Why Your Staff Still Struggles with Odoo: Mis-configured Features and Misalignment with Real Business Workflows

Implementing Odoo is one thing. But getting people to actually use it reliably, especially after training, often hits unexpected roadblocks. Some of the most honest critiques come from users as they vent about feature navigation, poor configuration, and workflow mismatches. These aren’t just complaints; they reveal where ERP adoption fails and how to fix it by aligning Odoo’s configuration to your real business processes.

Here’s how Ops29 Limited can help you bridge the gap.

1. Training Alone Isn’t Enough

Most organizations assume that once staff are trained, they can use Odoo seamlessly. However, discussions and implementation experiences reveal several reasons this assumption fails:

2. Features Don’t Match Real Business Workflows:

Many companies train staff on Odoo buttons, “click here, then here, then confirm.” But if workflows aren’t aligned:

• Sales orders may not reduce inventory correctly

• Manufacturing orders may not consume materials or update costs

• Purchases may fail to reflect approvals or internal requisitions

• Accounting may not automatically record transactions from operations

Without alignment, staff can follow steps but still produce incorrect or incomplete results.

3. Inventory, Manufacturing, and Accounting Aren’t Properly Connected

Users frequently report:

• Inaccurate stock reporting

• Missing or confusing accounting entries from stock moves

• Manufacturing operations that don’t generate costs in accounting

The root cause is misconfigured workflows. When sales, inventory, manufacturing, purchasing, and accounting aren’t linked correctly, employees must manually reconcile data, and often abandon the system in frustration.

4. Procurement and Internal Processes Are Ignored

Standard Odoo purchasing workflows don’t always reflect real organizational needs:

• Internal requisitions aren’t consolidated properly

• Purchase orders skip necessary approvals

• Goods receipt doesn’t trigger accurate accounting

Employees quickly lose confidence in a system that doesn’t mirror actual workflows.

5. Reporting Gaps Frustrate Users

When data is inaccurate, reports fail to provide actionable insights:

• Finance teams struggle to see inventory valuation, COGS, or profitability

• Sales and production managers cannot track performance in real-time

• Decision-making slows down, leading to workarounds

Staff may know how to “use” Odoo, but they can’t trust the system.

How to Fix Adoption Problems: Align Odoo to Your Business

Adoption improves when you focus on configuration and workflow alignment, not just training. Here’s how:

1. Map Your Real Workflows

• Document end-to-end processes: Sales → Inventory → Manufacturing → Purchasing → Accounting.

• Identify unique cases, e.g., project-based BOMs, multi-step approvals, or stock location hierarchies.

2. Role-Based Configuration

• Inventory: Configure routes, multi-step warehousing, and location hierarchies.

• Manufacturing: Build BoMs and workflows that match real production.

• Purchasing: Set up approvals, requisitions, and PO rules.

• Accounting: Automate journal entries for stock moves, production, and purchases.

3. Connect Operations to Accounting

• Ensure stock moves and manufacturing consumption create accurate journal entries.

• Use the right costing method and valuation settings to reflect real inventory costs.

• Link sales, inventory, manufacturing, and purchasing so accounting reflects actual business operations.

4. Phase Your Rollout

• First Rollout (Core Modules): Launch only the essential workflows:

  Purchase → Inventory → Sales → Accounting → Project → Manufacturing → HR. Configure these modules, test with real data, and refine workflows to ensure smooth adoption. All core applications should be fully operational in this phase.

• Second Rollout (Customizations & Integrations): Once the core modules are stable and users are confident, deploy any additional customizations, integrations, or specialized apps as needed.

5. Train on Process, Not Just Features

• Walk staff through real business scenarios: “A sales order is confirmed → inventory updates → accounting entries are generated.”

• Show why steps happen, not just how to click buttons.

Poor adoption is rarely a problem of staff capability; it’s usually a problem of configuration and workflow alignment.

It’s not just about fixing your Chart of Accounts (COA). To truly enable adoption, your Odoo system must:

• Link sales to inventory depletion and accounting

• Connect manufacturing orders to material consumption and cost tracking

• Align purchasing with approvals and accounting

• Provide reliable, actionable reports for all departments

When features are aligned to workflows, your staff stops struggling, and your ERP becomes a trusted tool, not a burden.

Struggling with Odoo Adoption?

If your employees still struggle despite training, it’s time to look beyond the basics:

• Assess whether your Odoo configuration matches your real workflows

• Ensure all operational modules feed into accounting accurately

• Implement role-based, process-driven training

• Monitor adoption and refine workflows continuously

👉Book a Free Odoo Performance Audit Today 👈

Let’s identify gaps in your configuration, align your system to your business, and finally unlock the full potential of Odoo.