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:banner: banners/getting_started.jpg
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==========================
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Odoo Online Implementation
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==========================
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This document summarizes **Odoo's Online services**, our Success Pack
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**implementation methodology**, and *best practices* to **get started**
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with our product.
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*We recommend that new Odoo Online customers read this document before
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the kick-off call with our project manager. This way, we save time and
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don't have to use your hours from the success pack discussing the
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basics.*
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*If you have not read this document, our project manager will review
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this with you at the time of the kick-off call.*
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Getting Started
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===============
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Do not wait for the kick-off meeting to begin playing with the software.
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The more exposure you have with Odoo, the more time you will save later
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during the implementation.
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Once you purchase an Odoo Online subscription, you will receive
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instructions by e-mail on how to activate or create your database. From
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this email, you can activate your existing Odoo database or create a new
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one from scratch.
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If you did not receive this email, e.g. because the payment was made by
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someone else in your company, contact our support using our
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`online support form <https://www.odoo.com/help>`__.
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.. image:: media/getting_started02.png
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:align: center
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Fill in the sign-in or sign-up screens and you will get your first Odoo
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database ready to be used.
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In order to familiarize yourself with the user interface, take a few
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minutes to create records: *products, customers, opportunities or
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projects / tasks*. Follow the blinking dots, they give you tips about
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the user interface as shown in the picture below.
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+----------------+----------------+
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| |left_pic| | |right_pic| |
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+----------------+----------------+
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Once you get used to the user interface, have a look at the
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implementation planners. These are accessible from the Settings app, or
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from the top progress bar on the right hand side of the main
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applications.
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.. image:: media/getting_started05.png
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:align: center
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These implementation planners will:
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- help you define your goals and KPIs for each application,
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- guide you through the different configuration steps,
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- and provide you with tips and tricks to getting the most out of Odoo.
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Fill in the first steps of the implementation planner (goals,
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expectations and KPIs). Our project manager will review them with you
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during the implementation process.
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.. image:: media/getting_started06.png
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:align: center
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If you have questions or need support, our project manager will guide
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you through all the steps. But you can also:
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- Read the documentation on our website:
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`https://www.odoo.com/documentation/user <https://www.odoo.com/documentation/user>`__
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- Or send your questions to our online support through our
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`online support form <https://www.odoo.com/help>`__.
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What do we expect from you?
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===========================
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We used to deploy full featured projects within 25 to 250 hours of
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services, which is much faster than any other ERP vendor on the market.
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Most projects are completed between 1 and 4 calendar months.
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But what really **differentiates between a successful implementation and
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a slow one, is you, the customer!** From our experience, here is what
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leads to a successful project.
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Your internal implementation manager
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------------------------------------
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We will ask you for a single point of contact within your company work
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on the project with our project manager. To be efficient, this person
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must:
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- **be available at least 2 full days a week** for the project,
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otherwise you will slow down the implementation. More is better,
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the fastest implementations have a full time project manager.
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- **have authority to take decisions** on their own. Odoo usually
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transforms all departments of companies for the better. In such a
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project, you have a lot of decisions to take on small details. If
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there is too much back and forth between several decision makers,
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it could potentially seriously slow things down.
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- **have the leadership** to train and enforce policies at most
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departments. This person must have the support, or be part, of
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the top management.
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Integrate 95% of your business, not 100%
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----------------------------------------
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You probably chose Odoo because no other software allows for such a high
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level of automation, feature coverage and integration. But **don't be an
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extremist in that direction.**
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Customizations cost you money, are more complex to maintain, add risks
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to the implementation and can cause issues with upgrades.
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Standard Odoo can probably cover 95% of your business. Be flexible on
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the remaining 5%, otherwise that 5% will cost you twice the original
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project price. One always underestimates the hidden costs of
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customization.
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- **Do it the Odoo way, not yours.** Be flexible, use Odoo the way it
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was designed. Learn how it works and don't try to replicate the
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way your old system(s) works.
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- **The project first, customizations second.** If you really want
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customizations, phase them in at the end of the project, ideally
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after going into production. Once a customer starts using Odoo,
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they usually drop about 60% of their customization requests as
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they learn to do it the out of the box Odoo way. It is more
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important to have all your business processes working than
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customizing a screen to add fields or automate a few e-mails.
