Express Implementation Guide for Small Businesses
Introduction
Implementing an ERP system typically takes weeks or months, but small businesses often need to get up and running quickly. This guide outlines how to implement Odoo's core modules using default settings and go live in just 9 hours. This accelerated approach focuses on getting essential business operations running first, then optimizing over time.
A comprehensive guide that outlines how a small business can implement and go live with Odoo in just 9 hours. This express implementation guide provides a practical, hour-by-hour approach focused on getting essential business operations running quickly.
The guide includes:
- Hour-by-hour schedule - A detailed breakdown of what to accomplish each hour of the implementation day
- Clear deliverables for each phase
- First-week plan for stabilization and refinement
- Module-specific quick start guides for Sales, Purchasing, Inventory, and Accounting
- Practical tips to ensure a successful rapid implementation
- Common pitfalls to avoid
- Long-term planning for weeks 2-3 and beyond
This approach focuses on:
- Using default settings and configurations
- Implementing only essential functionality first
- Minimizing data entry to what's immediately needed
- Ensuring key business processes work on day one
The guide acknowledges that this rapid approach is specifically designed for small businesses with straightforward processes that need to get operational quickly, while providing a foundation for future growth and optimization.
Note: This rapid implementation approach is designed for small businesses with straightforward processes who need to get operational quickly. Complex requirements, heavy customizations, or data migrations will require more time.
Prerequisites
Before starting your 9-hour implementation:
- Internet connectivity and computers for all key users
- Company information (logo, address, tax IDs, etc.) readily available
- Product list in spreadsheet format (if applicable)
- Customer/vendor list in spreadsheet format (if applicable)
- Decision makers available throughout the implementation day
Hour-by-Hour Implementation Schedule
Hour 1: Setup & Foundation (8:00-9:00 AM)
Objective: Create your Odoo instance and configure company information
-
0:00-0:20:
Odoo Online Registration
- Go to Odoo.com and sign up for Odoo Online
- Choose the applications needed for your business
- Complete registration and access your new instance
- 0:20-0:45:
Company Configuration
- Navigate to Settings → Companies
- Upload company logo
- Enter company details (name, address, phone, email)
- Configure legal information (tax IDs, registration numbers)
- 0:45-1:00:
User Creation
- Navigate to Settings → Users & Companies → Users
- Create accounts for key team members
- Assign appropriate access rights based on roles
Deliverable: Functional Odoo instance with company details and user accounts
Hour 2: Accounting Foundations (9:00-10:00 AM)
Objective: Configure basic accounting settings
-
0:00-0:20:
Chart of Accounts
- Navigate to Accounting → Configuration → Chart of Accounts
- Confirm the default chart of accounts matches your needs
- Make minimal adjustments if necessary
- 0:20-0:40:
Fiscal Settings
- Navigate to Accounting → Configuration → Settings
- Set fiscal year dates
- Configure taxes
- Set up bank accounts
- 0:40-1:00:
Payment Methods
- Navigate to Accounting → Configuration → Payment Methods
- Set up common payment methods (credit card, bank transfer)
- Configure payment terms (immediate, 15 days, 30 days)
Deliverable: Operational accounting foundation
Hour 3: Product Catalog Setup (10:00-11:00 AM)
Objective: Create essential products/services
-
0:00-0:15:
Product Categories
- Navigate to Inventory → Configuration → Product Categories
- Create 3-5 main product categories
- Configure category properties (if needed)
- 0:15-0:55:
Product Creation
- Navigate to Inventory → Products → Products
- Use the import function to add products from your spreadsheet
- OR manually create 5-10 most important products
- Set sales prices and cost prices
- Configure basic inventory settings
- 0:55-1:00:
Quick Audit
- Verify several products for accuracy
- Confirm products appear correctly in sales module
Deliverable: Basic product catalog to start selling
Hour 4: Customer & Vendor Setup (11:00-12:00 PM)
Objective: Import or create customer and vendor records
-
0:00-0:30:
Customer Import/Creation
- Navigate to Contacts
- Use import function for customer spreadsheet
- OR manually create 5-10 most important customers
- Tag contacts appropriately (customer, vendor, etc.)
