is less than 10 years old and is renewed every year in many areas. Odoo benefits from the countless partners and volunteers who participate in the continuous development of the core, on the one hand, and from its more than 5 million users, on the other, which enable efficient economies of scale.

How high are the costs for Odoo?

It’s hard to give a general answer. ERP projects are complex and the costs vary greatly depending on the requirements, the industry and the size of a company. As a general rule, however, anyone who opts for the Enterprise Edition of Odoo pays license fees. These are charged either annually or monthly by Odoo and are calculated on the basis of the number of users, the apps and integrations used. In addition, there are monthly fees for server usage, unless you opt for on-premise hosting. Odoo is currently one of the most affordable systems on the market. Specifically, the cost savings for license and hosting compared to major competitors such as SAP Business by Design, Oracle’s Netsuite & Microsoft Dynamics Business Central are between 75-90%!

Is Odoo also suitable for larger companies?

In principle, yes. There are various examples of well-known large companies that now rely on Odoo, such as Toyota, Danone or Hyundai. This is no surprise, because Odoo offers both unparalleled flexibility and high scalability: the system currently supports more than 30 accounting systems, as well as all conceivable currencies and languages, and can be adapted to even the most unique needs at a much lower cost than the competition. We recommend Odoo for companies with up to 5,000 employees.

Still got questions? Schedule a face-to-face consultation with our experts here!