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Our project managers are trained to help you make the right decision and
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measure the tradeoffs involved but it is much easier if you are aligned
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with them on the objectives.
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Invest time in learning Odoo
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----------------------------
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Start your free trial. Play with the system. The more comfortable you
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are with Odoo, the better your decisions will be and the training phase
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will be that much easier.
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Nothing replaces playing with the software, but here are some extra
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resources:
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- Documentation:
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`https://www.odoo.com/documentation/user <https://www.odoo.com/documentation/user>`__
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- Introduction Videos:
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`https://www.odoo.com/r/videos <https://www.odoo.com/r/videos>`__
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- Customer Reviews:
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`https://www.odoo.com/blog/customer-reviews-6 <https://www.odoo.com/blog/customer-reviews-6>`__
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Get things done
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---------------
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Want an easy way to start using Odoo? Install Odoo Notes to manage your
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to-do list for the implementation:
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`https://www.odoo.com/page/notes <https://www.odoo.com/page/notes>`__.
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From your Odoo home, go to Apps and install the Notes application.
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.. image:: media/getting_started07.png
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:align: center
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This module allows you to:
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- Manage to-do lists for better interactions with your consultant;
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- Share Odoo knowledge & good practices with your employees;
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- Get acquainted with all the generic tools of Odoo: Messaging,
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Discussion Groups, Kanban Dashboard, etc.
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.. image:: media/getting_started08.png
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:align: center
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.. tip::
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This application is even compatible with the Etherpad platform
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(http://etherpad.org). To use these collaborative pads rather than
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standard Odoo Notes, install the following add-on: Memos Pad.
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What should you expect from us?
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===============================
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Subscription Services
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---------------------
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Cloud Hosting
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Odoo provides a top notch cloud infrastructure including backups in
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three different data centers, database replication, the ability to
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duplicate your instance in 10 minutes, and more!
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- Odoo Online SLA:
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`https://www.odoo.com/page/odoo-online-sla <https://www.odoo.com/page/odoo-online-sla>`__\
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- Odoo Online Security:
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`https://www.odoo.com/page/security <https://www.odoo.com/fr_FR/page/security>`__
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- Privacy Policies:
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`https://www.odoo.com/page/odoo-privacy-policy <https://www.odoo.com/page/odoo-privacy-policy>`__
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Support
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~~~~~~~
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Your Odoo Online subscription includes an **unlimited support service at
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no extra cost, 24/5, Monday to Friday**. To cover 24 hours, our teams
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are in San Francisco, Belgium and India. Questions could be about
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anything and everything from: how to use or configure, bugfix requests,
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payments or subscription issues.
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Our support can be contacted through our
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`online support form <https://www.odoo.com/help>`__.
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Note: The support team cannot develop new features, customize, import
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data or train your users. These services are provided by your dedicated
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project manager, as part of the Success Pack.
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Upgrades
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~~~~~~~~
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Once every two months, Odoo releases a new version. You will get an
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upgrade button within the **Manage Your Databases** screen. Upgrading your
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database is at your own discretion, but allows you to benefit from new
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features.
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We provide the option to upgrade in a test environment so that you can
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evaluate a new version or train your team before the roll out. Simply
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fill our `online support form <https://www.odoo.com/help>`__ to make this request.
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Success Pack Services
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---------------------
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The Success Pack is a package of premium hour-based services performed by
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a dedicated project manager and business analyst. The initial alloted hours
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you purchased is purely an estimate and we do not guarantee completion of
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your project within the first pack. We always strive to complete projects
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within the initial allotement however any number of factors can contribute
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to us not being able to do so, for example a scope expansion or "Scope Creep"
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in the middle of your implementation, new detail descoveries, or an increase
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in complexity that was not apparent from the beginning.
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The list of services according to your success pack is detailed online:
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`https://www.odoo.com/pricing-packs <https://www.odoo.com/pricing-packs>`__
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The goal of the project manager is to help you get to production within
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the defined time frame and budget, i.e. the initial number of hours
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defined in your success pack.
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His/her role includes:
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- **Project Management:** review of your objectives & expectations,
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phasing of the implementation (road map), mapping of your
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business needs and the Odoo features.
