Odoo 18 vs. Odoo 17

Odoo 18 introduces several key improvements over Odoo 17, making it a more powerful and efficient ERP platform for businesses. Here's a comprehensive comparison to help you understand why upgrading to Odoo 18 is beneficial for your business:

1. User Interface

• Odoo 17: Functional but slightly cluttered, which can impact user productivity.
• Odoo 18: Features a cleaner design with faster navigation and enhanced customization options, providing a more intuitive user experience.

Odoo 18 offers a modern and user-friendly interface that allows users to access tools and modules more efficiently. The streamlined design reduces the learning curve and improves overall productivity, enabling your team to perform tasks more effectively.

• Odoo 18 introduces a company-switching shortcut (ALT + SHIFT + U) for faster navigation.
• The Advanced Features section in the Debug menu has been improved, allowing direct access to models.
• Error messages are now more user-friendly, enabling users to share credentials easily.
• The search bar magnifying glass icon has been reintroduced to perform searches efficiently.
• Canonical URLs now improve readability, SEO performance, and usability, replacing generic IDs with descriptive names.

2. Accounting

• Odoo 17: Basic financial tools with manual reconciliation, which can be time-consuming. 

• Odoo 18: Introduces AI-powered reconciliation, multi-currency support, and real-time reports, streamlining financial management processes.

With Odoo 18's advanced accounting features, businesses can automate financial processes, reduce errors, and make better financial decisions. Real-time reporting allows you to monitor your company's financial health instantly, aiding in strategic planning and forecasting.

• Odoo 18 introduces Auto-validate Bills, which suggests automatic validation after three consecutive bill imports.
• The Register Payment option is now available for draft invoices and bills, improving workflow efficiency.
• A Credit Card journal type has been added for enhanced transaction tracking.
• Users can now add legal notes to taxes, displayed when applied.

3. CRM & Sales

• Odoo 17: Standard lead management suitable for basic sales operations. 
• Odoo 18: Offers automated lead scoring and advanced pipeline automation, enabling sales teams to prioritize high-value opportunities and close deals faster.

The enhanced CRM tools in Odoo 18 help your sales team focus on the most promising leads, streamline the sales process, and increase conversion rates. Automation of repetitive tasks allows your team to concentrate on building relationships and strategic selling.

• The Product Type dropdown has been replaced with radio buttons for better product categorization.

in odoo 18:

in odoo 17:

• Product traceability settings have moved from the Inventory tab to the General Information section.

in odoo 18:

in odoo 17:

• The Product form now prevents direct editing of the display name, which is linked to the product name.
• Sales Taxes and Purchase Taxes have been consolidated into one section.
• Quotations now include a Delivery Method field and a Reward button for better order customization.
• Product descriptions in order lines have been merged into the product column for cleaner invoice layouts.
• Pricelists are unified into a single configuration, allowing exports in PDF, CSV, or XLSX formats.

in odoo 18:

in odoo 17:

4. Inventory & Manufacturing

• Odoo 17: Basic inventory tools that may not meet complex inventory needs.
• Odoo 18: Provides smart reordering, improved barcode support, and advanced production planning, optimising inventory control and manufacturing workflows.

 Efficient inventory and manufacturing management are crucial for businesses handling stock and supply chains. Odoo 18's intelligent tools help reduce errors, prevent stockouts, and increase overall efficiency in warehouse and production operations.

• Inventory dashboard redesigned for better usability.

in odoo 18:

in odoo 17:

• Empty locations can now be identified from the location list view.
• Products can now be edited and created directly from the POS application.
• POS now includes a new weight field, enabling real-time weight recording.
• Opening and closing cash registers are consistently logged for better financial tracking.
• POS frontend has received a major UI upgrade with improved iconography and color contrasts.

5. E-Commerce

• Odoo 17: Simple product management suitable for small-scale online stores.
• Odoo 18: Features customizable themes, shipping integration, and enhanced product management, allowing businesses to scale their e-commerce operations effectively.

In today's competitive e-commerce landscape, having an attractive and functional online store is essential. Odoo 18 enables you to create a better shopping experience for your customers, leading to increased sales and customer satisfaction.

• Cleaner and more meaningful URLs improve user experience and search engine rankings.
• Advanced filtering and sorting options for e-commerce records improve navigation and usability.
• Legal notes can now be added to invoices, ensuring compliance with tax regulations.

