Odoo 18: 10+ Best Features and What’s Next?

Odoo 18 is the latest Odoo version unveiled during the Odoo Experience event in October (2024) by Fabien Pinckaers - Odoo’s CEO. Fabien tested it out directly for partners and customers and everyone was curious and talked about the new changes. So, what features are the highlights of the 18th version?

Let’s scroll down and explore.

1. Precision Sales Quotation and Custom Commissions

In Odoo 18, the newest features in Sales Management help businesses develop accurate pricing and enhance their sales proposals as well as incentive systems. As described in the following image, the quotation calculator enables sales teams to produce accurate profitable pricing options that stay competitive:

The customisable Sales Commissions module enables users to create personalised commission frameworks to enhance team motivation and compensation structure. Moreover, by improving the PDF quote-building tool, customers receive more professional proposals that help increase customer experience and sales conversion rate.

2. Smarter Online Shopping With Click and Collect

Odoo 18 includes the Click & Collect option for a more efficient product page and image selection experience for customers. Customers can verify which products are available in stores and choose their preferred collection points right from the checkout. This approach helps companies create a more unified and satisfying online/physical purchasing journey.

For the site navigation, businesses can now customise category pages, create mega menus and apply product ribbons. Product images are also converted to WEBP format automatically, providing faster loading time while maintaining image quality. Odoo 18 also introduces a smoother editorial and design experience regarding website creation.

3. Effortless Website Customisation and Smart Editing

Website Builder in Odoo 18 presents an advanced design that simplifies website management alongside customisation possibilities. The highlights include an automatic website import feature that duplicates site frameworks while keeping the original design - this is for those who want to migrate their websites seamlessly.

Earlier, Fabien - the CEO at Odoo, indicated website editor bar improvements that promise simpler website editing:

With Odoo 18, businesses can easily customise their sites through innovative building blocks and preview monitoring with better navigation tools. The new quick translation tool enables businesses to handle multilingual content through effortless management during their global expansion. Through font preview, users now find it more flexible to design and develop authentic brand identities.

Beyond the enhancements in website customisation, Odoo 18 also brings significant improvements to inventory and manufacturing management.

4. Enhanced Inventory, Barcode and Manufacturing

4.1 Optimised Stock Flow and Tracking

Odoo 18 improves push/pull rules for inventory operations and enhances storage organisation while streamlining stock flow management. The feature offers precise lot/serial number valuation that helps users prevent item misplacement with higher accuracy. The advanced dispatch management system also enables faster and more organised shipment planning, benefiting both warehouses and fulfilment centres:

4.2 Multi-Scan and Instant Product Lookup

A new multifunctional mode in the Barcode Scanner app enables retail and warehouse staff to perform group barcode scans which helps increase productivity and workflow efficiency.

By generating product records automatically when items are scanned, the barcode lookup tool simplifies the operations and eliminates the need for manual data entry:

4.3 Seamless Product and Work Order Management

The Odoo Manufacturing (MRP) module, previously provided essential manufacturing functions, now lets you integrate product catalogues directly into Bills of Materials and Manufacturing Orders for instant product information. This can be described briefly below:

Furthermore, work order instructions are now clearer, reducing communication errors and production workflow problems.

5. More Accurate, Secure, Error-Free Invoicing and Accounting

Odoo 18 offers advanced tools that improve invoicing accuracy, reduce errors and enhance accounting management efficiency. Firstly, the combination of excellent invoice creation and duplicate-detection capabilities allows businesses to create perfect invoices with fewer potential errors in a shorter time. Secondly, adding "hashing on send" lines in the new system also establishes additional financial data protection against modification attempts.

The finance team can also benefit from reconciliation quick-create for faster bookkeeping work while lock date revamps improve financial period control. Another highlight is that users who seek better features for data selection and budgeting status will appreciate upgraded reporting with more advanced financial data insights. The following image shows the budget-checking feature within Odoo 18 Accounting:

If you need more insights into specific accounting features (i.e. internalised payroll, local fiscal configuration, etc.) that Odoo has developed for the Australian market, explore our insights in Odoo Accounting Localisation For Australia.

6. A Complete Payroll Overhaul For Seamless Compliance

Odoo 18 includes an entirely renewed Payroll module which simplifies salary management together with tax handling and expense tracking processes. All salary rules now exist as a unified standardised framework in the module while it practices tax rate updates and supports STP Phase 2 and SuperStream requirements for Australia.

With payroll management, users can benefit from a direct integration between Expenses and Accounting modules for automated pay reconciliation and fewer manual pay modifications. Furthermore, companies can oversee batch payment handling while monitoring annual-to-date account balances and executing tax deduction adjustments according to regulatory requirements.

7. Automated Scheduling In Appointments

Odoo 18 improves the Online Appointments module to provide users with the simplest scheduling capabilities for meetings and bookings. As described in the following image, the quick-start page reduces setup complexity, allowing businesses to operate self-service booking systems without difficulties:

Specifically, the system provides real-time status information to clients and users, eliminating scheduling problems and misunderstandings. Thanks to automated procedures, users no longer need to deal with planning difficulties - similar to working with an intelligent virtual assistant.

8. Smarter Recruitment and Candidate Management

Job posting becomes easier through Odoo 18’s recruitment tools as they improve candidate-tracking activities:

Through direct job listing, businesses can enhance their reach to potential candidates by effortlessly securing highly qualified individuals. Moreover, candidate management becomes more efficient through smart contact creation integrated with multi-application tracking features. These enhancements reduce administration by optimising the way businesses manage resumes and analyse/assess applicants for hiring purposes.

9. Better Planning With Project Gantt View and Burn-Up Charts

Within Odoo 18, users benefit from burn-up charts with deadline management tools and better financial planning capabilities through analytic plans. The burn-up charts demonstrate current operational advancement toward established project targets.

