Stop Wasting Time: Automate Your Workflows in Odoo

The Hidden Time Thief in Your Business

Picture this: It’s Monday morning, and you’re already drowning in emails. An invoice needs approval, a customer is waiting for a follow-up, and your inventory system just flagged a low-stock item—again. You sigh, knowing you’ll spend the next hour manually handling tasks that feel like déjà vu.

Sound familiar? Repetitive tasks are silent productivity killers. But what if you could automate them—without writing a single line of code?

That’s where Odoo’s workflow automation comes in. From auto-approving purchase orders to sending payment reminders, Odoo can handle the boring stuff so you can focus on what actually grows your business.

Why Automation? The Cost of Doing Things Manually

Before diving into how to automate, let’s talk about why you should:

• Time Wasted: Employees spend 19% of their workweek on repetitive tasks (McKinsey).
• Human Error: Manual data entry leads to mistakes—like duplicate invoices or missed alerts.
• Scalability Issues: As your business grows, manual workflows become unsustainable.

Automation isn’t just about saving minutes—it’s about reclaiming hours for strategy, creativity, and growth.

Odoo Automation: What Can You Automate?

Odoo’s built-in Automation Rules (under Settings > Technical > Automation) let you set up triggers and actions without coding. Here are some powerful use cases:

1. Approvals & Notifications

• Example: Auto-approve purchase orders under $500 and notify the manager for higher amounts.
• How? Set a rule:
  • Trigger: "When a PO is created"
  • Condition: "If total amount < $500"
  • Action: "Confirm PO automatically"

2. Invoice & Payment Follow-Ups

• Example: Send polite reminders to clients with overdue invoices.
• How?
  • Trigger: "Invoice due date passed"
  • Action: "Send email template + log activity"

3. Inventory & Stock Alerts

• Example: Get an alert when stock dips below a threshold.
• How?
  • Trigger: "Product quantity updated"
  • Condition: "If stock < 10 units"
  • Action: "Email warehouse manager"

4. CRM & Lead Management

• Example: Assign hot leads to sales reps automatically.
• How?
  • Trigger: "New lead created"
  • Condition: "If lead source = ‘Website’"
  • Action: "Assign to Sales Team A"

How to Set Up Automation in Odoo (Step-by-Step)

No coding required! Here’s how to create an automation rule:

1. Go to: Settings > Technical > Automation > Automated Actions
2. Click "Create"
3. Define the Trigger:
   • On Creation (when a record is made)
   • On Update (when a field changes)
   • Time-Based (e.g., "3 days before contract expires")
4. Set Conditions (Optional):
   • "Only run if total > $1000"
5. Choose Actions:
   • Update a field
   • Send an email
   • Create a follow-up activity
6. Test & Activate!

💡 Pro Tip: Start small—automate one tedious task first (like invoice reminders), then expand.

Beyond Basic Automation: Advanced Odoo Workflows

If you’re ready to level up, explore:

• Odoo Studio: Drag-and-drop custom apps for unique workflows.
• Integrations: Connect Odoo with Zapier/Make for cross-app automation.
• Python Scripts (Optional): For developers, Odoo’s API allows deeper customization.

What’s Your Time Worth?

Automation isn’t about replacing humans—it’s about freeing them. Instead of chasing approvals or typing the same email 20 times, you could:

✅ Analyze sales trends
✅ Improve customer service
✅ Launch a new product

So, here’s my question for you:

What’s one repetitive task you’d love to automate today? Drop it in the comments—we might feature your use case in our next guide!

🚀 Ready to Start?

Try setting up one Odoo automation rule this week. Even a small win (like auto-archiving old leads) adds up to hours saved. Happy automating!