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- **Customized Support:** by phone, e-mail or webinar.
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- **Training, Coaching, and Onsite Consulting:** remote trainings via
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screen sharing or training on premises. For on premise training
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sessions, you will be expected to pay extra for travel expenses
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and accommodations for your consultant.
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- **Configuration:** decisions about how to implement specific needs in
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Odoo and advanced configuration. (e.g. logistic routes, advanced
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pricing structures, etc.)
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- **Data Import**: we can do it or assist you on how to do it with a
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template prepared by the project manager.
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If you have subscribed to a **Custom App**, you benefit from following
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extra services:
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- **Customization of screens**
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- **Customization of reports (PDF):** our project managers have access
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to developers for advanced customizations.
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- **Website Design:** standard themes are provided to get started at
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no extra cost. However, our project manager can coach you on how to utilize
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the building blocks of the website designer. The time spent will consume
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hours of your success pack.
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- **Workflow automations:** e.g. setting values in fields based on
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triggers, sending reminders by emails, automating actions, etc.
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For very advanced automations, our project managers have access
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to Odoo developers.
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Implementation Methodology
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==========================
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We follow a **lean and hands-on methodology**, that is used to put
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customers in production in a short period of time and at a low cost.
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After the kick-off meeting, we define a phasing plan to deploy Odoo
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progressively, by groups of apps.
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.. image:: media/getting_started09.png
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:align: center
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The goal of the **Kick-off call** is for our project manager to come
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to an understanding of your business in order to propose an
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implementation plan (phasing). Each phase is the deployment of a set
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applications that you will fully use in production at the end of the
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phase.
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For every phase, the steps are the following:
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1. **On Boarding:** Odoo's project manager will review Odoo's business
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flows with you, according to your business. The goal is to train
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you, validate the business process and configure according to
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your specific needs.
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2. **Data:** created manually or imported from your existing system.
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You are responsible to export the data from your existing system
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and Odoo's project manager will import them in Odoo.
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3. **Training:** once your applications are set up, your data imported, and
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the system is working smoothly, you will train your users. There will
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be some back and forth with your Odoo project manager to answer questions
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and process your feedback.
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4. **Production**: Once everyone is trained, your users start using
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Odoo.
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Once you are comfortable using Odoo, we will fine-tune the process and
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**automate** some tasks and do the remaining customizations (**extra
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screens and reports**).
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Once all applications are deployed and users are comfortable on Odoo,
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our project manager will not work on your project anymore (unless you
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have new needs) and you will use the support service if you have further
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questions.
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Managing your databases
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=======================
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To access your databases, go to Odoo.com, sign in and click **My
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Databases** in the drop-down menu at the top right corner.
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.. image:: media/getting_started10.png
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:align: center
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Odoo gives you the opportunity to test the system before going live or
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before upgrading to a newer version. Do not mess up your working
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environment with test data!
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In that purpose, you can create as many free trials as you want
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(available for 15 days). Those instances can be instant copies of your
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working environment. To do so, go to the Odoo.com account in **My
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Organizations** page and click **Duplicate**.
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.. image:: media/getting_started11.png
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:align: center
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.. image:: media/getting_started12.png
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:align: center
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You can find more information on how to manage your databases
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:ref:`here <db_management/documentation>`.
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Customer Success
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================
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Odoo is passionate about delighting our customers and ensuring that
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they have all the resources needed to complete their project.
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During the implementation phase, your point of contact is the project
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manager and eventually the support team.
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Once you are in production, you will probably have less interaction
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with your project manager. At that time, we will assign a member of
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our Client Success Team to you. They are specialized in the long-term
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relationship with our customers. They will contact you to showcase new
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versions, improve the way you work with Odoo, assess your new needs,
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etc...
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Our internal goal is to keep customers for at least 10 years and offer
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them a solution that grows with their needs!
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Welcome aboard and enjoy your Odoo experience!
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.. seealso::
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* :doc:`../../db_management/documentation`
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.. image:: media/getting_started13.png
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:align: center
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.. |left_pic| image:: media/getting_started03.png
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.. |right_pic| image:: media/getting_started04.png
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