What is New in Odoo 18: Overview of Features and Highlights

Odoo releases new versions of Odoo ERP annually, each packed with new features, enhancements, and modules aimed at improving business operations for companies of all sizes. The latest version released by Odoo is Odoo 18.

In this blog, Confianz highlights how Odoo 18 is superior to its previous versions with its exciting new features. In addition, we will showcase the new and improved features and areas where it has taken the platform forward. 

Odoo 18 Features

1. Enhanced Mobile User Interface and Accessibility

One of the significant changes in Odoo 18 is the stronger focus on revamping the mobile user interface compared to earlier versions. While previous versions like Odoo 16 and 17 supported mobile access, Odoo 18 takes it to another level with its intelligent approach.

• Faster Mobile Interface: Odoo 18 has introduced a cleaner and more responsive mobile app interface. Thus, the platform allows users to manage business processes easily from their mobile devices.
• Mobile Point Of Sale: The new mobile POS feature is a game-changer for businesses in retail operations. The product variant selection process is more intuitive than before. It makes it easier for users to find what they are looking for. In addition, the new barcode lookup feature integrates smoothly, accelerating the transaction process.

2. Improved Accounting and Financial Management

Odoo helps companies in financial management using these operations: 

• Double-Entry Bookkeeping: The Odoo accounting system is based on double-entry bookkeeping and supports multiple currencies.
• Automated Payments: Odoo automates invoice creation, sends payment reminders, and reconciles bank statements. Odoo also integrates with payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and bank transfers.

• Budgeting and Analytic Accounting: This feature in Odoo plans and tracks budgets, creates reports based on analytic accounts, and compares financial performance with forecasts.

• Tax Management: This feature manages complex tax computations, VAT reports, and multi-currency accounting in compliance with international standards.

The Odoo financial modules have consistently evolved. Odoo 18 introduces significant advancements that differentiate it from earlier versions like Odoo 17.

• Enhanced Budgeting Tools: Odoo 18 introduces new budgeting capabilities in the Accounting module. This feature streamlines financial tracking and budgeting processes. It can calculate costs with the help of vendor bills. Hence, it provides more accurate projections about the amount spent and achieved, and has a theoretical column to compare plans​.

• Redesigned Financial Dashboard: The financial dashboard in Odoo 18 offers a more intuitive and visually appealing overview of a company’s financial health using it​. Using the customizable dashboard, users can apply filters based on their business needs to analyze and compare data highlighted in different colors. 

3. AI-Driven Automation

The AI features in Odoo help businesses automate routine tasks, improve decision-making, and enhance customer experiences. From demand forecasting and personalized marketing to intelligent document processing, Odoo continues to innovate by leveraging AI technology to deliver ingenious business solutions.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been playing an increasingly important role in Odoo; however, Odoo 18 pushes the envelope further with improved automation features.

• AI-enabled capabilities in the Website Module: Odoo 18 is much more intuitive than before, thanks to the AI-enabled capabilities. AI can translate text in the language of your choice based on the various options with the help of the “Translate” button in the website module. 

4. Sales Enhancements

Odoo performs these vital Sales functions: 

• CRM (Customer Relationship Management): The CRM module helps manage sales activities, track customer interactions, and automate sales pipelines. You can score leads, manage customer databases, and automate marketing follow-ups.
• Quotations & Orders: Using the Sales module, users can create quotations, convert them into sales orders, and issue invoices with a few clicks. Integration with the inventory system allows for real-time tracking of stock.
• E-Signature: Integrated digital signature capability in the Sales module helps businesses get contracts signed electronically, streamlining the sales process.
• Subscription Management: Odoo supports subscription-based businesses by providing automated invoicing, alerts, and revenue forecasts.

The sales module in Odoo 18 has also undergone significant changes, setting it apart from previous versions.

• Quote Selector: Odoo 18 introduces a “Quote Selector” feature that allows users to adjust shipping costs easily. On clicking the “Quote Selector” icon, a spreadsheet opens that can be useful in adjusting various factors that help calculate and know the final shipping or transport cost. Users can build their quotation based on the “Quote Builder” feature. Users can highlight many more product details in their quotations. If the sale is successful, designated users handling the commission process can streamline it through the “Commission Plans” feature.

5. Inventory and Warehouse Management

The Odoo inventory management application performs these critical functions: 

• Real-Time Stock Management: It keeps track of stock across multiple warehouses, tracks goods in transit, and monitors stock levels in real time. The system also supports barcodes and RFID.
• Advanced Routing: Drop-shipping, cross-docking, and multi-location warehouse features provide advanced routing options.

The Odoo inventory management module is one of its core strengths, and Odoo 18 introduces new features that enhance its capabilities even further.

