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Frequently asked questions

General questions

What is the difference between Odoo Community and Odoo Enterprise?

  • Odoo Community Edition: the free open-source edition with the core features. You can install and use it freely.
  • Odoo Enterprise Edition: the paid subscription edition, which adds advanced features, official support, guaranteed updates and extra modules such as Studio, electronic signature and leave management.

How do I upgrade Odoo to a new version?

Upgrading Odoo generally takes the following steps:

  1. a full backup of the database and of the files;
  2. testing the migration on a pre-production environment;
  3. installing the new version;
  4. migrating the data with the tools provided;
  5. checking that the custom modules are compatible;
  6. full testing before going live.

Note

Calling on an Odoo partner (such as IROKOO) for major migrations is strongly recommended, since they can be complex and may call for specific adaptations.

Is Odoo compatible with mobile devices?

Yes, in several ways:

  • a responsive web interface that adapts to tablets and smartphones;
  • dedicated mobile applications for iOS and Android;
  • a progressive web app, for an experience close to a native application.

How do I customise the reports in Odoo?

Odoo offers several levels of report customisation:

  1. Basic: changing the logo and the company information.
  2. Intermediate: using Odoo Studio (Enterprise) to change the existing reports.
  3. Advanced: building custom reports with QWeb, the XML template language.

How do I add custom fields?

To add custom fields in Odoo:

  1. With Odoo Enterprise: use Studio to add fields with no programming.
  2. Without Studio: open Settings › Technical › Database Structure › Fields and create a new field.
  3. For complex needs: develop a custom module that adds the fields required.

Technical questions

How do I improve Odoo's performance?

Several things help:

  • configuring the server with enough resources (CPU, RAM);
  • tuning the PostgreSQL database;
  • using a dedicated web server (Nginx, Apache);
  • configuring a caching system;
  • archiving old data regularly;
  • indexing the fields that are searched often.

How do I back up my Odoo database?

Odoo offers several backup methods:

  1. through the web interface, in the database manager;
  2. using the pg_dump command-line tool;
  3. configuring scheduled automatic backups;
  4. third-party backup services for Odoo.

Tip

Test restoring your backups regularly, to be sure they work. An untested backup is not a reliable one.

How do I install an additional module?

To install an additional module:

  1. Open Apps.
  2. Clear the "Apps" filter to see every module.
  3. Search for the module you want.
  4. Click Install.
  5. For outside modules, place them in the addons folder before installing.

How do I configure email sending in Odoo?

To configure email sending:

  1. Open Settings › Technical › Email › Outgoing Mail Servers.
  2. Create a new server with the SMTP settings of your provider.
  3. Configure the authentication and security options.
  4. Test by sending an email.
  5. Set that server as the default one where needed.

Functional questions

How do I configure taxes in Odoo?

To configure the taxes:

  1. Open Accounting › Configuration › Accounting › Taxes.
  2. Create or edit the taxes to suit your needs.
  3. Configure the rate, the computation method and the accounts.
  4. Attach the taxes to the products or to the product categories.
  5. Configure the fiscal positions for particular customers.

How do I handle user access rights?

Access rights are handled at several levels:

  1. creating user profiles with predefined sets of rights;
  2. assigning specific security groups as the need arises;
  3. configuring access rules at record level;
  4. defining access rules at field level;
  5. assigning the companies, in a multi-company setup.

Note

Always follow the principle of least privilege: grant each user only the minimum rights they need to do their work.

How do I handle several entities or companies in Odoo?

Odoo can handle several legal entities:

  1. Enable the multi-company feature in the settings.
  2. Create the companies, each with its own settings.
  3. Configure the data specific to each company.
  4. Assign the access rights to the users.
  5. Configure data sharing between companies where needed.

How do I import data in bulk?

To import data in bulk:

  1. Prepare your data in a CSV or XLS file.
  2. Open the list view of the records concerned.
  3. Click Import.
  4. Download a template if you need one.
  5. Map the columns to the Odoo fields.
  6. Run the import and check the results.
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