Case Study: Global PackTech and Odoo ERP Implementation
If you're searching for a powerful ERP solution to streamline your manufacturing operations, improve production efficiency, and scale your business, you're not alone. In today’s competitive manufacturing landscape, having a single, integrated system—complete with order automation, real-time dashboards, and configurable workflows—can make all the difference between reactive firefighting and proactive growth. In this case study, discover how Global PackTech (pseudonym used for client), a leading packaging machinery manufacturer based in Durban, South Africa, transitioned from disconnected spreadsheets to a world-class Odoo ERP system — achieving real-time visibility, standardized processes, and sustainable growth with the expert guidance of XRA.
Customized Odoo Dashboard for Manufacturing
From Disparate Tools to Digital Confidence
Before 2024, Global PackTech relied on a patchwork of Pastel Accounting, AutoCAD drawings, and complex Excel workarounds to manage finances, inventory and production. It worked… until it didn’t:
- No real-time inventory visibility—stock levels lived in siloed spreadsheets, leading to frequent stockouts and emergency procurements.
- Unstructured BOM and work-order processes—manufacturing teams lacked standardized routings, quality checkpoints and scrap-tracking.
- Fragmented data—sales, purchasing and accounting lived in separate systems, making consolidated reporting a manual slog.
-Limited scalability—international partners demanded standardized, auditable processes that the legacy setup simply couldn’t deliver.
Defining Clear Objectives
Leadership outlined four critical goals for the project:
1. Unify all core functions—sales, inventory, manufacturing, purchasing and accounting—in one coherent system.
2. Empower decision-making with live dashboards and custom KPIs for sales forecasts, production throughput and cash-flow analysis.
3. Standardize end-to-end workflows—from RFQ to invoice, from MPS to manufacturing execution—aligned with global best practices.
4. Enable growth—support multiple warehouses, multi-currency transactions and eventual integration with e-commerce channels.
They also insisted on minimal custom code—so future upgrades would be seamless.
Why Odoo Enterprise?
After evaluating several ERP vendors, Global PackTech chose Odoo Enterprise for its broad functionality and “out-of-the-box” best practices:
- Sales Management: Automated quotation templates, configurable approval workflows, and a customer portal where clients track orders and invoices.
- Inventory & Warehouse: Multi-warehouse setup, configurable routes), batch/serial-number tracking and barcode scanning via mobile app.
- Manufacturing (MRP): Multi-level BOMs, routings, work orders, real-time production KPIs, integrated quality checks and scrap logging.
- Purchasing: RFQ automation, vendor price-list management, lead-time tracking and purchase order workflows tied into MPS for “make-to-stock” planning.
- Accounting & Finance: Bank synchronization, automated reconciliations, multi-currency and tax-reporting compliance, fixed assets management and profitability analytics by product line.
- Reporting & Dashboards: Drag-and-drop dashboard builder with charts, pivot tables and scheduled email reports for management reviews.
- Integrations & Extensions: Ready-built connectors for IoT devices on the shop floor, EDI with key suppliers, and optional modules like Maintenance, PLM and Helpdesk.
Implementation Approach
To ensure a smooth rollout, Global PackTech engaged XRA, an Odoo Partner with over two decades of ERP expertise. XRA’s methodology included:
1. Deep Process Analysis—workshops with sales, production, purchasing and finance to map every workflow, exception and manual workaround.
2. Capability Alignment—selecting and configuring the precise mix of modules, then fine-tuning reorder rules, lead-time buffers and safety-stock calculations.
3. Data Migration & Validation—cleansing legacy data, migrating open POs, sales orders, inventory balances and master data, then conducting test migrations for full integrity.
4. System Configuration—designing role-based dashboards (e.g., production supervisors see WIP vs. plan, finance sees AR aging).
5. Hands-On Training & Support—tailored workshops for each department, quick-reference guides, and dedicated “super-user” coaching through the first 60 days post-go-live.
Overcoming Change
Every transformation brings challenges:
- Change Management: Long-time staff were comfortable in Excel. XRA facilitated “proof-of-concept” sessions and peer-led champions to build confidence.
- User Adoption: The team rolled out gamified training sessions—complete with quizzes and badges—to drive engagement and mastery.
Ongoing weekly check-ins from XRA’s support desk helped quickly resolve questions and fine-tune workflows.
Tangible Results & Business Impact
Just weeks after launch, Global PackTech saw measurable gains:
- Real-Time Stock Control: Automated reorder triggers eliminated stockouts, reducing emergency purchases by 40%.
- Streamlined Production: Clear, digital routings and inline quality checks cut manufacturing lead times by 25%.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Live dashboards enabled management to pivot production plans based on daily sales trends.
- Cross-Functional Visibility: Sales, purchasing and finance all operate from one source of truth—AR aging, PO status and WIP are accessible in seconds.
- Employee Empowerment: Shop-floor teams use mobile apps to scan barcodes, update work orders and log scrap in real time.
Together, these improvements translated into faster order fulfillment, lower carrying costs and a foundation for future global expansion.
The Road Ahead
With XRA’s expert implementation of Odoo ERP, Global PackTech now enjoys standardised processes, transparent data and a truly scalable platform. Next steps include:
- Adding Odoo Maintenance to schedule preventive upkeep on machines.
- Exploring e-commerce integration for direct B2B ordering from international clients.
Ready to transform your operations? Contact XRA today to see how Odoo ERP can streamline your business—world-class functionality and local expertise.