17 years helping South African businesses
choose better software
What Is Odoo?
Odoo is a completely customizable, fully integrated, all-in-one open-source software packed with hundreds of expertly designed business applications. Odoo offers up everything a business needs to run efficiently, such as CRM, Sales, Project, Manufacturing, Inventory, and Accounting, just to name a few. Regardless of size or budget, Odoo is tailor-made to help companies grow with their wide array of efficient, easy-to-use business solutions.
Who Uses Odoo?
Odoo open source software exists to help everyone, from people who just need a blog to big companies that need a full ERP. The software is flexible and can be adapted to SMEs or large corporations.
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Odoo
Reviews of Odoo
Alternatives Considered:
Excellent ERP to manage your business operations
Comments: We used to use spreadsheets before switching to Odoo and the savings in time and effort, plus the accuracy of the information is the main value we receive. Particularly, the Recruitment module helps us to configure an Application Tracking System, and now, we have visibility over KPIs that before was not possible. The implementation of an extension of the CRM module allow us to customize easily the system to our needs too.
Pros:
Odoo provides my company with all the modules needed to manage the business. It is easy to set up, intuitive and the modules are well integrated.
Cons:
The Community edition provides a lot of built-in features, but since version 9, Odoo has been moving features from Community version to Enterprise, so I could see some of them, which I was using, unavailable in recent versions.
Alternatives Considered:
Buckle your seatbelt, it's going to be a bumpy ride!
Comments: The biggest hurdle was the initial implementation so this may be something you would need to prepare yourself for if deciding on choosing Odoo, unless of course you are happy to pay for the support packages offered by Odoo which we found to be very costly. Other than this the system itself is an excellent piece of kit and it has helped our business traverse the gap between startup business to SME
Pros:
Odoo is an extremely powerful software. We use the Manufacturing Module and the CRM Module prominently and these have both been brilliant tools that we are very happy with internally. The MRP is excellent at automating our manufacturing process whereby our production manager has only to add orders to the system while the system itself creates the PO's, calculates times and helps us to schedule our work. The CRM for the sales side is really easy to use and browse through and has a very good tagging feature allowing me (as sales director) to easily filter accounts and keep track of leads.
Cons:
The initial implementation was painful to say the least.. We stated using Odoo way back in 2015 so this may have been due to our slow uptake of the software how ever I recall that once we signed up as paid users, there was very little support given to set up the system (unless we paid extra for the hourly support..). This was a big issue as we never had an easy way to contact someone for help with little configurations and therefore had to do most of the implementation ourselves. It took us over a year to get the system working properly
Odoo Support Feedback
Comments: User friendly, highly functional and good for all sizes of business from the very small to large. Excellent system.
Pros:
For SME business, Odoo offers very good value, excellent functionality across a multitude of useful apps and the support is professional and unparalleled. They always resolve any issue quickly.
Cons:
I like most things but not being to permanently change the weird auto text on customer payment follow ups is difficult to understand ( but has nothing to do with support of course).
poor support and service
Comments: not a professional team bunch of unprofessionals
Pros:
they are only interested to payment once it is done no response to emails and calls. [sensitive content hidden] the salesperson is pathetic. not recommended at all
Cons:
very poor service and support, they want money ony
Alternatives Considered:
Thank you [sensitive content hidden]
Comments: My overall experience with Odoo has been positive. I’m very happy with the results and progress we’ve made using the platform—it’s everything we wanted and even exceeds our expectations in some areas. However, there are times when the system can be a bit confusing and repetitive, which can slow down our workflow. Despite these occasional challenges, Odoo has been a valuable tool for our business, and we’re pleased with the direction we’re headed.
Pros:
What I liked most about Odoo is the system's adaptability—it’s incredibly versatile and can be tailored to fit our specific needs. I also want to highlight the outstanding service we received from our consultant, [sensitive content hidden] He’s been extremely attentive and helpful throughout the entire process, making sure we get the most out of the platform.
Cons:
What I liked least about Odoo is the way consulting hours are charged and accounted for. We’re concerned about being billed for time spent resolving issues that aren’t our fault, such as bugs or errors within Odoo itself. It would be more reassuring if there was a clearer distinction between time spent on genuine consulting and time spent addressing system-related problems.
Alternatives Considered:
It runs my entire business.
Comments: Going on 3 years with it, still liking it.
Pros:
My entire business runs on Odoo. I don't have to try to sync data between multiple apps.
Cons:
The appearance is very utilitarian, it could be made to be more appealing. I hate that I am forced to doing a purchase order, then receive and order and then a vendor bill and then a vendor payment. You should be able to simplify all of that from just 1 vendor payment screen.