• Shipping and Receiving operations: Odoo 18 has enhanced shipping and receiving processes by introducing new push/ pull rules configurations to streamline product movement operations.
• New Dashboard for Inventory Operations: Odoo 18 introduces a fresh dashboard for inventory operations that can help the valuation of lots through its “Lots” and “Serial Numbers” features. 
• Dispatch Management & location tracking: Odoo 18 introduces a new “Dispatch Management” feature to perform product delivery operations. Users can input information like adding weight, volume, etc for a product. In addition, by using the “Map View” feature, companies can track the location of a product.  

6. Manufacturing and Supply Chain

Odoo is beneficial for manufacturing industries and helps in these ways: 

• Bill of Materials (BoM): Odoo supports multi-level BoMs for complex production processes. It allows businesses to define the components required for finished goods.

• Work Orders: The manufacturing module schedules, plans, and manages production work orders.

• PLM (Product Lifecycle Management): Odoo offers integrated PLM functionality, providing versioning, engineering change orders (ECO), and document management for product designs.

• Quality Checks & Maintenance: The platform allows for quality control points during the manufacturing process; through an integrated maintenance module for scheduling preventive and corrective maintenance.

However, Odoo 18 continues to refine its platform’s manufacturing and supply chain management features through the below operations, making it an even more powerful tool for industries that require efficient production planning.

• Bill of Materials: In Odoo 18, users can add more materials from the product catalog feature. 
• Shop Floor: The Shop Floor is a visual interface that can display the time spent manufacturing products. Users can also add instructions to the product, and to view these instructions, users can toggle the note, saving space and providing greater visibility about the manufacturing order. 

7. Human Resources

HR functionalities in Odoo are robust and user-friendly. Here are its prime features:

Employee Records: It manages employee profiles, tracks contracts, and stores HR documents like resumes and certifications.

Payroll: This feature automates payroll processes like deductions, allowances, and taxes, and generates payslips. Payroll can be integrated with other modules like attendance, timesheets, and expenses.

Recruitment: This feature is used to post job openings, track applicants, and manage recruitment pipelines. Odoo includes features for interview scheduling, assessment management, and candidate tracking.

Attendance & Timesheets: This feature tracks employee attendance and work hours, manages leaves, and generates reports based on timesheets.

In addition, Odoo 18 has now upgraded its recruitment feature in the following way:

1. Publish jobs directly on the job portals: Odoo allows users to post job opportunities directly on the job boards from their website. In addition, the AI feature in the Recruitment module allows its users to change the job description to align with the job position. You can also create job filters and rules to use job application emails and create candidate profiles.
2. Streamlined candidate management: Candidates can now be linked to several job offers to diversify opportunities for deserving candidates and help the companies fill positions easily.

8. Appointments

The Odoo Appointment application is a powerful business application that streamlines appointment booking processes. It simplifies processes for customers to schedule meetings, consultations, or services with a business.

1. Online Booking: Clients can easily book appointments through an online portal or embedded widget on a website, selecting the service they need and choosing from the available time slots.
2. Automated Scheduling: This application automates the scheduling process, reducing the need for back-and-forth communication to confirm appointments. Customers can pick a time based on the availability set by the staff or service provider.
3. Calendar Integration: Odoo Appointment syncs with your calendar, allowing real-time visibility into available slots and preventing overbooking. It supports integration with Google Calendar and other third-party apps.
4. Reminders and Notifications: The system automatically sends reminders to clients and staff via email or SMS before an appointment, minimizing no-shows and ensuring everyone is on schedule.
5. Customizable Time Slots: Businesses can configure appointment durations, set available hours, and block off time for breaks or holidays. This flexibility ensures more efficient time management.
6. Multiple Staff Management: It allows clients to book directly with a specific staff member based on availability.
7. Reporting and Analytics: Odoo provides reports on appointments, showing key data such as no-show rates, peak booking times, and service popularity, allowing businesses to optimize their offerings.
8. Seamless Integration: The Appointment app integrates seamlessly with other Odoo modules, such as CRM, Sales, and Website, enabling full automation of client interactions, from booking an appointment to invoicing for services.

Odoo 18 has enhanced its Appointment application. It is now streamlined for many industries and allows your clients to book appointments easily. Odoo has a toggle button in the appointment application when enabled to “published” mode, which helps your clients book appointments easily.  

9. Odoo Industries 

Odoo 18 has a new feature called “Odoo Industries” that helps your company set up applications that match the specific industry a business is in.

Conclusion

Odoo 18 is a significant step forward from previous Odoo versions. Its powerful features and AI capabilities make it a powerful upgrade.

For businesses who wish to streamline their workflows, Odoo 18 offers more flexibility, automation, and efficiency across all modules. Whether you are managing finances, sales, inventory, or manufacturing, Odoo 18 provides the tools needed to take your business to the next level.

Confianz is an official Odoo partner and can help you migrate or customize Odoo to your business requirements. Hence, upgrading to Odoo 18, especially for users of earlier versions, could be the key to unlocking productivity, new efficiencies, and staying ahead of the competition.

Ready to take your business to the next level? Contact us at [email protected] and let us help you harness the full potential of Odoo 18!