Odoo Common Mistakes

This course is designed to make Odoo easier, but there are a few recurring mistakes that create extra work for everyone. This article highlights the most common issues salespeople run into and how to avoid them.

1. Creating duplicate customers

The mistake

Creating a new contact every time instead of checking whether the customer already exists.

Why it’s a problem

• History is split across multiple records.

• Invoices and statements don’t match what the customer expects.

• Reports and follow‑ups become confusing.

How to avoid it

• Always start in Contacts.

• Use the Customer Lookup saved search and search by address, name, phone, and email before creating a new contact.

• Only click Create when you’re sure the customer isn’t already in the system.

2. Skipping the CRM opportunity

The mistake

Jumping straight to a quotation in Sales without creating or updating a CRM opportunity.

Why it’s a problem

• We lose visibility into the sales pipeline and won/lost reasons.

• We lose the extra information normally in a CRM entry.

• It’s harder to track follow‑ups and compare opportunities.

How to avoid it

• From the customer, create or open a CRM opportunity first.

• Use New Quotation from the opportunity to generate the quote.

• When the customer accepts, Confirm the quote and mark the opportunity Won.

3. Leaving orders “stuck” in quotation status

The mistake

For real deals, leaving the document as a quotation even after the customer has agreed.

Why it’s a problem

• Warehouse and office staff don’t see the order in their flows.

• The customer may never get an invoice or delivery scheduled.

How to avoid it

• As soon as the customer approves the quote, open it and click Confirm so it becomes a Sales Order.

• Make sure key fields (customer, addresses, products, taxes) are correct before confirming.

4. Not recording deposits correctly

The mistake

Trying to handle deposits using fake invoices or one‑off workarounds.

Why it’s a problem

• Accounting has to fix mismatched balances.

• Deposits don’t show up as outstanding credits on the final invoice.

How to avoid it

• Use the customer deposit workflow shown in the deposit tutorial.

• Record deposits from Customers → Payments so they appear as unapplied credits for that customer.

• Apply the credit when you create and confirm the final invoice.

5. Incomplete or incorrect order details

The mistake

Sending orders to the office with missing or wrong information (wrong address, missing terms, incorrect products).

Why it’s a problem

• Delays invoicing and delivery.

• Creates frustrated customers and extra back‑and‑forth emails.

How to avoid it

Before considering an order “done” from sales:

• Confirm the Customer and both Invoice and Delivery addresses.

• Check products, quantities, prices, discounts, and taxes.

• Add any important internal notes the office needs to see.

• Use the “Getting an Order Ready for Invoicing” checklist.

Quick checklist

Before you move on to your next deal, ask:

• Did I check Contacts first to avoid duplicates?

• Did I create/update a CRM opportunity and link the quotation to it?

• Did I confirm the quote into a sales order once the customer agreed?

• If there was a deposit, did I record it using the deposit workflow?

• Is the order invoice‑ready for the office?

Following these steps will reduce rework, keep accounting happy, and give customers a smoother experience.