Frequently asked questions about Odoo

Odoo has a good reputation when it comes to reliability. Many companies, large and small, rely on this platform for their daily operations. The great thing is that because it is open-source, there is a whole community behind it that quickly finds and fixes bugs. In addition, there are regular updates to keep the software up-to-date and secure.

The security of your data is also something Odoo pays close attention to. There are several layers of security built in to make sure your data is safe.

So yes, in general you can say that Odoo is a reliable platform for your business management.

Also read our blog: How secure is Odoo?

Odoo is popular for several reasons: 

1. Modularity: It offers a wide range of apps and modules that companies can choose from based on their specific needs.
2. Cost: Odoo has an open source version that is free to use, making it accessible to smaller companies with limited budgets.
3. Scalability: The platform is designed to easily scale with your business, from start-ups to large enterprises.
4. Ease of use: The interface is intuitive and easy to use, which shortens the learning curve.
5. Flexibility: Because Odoo is open-source, it can be customized to meet specific business requirements.
6. Community and support: There is an active community around Odoo, as well as numerous tutorials, documentation and third-party apps. 

Together, these factors make Odoo an attractive choice for companies looking for a versatile and cost-effective ERP solution.

 Odoo can really be a game changer for your business. It allows all your different departments, from sales to inventory management, to be on one platform. That makes everything a lot more efficient.

Automation is also a big plus. You can automate many tasks that normally take a lot of time. Not only does this save you time, it also reduces the chance of errors.

You also get real-time insight into how your business is performing through dashboards and reports. This allows you to make faster decisions based on actual data.

What's also nice is that you can fully customize Odoo. It is flexible and customizable, so it adapts to your specific business needs.

And speaking of customer service, by using the CRM and sales modules, you can manage your relationships with customers a lot more effectively.  This can significantly increase your customer satisfaction.

Finally, Odoo can also scale as your business grows. So you don't have to worry about growing out of it at some point.

In short, Odoo can help you streamline your business processes, cut costs and increase customer satisfaction.

Odoo's core modules cover a wide range of business applications. Some of the most commonly used modules include:

• CRM (Customer Relationship Management): For managing customer relationships and sales processes.
• Inventory management: to manage product inventory, warehouse locations and logistics operations.
• Accounting and finance: to perform all accounting operations, such as general ledger, balance sheet and financial reports.
• Sales and purchasing: to manage quotes, orders and invoicing.
• Project management: for planning and tracking projects and tasks.
• E-commerce: For managing an online store and integration with other modules.
• HRM (Human Resource Management): for managing employees, salaries and recruitment.
• Production: To manage production processes and work orders.
• Website Builder: For easy creation and management of corporate websites.
• Marketing automation: for automating marketing tasks such as email campaigns.

Each Odoo app can be used independently, but they also work seamlessly together for an integrated business solution. 

A complete list of all Odoo apps can be found here.

Odoo ERP is highly scalable, which is one of its strengths. It can be easily adapted to the size and needs of your company. Whether you are a small startup with a handful of employees or a large enterprise with hundreds of employees, Odoo offers the flexibility to grow. You can start with just a few Odoo Apps and add more later as your business grows. The open architecture and modularity make it easy to add new features and integrations.

Yes, Odoo is definitely suitable for small businesses. Its modular structure allows you to start with only the Odoo Apps you really need, keeping costs low. As your business grows, you can easily add more Odoo Apps and functionalities. This makes it a flexible and cost-effective solution for small businesses looking for an integrated management system to streamline their operations.  

Odoo differs from traditional ERP systems such as SAP and Oracle in a number of important ways. First, it is much more cost-effective, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. You only pay per user and can use everything for that one price per user everything. Second, Odoo is more user-friendly and easier to implement. 

While traditional ERP systems are often complex and time-consuming to set up, Odoo is designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind. Third, Odoo is open-source, which offers more flexibility and customization options. You re not limited to what the software can do off-the-shelf; you can customize it to your specific needs.

The cost of implementing Odoo can vary depending on several factors. If you re using the Community version, there are no license fees, but you can still pay for customization, implementation and any additional Odoo Apps that you ll need. For the Enterprise version, license fees apply based on the number of users. In addition, consulting, training and maintenance costs may come. You may also need to upgrade hardware or infrastructure, which incurs additional costs.