Alternatives Considered:
ODOO PLO Review
Comments: Excellent experience with Odoo team, Willingness to find a solutio to every question and to help
Pros:
Reactivity. FLexibility. willingness to help. Capacity to stay calm even in front of dummy questions
Cons:
The counting of 15m of support costs even for short email exchanges that last 30 seconds
Alternatives Considered:
The best suite of tools for small and medium businesses.
Comments: The learning curve is present (just like any software), but the tutorials are the BEST I've even seen. I literally WANT to keep going through the tutorials, and I am impressed by what I didn't know I could do with Odoo.
Pros:
The flexibility, the number of solutions for SMB and the customer service that ALWAYS solved my issues in less than 48 hours.
Cons:
The lack of email boxes and the lack of some connectivity with other services (which can still be purchased, but you need Odoo.sh to get them).
Good experience with some attentions to warehouse reports
Comments:
Its really good experience
And I hope more attention to warehouse reports ( Exactly to warehouse balances after each transaction we didnt find it in reports )
Pros:
We found support in forums and social media like youtube in addition to odoo support team
Cons:
Speed of response from [sensitive content hidden]
Alternatives Considered:
Good product make the jump
Comments: It is very easy to configure the website. Because everything is connected there are no compatibility issues with anything.
Pros:
The huge selection of interconnected apps
Cons:
It is a continuous license we cant just own the product. and it gets costly if you want to include many people.
Alternatives Considered:
An Odoo Defender Review
Comments: beside all the pros and cons. Odoo is just awesome, the overall experience i had with Odoo during the last 9 years is very positive.
Pros:
The most interesting and brilliant thing about Odoo, is its framework and how easy we can develop using it. Also some apps are just easy to learn and well documented.
Cons:
- Luck of technical and functional documentations ( functional is getting better faster than technical ). - Luck of automated migrations tools ( a pain for customers too ). - Odoo still doing big changes to its core apps, which makes all our modules obsolete very quickly. - Partnership model is very hard to keep the same label (eg. silver or gold) after a year or so, if you can't get more users.
Alternatives Considered:
Great Software and Product Horrible Implementation and Support
Comments: Overall Odoo is a GREAT idea and great product. However with their model and support I believe you will get frusterated. You will bring one your client 1/2 way through your project after spending alot of money or be frusterated the entire time when you need to do anything special with their product. They like to point you to something called a SUCESS PACKAGE but with all due respect when that becomes the reply when you cannot even create a transaction for a purchase you should go with another product.
Pros:
Alot of Features...If you have the patience and the money you can do anything.
Cons:
The Support and the Platform is sometimes very vauge. It does not make sense errors out and relys on a module platform for most functionality which makes you reliant on a third party.
Alternatives Considered:
Do Not Purchase Directly From Odoo
Comments: I wish it had worked. We struggeld with the software for 18 months - even reaching out to the [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] via Twitter asking for help. Odoo does not care about the customer. If you work with a reseller, they are awesome. But we made the mistake of buying through Odoo, installing 3rd party apps and then having tons of programming issues that no one would help us with. Great software - horrible company.
Pros:
The software is incredibly eligant. The way everything works together via API is astounding. I can't say enough about how flexible this software is.
Cons:
Support. We made the mistake of purchasing through Odoo and not a reseller and everything was pretty much wrong from day 1. All help is predicated on you having no 3rd party apps. The problem is, you cannot run the software without 3rd party apps.
Alternatives Considered:
SQL error while installing app
Comments: Satisficed with the outcome and how the software is adapted to our needs. Support if not bad and they give you a solution.
Pros:
Open source and easy to troubleshoot. I give you the freedom to customize the apps according to your needs. Very important for businesses with complex processes that do not follow standards.
Cons:
Sometimes there is a fine line on support if you are not hosted in Odoo.sh. Not fare at all for self hosted companies
Excellent tool!
Comments: "My overall experience with Odoo has been excellent. The platform is robust and versatile, catering to a wide range of business needs. The user interface is intuitive, making it easy to navigate and utilize its features. I have found it to be a valuable tool for managing my business operations efficiently."
Pros:
"I really appreciate how quickly and efficiently Odoo resolves issues. The support team is responsive and knowledgeable, which significantly enhances my overall experience with the platform. Their ability to solve problems promptly is a standout feature that I value highly."
Cons:
"I have not encountered any significant issues with Odoo so far. Every aspect of the service has met my expectations, and I have found the platform to be user-friendly and effective in meeting my business needs. However, if I had to mention something, perhaps the onboarding process could be a bit more streamlined for new users."
Alternatives Considered:
support getting faster
Comments: I like most features but I do not like the hassle of the upgrade.
Pros:
I am very happy with the work that [sensitive content hidden] completed for us. Very quick and easy steps to complete the task that I had created.
Cons:
Normally the time it takes to get an answer is long this was quick. I just wish that ODOO could be more hands on and finish the task when they are in the program...
DO NOT USE ODOO!
