Every year Odoo releases another major upgrade to their platform.
Changes vary and sometimes are focused on a particular area or module, however in 16 there is an extensive overhaul to the whole framework of the solution, resulting in significant performance boosts and major usability changes.
During the Odoo Experience 2022 event, there was also a surprise revelation of a massive change to the pricing model, which will no doubt shake up the marketing and raise some eyebrows. No more per-app pricing and a simple 3-tier system.
The good news is that this has made licensing much more affordable for smaller businesses. Particularly even those below 5 users!
Who could have predicted that you could have a full business solution for a micro-business, at the price of just a CRM? Get in touch for a chat if you're interested
Changes include:
New knowledge app, Performance overhaul, Accounting bank reconciliation update, Dashboards for BI, Dark mode and many more. See below.
There was also mention of an upcoming "Website Migration Tool" to help migrate websites from Wordpress, Shopify etc.
Of course there are MANY more features, see the official links below or read our top picks.
Official full release notes: Odoo 16
Release Notes | Odoo
Official blog: Meet
Odoo 16 | Odoo
Our Top Picks
General
Performance
Drastic overhaul to the entire technology stack, resulting in 2.5-3.5x greater performance of the frontend and backend.
Particularly improved e-commerce and website speed.
"Blink of an eye" performance.
Chatter
Newly designed chatter to be faster and look more like a modern messaging client (i.e Signal or WhatsApp).
Properties Fields
New way to create metadata "fields" without code or Odoo Studio
Unique to sales teams on the CRM. Big step forward!
Readonly Mode
Very controversial - Everything is saved immediately, no obvious Edit then Save/Discard buttons. There are buttons but quite small!
Data Cleaning - Recycling
Data recycling for removal of obsolete records - Cleaner database and record cleanup policies
Dashboards
Finally you can now create BI reports directly in Odoo. The spreadsheets module has been open-sourced and integrated with dashboards. Don't worry, the legacy dashboards still exist though! Note: Only editable in Enterprise requiring Documents module.
Manufacturing
- Split and merge manufacturing orders - Great for taking bulk orders and dividing over parallel work centres for optimum production speed, or combining similar products for efficiency
- MRP order status visible in portal for customers - Greater visibility of order status for better customer experience
- Work order dependencies - Create a required sequence for production
- Login to work centres - Without having to logout of Odoo
- Report feedback directly from tablets during work orders
- Work Centre cost per employee (not just per hour) - Track labour costs easier
Time Off
Stress days - Prioritise your employee's mental health
Inventory
- Ability to force backorder functionality and use automated batches
- Product tags
- GS1 data-matrix labels for lots and packages
Email Marketing
- Now has templates functionality for easy re-use of designs and speed up campaigns - No longer need to hunt through old mailings to duplicate them
- Saveable filters: Save your marketing list filters to easily retrieve each time
Website & Chat
- Chatbots for creating an automated customer experience, make clients feel valued and quickly signpost them
- Merged frontend/backend of Odoo interface for easier switching between web and app views
- Added ability to easily embed images into devices (laptop or tablets with screenshots) - Showcase your software products
Purchase
Call for tender improved making it much easier to manage multiple alternative RFQs
E-Commerce
- Force login to checkout
- Call for pricing
- Show pricing only for logged-in users
- UOM display
- Price comparisions
- 1-click checkout
- Redesigned layout for easier customer experience on product catalog
- VIES VAT number validation during e-commerce checkout.
Sales
- Track delivery and receipts easily (delivery status, receipt status).
No longer requires customisation to achieve this crucial need. - Sales reports are multi-currency aware and revalue according to exchange rates
E-Learning
Now supports Vimeo as well as Youtube for videos
Projects
- List view for projects
- Reinstated subtasks smart-button removed in V15 (as per V14)
- Milestones automation - Automatically complete milestone on task completion
Attendance
Able to use camera for barcode source (not just external) as well as RFID readers
Shipping
- *Enterprise - Send Cloud integration natively. A fantastic shipping aggregator that covers most of western Europe
- Use postcode filter prefixes instead of from/to
Subscriptions - *Enterprise
- Merged with Sales Order module for greater integration, better support and future ability to handle physical products. Currently only works with consumable and service products.
Knowledge - *Enterprise
- Brand new app specifically for managing internal knowledge, very much a Wiki style format. Great for training, SOPs and travelling sales people.
Accounting - *Enterprise
- Credit Limit warning feature added
- Overhauled and redesigned bank reconciliation system with simpler UI - Closer to competing accounts solutions and more familiar
- Redesigned reporting mechanism. Easier to create child reports based off existing parents
- Horizontal groups for reports
- Import tool for new customer onboarding (migration) to Odoo accounting
- Overhauled Analytic Accounts - Easier to manage distribution and set mandatory requirements per model
Dark Mode - *Enterprise
User interface choice that completely changes the look of Odoo to a dark contrast. Good to reduce glare and eyestrain.
Rental - *Enterprise
Rental is possible via E-Commerce
Appointments - *Enterprise
Redesigned frontend interface on website for much simpler and appealing customer experience