For more information please contact us for a detailed cost estimate.

To implement Odoo in your organization, you ve a number of options. You can opt for an in-house implementation, where your own IT team installs and configures the software (but this is obviously not our advice; 😉). The best option is to outsource this to a certified Odoo partner (and we are  😉) who has experience setting up and customizing the system. 

The basic steps are usually:

1. Analysis: Identify which Odoo Apps you need and what your business-specific requirements are.
2. Installation: Install the base software and your chosen Odoo Apps.
3. Configuration: Set up the software to meet your needs.
4. Data migration: Move existing company data to Odoo.
5. Testing: run tests to make sure everything works correctly.
6. Training: Train employees on how to use the new system.
7. Implementation: Launch the system and make it accessible to all users.

By following these steps and applying customization if necessary, you ll be able to effectively implement Odoo in your organization.

Odoo is developed primarily in Python. HTML, JavaScript and XML are used for the frontend. By using these technologies, Odoo provides a flexible and customizable platform where developers can create modules or modify existing ones to meet specific business needs.

Odoo takes security seriously and has taken several measures to protect users' data. They use up-to-date encryption and other security protocols. Access to data can be restricted and regulated at various levels within the organization. They also provide backup and data recovery capabilities. However, as with all software, it is important to implement good security practices yourself, such as using strong passwords and updating the software regularly.

Also read our blog: How secure is Odoo?  

  Yes, Odoo offers mobile accessibility. You can easily access the web version of Odoo through the browser on your mobile device, and dedicated mobile apps are also available. These apps are optimized for mobile use and offer many of the core features you would find on the desktop version. This allows you to efficiently manage your business processes on the go.

Yes, you can certainly integrate existing systems with Odoo. Odoo offers APIs and other connectivity options that make it relatively easy to link it to other software and systems you already use. This makes Odoo flexible and adaptable to your specific business needs.  

Odoo is known for its user-friendly interface and intuitive navigation. The software is designed with ease of use in mind, shortening the learning curve for new users. Its modular design allows you to start with the features you really need and add more later, making it even more accessible.

Odoo is versatile and can be used in a wide variety of industries. Whether you are in manufacturing, retail, services, healthcare or another industry, Odoo has modules specifically designed to meet the unique needs of your industry. Its adaptability and scalability make it a good choice for many different types of businesses.  

To develop custom modules for Odoo, you need some knowledge of Python and Odoo's proprietary development framework. Odoo's framework provides a set of tools and guidelines to facilitate the development process. Typically, you follow these steps:

1. Create a new module folder in the Odoo addons folder.
2. Use XML files to define new models or changes to existing models.
3. Write Python code for your module's back-end logic.
4. Optionally add front-end elements with HTML, JavaScript and CSS.
5. Test your new module thoroughly before putting it into production.

Odoo has extensive documentation and an active community that can help you develop your own modules.   

Yes, Odoo provides extensive training and technical support to its users.  You have access to online documentation, video tutorials and forums. In addition, Odoo offers special training courses and workshops. For more complex implementations and additional technical support, it is recommended to work with certified Odoo partners such as "Odoo Experts". They have the expertise to guide you through the entire process, from implementation to customization and support.  

Key features of Odoo's CRM system include lead tracking, sales process automation and customer segmentation. You can also manage sales opportunities, generate reports and use analytics to measure performance. The system is designed to streamline the sales process and increase efficiency, allowing you to improve customer relationships and boost sales.

Odoo can drive the growth of your business by streamlining operational processes and increasing efficiency. Its modular design allows you to choose only the tools you really need, from CRM and e-commerce to accounting and inventory management. This makes it easier for you to manage costs and make the best use of resources. In addition, Odoo's user-friendly interface helps improve customer satisfaction, which can lead to increased revenue and long-term growth.  

Everyone is always a little curious about the big companies and how they generate their revenue. Odoo makes its money by creating and delivering Odoo's software, its affiliated partners and offering various services. We have compiled for you an overview of Odoo's various revenue sources.