Comments:
I wish I had only signed up to pay monthly, but my "account manager" convinced me that signing up for a year and adding all the users upfront would be cheaper. I started with using the platform to replace QuickBooks. I paid for a two-hour support session with my rep, and during the call, he had to look up or ask somebody else for the answers to my questions on how to do something. By the end of the call, he had not answered how to enter beginning balances. It is a basic function of accounting software, but he didn’t know and said he would get back to me. Here we are three months later, and he hasn't gotten back to me. There were other outstanding items I needed answers to, but he hasn't responded to any of my emails. I emailed him asking for a phone call, but I got ghosted. I contacted customer support to help me connect my banking account to the application, and it took them three weeks to respond, and their answer didn’t fix it. I run a business, and waiting three weeks for that is just unacceptable. Getting no response from my "Account Manager" is unacceptable. Clearly, he's got the wrong title because he manages nothing! He can't even do his job.
So, now, this gets worse. I asked for a refund because the platform is unusable to me. Guess what? I won't be getting one. Why, you ask? Because the company is based in Belgium and I am in the States. Seriously, that's the reason they gave me. WHAT THE HECK?
I've now switched to Zoho and can't be happier! Please consider my experience and try something else instead!
Pros:
I like that there are many apps in one platform.
Cons:
The applications are not user-friendly! I'm good at learning software, but this one is foreign and complicated. The customer service is HORRIBLE!
Alternatives Considered:
Use this product to increase your business productivity
Comments:
I am working for 4.7 years with Odoo
Odoo is very good, practical and easy to use ERP software
Easy customization that fulfils every clients' organizational needs
Pros:
Analysis reports and graphs provide easy understandability User attractive interface Easy customization Fast working
Cons:
According to Indian Accounting standards, I think that Odoo has to do more deep analysis and provides the functionality to their end-users for ease of use Also Odoo have to increase types of graphs provides graphical data
Odoo Response
5 years ago
Thanks for the great review! We look forward to continuing to collaborate with your organization! :)
Alternatives Considered:
All solutions in one platform
Comments: Great software with out of the box functionality
Pros:
Functionality at a great price, flexibility and price
Cons:
Cannot think of any issues with the platform, you can customize easily.
Next-gen of ERP's, very user-friendly & deep business scope
Comments: It's very easy to use, scalable & covering almost all business needs
Pros:
Very user-friendly, the next-gen of ERPs, cost-effective regarding the development, all-in-one software that automates all business processes like CRM, Purchase, Inventory, Sales, Manufacturing, Ticketing system, Accounting/Finance & many others, with more than 3000 specialized business apps on it is Apps market place.
Cons:
The partner's qualification process, releasing a new version every year may cause difficulties in migration from version to version but it is fit for SMEs. Still, big enterprises need a lot of work to re-engineer the process to match the customers' needs.
Alternatives Considered:
Beautiful face very bad customer service
Comments: While I was analyzing the system the attention was incredible. I felt really very well taken care of, once I started having problems, the customer service and support area seemed to have lost all interest in us.
Pros:
The demo was amazing, incredible, I had an instant love for the tool, the low prices really excited me.
Cons:
after years of use the migration was impossible and I had to change from software to another brand because I came to the conclusion that the slow support seemed to be guessing how to solve my problems
We liked them so much we Partnered with them
Comments: All of my systems and customer data are centralized in one easy to use system
Pros:
As a former Netsuite and Salesforce partner, our clients demanded more in the form of ease of use, mobility and functionality without breaking the bank. We started off by migrating ourselves off of our Netsuite system. This move simplified all of our daily work lives so much, we brought this solution to our client base. From Professional Services, Manufacturing and Warehouse operations, Odoo was an excellent fit and an extremely good value. The company improves the software almost daily and with thousands of prebuilt apps in their app store, adding major functionality and workflow is simple. Also the open nature of the code makes it the absolute most flexible ERP/CRM/MRP software on the market. Odoo maintains a few versions Community(Free) and Hosted(Saas) and Enterprise(Self Hosted). We recommend either Hosted or Enterprise(Most Recommended) for business. The Community edition is mostly for developers to have an easy way to learn the basics. The Enterprise edition is packed with additional advanced features necessary for production use, and is supported by Odoo and the Odoo Partner Channel. Any company in the search for an ERP system should include Odoo in their list.
Cons:
Documentation needs improvement. Most documents and answers are not centralized but scattered between Youtube, and Odoo Community and GitHub although they have been building a training portal.
Odoo Response
7 years ago
Thanks for the review VCloud9 team! We are excited to hear how your experience with other ERP systems like Netsuite has helped to identify key value indicators when doing software implementation. We look forward to continuously adding value to your projects in the future!
