Cases
Construction companies / contractors
Multiple projects and subcontractors at once, with sharp budget control.
- Project
- Purchasing
- Approvals
- Timesheets
- Invoicing
- Accounting
Example: a contractor running several building projects at once
Contractor Bakker has five to ten renovations and new-build projects running at any given time, each with its own subcontractors and a tight budget. Here's how Odoo keeps a grip on cost and planning per project.
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1. A project with a budget
A Project is created for every building project, with a budget per cost category (materials, labour, subcontractors).
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2. Purchasing and subcontractors per project
Orders with the building materials merchant and invoices from subcontractors are linked directly to the right project in Purchasing, so costs land in the right place immediately. For larger amounts — purchase orders above €5,000, say — Odoo automatically requires the project manager's approval before the order goes to the supplier, so nobody confirms a large amount by accident without a check.
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3. Hours from Bakker's own staff
Carpenters and bricklayers log their hours per project through the Timesheets app, even from the building site.
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4. Budget versus actual, in real time
In the project report, Bakker sees budgeted versus actual spend per project straight away — if a cost category is running over, that's visible immediately instead of only at final settlement.
Cost item Budgeted Actual Status Materials €42,000 €44,500 Watch this Subcontractors €68,000 €65,200 Within budget Own labor €21,000 €21,000 Within budget -
5. Progress invoicing
Larger projects are invoiced in instalments, directly from the project — every instalment invoice can be traced back to the progress and the underlying costs.
The result
All projects, purchasing, hours and invoicing in one system, with budget control per project instead of after the fact in a spreadsheet. An extra progress report for the client is easy to add.