Odoo for complex manufacturing
Variable inputs, made-to-order outputs, costed on what actually went in.
Ooda Consulting builds Odoo for Australian manufacturers whose raw materials vary and whose products are made to order. Inputs are tracked by lot, processing labour goes into product cost, and each job traces back to the materials and hours behind it. Stock value, WIP and margin are based on real figures, not estimates.
Standard ERP assumes a simple factory
Out-of-the-box manufacturing software assumes fixed inputs, a fixed bill of materials and a fixed product. Many Australian manufacturers don't work that way.
Raw material arrives mixed or ungraded. You find out what you have once it's processed. Products are built to customer specifications, so no two jobs are the same.
So product cost is guessed, traceability stops at the purchase order, and you only know the margin on a custom job well after it ships.
Built for
Australian SMEs that process before they make. Reclaimed timber, joinery and furniture, stone and benchtops, metal fabrication. Any business where the product changes shape between purchase and sale.
What we set up
Variable Raw Material Intake
The purchase starts as a single mixed line. Actual outputs are recorded on processing, and the purchase is updated to match.
Lot Tracking with Real Attributes
Each lot is tied to its purchase. Grade, dimensions, quantity and condition are held against the lot.
Labour in Product Cost
Processing timesheets are applied as landed cost. Stock value includes the work to make it saleable.
Products Built from Attributes
SKUs, volumes and pricing are generated from material, finish and dimensions. No catalogue of thousands of hand-built variants.
Made-to-Order Manufacturing
The sales order flows to a job sheet and then to a manufacturing order, with design details carried through. The job name shows on every document.
Shop Floor and Yard Tools
Lot search, label printing and barcode scanning to find, tag and consume stock.
Costing and WIP
Intake, labour and consumption are tied to the accounts. Stock valuation, WIP and cost of sales reconcile at month end.
Counter and Custom Sales Together
Counter sales are confirmed, invoiced and receipted in one step. Custom jobs run from deposit to invoice on completion.
Common questions
Can Odoo handle manufacturing where the raw material varies?
Yes. Raw material is received as a mixed lot and recorded as its real outputs once processed. Each lot carries its own attributes, such as grade, dimensions and quantity.
Can Odoo trace a finished product back to its raw materials?
Yes. Lot numbers link back to the original purchase. A finished job shows which lots went into it and where they came from.
Can labour be included in product cost?
Yes. Timesheets are applied as a landed cost and spread across output by quantity, volume or cost. Stock value includes the work that went into it.
Does Odoo handle made-to-order and custom products?
Yes. Products are built from attributes such as material, finish and dimensions rather than a fixed catalogue. The sales order flows to a job sheet and manufacturing order with the design details carried through.
What happens to offcuts and by-products?
They stay in stock. By-products are recorded as sellable inventory, so yield and stock counts stay accurate.
Can the same stock be sold in different units?
Yes. One item can be priced per unit, by length or by volume. Quotes match how the customer buys.
Can Odoo show WIP and cost of sales accurately?
Yes, when intake, labour and consumption are tied to the accounts. Stock valuation, WIP and cost of sales then reconcile at month end.
Can we run counter sales and custom jobs in the same system?
Yes. Counter sales are confirmed, invoiced and receipted in one step. Custom jobs run from deposit to invoice on completion.
Does this need custom development?
Yes, for variable intake and lot attributes. Standard Odoo covers manufacturing, sales and accounting. We extend it where the process doesn't fit.
Get a clear view of production and job costs
We can help you manage materials, production and job costing in Odoo, with a setup that fits how you manufacture.