In the ever-evolving landscape of business management, Odoo has consistently stood out as a pillar of innovation, agilely adapting to the ever-changing needs of modern organizations. With the exciting launch of Odoo 17 during the Odoo Experience, held in early November, this comprehensive platform takes a step forward, introducing a series of improvements and new features designed to radically transform how companies approach their day-to-day operations.
At INDAWS, as certified experts in Odoo implementation and customization, we are excited to break down for you the most significant updates of this new version.
Join us in this blog, where we will explore in depth how Odoo 17 can be the catalyst to optimize processes, improve efficiency and foster smarter management within your company.
Odoo 17 new features highlights
General
New user interface design
Odoo 17 introduces a completely revamped user experience, focused on efficiency and aesthetics. The interface now benefits from a minimalist and modern design, with cleaner visual elements and uncluttered workspaces, making it easier to focus on the important tasks. This redesign not only improves overall navigation but also speeds up the adoption process for new users.
Enhanced search and navigation capabilities
The new advanced search transforms how users interact with their databases in Odoo. Custom filters, along with a more accessible “See All” option, allow for detailed and efficient segmentation of information. Data previews using avatars bring an additional layer of visual interaction, making navigation not only more intuitive but also more personalized.
Efficient data management and communications
Odoo 17 makes it easier to create, edit, and manage email templates, allowing companies to maintain consistent and professional communication with clients and partners. With improved tools for task duration tracking, users can optimize their time management, while new ease of user assignment promises more agile and effective task delegation.
Improved visualization and access to information
Data visualization receives a significant boost in Odoo 17, with list and map interfaces optimized for a quick and clear understanding of information. Odoo's PWA (Progressive Web Application) significantly improves accessibility, allowing users to access the platform from any device with the same functionality as a native app.
Integrations and process optimizations
Odoo 17 is ahead of the technological curve by integrating artificial intelligence capabilities such as ChatGPT for automatic text generation, which can transform the way companies create content for marketing, internal communications, and customer service. This functionality opens up new avenues for communication automation and personalization.
Easier Record Creation and Duplication
With significant improvements to the user interface, Odoo 17 makes record creation and duplication more intuitive and less error-prone, increasing operational efficiency. Improvements in charting and data analysis enable companies to gain deeper insights into their information, facilitating data-driven decision making.
ODOO APPS FINANCE
Accounting
Improvements in accounting reports and reconciliation
Simplified configuration of accounting reports, new design in bank reconciliation and improvements in report visualization:
- Advanced AI Integration: Implementation of artificial intelligence for automatic and more accurate classification of transactions in bank reconciliation.
- Advanced Report Customization: New drag-and-drop tools to customize accounting reports, allowing users to adapt them to the specific needs of their business without the need for advanced technical knowledge.
Discount Allocation and Asset Management
Separation of sales and discounts on invoices and usability improvements for importing and publishing assets.
- Improved Asset Dashboard: New user interface for asset management that allows for more effective viewing and tracking of asset performance over time.
- Automation in Discount Allocation: Implementation of configurable business rules for automatic allocation of discounts based on specific criteria, such as purchase volume or customer loyalty.
Automation and Tax Calculations
- Improvements in PDF Data Extraction: Use of advanced OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to extract data from PDF invoices with greater accuracy and fewer errors.
- Integration of more accurate tax calculations with Avalara and AvaTax.
- Improvements in tax and account prediction.
Advanced Invoice and Payment Management
New features for automatic expense creation, options for early payments and early payment discounts, and improvements in deferred management.
- Cash Flow Optimization: Tools for better cash flow projection and management, including predictive analysis based on historical payment patterns.
- Mobile Payment Systems Integration: Expansion of payment options to include popular mobile payment systems, improving convenience for customers.
Additional Integrations and Features
Integration with PEPPOL and Ponto, protection against payment fraud, and improvements to bank synchronization.
- Support for More Electronic Invoicing Standards: Expansion of the list of supported electronic invoicing standards, covering more countries and regions.
- Enhanced Fraud Alerts: Implementation of a more sophisticated fraud alert system, using machine learning to identify suspicious transaction patterns.
Interface and Navigation Improvements
Redesign of the accounting reports interface, easier invoice uploads, and improvements to URL navigation.
- Customizable Shortcuts: New functionality that allows users to create customized shortcuts to the most used functions and reports, improving navigation efficiency.
- Real-Time Data Visualization: Integration of interactive widgets in the accounting dashboard that show key data in real time, allowing for more agile decision making.
Implementation of new features
New function to generate and sign Factura-e invoices, as well as implement TicketBAI electronic invoicing. Possibility to export VAT book files from the general tax report and import Factura-e XML invoices in Odoo. Model 390 is available in tax reports. Update of exempt taxes and improved compatibility with SII reports.
- Expanded Support for International Electronic Invoicing: New tools to simplify the implementation of electronic invoicing in different jurisdictions, with special attention to local regulations and compatibility requirements.
- Improvements in Electronic Invoicing Security: Implementation of new layers of security, including improved encryption and two-factor authentication for the generation and signing of electronic invoices.
Documents
Improved Document Management
Odoo version 17 introduces revamped document management, adding a trash functionality that offers additional security by retaining deleted documents for 30 days before permanent deletion. This feature is essential to prevent accidental loss of information. Additionally, the document splitting tool has been optimized, allowing for greater accuracy and ease of use, making it easier to manage long documents or those composed of several relevant sections.
