Tracking Ships with Vessel Finder Integration in Odoo's Purchase Order System

Maritime logistics has become a crucial aspect of purchasing operations for many international businesses. To make the process better, companies are increasingly adopting technology to gain better insights and control over their shipping operations. Notably, the integration of ERP systems, like Odoo, with Vessel Finder has emerged as a significant advancement, enabling businesses to track ships effortlessly.

If you are seeking ways to optimise and elevate your shipping tracking capabilities, you have come to the right place. We will now introduce you to a powerful integration between Odoo's Purchase system and Vessel Finder, providing businesses with the ability to directly track ships within their purchase order system. Let's explore this innovative solution!

Understanding Odoo's Purchase System

Odoo ERP system is an all-in-one suite that enables businesses to manage various operational processes, including purchasing, inventory management, sales, and more. Among these, the Odoo Purchase module holds particular significance for businesses.

Image source: Odoo.com

It streamlines the purchasing process and makes it easy for businesses to manage procurement efficiently. With the Odoo Purchasing module, businesses can now:

• Centralise all procurement activities, from creating, managing, and tracking purchase orders from a single platform
• Manage all vendor information, delivery schedules, and purchase history
• Automate the reordering process based on stock levels, eliminating manual effort
• Keep track of product availability and order status
• Gain valuable insights into purchasing patterns, vendor performance, and cost with reporting.

What is Vessel Finder? 

Vessel Finder is an online platform and mobile application that provides real-time ship tracking information. It allows users to track and monitor the movement of various vessels, such as cargo ships, container ships, tankers, cruise ships, and other maritime vessels, across the globe.

Vessel Finder works by using AIS (Automatic Identification System) data, which is a tracking system that ships use to broadcast their position, speed, course, and other relevant information. This data is collected and displayed on the Vessel Finder platform, giving users the ability to see the exact location and status of ships in real time.

How Odoo's Purchase and Vessel Finder are integrated and its perks

Seamlessly integrating the Odoo ERP with Vessel Finder empowers you to track and manage vessel movements and related information directly within your purchase order system. With this powerful integration, you gain the following capabilities:

• Track ships in real-time: Businesses gain real-time visibility into the vessel locations and movements, ensuring better tracking and planning of shipments
• Visualise ships' movements: The user-friendly interface offers an interactive map for easy and intuitive ship monitoring
• Historical ship data: Access to past vessel positions and routes allows businesses to conduct insightful analyses and make informed decisions.

Currently, Odoo does not have native integration with Vessel Finder. However, Odoo is an open-source ERP system with a vast community, and there might be custom developments available to achieve the integration you desire. 

To help businesses save time on the integration, Havi developed a custom module that allows you seamlessly integrate these two platforms. With this module, you can start tracking ships with ease. You can retrieve ship monitoring information for a given Purchase Order such as the vessel name, location, estimated arrival time, etc.

By keeping a constant pulse on ships through this integration, you can ensure smooth purchasing operations and make well-informed decisions on time.

How to track ships in Odoo Purchase with Vessel Finder integration

Step 1: Create a purchase order

Navigate to the Purchase Order module within Odoo and create a new purchase order. 

Step 2: Fill in your IMO

You provide your IMO (International Maritime Organization) in the designated field. IMO is the number of the ship. 

Step 3: Track your ship

Click the “Tracking Ships” button to instantly access comprehensive information about the ships, including their current status and details.

Conclusion

The Odoo integration with Vessel Finder is a game-changer for international businesses seeking to enhance their maritime logistics management. By leveraging real-time ship tracking and automated alerts, this integration empowers companies to make informed decisions, optimise operations, and ensure transparency and compliance. 

As technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more functionalities and possibilities for this integration in the future. Embracing Vessel Finder in Odoo's Purchase Order System is the way forward for improved maritime efficiency and supply chain success.

If you require assistance with this integration, don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help you navigate toward greater success in your purchasing operations.