Odoo is a fully integrated and customizable open-source business management software that allows organizations to manage the activities of different departments of a company from one place. The platform supports the integration and management of production planning, manufacturing, logistics, finance, accounting, warehouse management, human resources, and more. In addition to being open source, Odoo offers an open core model, which provides subscription-based proprietary enterprise software and cloud-hosted software as a service (SaaS).
The primary purpose of Odoo is to help businesses integrate their systems and services, automate business processes, and ensure that data is shared securely between different groups. Odoo can be implemented by Odoo developers in companies of all sizes across all industries.
Odoo Explained
Odoo offers an open-source Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system designed to help businesses manage the entire business cycle and a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system designed to help businesses of all sizes manage their relationship with their customers.
Here are the primary features of Odoo:
Odoo ERP
The Odoo ERP system is used for the management of business processes. Odoo has a full list of ERP modules including Finance Management, Inventory Management, Sales Management, Services, Production Management, Marketing, Production Management, Human Resource Management, and Productivity Management—among others.
The modules within Odoo ERP are used to manage day-to-day business activities. Odoo helps businesses automate many of their processes to create greater efficiencies across the entire production process.
Odoo CRM
The Odoo CRM system includes modules for managing subscriptions, project management, customer support, product lifecycle management, website building with an Odoo content management system, etc.
The modules within Odoo CRM are designed to help companies manage their relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers. Odoo provides a centralized platform where businesses can sort, analyze, and prioritize large-scale customer data. This helps the sales team focus on opportunities with more potential by providing accurate answers to customers quickly and efficiently. The goal is to improve business relationships to grow the business.
Odoo’s features include an extensive choice of business apps for many business requirements and industries. Depending on the business, Odoo can either be implemented as an on-premise system or as a ready-to-use SaaS environment.
In addition, as a modular software, Odoo has applications that businesses can implement for different parts of their operations. Odoo also includes a studio application that allows users to design customized modules based on their needs.
Important Terms in Odoo
When implementing and using Odoo software, there are some terms you should be familiar with.
Odoo.SH is a platform designed by Odoo for end users in the enterprise category. It is an advanced system for end users to easily test developments and manage features. Odoo.sh allows the installation of custom modules and further modifications. It uses a Github account with unique SSH keys.
Odoo Online is an Odoo SaaS platform based on the cloud that provides users with the same features as Odoo ERP. Unlike Oddo.sh, there is no provision for custom add-ons or custom development of the software.
What is an Odoo developer? Odoo Developers are individuals who create, build, and customize Odoo applications or features within the Odoo ERP software for business enterprises. An Odoo developer usually has a strong background in programming concepts and the Odoo framework.
Odoo Partners gives users access to various restricted features and source codes of the Odoo Enterprise. Partners are categorized into Gold, Silver, and Ready solutions.
Why Do Businesses Need Odoo?
Combining ERP and CRM features earned Odoo the title of the “one-stop solution” for company business operations. Businesses use Odoo because it offers an integrated solution for the entire business.
The Odoo Enterprise edition is available on a desktop or on the cloud-hosted Odoo Online, which makes it available anywhere and from any device. On the other hand, the Odoo Community version is available only as a desktop ERP solution and CRM. The Odoo Enterprise has more features than the Odoo Community version.
Implementing Odoo means businesses benefit from the integration of information from different departments. Being an open-source solution also reduces the cost of implementation for businesses. Odoo is a fast and easy-to-manage option for small to medium-scale businesses looking to implement an ERP and CRM solution.