Frequently asked questions

Odoo is the ERP software. Odovia Integration is the team that helps you transform this software into a system that is truly useful for your business, and not just in a demo.

In practice, Odoo provides the platform. Odovia Integration, a certified Odoo integrator based in Montreal, takes care of structuring the implementation, adapting processes to your operational reality, supporting teams, and ensuring that the system works in real life.

Yes, and this is often where Odoo is most relevant. Many SMEs accumulate separate tools, Excel files, double entries, and processes that rely too much on individuals. Odoo allows for the centralization of operations in a single coherent system, without falling into an ERP that is too heavy, too expensive, or too complex to implement. 

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Because Odoo allows you to structure a company gradually, without transforming everything at once. You start with the priorities, then expand according to your growth and operational maturity. It is an ERP designed to evolve with the company, making it particularly suitable for growing SMEs.

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Because at Odovia Integration, we prioritize realistic, well-structured, and sustainable projects. We do not seek to sell unnecessary development or complicate your existing environment. Our approach aims primarily to simplify operations, reduce project risks, and build a system that your teams will actually adopt and use on a daily basis.

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Yes. We have chosen to specialize exclusively in Odoo to develop a true depth of expertise on this platform. This allows us to go much further in the quality of implementations, best practices, and real knowledge of the system's limitations. 

The project always starts with a discovery discussion. The goal is to understand your business, your challenges, your pain points, and your objectives before discussing solutions. We primarily seek to quickly validate whether Odoo is a good fit for your situation and if our method aligns with your reality.

No. If you have one, it's an advantage because it speeds up certain discussions. But the vast majority of companies do not come with a complete specifications document, and that's perfectly normal. Clarifying needs, structuring priorities, and framing the project are integral parts of our work. 

No, and honestly, that's rarely the case. Companies generally know what is no longer working, but not always how the future system should function. Our method is precisely designed to bring out the right decisions before investing too far into a project. 

Yes. We proceed in precise steps to avoid blocking the project for months in theoretical analysis. The goal is to gradually clarify the system while maintaining good control over risks, timelines, and budget.

Yes, and this is intentional. The first step also serves as strategic validation. If the prototype does not meet expectations or if you realize that the timing is not optimal, you can stop before committing to a full implementation. No long-term commitment is required from the start.

We work in two main stages. First, an intensive design and prototyping phase to build a clear and validated vision of the system. Then comes the full implementation: user training, adjustments, validations, and support until production goes live.

It is an accelerated design phase, usually organized around two intensive days in our offices in Montreal. The goal is to step away from daily operations to fully focus on digital transformation. We analyze operations, build a functional prototype, validate processes, and identify pain points before launching the full implementation. This stage helps avoid a lot of unpleasant surprises and budget overruns later.

It is the phase where the system becomes operational. We finalize adjustments, train key users, prepare data, validate real scenarios, and support the team through the transition until go-live.

Because an ERP is not a website that can be improvised as we go. The two distinct stage method helps reduce risks, protect the budget, and avoid discovering structural problems too late in the project, where they are most expensive to fix.

Most projects last between 4 and 6 months. The duration mainly depends on the level of complexity of the operations, the number of departments involved, and the availability of the client-side teams.

An ERP project requires real involvement. Time must be allocated for meetings, validations, testing, and decision-making. On average, expect 3 to 6 hours per week over a duration of 3 to 6 months. The earlier the teams are involved, the more relevant and well-adopted the system will be.

No, but key people are needed to make decisions quickly. ERP implementation projects mainly slow down when validations take too long or when no one clearly has the mandate to decide. A well-identified internal project leader makes a real difference.

We recommend 2 to 4 people for the intensive prototyping phase — the right people around the table: operations, field, management, and decision-making. For training during production, it can go up to about ten key users depending on the size of the company.

The cost mainly depends on the complexity of the operations, the number of modules, and the level of customization required. For an SME with standard needs (which we recommend at Odovia Integration), most projects fall between $40,000 and $80,000. Some more modest projects are below this range, while others that are more structuring exceed it. A discovery discussion quickly allows for estimating a realistic order of magnitude.

No. Odoo licenses are billed directly by Odoo based on the number of users and the activated modules. At Odovia Integration, we charge for analysis, implementation, training, support, and guidance.

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No, hosting is separate. In most cases, Odoo.sh hosting (Odoo's cloud solution) is the simplest, most stable, and easiest to maintain option.

