Many companies start with Excel or shared spreadsheets. These are solutions that probably work at the beginning, but at some point, they can no longer meet the company's needs.
Common sales challenges
The most common problems are:
- scattered leads - some in spreadsheets, some in mailboxes, some in notes,
- no common method - each salesperson works by their own rules,
- risk of losing knowledge - when an employee leaves, it's hard to continue started topics,
- making decisions blind - lack of reliable data on campaign effectiveness and funnel stages.
In such situations, a CRM system comes to the rescue, eliminating these barriers.
CRM in Odoo also connects with other modules (this could be, for example, warehouse, invoicing, marketing), creating a unified ecosystem.
Key CRM features in Odoo
Funnel and activities
The sales funnel can be defined according to stages typical for a given industry. Opportunities are moved with simple "drag and drop," and the system keeps track of activities: calls, emails, meetings. This makes it easy to notice delays.
Chatter – communication and history
Each opportunity card contains the full history: emails, notes, comments, files. The system integrates with email, so customer replies appear directly on the opportunity. Internal and external communication stays in one place.
Forms and assignments
Leads from the website go directly to CRM. Forms can be assigned to different teams or funnels, allowing immediate direction of inquiries to the right group of salespeople.
Sales teams
Sales can be organized by regions, products, or internal structures. Managers have insight into progress and can monitor key opportunities.
Reporting and pivot tables
The system allows data analysis in pivot tables, similar to Excel. The difference is that this data is always current, coming directly from CRM. You can examine conversion, lead sources, salesperson effectiveness, and forecast revenues.
Action automation
Stage changes can trigger automatic actions, such as sending a welcome email or assigning a follow-up task. Message templates personalized with CRM fields additionally speed up work.
Quotes and electronic signature
A quote is created directly from the quotes application – where won opportunities will appear. Contact data and items fill in automatically, and the client can sign the document online. This shortens the time from conversation to completion.
Warehouse integration
A salesperson preparing a quote sees warehouse stock levels and delivery forecasts. Thanks to this, promises to clients are realistic, and the warehouse and sales departments work in the same system.
Mobile app
Mobile access allows you to immediately save a note or close an activity after a meeting. Field salespeople have insight into their funnels and tasks.
Odoo Studio - custom fields
Thanks to Odoo Studio, you can add your own fields and interface elements using "drag and drop" method. For simple changes, no programmer is needed.
Implementation process in three steps
At Solvti, this is how we approach CRM system implementation, and we believe this is the best approach:
- Analysis - analyzing whether the problem lies in processes, team work organization, or actually in lack of tools. Implementing CRM won't always be the best option at a given moment.
- Direction - determining whether the company requires cost reduction or rather tools for quick scaling and entering new markets.
- Task division - defining which actions the system provider performs and which remain on the client's side. This model allows for a quick start and lasting knowledge embedding in the organization.
CRM implementation costs in Odoo
The total cost includes:
- licenses - monthly subscription per user,
- implementation - configuration and possible additional programming,
- training - adjusted to the number and level of users,
- data import - usually current contacts and open cases are transferred,
- hosting - Odoo cloud is most often chosen, on-premises only in special cases.
Learn more about the total cost of owning an Odoo system.
Example day of work with CRM in Odoo
A salesperson has several hundred opportunities in their account. Each has a planned activity: call, meeting, or email.
- A new lead enters the "New" stage.
- The system automatically sets a contact task (call, meeting, email).
- After the conversation, the opportunity moves to the next stage.
- The client automatically receives an email summarizing the conversation.
- If the client asks for a quote, the salesperson generates a document from the opportunity card.
- The quote goes to the client with online signature possibility.
- Meanwhile, the system monitors product availability and delivery forecasts.
- The salesperson sees a list of closed and overdue tasks in one place.
Reporting for management and team
Odoo collects information in a more convenient way, which can greatly simplify the reporting process.
- Lead sources: You can easily check where new clients most often come from. This helps the company decide where it's worth investing, because you know which channels are most effective.
- Stage conversion: You can see at which sales stage the most potential clients give up. Thanks to this, it's easy to identify weak points in the process and improve them.
- Salesperson workload: The system shows how many clients a given salesperson handles and what the total value of their opportunities is. This allows for fair work distribution in the team.
- Revenue forecast: Based on sales funnel data, the system predicts what revenues the company can achieve in the future. This is an essential tool for planning and financial management.
Additionally, reports are created from one data source and don't require combining information from multiple systems.
Most common questions
Can you start while staying partially with Excel?
Yes. It's possible to import the current contact database and open topics, and history is transferred only when needed.
Does CRM in Odoo handle multiple forms and brands?
Yes. Each form can direct leads to a different sales team or different funnel.
How long does system launch take?
Basic configuration of funnel, email, and quotes is implemented relatively quickly. Data preparation and user training take the most time.
Can I transfer all historical data?
Yes, it's possible, but full migration of years of history (information about emails, invoices, old opportunities) can be costly and time-consuming. In daily work, such information is rarely accessed, so usually importing current contacts and open cases is enough. Older data can remain in source systems, and if needed, can be transferred selectively - only those that are actually used.
Summary
CRM in Odoo is a tool that organizes sales department work, provides insight into processes, and integrates with other company areas. Thanks to features like activity automation, quotes with online signature, or warehouse integration, salespeople can focus on conversations with clients, not on handling spreadsheets.
Companies that implement CRM faster identify sales sources, better forecast revenues, and reduce the risk of losing knowledge. Odoo allows achieving this in a unified, flexible ecosystem.
Want to see how CRM in Odoo will work on your data? Solvti implements Odoo from process analysis, through CRM configuration, to training and support.
Write to us about what challenges your sales face today, and we'll gladly and honestly advise - solving problems of this type is our specialty!
This article was created based on a webinar conducted by Solvti on CRM in Odoo. I recommend to watch if you want to learn more (it’s in polish, but you can turn on english subtitles):
