What is Odoo?

What is Odoo?

• Odoo is an open-source Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.
• It integrates various business applications into a unified system.
• It manages business functions, including accounting, sales, CRM, and more.
• Odoo's modular architecture enables businesses to select and implement necessary applications only.
• This architecture helps businesses achieve a solution that is scalable and cost-effective

A Brief History of Odoo

• TinyERP was the original name for Odoo.
• Fabien Pinckaers, a Belgian entrepreneur, developed it in 2005.
• The software was renamed OpenERP in 2009.
• In 2014, OpenERP was rebranded to Odoo.

Evolution of Odoo

• 2005: TinyERP was released.
• 2009: Rebranded as OpenERP.
• 2014: Renamed to Odoo to reflect broader business applications.
• 2015-Present: Rapid expansion of features, community support, and enterprise offerings.
• Used by millions of users and thousands of developers it is a widely used open-source ERP solution globally

Key Advantages of Using Odoo

• Odoo is more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective than other ERP solutions like SAP and Oracle ERP.

Open-Source and Cost-Effective

• Odoo Community Edition is free for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
• It reduces software costs compared to proprietary ERPs with high licensing fees.

Modular and Scalable

• Companies can start with essential applications and scale up as needed because of the modular architecture
• Monolithic ERPs require full implementation upfront

User-Friendly Interface

• Odoo has a modern, intuitive UI.
• Unlike older ERP systems, it ensures ease of use for both technical and non-technical users.

Customizability and Integration

• Odoo is highly customizable with a powerful API.
• Businesses can easily integrate third-party applications.
• Developers can modify or create new modules because of its open-source nature.

All-in-One Solution

• Odoo provides a unified system that integrates sales, CRM, inventory, and more.

Cloud and On-Premise Deployment

• Businesses can choose between cloud-based and on-premise hosting.

Active Community and Enterprise Support

• Odoo has an extensive community of developers and contributors.
• A paid Enterprise Edition is available with advanced features for businesses needing enterprise-grade support.

Comparison of Odoo with Other Popular ERPs

• Cost (Basic Pricing Per User/Month): Odoo $10-25, SAP Business One $100 - $350+, Microsoft Dynamics 365 $180 - $210+, Oracle ERP Cloud $175 - $250+, Zoho ERP $35 - $100.
• Implementation Average: Odoo $10-50k+, SAP Business One $500-1m+, Microsoft Dynamics 365 $50-200K+, Oracle ERP Cloud $500-1m+, Zoho ERP $10-50k+.
• Scalability: Odoo, SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Oracle ERP Cloud have high scalability.
• Customizability: Odoo has very high customizability.
• User Interface: Odoo has a modern and intuitive user interface.
• Deployment: Odoo is Cloud & On-Premise.
• Integration Ease: Odoo offers easy API integration.
• Industry Suitability: Odoo suits any industry (highly customizable).
• Best For: Odoo is best for businesses of any size.

Architecture and Modular Design of Odoo

• Odoo is flexible, scalable, and easy to customize.
• Architecture: The structure of how Odoo operates.
• Modular Design: How Odoo is divided into different business functions.

Odoo’s Architecture: How It Works Behind the Scenes

• Odoo is a three-tier architecture that has different departments (Sales, HR, Accounting, Inventory etc).

The Three-Tier Architecture of Odoo

• Client Tier (The User Side - What You See & Use): The interface where users interact with Odoo, such as a web browser, mobile app, or desktop application.
• Application Tier (The Odoo Server - Where Business Rules Are Processed): Where all the logic and processing happen.
• Database Tier (The Data Storage - Where All Business Information is Kept): Odoo uses PostgreSQL database to store all business data, including customer details, sales transactions, and more.

Modular Design

• Odoo is designed like LEGO blocks, where each block represents a business function that companies can mix and match.

Editions: Odoo Offline vs. Odoo Cloud

• Odoo Offline (On-Premise Deployment): Hosted on local company servers, provides full control over software and data, requires an IT team for setup, works without internet, can be faster for local users, and has higher upfront costs.
• Odoo Cloud (SaaS Deployment): Hosted on Odoo’s cloud servers, offers limited control, handles updates and security, requires stable internet, may depend on server speed, and uses subscription-based pricing.

Core Modules in Odoo

• Offers a wide range of core modules addressing specific business functions.

Website

• Website: enterprise website builder.
• E-Commerce: Sell products online.
• Blogs: Content management system.
• eLearning: Learning Management System.
• Live Chat: Provides efficient and real-time support.

Sales

• CRM: Customer-centric tool for sales needs.
• Sales: Generate quotations instantly.
• Point of Sale: Intuitive, reliable online, offline, and offers a wide range of options.
• Subscriptions: Recurring billing & subscriber management.
• Rental: Oversee every step of the rental process.

Finance

• Accounting: Streamlines tasks like invoicing, payments, bank reconciliations, and reporting.
• Invoicing: Offers a simplified and compliant e-invoicing solution.
• Expenses: Keeps everything organized.
• Documents: Allows to mange files online.
• Spreadsheets: Tools empower to drive business forward.
• Sign: Send, sign, and approve documents online.

Inventory & Manufacturing

• Inventory: Reduces stockouts, speeds up operations, and optimizes routes.
• Manufacturing: Helps manage and streamline the production process.
• PLM(Product Lifecycle Management): Helps manage the entire lifecycle of a product.
• Purchasing: Helps manage procurement processes.
• Maintenance: Address the root causes of costly defects.
• Quality: Ensure quality across the entire product life cycle.

Human Resources

• Employees: Hub for an entire suite of HR features.
• Recruitment: Streamlines your entire recruiting process.
• Time Off: Makes every step of the time off process easy and transparent.
• Appraisals: Easier to provide employees with feedback.
• Referrals: Grow your business by hiring qualified candidates.
• Fleet: Easy overview of vehicles, contracts, repairs, costs, and drivers.

Marketing

• Marketing automation: Experience limitless marketing possibilities with fully-automated workflows.
• Email Marketing: Helps create professional emails in seconds.
• SMS Marketing: Campaigns are delivered instantly.
• Social Marketing: View and interact on a single dashboard.
• Events: Organize, publish, promote, and sell with a single application.
• Survey: Create engaging surveys and feedback forms.

Services

• Project: Organize tasks, boost productivity.
• Timesheet: Track and validate billable hours.
• Field Service: Manage field service business.
• Helpdesk: Ticketing platform.
• Planning: Simplify scheduling and boost productivity.
• Appointments: Meet with customers conveniently.

Productivity

• Discuss: Integrated communication.
• Approvals: All requests stored in one place.
• IoT (internet of things): Connects external devices to the database.
• VOIP: Seamlessly integrates with Odoo apps.
• Knowledge: Centralize organization’s information.

Customization

• Studio: Add fields, create new views, and streamline workflows without needing programming knowledge.