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Yes. It is necessary to plan for licenses, hosting, support, and possibly migrations during upgrades. An ERP should be viewed as a living system that evolves with the company, not as a one-time purchase.

A license is required for each employee who interacts directly with the software. This ensures complete traceability and better operational efficiency. Employees who do not use the system directly do not need a license.

No. Customers can access a dedicated portal space to view their orders, invoices, or documents, without requiring a paid license. 

No, not for standard uses. Suppliers can access certain document exchange features via the portal, without a license.

Yes. Odoo allows for very precise access definitions based on roles, departments, and responsibilities of each user. This is essential to keep a system simple, secure, and tailored to each team.

Yes. Odoo's CRM module allows for centralizing incoming requests, structuring sales follow-ups, and preventing opportunities from getting lost in emails or separate files. It is an effective tool for sales teams that want more visibility on their pipeline.

Yes. Quotes can be directly linked to projects, purchases, inventory, or billing, which avoids double entries and ensures complete traceability from sale to delivery.

Yes. This is very useful for recurring sales, to speed up the creation of new estimates, and to reduce the risk of input errors.

Yes. It is possible to create submission templates tailored to your business reality, to standardize your documents and speed up the sales process.

Yes. Odoo allows you to manage projects, tasks, milestones, responsibilities, and follow-ups in a centralized environment, accessible by the entire team, both in the office and in the field.

Yes. Extras can be structured in various ways according to your operational reality, and linked to billing to ensure accurate tracking of additional work.

Yes. Timesheets allow you to track costs, workload, and the actual profitability of each project, in real time.

Yes. The field service module is particularly suited for companies that manage interventions, installations, maintenance, or on-site follow-ups.

Yes. It is one of the most powerful modules in Odoo, particularly suited for businesses with a lot of stock movements or multiple locations. It offers real-time visibility on stock levels and movements.

Yes. Odoo handles multi-warehouse structures, transfers between locations, and complex logistics configurations very well.

Yes. We can record multiple suppliers per item, compare prices, lead times, and purchasing conditions directly in the system.

Yes. Automatic replenishment rules can trigger purchase proposals when a stock threshold is reached, reducing the risk of stockouts.

Yes. Accounting in Odoo is directly linked to sales, purchases, payments, and operations. This eliminates duplicates between systems and provides a real-time financial view.

Yes. Odoo can analyze invoices in PDF format and automatically pre-fill several fields, which speeds up data entry and reduces errors.

Yes. Odoo significantly simplifies bank reconciliation by automatically suggesting matches between transactions and accounting entries.

Yes. Payments, due dates, and supplier follow-ups can be centralized in the system for better cash management.

Yes. Documents can be directly linked to clients, projects, orders, or operations for quick access and better traceability.

Yes. We are not looking to replace tools that already work well. The goal is mainly to reduce duplicates, avoid information loss, and better structure the data that impacts operations.

Not necessarily, and it's not always desirable. We favor a pragmatic approach: keep what works, integrate what makes sense, and not force unnecessary transitions.

Yes. Clients can view certain information (orders, invoices, documents) through a secure portal space, without having access to the complete system.

It is technically possible, but not always recommended. In many cases, cloud hosting via Odoo.sh simplifies management, reduces technical risks, and lightens the load for your IT team.

Yes. We systematically work with staging (test) environments during the learning phase and before each major production deployment, to validate changes without impacting the production system.

Yes. Upgrades are part of the normal lifecycle of an ERP. Odovia Integration supports its clients in this process to ensure a smooth transition.

Ideally every two years or so, to avoid accumulating technical debt and to maintain a stable and secure environment. Check our blog to learn more about Odoo version management.

Because an ERP directly impacts the daily operations of the entire company. Without real involvement from the teams, the system may be technically correct but poorly adopted, which compromises the expected benefits.

The project slows down and risks increase. ERP implementations progress mainly due to quick validations and clear decisions. A lack of availability during the project is one of the main causes of delays and cost overruns.

Yes. The goal is not to master everything in a week, but to gradually build the teams' autonomy — by role, by department, according to operational priorities.

Odovia Integration has existed since 2019 and specializes exclusively in Odoo implementation for Quebec and Canadian companies.

We are based in Montreal and we mainly support businesses in Quebec and Canada. Parking spaces are available for your visits. The nearest metro station is Frontenac, on the green line.