Alternatives Considered:
Odoo is great except for the consultants and their sales team
Comments: I have to say that their sales teams have the only purpose of having the greater profit instead of find a solution for the Customer. Be careful with them. My wife bought 2 years of license and 50 hours of a consultant. After 3 hours the consultant said that the requirements of the project were not able in odoo. After 3 months they don't want to give our money back. It is sad to work with companies that have such little ethics.
Pros:
The software is great. Every part of your business is going to be integrated in a web of information easy to access. Every payment is linked to the invoices and the invoices to the Sales Orders. The Inventory Management is easy to use and I think it is difficult to get something as good in the same price range.
Cons:
Their sales team just want to sell you more instead of listening to the customer requirements. I have been working with odoo for 4 years in my company. I made a presentation of some requirements that my wife's company needed to consider using odoo. The salesman said that every requirement was possible. Nevertheless, after we paid 50 hours of a consultant and 2 years of license the consultant said that the requirements were not possible. For me odoo is very difficult to rate. I had the great experience of my company in which the software worked well. Also, I have the experience of my wife's company that is a disaster. I think the problem is that the sales teams don't know the product and they are selling air. They should have a 5 hours package with a consultant to manage the feasibility of the project. My second experience with odoo was a complete scam and a lack of ethics from the company.
"Odoo: the key to more efficient and profitable business management - my testimony".
Comments: With Odoo, I have been able to solve several important business problems for my company. Firstly, the platform has allowed me to centralise all my business operations in one place, eliminating the need to use several separate software and tools to manage different functions of my business. This has greatly improved the efficiency and productivity of my employees, allowing them to spend less time juggling different tools and more time focusing on their core tasks.In addition, Odoo's project management functionality allowed me to better track the progress of my projects, set clear deadlines and ensure that tasks were properly allocated to team members. This allowed for better collaboration between team members and more efficient management of resources. I was also able to track sales and purchases more efficiently, using Odoo's stock management and invoicing features.Finally, one of the main benefits I have realised from using Odoo is better visibility of my business as a whole. The real-time dashboards have allowed me to track progress in real time, monitor sales and expenses and analyse business performance. This has enabled me to make better and faster decisions based on accurate data rather than estimates or hunches. In short, Odoo has enabled me to manage my business operations more effectively, reduce costs and improve the profitability of my business.
Pros:
What I liked most about Odoo was its ability to provide a complete solution for managing my business. With Odoo, I was able to consolidate all my business operations in one place, from sales and purchasing management to project and human resources management. I also liked the flexibility of the platform, which allowed me to customise processes and functionality to meet the specific needs of my business. Finally, I found Odoo to be very easy to use, even for users without extensive technical knowledge. The user-friendly interface and online tutorials allowed me to get started quickly and take full advantage of Odoo's features. All in all, I found the Odoo solution to be very effective in streamlining my business processes and improving the management of my company.
Cons:
Although I really like the Odoo solution, there were a few things that I found problematic. Firstly, I found that some features were less intuitive than others, which meant I had to search longer than I would have liked to find solutions to my problems. Also, the initial installation process of Odoo can be a bit complicated, especially if you are not used to working with open-source software. Finally, I found that the online documentation and community forums were not always very clear, which sometimes made it difficult to find information on specific issues. However, on the whole, these problems were minor compared to the benefits I saw from using Odoo.
Cool idea - Terrible PAID customer support - Buggy software
Comments: Very frustrating. I'm used to working with Open Source platforms and expect no support from platform developers except forums and white papers. When I pay for support, I expect support. Odoo PAID customer service acts like they are donating their time. In short, unless you have a python coder on staff, do NOT use Odoo.
Pros:
*Opinions shared are from a 20 year marketing pro who knows his way around HTML/CSS/JS/PHP and running a LAMP config server. Tons of features and full suite of integrated apps. But all of them are buggy and PAID customer support is terrible.
Cons:
*Opinions shared are from a 20 year marketing pro who knows his way around HTML/CSS/JS/Lite PHP and running a LAMP config server. Terrible customer support. I mean, really, really bad. Takes a week or more, if ever, to get email questions answered. When answered, I get responses like this. "Yes, you are right. That is broken. We might fix it in the next VERSION. Or, you can pay us extra to fix it in this version." Odoo customization cost base development fee plus $5per dev hour per month forever. So, a 20 hour CSS/HTML/JS customization would cost BASE, plus $100 per month FOREVER. Odoo.sh multi website platform is a nightmare from SEO pov. Out of the box themes are responsive, but rudimentary. Their ecommerce themes are very bad. Back office sales order process takes about 20 clicks to complete . POS systems have limited hardware options Adding inventory is multi-screen / excessive click function. Shipping apps don't work well. All non-tech staff HATE the platform. System generates excess volumes of emails that can't be turned off. Paid hosting doesn't support NON WWW domain names. I never saw that problem in 20 years of hosting websites! The list goes on, but there isn't enough space here to write all the problems with the PAID version with PAID customer support.