- 0:30-0:55:
Vendor Setup
- Continue in Contacts module
- Create or import essential vendors
- Configure payment terms and conditions
- 0:55-1:00:
Verification
- Test search functionality
- Verify contact details for accuracy
Deliverable: Contact database with essential customers and vendors
Hour 5: Sales Process Configuration (12:00-1:00 PM)
Objective: Configure sales workflow and create templates
-
0:00-0:15:
Sales Settings
- Navigate to Sales → Configuration → Settings
- Enable relevant features (quotations, online signature)
- Configure sales team(s)
- 0:15-0:40:
Quotation Templates
- Navigate to Sales → Configuration → Quotation Templates
- Create 1-2 standard templates
- Add standard terms and conditions
- 0:40-1:00:
Test Sales Process
- Create a test quotation
- Convert to sales order
- Verify workflow
Deliverable: Functional sales process ready for actual customers
Hour 6: Lunch & Review (1:00-2:00 PM)
- Take a brief lunch break
- Review progress
- Address any immediate questions
- Clarify priorities for remaining hours
Hour 7: Inventory Setup (2:00-3:00 PM)
Objective: Configure basic inventory management
-
0:00-0:20:
Warehouse Settings
- Navigate to Inventory → Configuration → Settings
- Enable relevant features
- Define warehouse location (often just default)
- 0:20-0:40:
Initial Inventory
- Navigate to Inventory → Operations → Inventory Adjustment
- Create initial inventory count for key products
- Validate inventory
- 0:40-1:00:
Test Inventory Flows
- Create test sales order to verify inventory deduction
- Create test purchase to verify inventory addition
Deliverable: Basic inventory tracking system
Hour 8: Purchasing Process (3:00-4:00 PM)
Objective: Configure purchasing workflow
-
0:00-0:20:
Purchase Settings
- Navigate to Purchase → Configuration → Settings
- Enable relevant features
- Configure approval flows (if needed)
- 0:20-0:40:
Vendor Pricelists
- Add pricing information for key vendors
- Set default vendors for important products
- 0:40-1:00:
Test Purchase Flow
- Create test purchase order
- Confirm purchase order process
- Test receiving process
Deliverable: Functional purchasing system
Hour 9: Go-Live Preparation (4:00-5:00 PM)
Objective: Final checks, testing, and user training
-
0:00-0:20:
Critical Path Testing
- Test complete order-to-cash process
- Test complete purchase-to-pay process
- Verify accounting entries
- 0:20-0:40:
User Training
- Walk key users through daily operations
- Show how to create sales orders
- Demonstrate purchase process
- Overview of inventory operations
- 0:40-0:55:
Go-Live Checklist
- Verify all users can log in
- Confirm permissions are appropriate
- Ensure product pricing is accurate
- Check customer/vendor details
- Verify reports are working
- 0:55-1:00:
Go-Live!
- Make the system official
- Start using for actual business transactions
Deliverable: Operational Odoo system ready for business use
Post-Implementation: First Week Plan
After your rapid 9-hour implementation, follow this plan for the first week:
Day 1-2: Monitor and Stabilize
- Have a technical person available to answer questions
- Document common issues users encounter
- Address critical configurations missed during implementation
- Create quick reference guides for common tasks
Day 3-5: Process Refinement
- Gather feedback from users
- Make minor adjustments to workflows
- Add any additional products or contacts
- Begin exploring additional features
Day 6-7: Reporting and Analysis
- Set up essential reports
- Create basic dashboards
- Review initial transactions for accuracy
- Plan next phase of implementation
Implementation Tips for Success
Focus on Must-Haves
- Implement only what you need to operate now
- Use default settings wherever possible
- Avoid customizations during initial setup
- Stick to core processes first
User Adoption Strategies
- Have users involved throughout the day
- Assign "champions" for each department
- Create simple cheat sheets for common tasks
- Maintain an open channel for questions
Data Minimalism
- Start with only essential data
- Add historical data later if needed
- Begin with your most important products
- Focus on active customers only
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Trying to replicate your old system exactly
- Spending too much time on optional features
- Overcomplicating the chart of accounts
- Setting up too many users initially
- Attempting complex customizations on day one
Module-Specific Quick Start Guides
Sales Quick Start
- Create quotation template with standard terms
- Add your top 10 products with correct pricing
- Set up basic sales team structure
- Define simple opportunity stages if using CRM
- Start creating real quotes immediately
Purchasing Quick Start
- Add your top 5 vendors with correct information
- Set default vendors on key products
- Create basic purchase approval flow (if needed)
- Start with manual purchase creation (automate later)
- Keep receiving process simple initially
Inventory Quick Start
- Set up single warehouse configuration
- Add beginning inventory for top products only
- Use default inventory valuation method
- Start with manual inventory adjustments
- Implement barcode scanning later
Accounting Quick Start
- Use standard chart of accounts with minimal changes
- Set up bank accounts and opening balances
- Configure essential taxes only
- Create basic assets and liability accounts
- Begin with manual recording of transactions
Next Steps: Week 2 and Beyond
Once your system is operational, plan these improvements:
Week 2: Enhancement
- Refine user permissions
- Add remaining products and customers
- Set up recurring invoices
- Configure email templates
Week 3: Optimization
- Add barcode scanning if needed
- Set up bank feeds
- Create additional reports
- Configure dashboards
Month 2: Expansion
- Implement additional modules
- Begin using budgeting features
- Set up automated inventory rules
- Explore eCommerce integration
Conclusion
Going live with Odoo in 9 hours is ambitious but achievable for small businesses with straightforward requirements. The key is focusing on essential functionality first, using default configurations, and adding complexity gradually after go-live.
Remember that this rapid deployment is just the beginning of your Odoo journey. The system will grow and evolve with your business over time. By starting with this lean approach, you can begin capturing the benefits of an integrated ERP system immediately while building a foundation for future growth.
This Express Implementation Guide is provided by OdooPlanet as an educational resource. Operating on our "pay as you wish" model, your contributions help us continue developing practical, actionable resources for the Odoo community.