Short answer: A good Odoo case study does not say "the client is happy"; it shows a measurable result: the metric before and after go-live, the project scope, the timeline and a client you can check. Ask your partner for exactly those four pieces of evidence. Deep Vision, an Odoo Gold Partner from Tashkent, publishes its cases with numbers: at Timsoll, for example, setting up a new product went from 6–8 months to 2–3 days.
When you shortlist Odoo partners, almost every provider shows case studies. Most of them are a wall of logos or vague lines such as "we automated the business". This article explains how to read an Odoo case study, how to measure results and what evidence to ask a partner for. At the end we hold Deep Vision's public cases to the same standard.
Why does it matter? McKinsey and the University of Oxford studied more than 5,400 IT projects and found that large ones deliver 56% less value than expected on average (McKinsey). In an older Panorama Consulting survey covering 2012, 60% of ERP projects received less than half of the expected benefits (Datamation). If a result is not measured, you can prove neither that it happened nor that it did not.
What is an Odoo case study and what should it prove?
An Odoo case study describes what a specific company looked like before Odoo, what was done and what result was measured, in a form you can verify.
A credible case has four elements:
- Starting point: what the problem was and how it showed up in numbers.
- Scope: which modules, how many users, branches or warehouses.
- Timeline: how long the project took and when it went live.
- Result: which metric changed, by how much, and how it was measured.
If any of these is missing, the case turns into marketing copy. "We brought order to the warehouse" measures nothing. "Stock count discrepancies fell from X to Y per month" does.
How do you measure the results of an Odoo project?
Measurement starts before the project. Pick 3–5 key metrics before implementation and record their current values. Otherwise you will have nothing to compare against later.
Typical metrics, depending on your industry:
- time from order receipt to shipment;
- time to set up a new product in the system;
- stock count discrepancies and losses;
- number of days to close the month;
- receivables turnover;
- yearly spend on software and licences;
- staff time spent re-entering the same data.
For each metric, agree who measures it, where the data comes from and when it is re-checked. Results usually settle 3–6 months after go-live. We cover how to choose management metrics in our guide to management accounting.
How do you apply someone else's case to your own business?
Another company's result will not repeat exactly in yours. But you can take the logic: which process changed, and what that process costs you today. Run a simple calculation with your own numbers.
Example (hypothetical numbers, only to show the method): suppose 3 employees each spend 2 hours a day re-entering the same data into Excel and another program. With 22 working days a month, that is 3 × 2 × 22 = 132 hours. If Odoo lets the data be entered once and that time is cut in half, about 66 hours a month are freed up. Multiply that by the hourly cost of staff and compare it with the project cost.
This is not a precise forecast, but it moves the conversation with a partner from general claims to numbers. Ask the partner to work through this calculation with you, using your data.
What evidence should you ask a partner for?
When a partner shows you a case, check the following. Use the list as your own test:
- Does the case include before and after numbers?
- Is the project scope stated (modules, users, branches)?
- Does it say how long the project took and when it went live?
- Is the client named, or at least are the industry and size clear?
- Can you speak to this client?
- Does the case match the partner's references in the odoo.com directory?
- How long after go-live was the result measured?
- What besides Odoo influenced the result (a new process, new staff)?
- Is there a case similar to your business?
Reasons for caution: only logos, "efficiency improved" with no numbers, no way to talk to a client, and no references in the directory. That does not make the provider bad, but it does mean there is no evidence.
What results do Deep Vision's cases show?
These cases are published openly, and you can read each one.
Timsoll: auto parts trading. 18 branches and 7,000+ SKUs. After Odoo went live, setting up a new product in the system went from 6–8 months to 2–3 days. For wholesale and retail with a fast-changing range, that is a decisive metric. Details: the Timsoll case.
From scattered tools to one Odoo. A client with 100+ employees cut yearly licence and subscription costs for various programs from about $30,000 to about $11,000 by moving everything into one Odoo. That result is measured directly in money. Details: from $30,000 to $11,000.
Optika.uz and RockBeton. Information on these projects is on our portfolio page.
Beyond the cases, you can verify:
- Deep Vision is an official Odoo Gold Partner, and our odoo.com partner page lists 20+ client references, mostly wholesale, retail and manufacturing;
- the largest client has 100+ users; the average project is about 22 users;
- client retention is 89%, against the Odoo Gold minimum of 80% (Odoo requirements);
- 7 Odoo-certified experts across versions 17 to 19.
We apply the same principle in every new project: during diagnostics we choose the key metrics with you and record their starting values, so the result can later be seen in numbers. A company overview is on this page, and our delivery steps are on the Odoo implementation service page.
What happens if results are not measured?
Many projects never measure results because nobody defined the metrics up front. The owner cannot tell whether the system pays off, budgeting the next phases gets harder, and the project gets stuck in "it works, but the benefit is unclear". To avoid that, also review our list of common ERP implementation mistakes.
A practical tip: put the metrics into the contract or the requirements document and review them at the end of each phase. Then the partner and your team work toward the same goal, and acceptance answers "did the metric improve?" rather than "does it work?".
Frequently asked questions
Which metric matters most in an Odoo case study?
It depends on the business. Trading companies care about order and stock metrics, manufacturers about cost and lead times, finance about the month-end close. What matters is measuring before and after in the same way.
When should results be measured?
Usually 3–6 months after go-live, once processes have settled. Numbers from the first weeks are distorted by the transition.
What if the partner will not name the client?
Some clients do not disclose their name, and that is normal. But the industry, size and numbers should be specific, and ideally a call with the client should be arranged.
Can Deep Vision's cases be verified?
Yes. Cases are public on our blog and portfolio, and references are visible in the odoo.com directory. We arrange calls with clients with their consent.
Who chooses the metrics for our project?
You and the partner together. During diagnostics, 3–5 metrics are chosen to match your business goals and their starting values are recorded.
Sources
- Deep Vision in the Odoo partner directory
- Odoo partnership tiers and requirements
- McKinsey: delivering large-scale IT projects on time, on budget and on value
- Datamation: Panorama Consulting ERP survey (2012)
To get a project plan with measurable metrics, fill in the brief or call +998 77 093 00 07.