Companies¶

In Odoo, a company is an individual business entity that operates independently, with its own legal identity, financial records, and specific operational settings.

See also

Configuration¶

To set up a company, follow these steps:

Configure the company details.
Manage users and their access rights.
Customize the document layout.

Company¶

To create a company, open the Settings app, navigate to the Companies section, and click Manage Companies. In the Companies list view, click New and configure the following fields:

Company Name
Address
Tax ID: tax identification number.
LEI: legal entity identifier.
Company ID: company’s registry number, if different from Tax ID
Currency
Phone and Mobile
Email
Website
Email Domain
Color

Upload the company’s logo and Save.

Note

Alternatively, it is possible to create a company by going to Settings ‣ Users & Companies ‣ Companies.
The company’s General information may vary based on the fiscal localization.

Users¶

After setting up a company, add users and configure their access and access rights.

See also

Users in multi-company environment

Document layout¶

Configure the default layout for all company documents.

Branches¶

Branches represent subdivisions within a company, such as regional offices or departments, that operate under a common parent company. They support hierarchical company structures through configurable settings, enabling comprehensive or branch-specific views with flexible access control, entity-specific or shared record visibility, and customizable reporting.

Note

Independent subsidiaries should be created as additional companies, not branches.

See also

Configuration¶

Each branch is linked to its parent company but may contain different or specific information, such as its address or logo. A branch can be a parent company of branches at a lower level to create a multi-level architecture.

Important

Clarify the company’s structure and hierarchy before creating companies and branches in Odoo. A company defined as a parent cannot be converted into a branch later, as doing so may result in access rights issues.
Always create the parent company first.

To create a branch, follow these steps in the Settings app:

Navigate to the Companies section, click Manage Companies, or go to Settings ‣ Users & Companies ‣ Companies.
In the Companies list view, open the desired parent company form.
In the Branches tab, click Add a line and fill in the General Information fields in the Create Branches window.

To create branches from a branch and create a multi-level architecture, click Add a line in the new branch’s Branches tab.

Tip

Activate the developer mode to set social media accounts and company-specific email system parameters.

Warning

Adding a branch to a company enables multi-company functions.

Comprehensive or branch-specific view¶

Note

Selecting the parent company automatically links all its branches, while selecting a branch connects to that branch only. To switch between them, use the company selector.

All configurations, except for accounting settings inherited from the parent company, must be set individually per branch. This allows for branch-specific setups such as loyalty programs, price lists, or inventory locations.

User access¶

Like in a multi-company environment, parent companies and branches support flexible user access control and access rights. User access can be granted or restricted at the parent company level, the branch level, or both. For example, a user can be limited to a specific branch, while an administrator with access to the parent company can manage all associated branches.

Shared records¶

In Odoo, some records are, by default, either specific to a single entity or shared across the parent company and all its branches.

When creating a quotation, invoice, or vendor bill, the active company or branch is automatically selected and displayed in the Company field. If the active company is the parent company or one of its branches, then records specifically linked to that entity are accessible only within that entity and will only be visible when the company or branch is selected using the company selector.

In contrast, some records, such as products or contacts, are not tied to any particular entity and are shared by default across the parent company and all its branches. However, they can be restricted to a single entity by setting the appropriate value in the Company field, if needed.

See also

Branches accounting

Reporting¶

All reports can be generated for the parent company alone or with its branches, based on user access.

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