Odoo Manufacturing Setup Checklist (Free)

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14 critical items still open - these are the highest-risk gaps.

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Foundations: company, inventory and units

Company, currency, fiscal localisation and chart of accounts are configuredCRITICALInventory app installed and warehouses and locations definedCRITICALUnits of measure and UoM categories reviewed, including purchase versus stock unitsCRITICALProduct categories created with costing method and inventory valuation setCRITICALRoutes enabled where needed (multi-step receipts, Buy, Manufacture)Lots and serial numbers enabled if traceability is requiredBarcode or scanner settings decided before data load

Products and bills of materials

Item naming and internal reference convention agreedCRITICALFinished goods and components created with correct type (storable) and UoMCRITICALBills of materials created with quantities, UoM and BoM type Manufacture this productCRITICALSub-assemblies modelled as their own products with their own BOMsKits (phantom BOMs) used only where components should explode on the parentBy-products defined where the process creates themComponent consumption set to the right operation when routings are usedTest BOM structure printed and verified against shop floor reality

Work centers, routings and capacity

Work Orders feature enabled in Manufacturing settingsCRITICALWork centers created with working hours calendarCRITICALCapacity, time efficiency, OEE target, setup and cleanup times entered per work centerOperations added to each BOM with default durationAlternative work centers set where machines are interchangeableCosts per hour entered for work centers if routing cost is wanted in product costShop floor tablet view tested by an operator

Planning and procurement

Purchase app installed and vendors with pricelists loadedCRITICALVendor lead times and manufacturing lead times set on productsCRITICALReordering rules (min, max or MTO route) configured for componentsMake to order versus make to stock decided per product familyScheduler run frequency and security lead times confirmedTest: confirm a sales order and verify the resulting MO and purchase requestsSubcontracting configured if outside processing is used

Quality, data load and go-live

Quality control points defined if inspection is requiredOpening stock loaded through inventory adjustments with valued quantitiesCRITICALOpen purchase and sales orders imported or re-enteredUser groups and access rights assigned, with test users for each roleCRITICALFull end-to-end trial: sale, MO, consumption, finished goods, delivery, invoiceCRITICALOperators trained and a rollback plan documentedBackup and upgrade approach agreed (Odoo.sh, online or on-premises)

Menu names vary between Odoo versions and editions. Tick items as you complete them; critical items should be done before any live manufacturing order.

Odoo manufacturing readiness review

Share your BOM and routing sample for an optional review of setup gaps before go-live.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the checklist

Work through the groups in order, because each depends on the one before. Foundations come first: warehouses, units of measure and costing method are painful to change after stock moves exist. Tick items as you finish them and export the list for your project file. Items marked critical block a trustworthy first manufacturing order. Menu names differ between Odoo versions, so use the intent of each line rather than the exact path.

Do configuration in a test database first.
Keep one person responsible for product master data.
Re-run the full trial after every significant settings change.

The model behind Odoo MRP

A bill of materials defines components and operations. A manufacturing order consumes components, optionally runs work orders at work centers, and produces the finished product. Planning comes from routes and reordering rules: a sales order or a minimum stock trigger creates procurement, which creates a manufacturing order or a purchase request depending on the route. Work center fields such as capacity, time efficiency and OEE target feed scheduling. Understanding this chain tells you where to look when a shortage does not appear.

Worked example: a small machine shop

A shop makes brackets from cut steel blanks. Setup: stock UoM in pieces, purchase UoM in bars with a conversion, a BOM per bracket with blank, fasteners and a coating subcontract, two work centers (saw and press brake) with calendars, and a reordering rule on blanks. Confirming a sales order for 200 brackets should create a manufacturing order, reserve stock, and raise a purchase request for the missing blanks. If it does not, check lead times, route flags and the reordering rule first.

Common mistakes

The most common errors are inconsistent units of measure, phantom BOMs used where a real sub-assembly is needed, and skipping lead times, which makes the scheduler place everything on today's date. Loading opening stock without valuation corrupts cost reports from day one. Some teams enable work orders without capturing real operation times, so the schedule is fiction. Start simple, add routings when the BOMs are clean, and review the first month of actual versus planned durations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need work orders to use Odoo Manufacturing?

No. You can run manufacturing orders with components only. Enable work orders when you need operations, work centers, time tracking and capacity planning. Many small shops start without them and add routings once BOMs are stable.

What is the difference between a phantom BOM and a normal BOM?

A normal BOM produces a stocked sub-assembly through its own manufacturing order. A phantom (kit) BOM explodes directly into the parent order, so no intermediate product is stocked. Use phantom only when the sub-assembly is never stored.

Which costing method should I use?

Standard, average and FIFO are the usual options. Many small manufacturers choose average cost for simplicity, or standard if they want variance analysis. Agree with your accountant before loading stock, because changing later is disruptive.

How long does a basic setup take?

With clean data, a simple single-site configuration can be tested within a few weeks. The time is dominated by BOM and item cleanup and by training, not by installing the modules.

If you want Odoo data or reporting connected to private AI, or help with migration from legacy systems, Netray can scope that with you.

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Odoo Manufacturing Setup Checklist