Easier file sharing and downloading
Odoo 17 makes it easier to collaborate and access information through significant improvements to file sharing and downloading options. It is now possible to share and download documents individually or in batches, streamlining collaborative work processes and allowing for more efficient distribution of document resources. This improvement is especially useful for teams that handle large volumes of documents and need to share them quickly and securely.
Document integrations and viewing
With Odoo 17, centralization of documents related to fleet management has been achieved, improving access and organization of critical documents for vehicle maintenance and operation. Thumbnail viewing for multi-page documents has also been improved, offering a clearer and more detailed preview that makes it easier to identify and access specific documents without having to fully open them.
Advances in document requests and management
Document requests and management have been optimized in Odoo 17 through the introduction of an improved activity management system and reminder emails. This allows for more efficient tracking of document requests and ensures compliance with deadlines. In addition, signed documents related to Human Resources are now automatically stored in the Documents application, improving the organization and security of sensitive information.
Additional features and navigation improvements
Odoo 17 enriches the user experience by incorporating new actions such as the automatic creation of expenses from received documents, which simplifies expense management and reduces the time spent on administrative tasks. Improvements in link management, keyboard shortcuts, and advanced search by product enrich the navigability and accessibility within the platform, allowing users to find the desired information more quickly and accurately.
Human Resources - Payroll
Improvements to bank account and contract management
Odoo 17 introduces a more secure and transparent approach to managing changes to bank accounts and contracts, including:
- Improved Security Alerts: When bank account numbers are modified, the system will generate clearer and more detailed warnings, offering an additional layer of verification to prevent errors or fraud.
- Smart Contract Management: Automatic cancellation of signature requests is complemented by a notification system that informs both employees and managers about the status and changes to contracts, improving internal communication.
Changes to contract display and management
- Contract Management Optimization: The removal of the Contract History view is accompanied by new functionality that allows HR managers to access a
- Improved User Interface: To facilitate the administration of employee contracts, a more intuitive and visual interface is introduced, allowing for effective management and monitoring of contract terms and renewals.
New Features in Benefits and Overtime
Implementation of conditional benefits and automatic recording of overtime in work entries.
- Flexible Benefits Management: In addition to conditional benefits, Odoo 17 makes it easier to customize benefits packages according to individual employee needs, promoting a more inclusive and satisfying work culture.
- Overtime Integration: Automatic recording of overtime is now integrated with Odoo's project management module, allowing these hours to be assigned and compensated in specific projects, thus improving resource planning and cost allocation.
Improvements in salary structuring and management
Inclusion of new options in the salary configurator, improved report generation and ability to sort salary structure types.
Expenses
Updated Expense Accounting Workflow
Odoo 17 has introduced a more dynamic and automated expense accounting workflow, allowing for efficient and transparent expense management. The platform now clearly distinguishes between expenses incurred by employees and those directly incurred by the company, streamlining the processing and reconciliation of these expenses. In addition, a multi-level approval functionality has been integrated for expense reports, improving internal oversight and control.
Automatic Expense Categorization
The new version allows administrators to define business rules that automatically categorize expenses based on their nature, project, department, or any other relevant criteria. This makes it easier to organize and track expenses, as well as providing a solid foundation for detailed financial analysis and reporting. Artificial intelligence plays a key role in this feature, learning from category assignments to automatically suggest the most appropriate one in future occasions.
Expense Reporting Optimization
Odoo 17 has significantly improved expense reporting, incorporating functionalities for a more agile reconciliation between expenses and payments. PDF reports can now include attached digital receipts, with the option to add annotations or comments on each expense line. This release also introduces dynamic reporting that allows users to customize fields, filters and groupings, providing deeper insights specific to the company’s needs.
Flexibility in handling currencies
With Odoo 17, flexibility in handling different currencies for expenses has been extended, allowing employees to record expenses in any currency, with automatic conversions based on daily updated exchange rates. This functionality is especially useful for companies with international operations, simplifying the management of expenses in multiple currencies and minimizing discrepancies due to exchange rate fluctuations.
Improvements in expense status consistency
Work has been done to improve consistency and clarity throughout the expense flow. The terminology used in expense forms, reports and dashboards has been standardized, making the process more intuitive for all users. In addition, visually distinctive status indicators have been introduced that allow users to quickly understand the status of their expense reports, from creation to approval and reimbursement.
MARKETINGODOO APPS
Website
Improved Design and Display
- Advanced Mobile Responsiveness: Odoo 17 introduces a 'Mobile-First' design approach, ensuring that all web pages and applications display perfectly on a wide range of mobile devices. This includes optimized drop-down menus, easy-to-reach touch buttons, and accelerated page loads for effortless navigation.
- Improved Interactive Image Effects: Cutting-edge technologies for image effects such as parallax, hover zoom, and input animations have been implemented. These effects not only capture the user's attention but also provide a dynamic and immersive browsing experience.
- Dynamic Overlay Grid Layout: The new layout functionality allows users to create overlay grid layouts, offering a modern and attractive aesthetic. This feature is ideal for portfolios, image galleries, and product presentations, allowing for a more creative and engaging display of content.
Advanced Blocks and Elements
- Intuitive Banner and Button Creation: Odoo 17 makes it easy to create banners and buttons with a visual drag-and-drop editor, allowing users to design engaging elements without coding knowledge. New options include animation effects, countdown timers for events or promotions, and the ability to integrate calls to action directly into banners.
- New Header and Page Templates: With Odoo 17, the library of pre-designed templates is expanded, offering a variety of headers and page layouts for different purposes and styles. These templates are fully customizable and fit any type of business, from online stores to corporate blogs, making it easy to create unique and professional websites.