Business processes
Odoo business processes, end to end
How plan-to-produce, procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, record-to-report, inbound-to-outbound and hire-to-retire run in Odoo 20: the steps, the app behind each one, where standard Odoo needs work, and the client project that proves it.
Last reviewed:
Which Odoo processes are mapped here?
One page per process, each built from a client project we delivered.
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Plan-to-produce
From the first demand signal to a finished, traced and costed lot.
8 steps in: Sales, Inventory, Master Production Schedule, Manufacturing, Purchase, Shop Floor, Quality, Accounting
Gaps we close: a capacity check before an order is confirmed; inspections that follow the product; rework that shows up in product cost; one approval engine across documents; industry data the standard model does not hold
Proof: Duke Pipes
The plan-to-produce process in Odoo -
Procure-to-pay
From a purchase need to a paid, reconciled vendor bill.
8 steps in: Purchase, Purchase Agreements, Approvals, Inventory, Quality, Accounting
Gaps we close: an approval matrix, not two levels; matching exceptions that reach a person; duty that follows the tariff line; vendor discounts that reach the bill; bank data that arrives on its own
Proof: Commonwealth Fusion Systems
The procure-to-pay process in Odoo -
Order-to-cash
From a lead or an incoming order to cash in the bank.
8 steps in: CRM, Sales, Payments, eCommerce, Invoicing, Inventory, Accounting
Gaps we close: credit control that stops the dispatch; layered trade discounts on one line; orders from every channel, without re-keying; returns that end as the right credit note; collections that follow how each customer pays
Proof: Koskii
The order-to-cash process in Odoo -
Record-to-report
From the first journal entry to a closed month and the reports the business runs on.
8 steps in: Invoicing, Accounting, Assets
Gaps we close: journal sign-off by an auditor; interest on overdue invoices; statutory reports in the format finance reads; bank feeds odoo does not cover; history that auditors will still ask for
Proof: Duke Pipes
The record-to-report process in Odoo -
Inbound-to-outbound
From goods arriving from a supplier to a customer's parcel leaving the dock.
8 steps in: Inventory, Purchase, Barcode, Sales, Delivery
Gaps we close: a 3pl status the warehouse floor recognises; containers tracked before they land; cross-docking to the orders that are waiting; the warehouse and carrier picked from the address; barcode rules by order type
Proof: CABA Design
The inbound-to-outbound process in Odoo -
Hire-to-retire
From an open job to an employee's last day and final pay.
8 steps in: Recruitment, Payroll, Sign, Employees, Planning, Attendances, Time Off, Appraisals
Gaps we close: attendance that follows rotating and night shifts; biometric devices across every branch; advances, penalties and early-outs in the payslip; performance that feeds pay; a final settlement at exit
Proof: Duke Pipes
The hire-to-retire process in Odoo
What does each process cover, at a glance?
| Process | From and to | Steps | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan-to-produce | From the first demand signal to a finished, traced and costed lot | 8 | Duke Pipes |
| Procure-to-pay | From a purchase need to a paid, reconciled vendor bill | 8 | Commonwealth Fusion Systems |
| Order-to-cash | From a lead or an incoming order to cash in the bank | 8 | Koskii |
| Record-to-report | From the first journal entry to a closed month and the reports the business runs on | 8 | Duke Pipes |
| Inbound-to-outbound | From goods arriving from a supplier to a customer's parcel leaving the dock | 8 | CABA Design |
| Hire-to-retire | From an open job to an employee's last day and final pay | 8 | Duke Pipes |
How do the processes connect in Odoo?
They share one database, so each process starts from records the others create.
- 1 Order-to-cash sells and collects. A confirmed order reserves stock, and replenishment rules can turn it into a manufacturing or purchase order.
- 2 Plan-to-produce turns that demand into finished, traced and costed lots. Components that are short become purchase needs.
- 3 Procure-to-pay buys and pays. Receipts update stock, and vendor bills and payments land in the books.
- 4 Record-to-report closes the month on all of it: bank matching, accruals for orders not yet invoiced or billed, the tax return, locked periods and reports.
- 5 Inbound-to-outbound runs the warehouse under all of them: receipts from purchase orders, putaway, picking and shipping for sales orders, and the counts that keep stock right.
- 6 Hire-to-retire staffs all of them: shifts and attendance feed payroll, and the payslips post to the books that record-to-report closes.
Questions about Odoo business processes
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What is a business process in Odoo?
A chain of steps that runs across several Odoo apps from a start event to an end result, such as an order through to cash in the bank. Each step is done in one app and creates the record the next step starts from, so the process runs on one database with no re-keying.
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Which business processes do you document for Odoo?
Six end to end: plan-to-produce, procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, record-to-report, inbound-to-outbound and hire-to-retire. Each page lists the steps in Odoo 20, the app and edition behind each step, the gaps we close most often and the client project that proves it.
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Does standard Odoo run these processes without customisation?
Standard Odoo 20 runs every step on these pages. Each page also lists where it stops short, such as a credit warning that does not block a dispatch, or a three-way match with no tolerance, and how we closed that gap for a named client.
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Do I need Odoo Enterprise for these processes?
It depends on the process. The core apps such as Sales, Purchase, Inventory, Manufacturing and Invoicing are in Community. Bank matching, assets, financial reports, payment follow-ups and the marketplace connectors are Enterprise. Each process page marks the edition of every app it uses.
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How do you map our processes before implementation?
A one-week discovery walks through each process with your team, marks where standard Odoo fits and where it needs work, and ends with a fixed timeline and a fixed price. Implementation starts from about USD 4,000 and goes up with scope.