OpenERP INSTALLATION and its Features
OpenERP is an advanced Open Source Business Application particularly designed for providing an inclusive set of ERP tools to small & mid-sized enterprises. OpenERP was designed to help businesses improve their performance and exposure by allowing them to track the leads and opportunities. Lets see how we can easily install this open source ERP application.
The immediate next step after OpenERP installation is to create an OpenERP database. In order to get access to all the support and services of an Open Source Business Application, you need to create an OpenERP database. Creating OpenERP database gives you access to various services and applications such as :
* Sales Management
* Project Management
* Accounts Management
* Human Resource Management
* Knowledge
* Administration
* Tools : Define Survey
Lets move step by step
1) CREATING THE DATABASE
To get started with creating new Database, you need to know your super administrator password for OpenERP. The super administrator password defaults to admin on a new installation.Anyone who knows the super-administrator password has complete access to the data on the server - able to read, change and delete any of the data in any of the databases there. The default password after installation is admin. You can change it through the GTK client using menu File >> Databases >> Administrator Password
The Second Method is using the web client by logging out (click the Logout link), clicking Databases on the login screen, and then clicking the Password button on the Management screen.
Now there are two methods for creating database-
1) Using GTK client
2) Using web client
* If you are using the GTK client - Choose File >> Databases >> New database in the menu at the top left. Enter the super-administrator password, then the name of the new database you are creating.
* If you are using the web client, click Databases on the login screen, then Create on the database management page. Enter the super-administrator password, and the name of the new database you are creating.
2) CREATING DATABASE Openerp_ch01
To create a Database with name openerp_ch01, goto the new database field and give its name as openerp_ch01. Make sure that the Load Demonstration Data checkbox is checked. By-default its language is set to English. Then click OK. Now, wait for the message showing that the database has been successfully created. Once it has been successfully created a window will appear displaying user accounts and password.
NOTE : This combination of user name and password is specific only to that single database only. If you have administrative rights to a database you can modify all users. Also, you can install the users_ldap module, which manages the authentication of users in LDAP (the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, a standard system), and then connect it to the several OpenERP databases. By doing this, many databases can share the same user account details and information.
If you have connected to this database for the very first time, then you will be asked several questions to define Database parameters. You may choose to Skip Configuration Wizards or Start Configuration. If you select to configure applications then you have to follow certain steps.
a) Configure Your Interface : select Simplified and click Next.
b) Your Company Information : Here you can add information about your company. You can also add your business logo. Then click NEXT
c) Install Applications : check the applications you need and then click Install.
Once your Configuration Process is completed, you are connected to your OpenERP system.
3) MANAGING DATABASES
If you are the super administrator of your OpeERP system, then you have full rights to Create new Databases, Delete Databases, Backup databases, Restore Databases and also Modify Databases.
YOU CAN PERFORM THIS BY FOLLOWING TWO WAYS :
1) Goto File Menu >> Databases , in the GTK Client.
2) Click Database button in the Web Client's Login Session
A system administrator can restrict access to some of these database functions by configuring OpenERP so that your security is enhanced in normal production use.
4) NEW OpenERP FUNCTIONALITY
The Database that you have just created is based on the core OpenERP functionality that you installed. The core system is installed in the file system of your OpenERP application server, but it is only installed into an OpenERP database as you require it. After creating Database you would install new modules in the addons directory of your current OpenERP installation.
5) EXTENDING OpenERP
In order to extend OpenERP, you will need to copy some modules into the addons directory. That is in your server's openerp-server directory (which differs between Windows, Mac and some of the various Linux distributions and not available at all in the Windows all-in-one installer). This can be done using two ways-
* THROUGH SERVER - Adding new modules through the server is a conventional system administration task. As root user or another suitable user, you would put the module in the addons directory and change its permissions to match those of the other modules.
* THROUGH CLIENT - To add new modules through the client you must first change the permissions of the addons directory of the server, so that it is writeable by the server. That will enable you to install OpenERP modules using the OpenERP client (a task ultimately carried out on the application server by the server software).
For Changing Permissions you need to execute the command sudo chmod 777 (where is the full path to the addons directory, a location like /usr/lib/python2.5/site-packages/openerp- server/addons).
6) TO CONNECT TO OpenERP
Once you have created new Database, now you can connect to OpenERP. For connection, you'll have to go through the Setup wizard in the following steps :
* Select a profile
* Define main company and report header
* Summary - just click the install button
* Click OK - installation done
Now you're signed in as an administrator you'll be able to add functionality and modify database settings. Once you are displaying the main menu, various items will appears.
* The name of the database you are logged into and, just below it, you will find the current user name,
* The ONLINE SUPPORT button, which gives you an overview of the support services provided by OpenERP which is available for subscription,
* The Preferences toolbar to the top right, showing the links to the HOME page, REQUESTS system, EDIT PREFERENCES page, ABOUT, HELP and LOGOUT button,
* A collection of interesting and useful widgets are also available on the right of the home page beside the main menu.
7) PREFERENCE TOOLBAR
When you are connected to OpenERP, the topmost toolbar defines which user you are connected as. So it should currently be showing Administrator (unless you logged in as another user and it is reflecting the name of that user instead). You will find the Preferences toolbar to its right containing a set of useful links. First, you will find a link to the HOME page.
