Odoo vs Microsoft Dynamics

A detailed comparison of leading MRP software for SMEs.

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Introduction

With multiple software options for each step of the manufacturing process - from production planning to quality control and inventory tracking - it can be challenging to identify a solution that meets every manufacturer's needs. While many ERP systems cover several of these functional areas, only a few genuinely offer everything out of the box.

Additionally, selecting the right system has implications beyond meeting the needs of the manufacturers. It will significantly impact its future growth and profitability. To shape a successful company, the right tool will require a proper implementation, and the stakes are high as the resources needed for implementation can be substantial, requiring time and input from employees across your organization.

The business software industry has recently shifted towards a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. This trend provides businesses with increased flexibility and eliminates the need for a local server or other network hardware. Smaller deployments can see significant cost reductions by avoiding the need for local infrastructure.

In this page, we’ve created comparison tables on Odoo and Microsoft Dynamics highlighting: the hosting proposition, pricing, and availability of key features in several areas, such as inventory management, quality control, maintenance, and production management, to name a few. 

To offer a comprehensive comparison of several manufacturing solutions, we’ve done the exercise for some of the most renowned ones Odoo, SAP Business One, Netsuite, and Microsoft Dynamics. Happy reading!

Odoo

Created to disrupt the enterprise world and finally provide a software that covers complex needs with simplicity, Odoo has become one of the most popular business solutions. With more than 82 business apps fully integrated and thousands of community modules, the open-source software caters to every sector and company size, making it a major player in the market. The Belgian software counts more than 20,000 downloads per day, making it the most installed app suite and a direct competitor to companies like Netsuite, Shopify, PrestaShop and Microsoft.

"Amazing employees deserve amazing software"

12 million +
users

44,000 +
integrated apps

1 to 24 months
to be implemented

3,600 +
employees

Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics AX is the most feature-rich of the five products in the Microsoft Dynamics ERP line. AX was initially released as a collaboration between IBM and Damgaard Data (as IBM Axatpa) in 1998 before being acquired by Microsoft in 2002 and re-branded under its current name. AX is designed for mid-to-large sized enterprises operating across multiple locations, countries, or currencies. Dynamics AX has particular strengths in manufacturing and distribution. It is commonly deployed by companies with revenue greater than $50 million annually, though smaller implementations are also possible. For this comparison, we chose the latest release, AX 2012 R3, in the on-premise configuration.


"Microsoft’s ERP solution"

4 million +
users

15
integrated apps

3 to 24 months
to be implemented

10,000 +
employees

Features Comparison

Inventory Management

Odoo

Microsoft Dynamics

General Scope

Multi-Warehouse

Storage Locations

Bin Replenishment

Mobile Device Support


Multi-Company



Multi-Currency



Multi-Language



Automatic ASN (Advanced Shipping Notice)


Package Management / Cartoning



Freight Carrier Integration



Manage Consignee Stocks


EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)

