During my visit to Odoo Connect USA 2025 this September, I attended a session by Eric that truly stood out.
It wasn’t about fancy dashboards or flashy features… It was about how to make your Odoo implementation truly work for your business — for the long run.
I’m sharing my key learnings because if you’re leading or implementing Odoo in your organization, these insights can save you months of firefighting later.
🧱 1. Phase Zero: Build a Foundation Before You Build the System
Most companies rush into configuration. But as Eric highlighted:
- Define scope, priority & a realistic timeline before touching the system.
- Map your current processes (As-Is) to identify inefficiencies.
- Design your future process (To-Be) with clarity.
- Use Odoo’s standard functionality wherever possible — don’t bring your legacy mess into a new system.
- Standardize processes across the organization early to reduce complexity later.
“Technology should follow strategy — not the other way around.”
🔗 2. Integration Is Strategy — Not an Afterthought
Eric explained how Odoo doesn’t live in isolation.
- Identify touchpoints with CRM, HR, Supply Chain, E-Commerce, Analytics tools, etc.
- Build a data & integration strategy upfront to avoid gaps and surprises.
- Ensure master data governance and create a single source of truth.
- A good integration roadmap gives end-to-end visibility and unlocks enterprise value.
🧠 3. Organizational Change Management Is the Real Game Changer
This hit home for me 👇
- People drive transformation, not technology.
- Communicate the “Why Odoo” clearly across departments.
- Prepare leaders and change agents.
- Invest in ongoing training & support, not just a launch-day event.
- Anticipate resistance early and design a change strategy from day zero.
“ERP projects don’t fail because of software. They fail because people weren’t brought along.”
📊 4. Measure the Business Value — Not Just Go-Live Dates
A successful implementation doesn’t end when you hit “Go Live.”
- Define KPIs aligned with business strategy — cost, efficiency, customer experience.
- Track adoption metrics inside Odoo.
- Establish a feedback loop for continuous refinement.
- Use dashboards & BI to measure real impact.
KPIs should be defined before implementation — not after.
🚀 5. Continuous Improvement Mindset
The best Odoo clients don’t treat it as a one-time project.
- Invest early in Phase Zero planning.
- Minimize customizations.
- Roll out in phases to reduce risk.
- Empower cross-functional teams, not just IT.
- Keep evolving with Odoo.
“Odoo evolves. So should your business.”
🏁 Final Thought
Listening to Eric reminded me that ERP success isn’t about what you build — it’s about how you build it. When leadership, processes, data, people, and technology are aligned, Odoo becomes a powerful engine of business transformation.
📸 Sharing my moment with Eric from Odoo Connect — because great learnings deserve to be remembered.
Riken Bhorania with Eric Kimberling at Odoo Connect - San Francisco