How Odoo Helps Printing Companies Manage Custom Orders Effectively

Printing businesses everywhere are getting more and more requests for special, one-of-a-kind printing jobs. Instead of just printing large amounts of the same thing, they're asked to do things like print on unusual materials, use specific colors, or create designs that are very different from the usual. 

Imagine your team trying to keep track of all the special instructions from customers, figuring out how much strange materials cost, trying to fit these special jobs into the regular printing schedule, and then getting the bills right, all while trying to make sure the final printed product is exactly what the customer wanted. 

That's where Odoo ERP comes in. It's like a special computer system that puts everything together to help printing companies manage these special orders easily and correctly. Odoo ERP helps them keep track of all the details, work efficiently, and make sure customers are happy.

It gives them good control over the whole process, from when the customer first asks for something special to when it's finally delivered. 

This guide will explain how Odoo helps printing companies handle these custom orders well. It will show the important parts of Odoo that make things run smoother, reduce mistakes, improve communication, and help these companies do a better job.

Also Read: Top 7 Reasons Financial Firms Choose Odoo ERP for Tax Management and Financial Reporting

What Makes Special Orders Hard for Printing Companies?

Before we talk about how Odoo helps, let's look at the usual problems printing companies have when dealing with special orders:

• Keeping Track of What the Customer Wants: Special orders often have very specific needs about the materials, sizes, colors, and how they need to be finished. The company needs a good way to write all this down and remember it.
• Figuring Out the Right Price for Unusual Jobs:It can be tricky to calculate how much to charge for special print jobs that use different materials, are for different amounts, need special work done, or have unusual finishes.
• Planning and Scheduling Special Jobs: It can be hard to fit these unusual jobs into the regular printing schedule while also using the right machines and people.
• Keeping Track of Unusual Materials: For special jobs, the company might need to order and keep track of papers, inks, and other materials that they don't usually use.
• Managing Special Design Files and Changes: Customers might send in different versions of their artwork or ask for changes. The company needs a good way to keep track of all these files and make sure they are using the right one.
• Getting Different Teams to Work Together: Making a special order often involves the sales team, the design team, the people who do the printing, and the people who ship it. They all need to work together smoothly.
• Telling Customers How Their Order is Going:Customers want to know how their special order is progressing. The company needs to keep them updated.
• Getting the Bills Right for Unusual Jobs: The final bill needs to correctly show all the special materials and services that were used.
• Handling Special Packaging and Shipping: Some special orders might need to be packed and shipped in a specific way.
• Seeing if Special Orders are Making Money:The company needs to know how much these special jobs cost and if they are making a profit.

How Odoo ERP Helps Printing Companies Handle Special Orders Easily:

Odoo, as a complete computer system for businesses, has different parts that all work together to solve these problems with special orders for printing companies. Here’s how it helps:

1. Writing Down Exactly What the Customer Wants with Odoo Sales and Product Options:

Odoo Sales lets printing companies create detailed quotes that include all the specific things a customer wants for a special order. There's also an extra part called Product Configurator that lets them create easy-to-use forms where customers or the sales team can pick different options (like paper type, size, colors, and finishes) and see the price change automatically. This makes sure all the unusual details are written down correctly from the start.

A report says that the market for digital printing for packaging and labels is going to be huge, showing that more and more printing is becoming customized. (Source: SMITHERS)

2. Figuring Out Prices for Unusual Jobs with Odoo Sales and Manufacturing:

Odoo Sales helps create detailed quotes that can include the cost of unusual materials and services. When it works with the Odoo Manufacturing part, the system can automatically calculate how much these unusual materials will cost based on a list of materials needed for the special job. This makes sure the price is accurate for each special order.

3. Planning and Scheduling Special Jobs Easily with Odoo Manufacturing and Planning:

The Odoo Manufacturing part lets printing companies plan when to work on special orders along with their regular printing jobs. You can set up where the work will be done, assign people and machines, and plan the steps based on what each special job needs. The Odoo Planning part shows a clear picture of the schedule, so it's easy to see when things will happen and make sure everything gets done on time for these special projects.

