As a leading Odoo Gold Partner, the Bista Solutions team eagerly anticipates the release of Odoo version 18. This upcoming release promises a plethora of new features and improvements across various modules, enhancing usability and efficiency for businesses of all sizes. Below, we outline some of the exciting updates (that we know of) per module that await us in Odoo 18.

Sales & Customer Focus:

• Sales Commissions Setup: Introduce commission structures for your sales teams, enhancing motivation and sales performance.
• Customer Loyalty Program: Implement a loyalty program in the customer portal to reward repeat purchases and foster stronger relationships.
• Combo Products: Easily create and promote bundled products across various sales channels, increasing transaction values.
• PDF Quote Builder 2.0: Utilize an improved tool for generating professional and customized quotes, streamlining the sales process.
  • New feature: Add custom zones (e.g., subtitles or specific order details) and create/edit translations for each quote.
• Document Signature Requests: Simplify the process of obtaining customer sign-offs on essential documents directly through the system.
• POS Frontend Product Editing: Create and edit products directly from the POS frontend.

Inventory & Warehouse Management:

• Multi-Warehouse Management: Manage inventory across multiple warehouse locations and display real-time stock levels to customers, enhancing transparency and efficiency.
• Vehicle Assignment to Batches: Improve logistical efficiency by assigning specific vehicles to pick up and deliver batches of inventory.
• Updated Barcode App: Benefit from new functionalities and a more user-friendly interface in the revamped barcode scanning application.
  • New features: Hide reserved lots/serials, prevent users from adding products not assigned to picking, and receive sound confirmations on successful scans.
• Automated Replenishment: Implement automatic reordering of supplies and optimize delivery routes to ensure consistent inventory levels.
• Inventory Valuation by Lots: Track inventory costs by lots for better financial management.

Website Enhancements:

• Backend Product Access: One-click access to the backend view of products, events, and appointments simplifies management tasks.
• Device Image Shapes: Utilize a new category of image shapes to make visuals appear as if displayed on devices like phones, tablets, or computers.
• Grid Mode for Building Blocks: Gain full control over the elements within building blocks on the website, allowing for precise customization and layout adjustments.
• Mega Menu by Categories: Improve website navigation with a mega menu based on eCommerce categories, helping customers find products and information more easily.
• One-Page Checkout: Simplify the customer checkout process with a single-page flow, allowing users to sign in and subscribe to newsletters during checkout.
• Stock Quantity Display: Show real-time stock availability on product pages, enhancing the shopping experience.

Accounting Improvements:

• Error Prevention: Use the “To Check” button to prevent errors in accounting entries.
• Currency Management: Manage foreign VAT and exchange rates more efficiently.
• Payment Reconciliation: Automatically reconcile or partially reconcile payments and invoices, incorporating a payment tolerance mechanism.
• Tax Carry Over: Seamlessly carry over tax amounts from one period to another, simplifying tax management.
• Merged Product/Description Columns: Streamline invoicing with merged product and description columns.
• Lock Date Configuration: Enhanced control over lock dates for accounting entries and user permissions.

Marketing Enhancements:

• Email Editor Updates: Enhanced email editor with support for Jinja to Qweb conversion.
• Scheduled Emails: Schedule emails directly from a calendar view, improving marketing campaign management.
• A/B Testing: Implement A/B testing for email campaigns to optimize performance.
• Social Media Integration: Add YouTube and Instagram to social marketing tools for broader reach and engagement.

Human Resources:

• Appraisal and Survey Integration: Streamline appraisal processes with integrated survey tools and review access rights.
• Approval Management: Define mandatory approvers and manage approval workflows more efficiently.
• Extra Hours and Departure Reasons: Manage extra working hours and customize reasons for employee departures.
• Accrual Management: Handle accruals for time off more effectively, ensuring accurate time tracking.
• Fingerprint Management: Introduce fingerprint-based attendance tracking.
• Recurring Shift Scheduling: Automate shift scheduling while accounting for staff availability.
• Referral Campaigns: Launch referral campaigns to encourage employees to refer new candidates.

Manufacturing:

• Real-Time Cost Tracking: Assign analytical accounts to manufacturing orders and track production costs in real time.
• Material Availability: Monitor material availability related to work orders, ensuring seamless production processes.
• Cost Management by Products: Manage production costs by individual products, enhancing cost control and efficiency.
• Gantt Views: Improved Gantt view with zooming, horizontal scrolling, and viewing one task per line for better project management.
• Shop Floor Improvements: Add notes to assembly tasks, fold/unfold instructions, and use the new next-operation button for smoother task transitions.

Other Improvements:

• On-Demand Quality Checks: Implement flexible and efficient quality control procedures as needed.
• New Lock Dates Configuration: Gain more control over user access and editing permissions with new lock date configurations, enhancing data security and management.

Spreadsheets & Dashboards:

• Dynamic Pivot Tables: Use dynamic pivot tables to filter and visualize data in real-time.
• Discuss Integration: Add comments within individual cells and initiate conversations, integrating with the Discuss app.
• Improved Data Management: Enhanced VLOOKUP functions, data restoration from version history, and the ability to copy-paste data between spreadsheets.

Documents & Sign:

• Batch Document Processing: Upload documents in batches and preview embedded XML files.
• Batch Signature Requests: Send multiple signature requests at once and toggle reminders for pending signatures.
• Signature Requests from Sales Orders: Easily request signatures directly from sales orders, streamlining documentation.

These upgrades offer significant enhancements across industries by improving operational efficiency, customer experience, and financial management. Businesses will benefit from automated processes in inventory, manufacturing, and HR, reducing manual work and errors. 

The improved POS, eCommerce, and marketing tools will help companies boost sales through better customer engagement and streamlined checkout experiences. Additionally, the new features in accounting, spreadsheets, and document management increase accuracy and speed in financial processes, allowing businesses to scale while maintaining control and compliance. Everything that’s been added to Odoo 18 not only enhances the software solutions, it also ensures that companies can adapt to evolving market demands and remain competitive.

The highly anticipated Odoo 18 features will be officially unveiled during Odoo Experience 2024, held in Brussels, Belgium, from October 2-4. Bista Solutions will be present at booth B6, eager to explore Odoo 18’s capabilities and strengthen our position as a top Odoo Gold Partner. With over 300+ resources and 350+ successful implementations, we are proud to have received the Odoo Best Partner award in North America six times and to be a 2024 nominee. To stay updated, sign up for our Bista Newsletter, or connect with our ERP experts for a free consultation to see how Odoo 18 can elevate your business.