6. AI & Automation

• Odoo 17: Limited automation features leading to more manual tasks.

• Odoo 18: Incorporates AI-powered workflows and predictive analytics, facilitating smarter decision-making and automating routine processes.

More Details: By leveraging AI, Odoo 18 can identify data patterns and assist in strategic decision-making. Automation of processes reduces costs and increases efficiency, allowing your team to focus on core business activities.

• Predictive analytics now assist in sales forecasting and financial management.
• Advanced automation rules enable better workflow customization.
• Catalog View for invoicing management has been introduced, enhancing invoice organization.

7. Mobile Optimization

• Odoo 17: Basic mobile functionality that may not suffice for on-the-go users.
• Odoo 18: Delivers a faster and more intuitive mobile experience, ensuring seamless operations across all devices.

With the increasing need for mobility, Odoo 18's mobile optimization allows you to manage your business anytime, anywhere. The improved mobile app ensures that you have access to critical business information on the go.

• Push-to-Talk communication has been introduced in mobile call settings.
• New filtering options in the Organization Chart enhance navigation.
• The Time Off module now allows managers to approve/reject requests from the overview screen.

8. Security

• Odoo 17: Basic security measures that cover fundamental protection needs.
• Odoo 18: Enhances security with two-factor authentication (2FA) and advanced encryption, offering better protection for your business data.

Protecting your business data is crucial in today's digital landscape. Odoo 18's advanced security features help safeguard sensitive information against cyber threats, giving you peace of mind.

• Security improvements ensure sensitive data is better protected against cyber threats.
• Default settings in the Discussion module allow for better notification management.

What Else is New in Odoo 18? (Beyond the Basics)

While the primary improvements in Odoo 18 are impressive on their own, there are several deeper enhancements—especially for developers and power users—that take the platform to the next level. Here’s a closer look:

AI-Driven Features for Smarter Workflows

Odoo 18 introduces intelligent automation using AI. For example:

• AI-powered Bank Reconciliation helps auto-match entries, significantly reducing manual effort.
• The improved OCR engine can extract and auto-populate data from scanned vendor bills and receipts.
• In Sales and CRM modules, AI suggestions help users identify the best next steps or responses.

Performance and UX Upgrades

Odoo 18 delivers noticeable performance enhancements:

• Faster page loading and reduced server lag, especially for large datasets.
• Optimized backend responsiveness with improved caching and request handling.
• Enhanced breadcrumb navigation and multi-tab workflow support, making it easier to navigate and multitask.

Developer-Friendly Improvements

For developers, Odoo 18 simplifies configuration and extends flexibility:

• A new Track Inventory toggle replaces the older tracking method tied to product type.
• Combo products can now be created using a many2many widget, ideal for ecommerce bundles.
• The Tour Management tool has been redesigned, allowing admins to build onboarding or testing tours with minimal manual effort.

Advanced Document Layouts

You now have access to three new document styles—Bubble, Wave, and Folder—to create visually appealing and more customized invoices, quotations, and reports.

Improved Point of Sale (PoS)

Several key updates make the PoS module more powerful and user-friendly:

• You can now create and edit products directly from the PoS frontend.
• The interface has been completely redesigned with a modern, polished look.
• Payment methods can be modified before printing receipts—offering more flexibility in real-time sales scenarios.

Website Builder: Snippet Power-Up

• Odoo 18 introduces 60+ new website snippets, with live previews and keyword-based search.
• You can also replace snippets seamlessly, avoiding unnecessary rework during design.

Smarter HR & Time-Off Management

The HR module now includes:

• Direct approval/rejection of leave requests from the overview dashboard.
• Custom leave policies that include/exclude public holidays.
• Support for automatic check-out and tracking of missing work hours.

Key Changes for Developers: Odoo 17 vs Odoo 18

With the release of Odoo 18, several important updates have been introduced that significantly improve usability, flexibility, and customization—especially from a developer's perspective. The following table highlights the major differences between Odoo 17 and Odoo 18:

Odoo 18 offers significant upgrades in user experience, automation, security, and many other aspects, making it an essential upgrade for businesses aiming to stay ahead in today's competitive market. Upgrading to Odoo 18 not only helps you increase efficiency and productivity but also enables you to meet your customers' needs more effectively by leveraging the latest technologies.

If you're still using Odoo 17, now is the perfect time to upgrade and take advantage of the numerous benefits that Odoo 18 has to offer.