Every year, it’s the same thing: your inventory count is approaching… and anxiety skyrockets. Between unfinished stock movements, missing products, and last-minute improvised Excel columns, what should be a control exercise often turns into a high-pressure marathon.
But good news: with Odoo (and a little planning), you can turn your inventory count into a strategic, structured, and (almost) zen moment.
Why is inventory taking strategic?
Spoiler: to avoid chaos on D-Day.
A successful inventory is not improvised. It is prepared. This applies both physically (in the warehouse) and digitally (in your Odoo Inventory database) Odoo InventoryHere are the 5 key steps of inventory taking:
1- Prepare your warehouse (physical AND digital)
Before even opening Odoo, you need to get your physical environment in order: clean the locations, identify obsolete or inactive products, and archive what needs to be archived. This is also the time to review signage, labels, units of measure, and nomenclatures, especially if you are in manufacturing. In parallel, in Odoo, make sure that all your products are properly coded, that the categories are consistent, and that duplicate products have been cleaned up (you know, the ones created on a Friday at 4:30 PM…).
2- Configure Odoo correctly
Odoo allows you to conduct an inventory manually or automatically. For optimal setup, follow these essential steps:
Validation of accounting parameters:
- Check the inventory and variance accounts in the configuration
- Confirm inventory valuation parameters Validate automatic entries related to adjustments
- Confirm the balance of the transit stock account
Management of in-transit inventory:
- Identify all ongoing inter-warehouse movements
- Validate the status of unfinished transfers
- Ensure that pending receipts are processed
Choice of counting method:
Option 1 : Native use of Odoo
- Integrated inventory adjustments
- Real-time validation
- Automatic traceability
Option 2 : Export to Excel
- Data reimportation
Year-end adjustments:
- Anticipate the impacts on inventory valuation
- Coordinate with the accounting team the closing dates
A little wink here: no, clicking randomly everywhere to see what happens is not a strategy. (Yes, we've seen it before.)
3- Train your teams
A well-trained team means half the stress is gone. Make sure everyone knows the basics of stock flows in Odoo, who does what (counting, data entry, validation), and most importantly: test a mock count before the big day. This will save you from many surprises... and frantic calls at 7 AM on counting day. An inventory count is a team effort, not a survival test.
4- Perform the counting in Odoo
When the time comes, use the right tools: inventory sheets or direct adjustments according to your method. Focus on best practices: halt all receiving and shipping operations during the counting and until the results are validated in Odoo.
Odoo gives you the tools; it's up to you to make the most of them to ensure everything is smooth and reliable.
5- Analyze and correct the discrepancies
Once the counting is finished, the real work begins: analyzing the discrepancies between theoretical and actual quantities. Some discrepancies will be justified (breakage, loss, known adjustments), while others will be less so. This is where collaboration with your financial teams becomes important: should we adjust the quantities or dig deeper? Decisions can have accounting, tax, or operational impacts. The important thing is to document and understand.
The 3 common traps to avoid
- Perform the counting without having frozen the stock movements
Otherwise, you risk chasing numbers that change in real time.
- Do not test your procedure before D-Day
A rehearsal, even a quick one, helps identify friction points.
- Leave Odoo "default" without checking the accounting impacts
A small misconfigured setting can cause major damage.
As a bonus: to check before the big day
- User rights (who can adjust? delete? validate?).
- Are your receiving/delivery processes closed?
- Are your inter-warehouse flows well understood?
Make inventory a moment of control, not chaos. And remember: plan + train + test = succeed.
And if you want an external eye to validate your workflows, your configurations, or to coach your teams: our annual review service is here for that.
Want personalized support? Book your pre-inventory review now. You'll be ready (and relaxed) on the day.
Do you have any other questions? We will answer them.
The Inventory module of Odoo redefines the standards of stock management with its revolutionary double-entry architecture. Automated shelving strategies optimize the physical organization of your warehouses, while the mobile barcode scanner speeds up daily operations.
Inventory management becomes more accurate with the tracking of serial numbers and complete lot traceability. A logistics manager can now oversee all orders and stock movements from a centralized interface.
The mobile application allows field teams to carry out their tasks, ensuring operational continuity even in poorly covered areas. This flexibility transforms team productivity while minimizing data entry errors.
The initial setup of the Inventory module requires in-depth technical expertise to optimize logistics flows. Companies often underestimate the learning time needed to master the advanced features of the barcode scanner.
The synchronization between multiple warehouses can generate latencies during peaks of intense activity. A logistics manager must then plan backup procedures to maintain the smoothness of operations.
The automatic replenishment rules require careful configuration to avoid erroneous orders. Customizing inventory reports also demands specific technical skills, limiting users' autonomy in data analysis.
The official Odoo 18 documentation offers a comprehensive guide on inventory management, accessible directly from your interface. The integrated video tutorials demonstrate each feature step by step, from initial setup to advanced operations.
The e3k resources enhance this database with monthly webinars and personalized training. Our team of consultants regularly shares practical cases drawn from their field experience with Canadian companies.
Complete Guide to Annual Inventory Taking with Odoo: 5 Essential Steps and 3 Pitfalls to Avoid in 2025