Set Up and Configure Products for Manufacturing in Odoo 18

Overview 

Getting  your products properly set up before running manufacturing orders saves a lot of headaches down the line. In Odoo 18, the Manufacturing module connects your product catalogue, raw material inventory, work center schedules, and production orders into a single workflow. This guide takes you through every step from adding the product record all the way to finalizing a detailed Bill of Materials with operations and lead times. 

Step 1 - Creating the Product Record 

Before any manufacturing order can reference a finished good, that product needs to exist in the Odoo database. Open the Manufacturing module from the main app menu and head to Products → Products. 

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To add a new product, click the New button at the top. The product creation form opens.

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Step 2 - Setting Manufacturing Route 

When we have the details of the product, Odoo needs to know how the product will be replenished when the stock of the product runs low. This is done through the route configuration, on the Inventory tab of the product. We use the Inventory Product tab to set this up for the product. 

Open the Inventory tab and look for the Routes section. Tick the Manufacture checkbox. This tells Odoo's scheduler to trigger a manufacturing order rather than a purchase order whenever this product needs to be restocked. 

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Step 3 - What is a Bill of Materials? 

A Bill of Materials, which people usually refer to as a Bill of Materials, is the foundation of any manufacturing setup. The Bill of Materials is a document that lists all the things you need to do, like the parts and the raw materials. The Bill of Materials, in Odoo 18 is really helpful because it does more than just list the things you need. It also shows the steps you must take to make the product. It links each step to a specific place where the work is done. 

There are two ways to get to the Bills of Materials in Odoo 18: 

• From the product form click the Bills of Materials smart button at the top of the page 

• From the Manufacturing module top menu navigate to Products → Bills  of Materials 

Step 4 - Creating a New Bill of Materials 

Click New from either entry point to open the BoM form. If you arrived from the product page, the Product field will already be filled in.  

BoM Types - Which One to Choose 

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Step 5 - Adding Components 

The Components tab is where the actual ingredient list lives. Every raw material, purchased part, or sub-assembly that goes into making the finished product gets added here. Getting these right matters, it drives both the stock reservations on production orders and the manufactured cost calculations. 

Click Add a line to add components one at a time or use the Catalog button to browse the full product list and tick multiple items at once. For each component, set: 

• The component product name 

• The quantity needed per production run 

• The unit of measure make sure it matches how the component is  stocked in the warehouse 

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If a component can be swapped out for an alternative when stock is tight, Odoo 18 supports component alternatives directly on the BoM line, useful for keeping production running without delays. 

Step 6 - Mapping Out Manufacturing Operations 

Most products go through several distinct stages before they are ready to ship. The Operations tab lets you spell out each of those stages, assign them to specific work centers, and set time estimates so production can be properly scheduled. 

Click Add a line in the Operations tab to open the operation entry form. The key fields are: 

• Operation Name 

• Work Centre - the machine or workstation where this step takes place 

• Apply on Variants - tick this if the operation only applies to certain variants 

• Duration Computation - whether the time estimate is fixed or calculated from past production data 

• Default  Duration - estimated minutes to complete the task 

• Employee Capacity - number of workers this operation requires 

• Worksheet - attach a PDF, slides, or written instructions for shop floor operators 

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Add all operations in the exact sequence they happen on the shop floor the order matters for scheduling. 

Step 7 - Miscellaneous Settings and Lead Times 

The Miscellaneous tab is something that's easy to miss, but the things you can change here really affect how production works from one day to the next. This is where you decide when production can begin how to deal with components that are used much and how Odoo figures out when things will be done. You use the tab to control these things, and it is important for Odoo to work well.

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Manufacturing Readiness 

This determines when a confirmed manufacturing order can move into production: 

• When all components are available - production is blocked until every single component is reserved. Good processes where you cannot start without the full set of materials. 

• When components for the 1st operation are available - production can begin as soon as the first-stage materials are ready, even if later-stage components are still incoming. Works well for long production cycles. 

Flexible Consumption 

This setting decides what to do when an operator uses fewer parts than the list of materials says. 

• Allowed - Anyone who makes things can change the number of parts they use, and the system will not say anything 

• Allowed with warning - People can still change the number of parts they use. The system will send a message to let everyone know that something is different. 

• Blocked - Only the people in charge can close manufacturing orders. 

Lead Time Fields 

Two lead time fields feed directly into Odoo's scheduling engine: 

• Manufacturing Lead Time - total production days from start to finish. 

• Days to Prepare Manufacturing Order - the time needed to stage materials and set up equipment before actual work begins. 

Your Product is Ready for Manufacturing 

Working through these seven steps creating the product, enabling the manufacture route, and building a thorough Bill of Materials complete with components, operations, and miscellaneous settings gives Odoo 18 everything it needs to plan and execute production orders without friction. A well-built BoM is the single most important input to accurate costing, dependable scheduling, and a smooth shop floor. 

Working through these seven steps creating the product, enabling the manufacture route, and building a thorough Bill of Materials complete with components, operations, and miscellaneous settings gives Odoo 18 everything it needs to plan and execute production orders without friction. A well-built BoM is the single most important input to accurate costing, dependable scheduling, and a smooth shop floor. 

BoM Types - Which One to Choose 

Step 5 - Adding Components 

The Components tab is where the actual ingredient list lives. Every raw material, purchased part, or sub-assembly that goes into making the finished product gets added here. Getting these right matters, it drives both the stock reservations on production orders and the manufactured cost calculations. 

Click Add a line to add components one at a time or use the Catalog button to browse the full product list and tick multiple items at once. For each component, set: 

• The component product name 

• The quantity needed per production run 

• The unit of measure make sure it matches how the component is  stocked in the warehouse