Odoo

Odoo (acronym for On Demand Open Object) marks the evolution from a traditional ERP to a suite of business tools offered in SaaS mode or as an open source version. It is a suite of business apps, not just a simple Enterprise Resource Planning system, as summarized by Fabien Pinckaers, founder of OpenERP. Out-of-the-box integration: beyond traditional ERP.

The name change from OpenERP to Odoo reflects the fact that it is no longer just a software for enterprise resource planning, but also a platform providing a wide range of modules (apps). In total, there are more than 3,000 additional applications including CRM, project management modules, new e-commerce and website builder tools, and HR management features.

For those familiar with previous OpenERP versions, it is clear that the two real innovations in Odoo are the website builder (an integrated CMS, though still somewhat limited in power) and the e-commerce engine integrated with the ERP (meaning online sales are directly linked to supplier, customer, purchase, sales, inventory, and invoicing processes).

As mentioned, Odoo is available under an open-source license (maintaining continuity) by downloading the package from the website, or as a SaaS solution using the servers of OpenERP SA (free for up to two users). In both cases, the software you use is exactly the same.

Odoo presents itself to businesses as a single tool that meets all their needs (ERP, website, and e-commerce) without the need to integrate different types of software. As early as version 7.0, OpenERP, keeping up with the times, began to innovate traditional Enterprise Resource Planning by integrating collaboration features inspired by social media to increase efficiency in a context where sharing business information tools (email, file sharing...) was limited.

With the transition to the new version, the project moved from Launchpad to GitHub for improved speed and data organization. Terminology also changed: "master" is now used instead of "trunk".

Finally, despite the disappearance of the word "Open", Odoo remains an open-source ERP, as the Community Edition available for download continues to be released under the GNU AGPL license.