Original author(s) Repository github.com/odoo/odoo | Developer(s) Odoo S.A. | |
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Stable release 10.0 / October 5, 2016; 5 months ago (2016-10-05) Preview release current master version / daily Written in Python, JavaScript, XML | ||
Odoo is an all-in-one management software that offers a range of business applications that form a complete suite of enterprise management applications. The Odoo solution is ideal for SMEs, but fits both small and large companies alike. Odoo is an all-in-one business software capable of covering all business needs, including CRM, Website/e-Commerce, billing, accounting, manufacturing, warehouse- and project management, and inventory, all seamlessly integrated.
Contents
- Source code model
- Community network
- Modules components
- Educational use
- Books publications
- Awards
- Software architecture
- Vendor support
- Company history
- References
Odoo offers three separate versions of the solution; Odoo Enterprise, Odoo Online SaaS (Software as a Service) version, and the Odoo Community version. The Enterprise version is self hosted, it includes all the apps, and the pricing starts at $360 per user per year, with a minimum of 5 users. The Odoo Online version is hosted on a cloud, and the first app is offered for free as a standalone app for unlimited users. After the first app, there is a fixed monthly subscription fee for the apps used and the number of users. The Community version is the open source version. The Source code for the OpenObject framework and core ERP (enterprise resource planning) modules is curated by the Belgium-based Odoo S.A. The last fully featured Open Source version was 8.0 (LTS), available on GitHub under AGPLv3. Odoo is the most popular open source ERP system.
Source code model
From inception, Odoo S.A / OpenERP S.A have released software as Open Source but starting with the V9.0 release, the company has transitioned to an open core model which provides subscription-based proprietary Enterprise software and cloud-hosted Software as a service, and a cut-down community version.
Community & network
In 2013, the not-for-profit Odoo Community Association was formed to promote the widespread use of Odoo and to support the collaborative development of Odoo features. This organisation has over 150 members who are a mix of individuals and organisations. However, there are over 20,000 people that contribute to the Odoo community.
Odoo S.A. switched its focus from being a service company to focus more on software publishing and the SaaS business. Customized programming, support, and other services, are provided by an active global community and a network of over 700 official partners and integrators.
Modules / components
The main Odoo components are the OpenObject framework, about 30 core modules (also called official modules) and more than 3000 community modules.
Educational use
Odoo has been used as a component of university courses, and it became a compulsory subject for the baccalaureate in France, just like Word, Excel and PowerPoint. A study on experiential learning suggested that OpenERP provides a suitable alternative to proprietary systems to supplement teaching.
Odoo also offers a completely free programme called Odoo Education, which allows teachers and/or students to create an Odoo database for academic purposes.
Books & publications
Several books have been written about Odoo, some covering specific areas such as accounting or development.
Awards
Odoo has received several awards including Trends Gazelle, Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Award and the BOSSIE Award four years in a row.
Software & architecture
Odoo uses Python scripting and Postgres database. A development repo is on GitHub.
Vendor support
The 3 last LTS version are supported in parallel. This means that when a new LTS version is released, an older version reaches its end-of-life, and is not supported anymore. As an example, 8.0 LTS will be supported along with 9.0 LTS and 10.0 LTS, but will reach end-of-life when 11.0 LTS is released.
Company history
In 2005, Fabien Pinckaers, the founder and current CEO of Odoo, started to develop his first software product, TinyERP. His dream was for his product and company to become a major player in the enterprise world with a cool, innovative, open source product. However, three years later he came to realize that having the word ‘tiny’ in the product name was not the right approach if he wanted to “change the enterprise world”. The name was then changed to OpenERP. The company started to evolve quickly and in 2010, OpenERP had become a 100+ employee company. The OpenERP product was powerful, but Fabien Pinckaers felt that they had become too distracted by providing services to customers that the product had suffered and become unattractive. He wanted to make sure that the product came first in order to be able to offer an exceptional product. Therefore, the decision was made to redirect the company’s main focus towards software publishing rather than services, and the business model changed accordingly, with increased focus on building a strong partner network and maintenance offers.
The new company strategy was well received, as the fast growth indicated, and in 2013 it won a Deloitte award for being that fastest growing company in Belgium, with 1549% growth over a five year period. In 2014, things took a turn as the company developed new technology that allowed them to enter new markets and move beyond the boundaries of traditional ERP players. As OpenERP was no longer exclusively an ERP it was time to move forward and change the name to something that didn’t affiliate them with solely being an ERP. In May 2014, the company was renamed Odoo, a name that has no restrictions and can allow the company to grow in whichever direction. The company has continued its growth and in 2015, Odoo was named one of the fastest growing companies in Europe by Inc. Magazine.