Duration: 22:42
🧾 Analytical Summary
This technical presentation delivers a practical introduction to integrating external systems with Odoo Inventory and Manufacturing modules through the JSON RPC API. Designed for developers beginning their Odoo customization journey, the session demonstrates how to programmatically create, manage, and process inventory transfers and manufacturing orders from external applications.
🚀 Core Concepts & Technical Foundation
The presentation centers on understanding Odoo's inventory and manufacturing object models. In Odoo Inventory, operations revolve around two primary objects: stock.picking (the container document holding common information like operation type, partner, and document metadata) and stock.move (the detailed line items specifying which products to move and in what quantities). Every delivery order, receipt, or internal transfer follows this hierarchical structure where one picking contains multiple moves.
The JSON RPC API provides the bridge between external systems and Odoo. Developers can call Odoo methods remotely using standard HTTP requests with a consistent pattern: specify the model (like stock.picking), the method (create, write, search), and the arguments as JSON payloads. The API returns created record IDs, enabling chained operations where you first create a picking, then create moves linked to that picking ID, then process the entire workflow programmatically.
⚙️ Inventory Integration Workflow
Creating and processing inventory operations follows a clear sequence. First, create a stock.picking by calling the create method with minimal required fields—primarily the picking_type_id that defines whether it's an incoming receipt, outgoing delivery, or internal transfer. The system returns the new picking's ID.
Next, create stock.move records linked to that picking. Each move requires the picking_id (linking it to the parent document), product_id, and product_qty (the initial demand quantity). Multiple moves can be created in a single API call by passing a list of dictionaries.
Once the structure exists, three key methods drive the processing pipeline:
action_confirm() transitions the picking from draft to confirmed state, making it visible in forecasting and triggering replenishment rules. action_assign() reserves the actual stock, specifying exactly which warehouse locations hold the products and blocking those quantities for this operation. button_validate() completes the transfer, recording that products physically moved from source to destination locations. For streamlined workflows where stock availability is guaranteed, developers can skip directly to button_validate(), which automatically executes the previous steps.
For advanced scenarios involving lot numbers, serial numbers, or multiple warehouse locations, the stock.move.line object provides granular control beneath the move level, though this complexity isn't necessary for basic integrations.
🏭 Manufacturing Integration Architecture
Manufacturing orders mirror the inventory structure but add production-specific complexity. The mrp.production object serves as the container (analogous to stock.picking), holding the product_id to manufacture, product_qty to produce, and picking_type_id that defines warehouse locations for component consumption and finished product storage.
A critical addition is the bom_id (bill of materials). When specified during production order creation, Odoo automatically generates the required stock.move records for components based on the BOM structure—eliminating manual move creation. Components use the raw_material_production_id field to link to the manufacturing order, while finished products use production_id, allowing multiple outputs from a single production run.
Beyond material movements, manufacturing introduces mrp.workorder objects representing shop floor operations. Each work order specifies a workcenter_id (the machine or station), operation name, expected duration, and can link to quality check instructions. This enables time tracking, capacity planning, and operational sequencing.
💼 Processing Manufacturing Operations
The manufacturing workflow parallels inventory with additional work order management. After creating the production order and its moves/work orders, action_confirm() locks in the plan and triggers component replenishment. action_assign() reserves component inventory. button_plan() schedules work orders into the production calendar, reserving equipment time slots.
Work order execution uses three time-tracking methods: button_start() begins an operation and logs the employee and start time, button_pending() pauses for breaks or interruptions, and button_finish() completes the operation and readies the next sequential work order. These methods enable real-time shop floor monitoring from external MES systems or custom interfaces.
The write() method provides flexibility for mid-production adjustments. Developers can update the quantity field on stock moves to reflect actual consumption (distinct from product_qty, which preserves the original plan for reporting). After all work orders complete and quantities finalize, button_mark_done() closes the manufacturing order and confirms finished goods into inventory.
🧠 Development Resources & Self-Service Tools
Odoo provides comprehensive self-documentation through the /web#/database/[your-db]/doc URL endpoint. This internal documentation browser lists every model, field, and method with descriptions, data types, and usage examples. Developers can explore the stock.picking, stock.move, mrp.production, and mrp.workorder models interactively, seeing available fields and testing API calls directly against their instance.
The presentation emphasizes the universal pattern: model.name/method for all API interactions. Whether creating sales orders (sale.order/create), project tasks (project.task/create), or any other record, the structure remains consistent, lowering the learning curve for multi-module integrations.
💡 Impact & Integration Strategy
This technical foundation enables crucial real-world scenarios: e-commerce platforms automatically generating delivery orders when customers purchase, external manufacturing execution systems (MES) reporting production progress in real-time, warehouse management systems (WMS) directing barcode operations, and IoT devices on production lines updating work order status.
The API's simplicity—HTTP requests with JSON payloads—means integration from virtually any programming language or platform. No specialized Odoo SDKs required; standard REST conventions apply. The atomic operations (create, assign, validate) map cleanly to business events, making the integration logic straightforward to implement and maintain.
For organizations with existing systems that need Odoo as the operational backbone, or those building custom interfaces atop Odoo's business logic, this JSON RPC approach provides the necessary technical bridge without requiring deep Odoo framework knowledge or custom module development.
🧠 Viewpoint: Odoo Perspective
⚠️ Disclaimer: AI-generated creative perspective inspired by Odoo's vision.
This presentation embodies exactly what we mean by "accessible customization." Developers shouldn't need to become Odoo experts to integrate our inventory and manufacturing capabilities into their existing ecosystems. The JSON RPC API removes barriers—no proprietary protocols, no complex SDKs, just straightforward HTTP calls that any developer understands. When someone can connect their e-commerce platform or their factory floor equipment to Odoo in an afternoon, that's when we know we've truly built an open system. The fact that our own web interface uses these exact same APIs demonstrates our commitment: we don't hide power features behind internal-only methods. What you see is what you get, and what you get is a complete, production-grade business platform that speaks the language of the modern web.
🏢 Viewpoint: Competitors (SAP / Microsoft / Others)
⚠️ Disclaimer: AI-generated fictional commentary. Not an official corporate statement.
Odoo's JSON RPC approach certainly offers simplicity and developer accessibility—admirable goals for smaller implementations. However, enterprise-grade integration architectures require more sophisticated patterns. SAP Business Technology Platform and Microsoft Dataverse provide governed API layers with enterprise authentication, transaction management, and audit trails baked into the integration fabric. When you're synchronizing manufacturing orders across global facilities with strict compliance requirements, you need more than simple HTTP POST requests—you need orchestrated workflows, compensation logic for failures, and certified connectors that guarantee data integrity. Odoo's straightforward API serves development speed well, but in mission-critical scenarios where a failed inventory transaction could halt a production line serving billion-dollar contracts, organizations need the robust middleware, monitoring, and support ecosystems that established enterprise platforms provide. The real question isn't whether you can integrate, but whether your integration architecture can scale, secure, and sustain operations at enterprise complexity.
Disclaimer: This article contains AI-generated summaries and fictionalized commentaries for illustrative purposes. Viewpoints labeled as "Odoo Perspective" or "Competitors" are simulated and do not represent any real statements or positions. All product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners.