Odoo Lead Consultant at ROOTSTACK (2024-NOW)
Odoo Functional Lead Consultant for Panama Customers at Rootstack (Onsite Consultancy and Remote Implementation).
I began by visiting the client's installations for over a month, mapping all requirements for implementation and development. High-level tasks were broken down into lower-level actionable items. I guided developers in approaching customizations and personally handled functional parameterization in Odoo. The implementation and development of Odoo v17 customizations commenced, leading to a production delivery after correct parameterizations and development.
Accounting with focus in Analytic Accounting and Budgets
The Odoo Tech Lead and I were brainstorming how to tackle this challenge.
In this project, budgets are a critical component, making it essential to ensure proper financial tracking.
The customer operates multiple branches, which added complexity to aligning branch management with analytic accounting in a way that fits their reporting needs.
Given the number of budgets involved, this implementation required carefully contrasting branch management with analytic plans, sometimes even at the level of analytic sub-plans.
Additionally, it's important to consider that multiple people handle budgets throughout the month, making accuracy and structure key factors.
This challenge extended beyond customized modules—it also required integrating these elements with a tailored solution in the Odoo Project module.
Inventory
In this project, inventory management was approached through three key scenarios:
General Office and Cleaning Supplies
Some inventory items, such as cleaning supplies and office materials, required stock level controls with defined minimum and maximum quantities. Additionally, certain items needed to be distributed across multiple branches, making inventory replenishment a crucial aspect of the implementation.
Nonprofit Distribution
As a nonprofit organization, the customer provides goods to support people in need. This required a blend of Odoo’s native inventory management functionalities with a customized module to ensure proper traceability. The solution had to accommodate both standard inventory tracking and a tailored process to fit the organization’s distribution model.
Fleet and Repair Integration
The project involved integrating Odoo’s native Repair module with Fleet Management, which does not have a built-in connection in standard Odoo. The customer manages a significant fleet and needed full traceability of vehicle repairs, including inventory consumption. Since Odoo’s Repair module already manages inventory usage and links with Accounting, particularly vendor bills, a customization was required to establish a direct connection between Fleet Management and repair operations. This ensured accurate tracking of repair costs and stock consumption related to fleet maintenance.
Purchasing
Purchasing in this organization is relatively straightforward; however, adapting the system to Panama’s regulatory requirements required some development.
A key aspect of this adaptation was implementing customizations to comply with Panama’s DGI Formulario 43 reporting requirements. This ensured that all purchase records met the government's tax and reporting standards.
Additionally, a specific adjustment was needed regarding the treatment of credit notes, particularly in relation to vendor bill payments. While this part of the process did not require custom development, it was essential to fully understand and configure Odoo’s functional capabilities to manage it effectively within the organization’s workflow.
Documents
The Documents module was implemented entirely using Odoo’s native functionalities, with no need for custom development.
After a thorough analysis with the Tech Lead, it was determined that there would be no integrations—neither with native Odoo modules nor with customized models.
As the customer described it, the module was used as a "drive" for general document storage. It was suggested for managing documents related to employees, accounting, and even customized modules.
However, specific documents related to individual employees, the organization, or members of this nonprofit were intentionally excluded from the Documents module. Instead, these were managed through other processes or systems.
Projects
Projects
In this implementation, the Projects module was utilized with the following key features:
Task Stages – Defined workflows for tracking task progress.
Project Stages – Structured phases for project management.
Task Dependencies – Ensured tasks followed a logical sequence.
Milestones – Used to mark significant progress points.
A minor development was introduced to link accounting budgets with projects.
Unlike traditional budgeting based on income, this organization focuses on expense-driven budgeting. As a result, the Projects module is not extensively used but remains valuable for tracking expenses related to internal projects.
Additionally, it was important to track plans and sub-plans within Odoo to maintain proper financial oversight.
Custom module for membership management in a non-lucrative organization
This part of the project was particularly interesting as it focused on managing the membership of many individuals involved with the organization.
Initially, the solution was designed as a single module, but as requirements evolved, multiple modules were integrated to enhance functionality.
Membership Management
The core module tracked individuals and their membership status within the organization.
Health Status Tracking
An integrated module monitored whether members were in good health.
Engagement Tracking
Another module captured how individuals participated in the organization’s activities.
Accounting Integration
This system was linked with Odoo’s native Accounting module, ensuring financial transactions related to memberships were properly recorded.
Sales
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Custom model for income in a lucrative organization
To streamline financial operations, a tailor-made menu was developed for managing payments, account tracking, and financial documents. This module enhances efficiency by integrating essential financial workflows into a single, structured system.
Manage payment processes and predefined templates for recurring transactions.
Customize financial settings and define operational parameters.
Track all income-related movements in real-time.
Seamlessly upload financial data for accurate record-keeping.
Generate detailed reports of account balances and movements.
Verify and certify outstanding financial obligations.
Issue and store official payment receipts.
Monitor and manage loans granted from individuals within the organization.
Fleet
Managing a fleet of vehicles requires more than just tracking assets—it involves monitoring fuel consumption, maintenance costs, driver-related expenses, and financial compliance. By integrating Odoo Fleet with Inventory, Repair, and Accounting, this solution ensures better control, cost visibility, and optimized fleet performance.
01
Vehicle Management & Maintenance
Register and monitor all company vehicles, including insurance, maintenance schedules, and mileage tracking.
Integration with Odoo Inventory ensures proper stock management for spare parts and consumables.
Repair tracking with Odoo Repair helps in cost analysis and vehicle lifecycle planning.
02
Fuel & Expense Tracking
Fuel consumption monitoring
Allows tracking of gasoline usage per vehicle.
Compare actual fuel expenses with allocated budgets for better financial oversight.
Automated tracking of fuel costs ensures accurate expense management.
03
Driver-Related Costs & Accountability
Record occasional expenses such as penalties for misbehavior, traffic fines, and additional charges.
Link driver-related expenses to analytic accounts for financial reporting and accountability.
04
Financial & Compliance Integration
Vendor bills for fuel, repairs, and fines are linked to the Accounting module, ensuring transparent expense allocation.
Budget tracking provides insights into operating costs and cost-saving opportunities.
Employees
This part of the implementation followed a standard Odoo approach with minimal customizations, as the native functionalities were sufficient for the organization's needs.
The configuration of the Employees and Appraisal modules was fundamental not only for organizing employee records but also for evaluating their performance. Additionally, the setup had a direct impact on payroll, ensuring that performance reviews and employee data were properly aligned with salary structures and benefits.
Payroll
Payroll Processing & Integration
The Odoo Payroll application is used to process work entries and generate payroll slips for employees. It integrates seamlessly with other modules like Employees, Time Off, and Attendances, ensuring a smooth payroll workflow.
Compliance & Localization
Odoo Payroll supports country-specific configurations, ensuring that payroll slips comply with local tax regulations and legal requirements. It helps avoid conflicts when validating work entries and ensures proper salary allocations.
Payroll Menu & Features
The module includes key sections such as Contracts, Salary Deductions, Work Entries, Payroll Slips (Pending & Processed), Payroll Batches, and Severance Settlements. These features provide full control over payroll processing.
Reporting & Financial Oversight
Odoo Payroll includes detailed payroll reports, allowing businesses to track salary expenses, deductions, and settlements. The integration with accounting ensures proper payroll reconciliation and financial accuracy.