• Odoo Enterprise: This is the paid extended version of Odoo, with additional services provided by Odoo.
• Odoo Online: Odoo Enterprise as a SaaS solution
• Odoo.sh the hosting and development platform for Odoo Enterprise
• Consultancy: Online consultancy for Odoo customers
• Custom development: creating customized apps
• Partners: Odoo uses a partner network

The Odoo Experience is the Odoo event hosted by Odoo every year. During this event, every year Odoo launches the latest version and all new features and capabilities are demonstrated to the public. The event is attended by partners, customers and other Odoo enthusiasts from all over the world. 

If you work with Odoo yourself or are interested in it, it really is "the place to be"!

Yes, Odoo usually has a development roadmap, but it is not always publicly available to everyone. The roadmap lists new features, enhancements and other changes they plan to make in future versions of the software. Odoo holds annual events such as the Odoo Experience, where they present new features and plans for the future. 

If you want specific information about the roadmap, it's best to contact Odoo or Odoo Experts. It may also be helpful to follow the community forums and blogs for updates and announcements.

Odoo's Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) can vary depending on several factors, such as the number of users, chosen Odoo Apps, customizations and any additional services such as training or technical support. Odoo has both a free "Community" version and a paid "Enterprise" version, so costs can vary. In addition to licensing costs, you should also consider implementation costs, maintenance and any costs for updates and migrations. To get an accurate estimate of the TCO for your specific situation, it's best to request a detailed quote.

To use Odoo Enterprise, you only pay a per-user fee. It is nice to know what is meant by "user. A user in Odoo is a person who has access to Odoo. Can anyone log into Odoo? Then that's a user.

The only exception is so-called portal users. A portal user is (often) a customer who has access to the Odoo portal to e.g. orders and invoices. These are therefore not counted as users.  

Yes, the administrator is also a paid user. We do not recommend that you use this user as a "normal" user. The administrator has all rights and is therefore not suitable for daily use. We recommend using the administrator only for performing administration tasks on Odoo.

If the accountant has access to Odoo, then the accountant is also a user. You can, of course, share your own data with your accountant to get around this. However, we do not recommend this for two main reasons:

• You cannot trace and see what the accountant has done because all activities are recorded under one user.
• For the accountant, you can set other (limited) permissions so that you control and manage what he or she sees. 

No, Odoo has only one type of user. Odoo has chosen to keep the price per user as low as possible and also has the lowest price on the market. This also makes the software less complex!

Odoo is released in two versions: Odoo Community and Odoo Enterprise.

Odoo Community is a free Open-Source version and Odoo Enterprise is a paid version with additional features. Odoo Enterprise is not open-source, but is also called an "Open Core" application. This means that the base, or Core, of the paid version is the same as the free version.

This means this that the basis of the Odoo Enterprise version (paid) is the same as the Community version (free), but the Enterprise version has been further extended with additional functionalities. Therefore, the Odoo Community version is still 100% Open Source. The Core of the Enterprise version is also 100% Open Source (since it is the same as the Community version), but all extensions here are Closed Source. 

According to the definition of Open Source, these Enterprise functionalities are no longer Open Source because the source code may no longer be freely distributed. However, the source code is still open and readable, but may only be used and modified with a valid license agreement with Odoo.

The Odoo Community version is released under the LGPLv3 license. The additional Enterprise features are released under a Proprietary license, OEEL-1.

Third-party apps can be released under different licenses. Then it can be an open source license, such as AGPLv3 or LGPLv3, but it can also be a (proprietary) Proprietary license from the creator of the software.

Odoo is produced by the creator Odoo S.A. Up to 3 versions are supported. Odoo calls these the LTS (Long Time Support) versions. Odoo aims to release a new version every year, which means support is guaranteed for up to 3 years. 

There are options to extend this period with Odoo, but you will have to make separate arrangements with them to do so. It is also often possible to agree on a longer support period with an Odoo partner.

An Odoo upgrade or migration means that you re switching to a newer version of the Odoo software. This is important to take advantage of the latest features, security improvements and optimizations that have been made. Depending on how much customization and which Odoo Apps you have in use, an upgrade can range from relatively simple to complex. It is often advisable to perform such an upgrade in collaboration with certified Odoo partners to ensure a smooth transition and that all data and features are preserved.

Odoo releases a new version every year. Odoo does this during the Odoo Experience: an event held every October/November.

Odoo Online is an exception: intermediate versions appear periodically.