Products

Non-Stocked Inventory


Multiple Variants



Multiple Units of Measure



Inter-Classe UoM Conversion



Variant Matrix



Traceability

Lots / Serial Numbers



Up / Down Traceability



360° Traceability



Expiration Dates



Cycle Counting



Reporting

Inventory Forecasts



Inventory Valuations



ABC Analysis



Barcode Support

QR Code Support



RFID Support



Lots / Serial Numbers Support



Receptions



Picking



Internal Moves



Delivery Orders



Inventory Adjustments



Routing

FIFO / LIFO



Customizable Routes



Putaway Strategies



Wave Picking



Batch Picking



Zone Picking



Cluster Picking



Cross-Docking



Putaway Locations



Supply Chain

Odoo

Microsoft Dynamics

Features

Vendor Data Management



Vendor Pricelist Management



Inbound Quality Control



Dropshipping



Purchase

Purchase Requests



Purchase Orders



Purchase Approval Workflow



Request for Quotations



Contracts / Purchase Agreements



Automated Procurements

Minimum Stock Rules



Make-to-Order



Master Production Schedule



Manufacturing

Odoo

Microsoft Dynamics

Master Data

Multi-Level BoM



By-Products / Co-Products



Routings



Subassemblies



One BoM for Multiples Product Variants



BoM Versioning



Multiple BoM / Routing



Planning

Demand Forecasting



MRP Scheduler



Gantt Chart Scheduling



Kanban Planning



Production Calendar



Infinite Capacity Scheduling



Finite Capacity Scheduling



Multiple Scheduling Plans



Delivery Date Calculation



Production Order Splitting / Merging



Operations

Manufacturing / Production Orders



Job Tracking



Work Orders / Operations



Automated Time Tracking



Disassembly Orders



Subcontracting



Rework / Repair



Scrap



Disposal Strategies



Kits



Edit Individual Production BoMs



Costing

Perpetual Inventory Valuation



Periodic Inventory Valuation



Standard Price



FIFO / LIFO



Landed Costs



Actual Production Labor



Production Order Costing



Shop Floor Control

Shop Floor Terminals



Production Activities



Non-Production Activities



Time Tracking



Messages on Work Orders



Barcode Support



Equipment / Maching Management



Work Instructions on Work Orders



Maintenance Requests from Shop Floor Terminal



Human Resources

Schedule Management



Touchscreen Attendance



Timesheets



Breaks



Overtime



Vacation / Injury



Reporting and Forecasting

Overall Equipment Efficiency



Work Time



Demand Forecast



Maintenances KPIs



Production Costs Analysis



Analytic Accounting



CSV Export



Dynamic Pivot Tables



Dashboards



Save Custom Reports



Maintenance

Odoo

Microsoft Dynamics

Scheduling and Request Handling

Schedule Preventive Maintenance



Maintenance Kanban



Maintenance Calendar



Shop Floor Integration



Multiple Teams / Sites



Asset Management



Subcontract Repair



Job Tracking



Parts Management

Inventory Management



Purchasing Integration



Rotating Asset Location



Equipment Serial Numbers



Equipment Maintenance History



Dealer Portal



QMS

Odoo

Microsoft Dynamics

Quality Control

At Reception



In-Process



Before Delivery



Inventory Quarantine



Quality Checks

Quality Control Plan



Pass/Fail Checks



Measurement Checks



Quality Alerts / Nonconformance Documents



Print Nonconformance Documents



Corrective Actions



ISO9001 Tools

Documentation Management



Customer Satisfaction Surveys



Customers Complaints Management



Traceability of Operations



Resources Management



Reports

Nonconformance Costs



PLM

Odoo

Microsoft Dynamics

Features

Engineering Change Orders (ECOs)



BoM Versioning Management



Routing Version Management



MRP Integration



Centralized BoM Management



ECO Management

Approval Workflows



BoM Version Difference Viewer



Bulk BoM Updates



Notification Mechanism



Project eMail Gateway



ECO Costing



Third-Party CAD Integrations

AutoCAD



SolidWorks



Autodesk



Usability, Pricing & Conditions

Odoo

Microsoft Dynamics

User Interface

Full Web Interface



Mobile App



App Store / Add-ons



Subjective Ratings

Navigation and Search

5/5

5/5

Data Entry

5/5

5/5

Mobile App

4/5

5/5

Reports Flexibility

4.5/5

4/5

Pricing and Conditions

Monthly Pricing

Free

95$/month/user

Number of Users

Unlimited

Unlimited

Contract Duration

Monthly & Yearly

Perpetual

Free Trial



Open-source



Hosting

Cloud & On-premise

Cloud & On-premise  

User Satisfaction

Rating on g2Crowd

4.3/5

3.8/5

Rating on GetApp

4.2/5

4.4/5

Rating on Capterra

4.1/5

4.4/5

Brand Exposure

3.0/5

4/5 

User Interface

When evaluating enterprise software, the user interface is a crucial factor that is often overlooked but holds significant importance. It directly impacts users' efficiency within the system and the ease of implementation, and will even contribute to reducing costs associated with user errors.

A successful solution must consider user needs and goals to assist them effectively. The UI is crucial in understanding human factors and enabling the software to fulfil its purpose. From a manufacturing point of view, the user interface becomes even more critical, especially in shop floor control systems. Workers in manufacturing environments often operate in noisy surroundings, work swiftly, wear personal protective equipment (PPE), or may not have optimal conditions for using a traditional computer interface with a keyboard and mouse. Therefore, it is essential to consider the specific design requirements of a shop space or production line when evaluating the usability of an interface in such environments.

To better understand the software's visual elements and interface options, we have included screenshots of analogous menus from each software in this comparison. While assessing software usability based solely on static images has limitations, it can still offer a rough basis for comparison. This additional information will assist you in your analysis and provide valuable insights into the user experience of each software solution.

Different solutions, Different needs

When choosing the right software for your business, it is important to assess several criteria based on your specific needs.

Business Scope measures a software’s capacity to meet your business needs comprehensively through its features and its flexibility in customizability and integration with other tools. 

User-Friendliness measures how straightforward and user-friendly a software solution is for your team to navigate, requiring minimal training or complex procedures. Additionally, it evaluates how hassle-free the software is to set up, considering factors like time, effort, and resource requirements for initial configuration within your organization.

Odoo is a robust solution addressing a wide range of business needs, extending beyond MRP functions. The platform is designed to streamline operations and replace the need for disjointed, non-integrated software applications. Odoo shines as a highly customizable, all-in-one solution with many applications. Its open-source nature empowers a thriving community, resulting in a vast repository of community-contributed applications. Its integrations with dozens of other modules, including Inventory, Purchase, Quality Control, Product Lifecycle Management, or even Maintenance, make it a complete 360° software, allowing the user to manage all their MRP operations without the need to leave the shop floor environment.

Microsoft Dynamics is scalable, making it easy to implement. In addition to MRP, Microsoft provides several useful integrations with its other solutions (such as Microsoft Office). However, the software is still limited and lacks quality control, maintenance, and PLM features. The solution also suffers from the absence of an advanced HR solution integration. It is usually used by small SMEs with straightforward manufacturing processes.

Now, when it comes to user-friendliness, Odoo and Microsoft Dynamics offer intuitive interfaces, making the solution suitable for users of varying technical backgrounds. Its straightforward setup ensures a hassle-free experience for every business.

However, Microsoft Dynamics relies on integrations with external software, meaning the solution takes more work to scale. On Odoo's side, it shines thanks to its integration with many workers’ daily life tools. Indeed, the solution offers the possibility to manage production with an external tablet or to use foot pedals to advance in the production instructions or to record output.

That's why it’s essential to consider your business's specific needs and scale when assessing which solution is the best fit, as the ease of use and setup can vary significantly among these options.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the choice depends on your organization’s specific requirements, scale, and the balance between customization, ease of use, and setup. 

If you are seeking specific MRP solutions, then Odoo  might be a good fit. Thanks to their advanced manufacturing features, these systems are well-suited for complex manufacturing environments and provide efficient solutions for every manufacturing need. 

If you have more extensive requirements, you may find Odoo the most appealing solution. It offers advanced features and can accommodate any process. Its possibilities in terms of customization and its extensive suite of integrated business applications make it the best solution for businesses having needs beyond manufacturing. Additionally, Odoo offers ease of use and setup, making it suitable for small and medium businesses.