When Odoo is not upgraded
Many companies see an ERP system as a project: something that is implemented once and then simply expected to “keep running”. In practice, however, that is not how it works.
An ERP system is a central platform within a company. It brings together data, processes and workflows across the organisation – from finance and sales to inventory, projects and customer data. As the business changes, the system therefore evolves over time as well.
The same applies to Odoo. New versions bring not only new features, but also improvements in security, stability and technology. Upgrades are therefore a natural part of running an ERP system such as Odoo.
Even so, many companies postpone upgrading to a newer version. This may be a deliberate decision, for example because resources are limited or the focus is on day-to-day operations. In many cases, being one or two versions behind is not necessarily a problem either. However, the longer a solution runs without upgrades, the more complex it can become. Over time, this can make upgrades more extensive than expected – particularly if many years have passed since the last upgrade.
Being slightly behind is not necessarily a problem
It is not necessarily an issue if a company is not always running the latest version of Odoo.
Upgrades require planning, testing and resources, and many organisations will naturally go through periods in which other projects or tasks take priority. It may also be a deliberate choice to postpone an upgrade until a new version is more mature or until there is sufficient time to carry out the project properly.
Odoo supports each major version for three years. This means that it is not necessarily urgent to upgrade to the latest version at all times. When a major version is supported, support is available through Odoo’s helpdesk, and bug fixes and security updates continue to be released.
Problems therefore typically begin to arise when more than three years pass between upgrades. This is not only a question of security, but also of the scope of the upgrade itself. The greater the gap between the version currently in use and the version you want to upgrade to, the more extensive the work will generally be.
When complexity increases over time
When Odoo solutions have been in operation for many years, complexity can gradually increase within the system. This may take the form of customisations, integrations with other systems or changes to workflows that have been implemented over time as the business has developed.
The ERP system therefore becomes a central platform within the organisation and needs to be able to evolve alongside the business. It is entirely natural for the system to be expanded over time as new requirements arise.
However, precisely because the system evolves over many years, upgrades can also become more complex than expected. It is rarely a single factor that creates challenges, but rather the combined effect of many smaller changes and customisations that have been added over time. It is often this combination of many small changes that makes an upgrade more extensive than initially anticipated.
Customisations are often the biggest challenge when upgrading
In practice, customisations are often what make Odoo upgrades more extensive.
Over the years, many companies have had custom modules developed or made modifications to standard functionality. This may be necessary to support specific processes or integrations within the organisation – and it is also one of the advantages of Odoo.
However, when Odoo is upgraded to a new version, changes are often made to data models, APIs and internal system structures. Custom-developed modules therefore need to be reviewed and adapted to ensure that they function correctly in the new version.
This does not mean that customisations are inherently a problem. In many ERP projects, they are both necessary and valuable. However, the more customisations a solution contains, the more work may be required to ensure that they continue to function correctly after an upgrade.
Lack of documentation makes the work more difficult
Another factor that often plays a significant role in upgrade projects is documentation.
If customisations, integrations and system changes are not sufficiently documented, it can be difficult to gain a clear overview of how the solution fits together. This can make it more time-consuming to analyse the consequences of an upgrade and ensure that all dependencies are handled correctly.
In such situations, the upgrade process often requires a thorough review of the system in order to understand how the different parts of the solution work together.
When older Odoo versions are no longer supported
When a version is no longer supported, bug fixes and security updates are no longer provided. This can increase the risk of security vulnerabilities in the system. At the same time, the technology surrounding the system will also have evolved, for example Python versions, databases and other technological components.
If a solution also contains many customisations and is several versions behind, a traditional upgrade can in some cases become extensive both technically and financially.
If this is the case, it may be worth considering whether reimplementation would make more sense – in other words, starting again from a clean foundation. By using the latest version of Odoo as a starting point while critically reviewing existing customisations, it may sometimes be possible to achieve a simpler and more future-proof solution – and, in some cases, a more cost-effective process as well.
What is your upgrade strategy?
Do you have a strategy for regularly upgrading your Odoo solution?
Having an upgrade strategy does not necessarily mean that the system needs to be upgraded every year. However, it can be beneficial to have a plan for how and when upgrades should be carried out, so that very large version gaps can be avoided.
At itpilot, we use Odoo within our own organisation, which means that we also have an upgrade strategy that we follow. This gives us a clear overview of our existing solution, including modules, integrations and customisations. As a result, we can plan upgrades on an ongoing basis and carry them out in a controlled manner, with a focus on both stability and business-critical processes.
When we upgrade a company’s Odoo solution, it is therefore important for us to first establish a clear overview of the solution’s modules, integrations and any customisations. If we do not understand how the solution is structured, there is a risk that the upgrade will become more extensive than it would be if all aspects of the solution were known in advance.
Would you like to know more?
Are you considering upgrading your Odoo solution, or are you unsure where you stand in terms of versions, customisations and future upgrades?
At itpilot, we help companies with the analysis, planning and implementation of Odoo upgrades. We always start with your existing solution and your business processes, ensuring that the upgrade is carried out on an informed and structured basis.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help you upgrade your Odoo solution. Call us on +45 87 25 07 87 or complete the contact form.
