Odoo is one of the fastest-growing business software solutions in the world – an omnipresent digital Swiss Army knife. But instead of cutting wires, Odoo cuts through paperwork and chaos in companies. Its strength? Partners. But what does “Odoo partner” really mean, and why does it matter to you as a client? This article aims to clear up the confusion surrounding the Odoo partner status.
What does it mean to be an Odoo partner?
In short – a partner is a company that has signed an agreement with Odoo SA in Belgium, granting it the right to sell, implement, and support Odoo software. The partner gains access to technical documentation, support, certification, and lower license prices. On paper – a serious commitment. In practice? It depends.
How are Odoo partners classified and what does that mean for clients?
There are two groups of Odoo partners: learning partners (such as my company, Wolfinne d.o.o., at the moment) and official partners, who are further divided into Ready, Silver, and Gold levels. It sounds like video game levels – and in fact, the competition and the dynamic between partners and Odoo SA sometimes really resemble video games.
Any company can become a learning partner – there’s no real verification process. You just need to pay a certain amount, even without any previous experience in developing or implementing Odoo. Odoo SA has a role called “partner developer” – these are sales reps whose goal is to sell as many Learning Partner agreements as possible to interested companies. These companies get access to the Odoo Partnership portal, some learning perks – and a 10% commission on licenses sold.
Becoming a Ready partner is relatively straightforward – you must meet formal requirements, pay an annual fee, complete projects that sell at least 10 licenses, and pass one certification. This means that even without a large number of completed projects, a company can achieve this status, which can lead to the false perception among clients that the “Ready” label automatically implies high expertise and experience.
Ready partners are officially listed on the Odoo Partner page and enjoy many benefits. Odoo SA sends them leads from the countries in which they are registered. They also receive a 10% commission on sold licenses.
On the other hand, there are learning partners who have developed serious experience working with Odoo over the years but have not been formally part of the partnership program. This further complicates the picture of who is actually a reliable implementer.
A misunderstanding as a catalyst for cooperation – partner dialogue without Odoo SA
As the director of Wolfinne d.o.o., I was convinced that we were an official partner as well. That’s how it was presented to me by Odoo SA. I was told we were “just not listed” on odoo.com/partners. However, when I asked for confirmation – it turned out that learning partners are not considered official partners according to Odoo’s classification, which you can find here, and which clearly states that a Ready partner must have a certain level of experience.
And if you only look at the official Odoo SA website, it doesn’t reflect the real situation – on the page for prospective partners, Learning Partners are presented on the same level as Ready, Silver, and Gold partners, which is misleading. In practice, official partners receive significantly more benefits. That page is actually a marketing funnel for selling Learning Partner contracts.
I must admit – I was convinced that Inovado d.o.o. was not the only official partner in BiH, as they claimed in a LinkedIn post. I even said so confidently in one of our earlier conversations. It turned out I was wrong. But that misunderstanding sparked a deeper discussion and became a great starting point for an open dialogue. Mr. Mirsad Selimović, director and owner of Inovado d.o.o., was very professional and withdrew the LinkedIn ad stating they were the only official partner in BiH – until we meet and talk in person about the Odoo situation in BiH and potential cooperation.
Who was actually first in BiH?
Firma Inovado d.o.o. from BiH is indeed the first official Ready partner in the country, with legitimate experience they brought from their company Techman Solutions in Qatar. In BiH, besides Wolfinne d.o.o., there are several other learning partners. Some of us have more resources and experience, some less. Who will become the second official partner – remains to be seen. The market race and fierce competition already underway will decide that.
Another challenge – direct communication between Odoo SA and clients
Our experience shows that clients previously educated by a partner about the potential of Odoo – especially larger companies – are often contacted directly by Odoo SA’s sales team after registering on Odoo.com. In those cases, Odoo SA may offer direct implementation and license sales through their so-called “direct sale” model. The client may refuse and choose to work with a local partner. This is especially important in the local context.
Furthermore, in later stages of implementation – after the partner has already invested significant resources in analysis and configuration – it may happen that the client is contacted by an Odoo success manager. If the client expresses dissatisfaction or uncertainty, the success manager may suggest redirecting the project to direct involvement by the Odoo team, effectively bypassing the partner.
While both scenarios are legitimate business practices of Odoo SA, they can sometimes lead to feelings of marginalization for the partner and create uncertainty in the project’s further development. The client, on the other hand, may lose continuity and access to local knowledge, which is often crucial for a successful digital transformation.
Still – cooperation brings hope
Although the misunderstanding could have led to rivalry and distancing, the opposite happened. Inovado d.o.o. and Wolfinne d.o.o. decided to sit down, talk, and exchange views. The conclusion? There is great potential for cooperation. Both parties bring different approaches and experiences, which turned out to be a great foundation for joint work. Each brings specific strengths and competencies to the partnership.
The joint potential also comes from the fact that we bring Odoo expertise gained abroad to BiH – Wolfinne from the DACH region, Inovado from the Middle East. With this range of knowledge, we can cover a wide spectrum of industries and challenges faced by local businesses.
We are united in the mission to democratize business software solutions for the BiH market. We want to jointly lead Odoo’s global mission right here. Together we can offer a rarely seen combination: genuine value and reliability in implementing Odoo for domestic companies.
Announcements about the next steps in our cooperation and individual activities toward our stated goals – are coming soon.
Community vs Enterprise and the market in BiH
In BiH, there are companies that offer solutions based on the Odoo Community version, the free variant of the software, and who often don’t see value in the Enterprise version. While they are entitled to their approach, I believe both versions have their purpose and application – both Community and Enterprise. The key is understanding the client’s needs. Some companies will work perfectly on the Community version, while others will gain significantly more by switching to Enterprise – especially due to integrations, security, support, and advanced features.
Still, I advise clients to be cautious: always ask which version of Odoo your vendor is offering. I have information that some vendors are offering systems based on version 12, which is already outdated, technically unstable, and poorly optimized. The current active version is 18, which brings major improvements and represents a safer long-term investment.
The real picture behind the “Odoo partner” label
If you already use Odoo or are just planning to, keep in mind – the “partner” title is not an automatic guarantee of quality. Ask questions, request references, and demand concrete examples. Don’t just believe in marketing slogans. Ask for a demo instance – which you can get for a one-month trial. That instance should cover at least one core business process of your company. We offer this completely free of charge.
It’s not always easy for us partners. The competition is brutal, the rules are often unclear, and the fight for each client is more diplomatic than technical. But – when two companies that genuinely want to make a difference join forces, like Inovado and Wolfinne – the market can only benefit.
One of my friends, also a Ready partner, once told me: “Who cares if you’re a partner or not – what matters is how well you can solve the client’s problem and how happy you can make them.”
So, the next time someone tells you that being an Odoo partner is always a safe choice – ask yourself: who’s behind it, what are they offering, and how well do they really understand your business needs? Because partnership on paper doesn’t necessarily mean partnership in reality.