4. Keeping Track of Unusual Materials with Odoo Inventory:

Odoo Inventory helps printing companies keep track of all their different papers, inks, and other materials, including the ones they only need for special orders. You can manage different types, sizes, colors, and amounts, making sure you have what you need for each special job when you need it.

Research suggests that companies that have good systems for managing orders can reduce the costs of fulfilling those orders by 10-15%. (Source: Salesforce)

5. Managing Special Design Files with Odoo Documents:

The Odoo Documents part is like a central place to keep all the artwork files, customer feedback, and design changes for special orders. It keeps track of different versions of the files, so everyone knows they are working on the latest approved design. This helps avoid mistakes and confusion when printing special jobs.

6. Helping Different Teams Work Together with Odoo Discuss and Project:

Odoo Discuss is like a chat system that lets the sales team, design team, printing team, and shipping team all talk to each other easily about special orders. The Odoo Project part can be used to create specific projects for complicated special jobs, where you can assign tasks to different people and track how things are going in one place. This makes sure everyone is working together.

7. Telling Customers How Their Order is Going with Odoo Sales and Project:

Odoo Sales lets you automatically send emails to customers to update them on how their special order is progressing. The Odoo Project part also has a feature where customers can log in and see the status of their project, the timeline, and any important documents. This makes things clear for the customer and makes them happier with their special order.

8. Getting the Bills Right for Unusual Jobs with Odoo Sales and Invoicing:

Odoo Sales makes sure that the final bill shows all the special materials, services, and amounts that were agreed upon for the special order. When it works with the Odoo Invoicing part, the system can automatically create bills based on the sales order, including all the special charges.

Note: Use the price list feature in Odoo to manage different prices for special materials or services depending on the customer or how many they ordered.

9. Handling Special Shipping with Odoo Shipping Connectors:

Odoo can connect to different shipping companies, which helps you manage the sometimes unusual packaging and shipping needs of special orders. You can create shipping labels, track packages, and give customers the tracking information, all from inside Odoo.

Remember: Save any special packing instructions as notes in the sales order or shipping order in Odoo to make sure the shipping department handles it correctly.

10. Seeing if Special Orders are Making Money with Odoo Reporting:

Odoo Reporting gives you useful information about how much profit you are making on each special order by keeping track of all the costs, including the special materials, the time spent by workers, and other expenses. This helps printing companies know which kinds of special jobs are most profitable and make good decisions about pricing and how to use their resources for future special orders.

Final thoughts

Implementing Odoo ERP can revolutionize how printing companies manage custom orders, leading to increased efficiency and customer satisfaction. With features tailored to address industry-specific challenges, Odoo stands out as a comprehensive solution for the printing sector.

Ready to transform your printing business operations? Partner with Micra Digital to implement Odoo ERP customized to your needs.

FAQ’s

1. 1. Can Odoo accurately keep track of all the unusual things customers want for their special printing orders, like specific materials and finishes? 

Yes, Odoo’s Sales part, especially when you use the Product Configurator, lets you write down all the unusual needs. You can set up different options and make sure all the customer’s details are recorded correctly from the very beginning. 

2. 2. How does Odoo help us figure out the price for special print jobs that use unusual materials and ways of printing? 

Odoo connects the Sales and Manufacturing parts, so you can create lists of materials for special jobs that include these unusual things. The system can then automatically calculate the cost based on these lists, which helps you give more accurate prices.

3. 3. Can Odoo help us plan when to do special print jobs along with our regular printing work? 

Yes, Odoo’s Manufacturing and Planning parts give you a clear view of your schedule, so you can fit in special jobs, assign the right people and machines, and make sure everything gets done on time.

4. 4. How does Odoo keep track of all the different versions of artwork and customer feedback that usually come with special printing orders? 

The Odoo Documents part is a central place to store all the files related to special orders, including artwork and changes. It keeps track of different versions so everyone is working on the right one, which reduces mistakes and makes teamwork better.

5. 5. Is Odoo suitable for small to medium-sized printing businesses?

Absolutely, Odoo's modular structure makes it adaptable for businesses of various sizes.