What’s more, tasks become easier to schedule using Gantt view updates which help users to track deadlines automatically for maintaining project milestones. Finally, analytic plans help organisations track project costs and revenue, which later enhances financial oversight of project activities.

10. More Dynamic Data and Better Pivot Table In Spreadsheet

The Spreadsheet module in Odoo 18 offers dynamic pivot tables combined with advanced calculated fields and better tools for data visualisation. These tools help users create more accurate financial and operational reports.

Moreover, pivot tables are editable with custom measures and calculated fields. Odoo 18 also impresses with expanded data granularity, supporting day, hour, and second-based filtering. The system now includes radar alongside the waterfall and scatter plot charts so that users can create more engaging visual storytelling from data.

11. Other Noteworthy Odoo 18’s New Features

Besides the core module enhancements above, Odoo 18 also presents plenty of advancements including:

• Passkey Authentication: Odoo 18 provides phishing-resistant authentication that replaces conventional user names and passwords.
• Gantt View Infinite Scrolling: Gantt View’s infinite scrolling enables users to scroll extensively to the left or right for improved long-term project management flexibility.
• Intercompany Transactions Revamp: A renewed intercompany transaction feature enables users to handle cross-entity transactions with ease, thus, making multi-facility management simpler.
• CRM Expected Revenue Update: The update to CRM leads’ expected revenue can now automate revenue forecasting when a quote is confirmed, allowing more accurate predictions.
• Mega Menus in eCommerce: The new Mega Menu Builder enables businesses to build organised product categories and improves their customer navigation.

After the launch of Odoo 18, the vendor has also announced the landing of Odoo 18.1, bringing useful updates across Accounting, POS, Field Service, and more. 

What’s After Odoo 18? The Latest Updates Of Odoo 18.1

From new features to workflow improvements, the latest updates in Odoo 18 help refine your daily operations and enhance system usability. Let's see what's new:

Do You Need To Upgrade To Odoo 18?

Moving from older Odoo versions to Odoo 18 enables users to access the latest features, enhanced operational speed and automation capabilities. Plus, if you are on Odoo 15 and earlier, the version has likely reached the end of its support period according to Odoo’s Long-Term Support policy on supported versions. This means that once a version reaches the end of its support period, Odoo stops providing updates, security patches, and technical assistance. Therefore, upgrading to a supported version ensures security, performance, and access to new features. For more information, please visit Odoo’s official documentation on supported versions.

Before upgrading, you should perform thorough evaluations to make sure that the transition is necessary and smooth for your current operations. Here are key factors to keep in mind:

• The relevance of new features: Assess if Odoo 18’s enhancements - such as Click & Collect, multi-scan barcode, smarter invoicing, or streamlined hiring - will improve efficiency and justify the switch.
• Compatibility with custom developments: You need to verify that Odoo 18 supports the custom modules and third-party integrations that your business depends upon before initiating an upgrade.
• Data migration & downtime: A successful data migration process requires data backup with sandbox testing before scheduling downtime to avoid business disruption.
• User adaptation: Your team must conduct training sessions coupled with support for UI updates, workflow changes and automation tools.
• Cost vs. ROI: You should conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine if the benefits from the upgrade justify the implementation, reconfiguration efforts and staff training costs.

The decision to upgrade to Odoo 18 is most rewarding when its features meet business needs while improving operational effectiveness. However, if your current setup is stable and requires more customisation, careful planning or delaying the upgrade might be best.

If you’re wondering why a large number of users within the Odoo community will opt for Odoo 18 this year, the answer lies in its adaptability.

Digital transformation is no longer a new concept, and what has been required the most is how businesses can adapt and maintain their position in this scenario. With a modular design and an open-source infrastructure, Odoo allows you to customise an ERP system that is optimal for your requirements. Odoo's features will grow with your company, whether you're a manufacturer, healthcare service provider, or an e-commerce enthusiast. Keep exploring the possibilities of Odoo 18, and in case you need help, we can make it a solid foundation for your digital transformation journey.

1. When was Odoo 18 released?

Odoo 18 was officially released at the Odoo Experience 2024 event that ran from October 2nd to the 4th at the Brussels Expo in Belgium. As the Founder and CEO of Odoo, Fabien Pinckaers introduced the event through his opening keynote. The event consisted of more than 350 talks and workshops to display the updated features in Odoo 18 throughout its three-day duration.

2. What’s different between Odoo 17 and Odoo 18?

The latest release of Odoo 18 provides users with better automation capabilities, usability features and extra business tools compared to its previous version - Odoo 17. The main features of Odoo 18 differ through its redesigned Website Builder, better sales quoting, Click & Collect functionality in eCommerce, barcode scanning, and payroll compliance system. For a detailed breakdown of Odoo 17’s features, check out our blog on Odoo 17.

3. What’s new in Odoo 18 for Australia and New Zealand?

Odoo 18 offers important improvements for Australian users with STP Phase 2 & SuperStream full compliance (Australia) and Employment Hero payroll connectivity (New Zealand). The tax updates in Odoo 18 provide three main enhancements of automated Deferred GST in BAS reporting along with better search functionality for tax records and standardised date formats.

Moreover, the banking system now provides upgraded ABA files together with Open Banking compliance through Jodl and enables bulk electronic fund transfers to major New Zealand banks. The payroll consists of payment features for employee termination benefits, overtime calculations and year-end financial checks. For more details, please subscribe to our blogs with the latest updates.

Reference:

• Pinckaers (2024). “Any idea of a killing feature for Odoo 18?”
• Odoo (2024). Meet Odoo 18. 
• Odoo. Supported versions.