From Calendar Chaos to Digital Dispatch: Odoo for Craft Business
Field Service Dispatch · Odoo ERP · Project Margins
For a growing craft business in damage restoration with around 30 employees, we introduced Odoo as the central platform, from quote intake through technician dispatch to cost visibility per project.
The Challenge
A craft business in damage restoration with around 30 employees handles a high volume of jobs, and internal processes were not keeping up. Technicians were scheduled via calendar entries. Quotes still came from external industry software with no interface. Without a technical interface, introducing Odoo would not have been feasible. At the same time, there was no complete view of assignments, hours, and project margins.
Our Solution
We introduced Odoo (v19) with Project, Field Service, and Timesheet within four months. A custom import process we developed imports quote PDFs via text recognition (OCR), including customer data and line items. This automatically creates schedulable field tasks for technicians with calculated time allocations. Analytical accounts at project level make it possible to compare planned and actual values for revenue, labor, and materials at any time.
How We Worked
We started by analyzing existing workflows, from quote creation through dispatch to on site time tracking. Working closely with management and dispatch, we configured Odoo step by step, modeled the damage restoration workflow, and trained the team. Because the existing quoting system had no API interface, we developed a custom import process for PDF files.
Technical Approach
- Odoo setup with Project, Field Service, and Timesheet for around 30 users
- Damage restoration workflow: quote import, project, assignment, time tracking
- PDF import with text recognition and artificial intelligence as a solution for the missing interface to the external quoting system
- Field service dispatch with mobile work orders for technicians on site
- Reporting with analytical accounts for margin control per project
Technologies Used
Odoo
Python
PostgreSQL
AI & Text Recognition
Results & Outcome
Odoo is now the central hub for dispatch, assignments, and project costs. Calendars, Excel, and manual transfers were replaced by a central system, even though the quoting tool had no API interface. Dispatch saves two hours every day and identifies earlier how profitable projects are.
Dispatch saves two hours of work every day
Clear communication channels on a per project basis
All workflows on one central platform
Transparent cost visibility for profitable operations
Odoo rollout even without an interface on the quoting system
Before & After
Before
- Calendar entries for technician planning
- Manual data transfer from quotes
- Separate tools with no overall view
- Margin visible only after project completion
After
- Central field service dispatch in Odoo
- Automatic PDF import via text recognition and AI
- One platform for assignments, hours, and costs
- Comparison of planned and actual costs per project
Ready to introduce Odoo in your craft business?
We help trade and service companies roll out Odoo, from process analysis and custom workflows through to platform operations.
