Odoo v19 has been released for a few months now and we are seeing something interesting: the features our clients and prospects initially enquired about aren't always the ones they are finding most valuable in practice.
Let's explore what is actually happening on the ground with Odoo v19, based on our experiences and where genuine value is being found.
1. The shift toward standard Odoo
Here is a trend we didn't predict but are now seeing more regularly: a growing preference for standard Odoo implementations over the extensive customisations originally planned.
5 years ago, most conversations started with the assumption that the business was unique and would require custom workflows across multiple areas. Customisation was seen as necessary for competitive advantage and smoother adoption.
Today, the conversation sounds different. We are seeing a growing move toward standard Odoo implementations, where the priority is adjusting internal processes to fit the software rather than over-customising the platform to fit old habits. This change in mindset is significant and there are several reasons behind this:
- Odoo has become far more feature-rich, covering requirements that previously demanded custom development.
- At the same time, business users are more IT-aware and more comfortable working within structured systems.
- Many have also experienced the long-term impact of heavy customisation, particularly during upgrades.
Upgrade discussions now often begin with a simple question: “What customisations can we remove?” In many cases, the answer is more than half.
This shift reduces technical debt, makes upgrades smoother, lowers risk and turns what used to feel like re-implementations into manageable, structured improvements. It is a sign of maturity both in the Odoo platform and in the way businesses approach ERP projects.
2. Smarter multi-channel messaging: Chatter
1 feature that has been part of Odoo for years but has really come into its own in v19 is Chatter.
If you are (still) not familiar with it, Chatter is Odoo’s built-in communication hub. It lets you send and track conversations directly from within records like sales orders, purchase orders, invoices, projects and inventory moves.
Think of it as a live conversation thread permanently attached to every transaction. No more digging through inboxes to figure out what was agreed, when and by whom.
With v19, Chatter has stepped up significantly. Communication is now smoother, faster and far more flexible whether you are collaborating internally or dealing with customers and suppliers.
Here are some of the popular v19 Chatter upgrades:
- WhatsApp integration: Send messages directly via WhatsApp from your records, keeping conversations connected to the transaction.
- Improved SMS capabilities: Native Twilio integration and expanded SMS options make it easier than ever to reach customers instantly.
- Powerful search in Chatter history: No more trawling through months of messages. You can now quickly find exactly what you need.
- Forward, reply all and schedule send: Chatter now feels much more like a full-featured email client, giving you greater control over your communications.
- AI-powered writing assistance: Odoo’s AI Agents can help you draft clear, professional messages in seconds.
- Seamless document linking: Attach files directly from your document folder into conversations without breaking your workflow.
All communications are now fully traceable and linked to their relevant transactions. For growing businesses juggling multiple channels, this isn’t just a convenience but a serious efficiency gain.
3. Financial reporting made flexible
In Odoo v19, financial reporting becomes far more flexible, giving you clearer visibility over your numbers and the confidence to act quickly.
- No more fixed templates: You can now apply your own filters, groupings, layouts and budget comparisons to reflect how your business actually operates. Generate exactly what you need.
- Streamlined year-end reporting: Odoo v19 introduces composite annual reports that combine key financial documents, such as your balance sheet, P&L and trial balance into a single, structured view. That means faster reviews, simpler statutory reporting and less time spent compiling information from multiple sources.
- Managing cash flow is clearer: Receivables and payables reporting is more actionable, giving you a complete picture of overdue invoices, outstanding balances and follow-up activity in one place. With easy export to PDF or Excel, sharing insights with stakeholders or advisors is straightforward.
The result? Finding critical information easier and quicker allowing more time for better decisions driven by real-time financial clarity. This improvement in efficiency has been a revelation for modern business operations.
4. Faster, smarter and more intuitive
We also have had great feedback on the interface improvements, particularly around filtering and grouping.
Filtering by relational fields is now standard, giving you deeper visibility into your data without complex workarounds or 3rd party add ons. The ability to easily update and manage favourite filters has been a real win, helping to save time and enabling teams to access the exact information they need in seconds.
Automation has also taken a step forward. With more built-in tools for approvals and process automation, businesses are streamlining internal controls without adding complexity. There is less manual chasing, fewer bottlenecks and smoother workflows across departments.
And last but certainly not least, there is the introduction of AI agents in v19. While many of our clients are still in the early stages of adopting this capability, the potential is huge in the following areas:
- Assisting with crafting communications.
- Automating decision-making steps inside workflows.
We are already seeing curiosity turn into practical experimentation and we can’t wait to show you in the near future how some of our clients have embedded AI into their day-to-day operations.
The pattern we are seeing
After several months of deep diving into Odoo v19 with clients and prospects, the pattern is clear: this isn't just another version upgrade with incremental improvements. Something more fundamental is shifting in how businesses approach ERP systems.
And if you are evaluating Odoo v19, our advice is straightforward: Focus less on the feature list and more on how the system handles your actual workflows.
The businesses seeing the most value aren't the ones implementing the most features but the ones willing to challenge whether their current processes genuinely need to be replicated in the new system.
If you have any questions about v19 or wish to get a closer look at the platform, do reach out to us anytime.