How to Configure Your Company and Users in Odoo (Step-by-Step Guide)

Odoo is a powerful open-source ERP that lets businesses streamline operations across departments — but to get the most out of it, a proper foundation is essential. One of the very first steps after installation is to configure your company profile and set up users with the right access. In this guide, we’ll walk you through this crucial process step-by-step.

Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or managing a team of 50, this article will help you set up your company structure in Odoo like a pro.

✅ Step 1: Access General Settings

Once you log in to your Odoo backend (as the admin or superuser), your first stop should be the Settings app.

• Navigate to the Settings module from the dashboard.
• Scroll to the Companies section.
• Click Update Company Information to access the configuration form.

🏢 Step 2: Configure Your Company Details

Here, you’ll fill out your organization’s basic details. These details are important — they appear on invoices, reports, and communications.

Fields to Fill:

• Company Name: e.g., “RaeyTech Solutions Ltd.”
• Address: Include street, city, state, ZIP code, and country.
• Phone & Email: Official contact details for correspondence.
• Website: If available.
• Currency: Set your operational currency (e.g., NGN – Nigerian Naira).
• Tax ID or RC Number: Depending on your region, enter your CAC registration number or TIN.
• Logo: Upload your company logo (will appear on invoices and reports).

Once done, click Save.

Optional:

If you’re managing multiple companies, Odoo supports multi-company setup. Go to Settings > Companies > Create, and repeat the steps for each company.

👥 Step 3: Add Users to the System

Now that your company is set up, it’s time to add your team.

Navigate to:

Settings > Users & Companies > Users

Click Create to add a new user.

User Fields:

• Name
• Email (used for login)
• Language (Odoo supports multiple languages)
• Time Zone (important for scheduling and logs)
• Access Rights – This is key! Based on their role, you can give access to specific modules.

🔒 Step 4: Assign the Right Access Rights

One of the most powerful features in Odoo is granular user access control. You don’t want everyone accessing sensitive data.

Examples of Access Roles:

• Salesperson – Access to CRM, Sales, Quotations
• Inventory Manager – Access to Inventory, Stock Moves, Valuation
• Accountant – Access to Invoicing, Payments, Reconciliation
• HR Officer – Access to Employees, Leaves, Payroll

You can mix-and-match roles depending on your business needs.

For advanced permissions:

• You can define Custom Groups or restrict record rules via Developer Mode (covered in an advanced tutorial).

Click Save, and Odoo will send an invitation email to the user to set their password.

🔁 Step 5: Switch to Developer Mode for Advanced Tweaks (Optional)

If you want to customize user roles or see hidden technical options:

1. Go to Settings
2. Scroll down to the bottom
3. Click Activate the Developer Mode

Now, when you edit a user, you’ll see more technical options like:

• Record rules
• Group inheritance
• Field-level permissions

⚠️ Note: Don’t make changes here unless you understand Odoo’s security architecture, or have a test environment.

👨‍👩‍👧 Step 6: Assign Employees to Users (For HR Management)

If you're using Odoo HR, you’ll need to link each user with their employee profile:

1. Open the Employees module.
2. Create a new employee or open an existing one.
3. Link the user under the Related User field.

Why this matters:

• It helps track attendance, leaves, timesheets, and appraisals accurately.
• HR reports will align with real system users.

📬 Step 7: Test User Access

It’s good practice to test new user access by:

• Logging in using a different browser or incognito window.
• Confirming they can see only what they’re permitted to.
• Trying basic actions (e.g., creating a sale order, checking stock levels, etc.)

🔁 Bonus: How to Deactivate or Delete Users

Sometimes you need to revoke access — when someone leaves the company or changes departments.

To do that:

• Go to Settings > Users & Companies > Users
• Open the user record
• Toggle Active = False to deactivate (safest option)
• To delete, click Action > Delete (only when absolutely sure)

⚡ Pro Tips

• Always use strong, unique emails for each user. Shared accounts create security and audit issues.
• Regularly review user permissions — especially after role changes.
• You can integrate 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) for additional security (via third-party modules).

🚀 Final Thoughts

Setting up your company and user access in Odoo might seem basic — but it forms the backbone of how smoothly your ERP will run. With clear user roles and accurate company details, you reduce mistakes, increase accountability, and ensure everyone sees only what they need to.

In the next article, we’ll walk you through "How to Configure Reordering Rules in Odoo" to automate your inventory management.