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Documentation Index

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Odoo Employees centralizes personnel files, employment contracts, and departmental hierarchies in one system. Each employee record tracks certifications, training history, earned badges, and all assigned equipment. Customizable onboarding and offboarding programs ensure new hires are fully prepared from day one and that every required step is completed when an employee departs. Because the Employees app connects directly to Payroll, Attendance, Time Off, and Recruitment, data flows automatically across the entire HR suite without duplication.

Employee Records

Every person in your organization has a single employee record that serves as the central reference for all HR activity.

Creating a New Employee

1

Open the employee form

Go to Employees → New. Enter the employee’s name, work email, work phone, and upload a photo. These fields populate the employee’s directory card and appear on internal documents.
2

Assign work information

In the Work tab, select the employee’s department, job position, and reporting manager. Set their work address and default work location (office, remote, or other). The job position field links to configured positions in the Recruitment app.
3

Enter private and resume details

In the Private Information tab, record contact details, identification numbers, and marital status for payroll and legal compliance. In the Resume tab, add work history, education, and skills—Odoo displays a skills evolution chart over time as new skills are added.
4

Configure HR settings

In the Settings tab, set the employee’s related user account (for portal and app access), pin code for kiosk check-in, and expense and timesheet managers. Select the applicable time zone if the employee works in a different region.
The employee form saves automatically as you type. Smart buttons at the top of the form provide quick access to the employee’s documents, time off balance, payslips, contracts, appraisals, and attendance records.

Job Positions and Departments

Job Positions

Define job positions under Employees → Configuration → Job Positions. Each position tracks how many employees currently hold it vs. the target headcount. Job positions feed directly into the Recruitment pipeline when new hires are needed.

Departments

Create departments and assign a department manager. Departments control access to certain time off approvals and appear in the organizational chart. Nest departments hierarchically to mirror your company structure.

Organization Chart

The org chart view (accessible from any employee record via the Org Chart button) visualizes the full reporting hierarchy. Clicking any node navigates to that employee’s record.

Badges

Grant badges to recognize employee achievements, performance milestones, or participation in training. Badges appear on the employee’s profile and can be shared publicly within the company.

Onboarding and Offboarding

Structured onboarding and offboarding programs reduce administrative errors and ensure a consistent experience for every employee.
Create onboarding plans in Employees → Configuration → Onboarding. Each plan contains an ordered list of activities—sign the contract, complete compliance training, set up equipment, meet the team—assigned to specific responsible parties.When a new employee is created, attach the relevant onboarding plan. Each activity generates a task or document request automatically. Managers can track completion status from the employee’s record.

Contracts

Every employee must have at least one active contract in order to appear in payroll calculations.
1

Load a contract template

From the employee’s Payroll tab, click Load a Template to apply a pre-configured contract template. Templates pre-fill salary structure type, working schedule, and wage—reducing setup time for common employment categories.
2

Set the contract period

Enter the contract start date. If the contract has a fixed end date, enter it too. Odoo sends an expiration notice to the HR manager a configurable number of days before the contract expires.
3

Define compensation

Set the employee’s wage, select the salary structure type (e.g., Employee for salaried, Worker for hourly), and configure any applicable advantages—meal vouchers, company car, commission plans.
4

Sign the contract

Use Odoo Sign to send the contract as a PDF for electronic signature. Once signed by both parties, the contract status moves to Running and the employee becomes eligible for payroll processing.
Only one contract can be in the Running state per employee at a time. If a contract is amended (e.g., a salary increase), archive the old contract and create a new one with the updated terms effective from the change date.

Time Off

The Time Off app provides a centralized hub for all absence management—requests, allocations, balances, approvals, and reporting.

Time Off Types

Configure leave types (Paid Time Off, Sick Leave, Unpaid Leave, etc.) with approval workflows, accrual rules, and carryover limits. Each type can require one or two levels of approval.

Allocations

Managers or HR officers allocate leave days to individuals, teams, or the entire company. Accrual plans automatically add days to an employee’s balance based on tenure or hours worked.

Requests & Approvals

Employees submit time off requests from the My Time Off menu or from the Employee app. Approvers are notified immediately and can approve or refuse requests with an optional reason.

Public Holidays

Define company-wide or department-specific public holidays. Employees cannot submit leave requests on mandatory workdays, and public holidays are excluded from leave balance consumption automatically.
Use Mandatory Days to designate dates when all employees (or specific departments) must be present. Time off requests for mandatory days are automatically blocked.

Attendance Tracking

Odoo Attendances functions as a time clock that integrates directly with payroll.

Check-In Methods

Employees can check in and out directly from any Odoo page using the attendance icon in the top-right corner, from a dedicated kiosk in the office, or through an RFID badge reader.

Kiosk Mode

Deploy a tablet in kiosk mode at building entrances. Employees identify themselves with a PIN, barcode, or badge scan. Kiosks can display a live employee photo for visual verification.

Overtime Tracking

Odoo compares check-in/out times against each employee’s working schedule to calculate overtime hours automatically. Managers can review and approve overtime from the Attendance report.

Attendance Reporting

The attendance report shows worked hours vs. expected hours per employee and per period. Export reports to Excel for payroll reconciliation or compliance audits.

Employee Certifications and Learning

Certifications

Record professional certifications and licenses on the employee’s profile. Set expiry dates so HR is alerted when a certification is approaching its renewal deadline.

Learning & Training

Create virtual and in-person training activities in Employees → Learning. Assign training to individuals or groups and track completion status per employee.

Skills Evolution

As employees gain new skills or improve existing ones, update their skill levels. Odoo charts skill progression over time, making it straightforward to identify high-potential employees and skill gaps.

Retention Report

The Employee Retention Report shows headcount changes over time, categorizing departures by reason. Use this data to identify patterns and improve retention strategies.

Appraisals

The Appraisals app manages the full performance review cycle—from scheduling and self-assessment through manager feedback, goal tracking, and final ratings.

Schedule Appraisals

Set a recurring appraisal frequency per employee (monthly, quarterly, annually) or trigger one-off appraisals manually. Employees and managers receive email notifications when an appraisal is confirmed and ready to complete.

Employee Self-Assessment

Employees complete their half of the appraisal template—covering their work, future goals, and feelings—before sharing it with their appraiser. Responses remain private until the employee sets them to visible.

Manager Feedback and 360 Reviews

Managers fill out the manager feedback section independently. Optionally enable 360-degree feedback to solicit input from peers, direct reports, or other colleagues before the appraisal meeting.

Goals and Skills

Set measurable goals on the appraisal and track progress over the review period. Skill changes validated during the appraisal update the employee’s skill profile automatically, creating an ongoing skills evolution record.

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