8) CONFIGURING USERS
The database you created contains can be extended to include all of the potential functionality available to OpenERP. The initial functions available in this minimal database are Customers and Currencies because your company will require this. Because you logged in as Administrator, you have all the access you need to configure users. Click Administration >> Users >> Users to display the list of users defined in the system. A second user, Demo User, is also present in the system as part of the demonstration data. Click the Demo User name to open a non-editable form on that user.
Click Administration >> Users >> Groups to open the list of groups defined in the system. If you open the form view of the Administration / Configuration group by clicking its name in the list, the first tab Users gives you the list of all the users who belong to this group. You can create some new users to integrate them into the system. Assign them to predefined groups to grant them certain access rights.
9) MANAGING PARTNERS
In OpenERP, a partner represents an entity that you do business with. A partner can be a customer, a supplier, or even an employee of your company.
List of Partners
Click Sales >> Address Book >> Customers in the main menu to open the list of partners who are customers. Then click the name of the first partner to get hold of the details - a form appears with information about the company, such as its corporate name, its primary language, its reference and whether it is a Customer and/or a Supplier .
Partner Categories
Here you can list your partners by category using the menu Sales >> Configuration >> Address Book >> Partners Categories. Click a category to obtain a list of partners in that category.
Categories of partner : The administrator can define new categories. So you will create a new category and link it to a partner:
Use Sales >> Configuration >> Address Book >> Partners Categories to reach the list of categories in a list view.
Click New to open an empty form for creating a new category Enter My Prospects in the field Category Name. Then click on the Search icon to the right of the Parent Category field and select Prospect in the list that appears.Then save your new category using the Save button.You may add exiting partners to this new category using the Add button in the Partners section.You can review your new category structure using the list view. You should see the new structure of Prospects / My Prospects there.
To create a new partner and link it to this new category, open a new partner form to modify it : Type New Partner into the Name field. In the General tab, click the Add button under the Categories section and select your new category from the list that appears: Prospect / My Prospects.
Then save your partner by clicking Save. The partner now belongs in the category Prospect / My Prospects.
Monitor your modification in the menu Sales >> Configuration >> Address Book >> Partners Categories. Select the category Prospect / My Prospects. The list of partners opens and you will find your new partner there in that list.
10) UPDATING THE MODULE LIST
The next step is to update modules as per your business requirements. To Update modules go to Administration >> Modules >> Update Modules List to start the updating tool. The update module window will open allowing you to add new modules and updating existing ones. Click Update to start the update on the server side. When it is complete, you will see a Module update result section indicating how many new modules were added and how many existing modules were updated. Click Open Modules to return to the updated list. All the modules available on your computer can be found in the addons directory of your OpenERP server.
The next step after updating module list is to install applications. One of the new features of OpenERP is the Configuration wizard. Once run, the Reconfigure shortcut will appear. This wizard provides an easy way to install modules. When you go through the various steps in the wizard, you will come across some options that are checked and greyed. These are applications already installed. In the openerp_ch02 database configuration, you may see that the Customer Relationship Management option is already checked because this Business Application has been installed in this database. Install extra applications simply by checking the corresponding options and clicking Install or click Skip to stop the configuration.
After configuring and installing several modules, OpenERP provides you with several Business Application-related Features such as :
A) SALES MANAGEMENT
OpenERP sales management module provides you a better control to your Organization sales order and other sales related services such as creating a new sale, filtering different sales order etc.
Some other features of sales management modules are -
* Create and managing your company wiki for Sales FAQ
* Geolocalization module, allowing you to send qualified opportunities directly to external partners
* Manage your Marketing Campaigns and send automated e-mails based on your own templates
* History tab in the Customer form to keep track of all events
* Create a new partner from a lead or an opportunity, or merge with an existing partner
* There are vaious bar graphs and pie diagrams available which give view of the Sales order in various stages.
* Sales module can be customized according to the requirement of an organization such as having different approvals based on the value of the Sales order, Email notifications and alerts etc.
B) WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT
OpenERP warehouse management module is very simple and flexible and easy to understand and use. It is based on the concept of double entry that revolutionized accounting. It allows you to manage complex needs very easily: tracking stocks of suppliers/customers, full traceability, accounting links, etc
Some Other features of warehouse management module are-
* OpenERP supports push and pull rules to define your complex routes in your warehouses.
* See your inventory's worth
* Trace your stock moves
* Control Receptions
* Configure units of measure by reference unit, bigger than / smaller than reference unit
* Update stock level from the Product form and automatically create a physical inventory for it.
C) ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Open ERP provides a fully flexible accounting module that covers financial accounting, analytic accounting, third party management, taxes management, budgets, assets, etc. Open ERP's accounting and financial management modules enable you not only to manage your operations clearly, but also to use various tools for financial analysis based on both real-time data and recent history depending on the analysis.
Some Other features of Accounting & Financial Management modules are -
* Multi-company, multi-currency, multi-analytic axes,
* Separate numbering is now also available for Bank Journals
* Quickly enter Journal Entries from List View from the Journal Items menu. Configure your journal with default debit & credit accounts, select the journal in the Journal Items List View, click New and start creating new entries
* Chart of Accounts and Chart of Taxes can be displayed for a selected period
* Use the Financial Management Configuration Wizard to easily select features you want to use
* Lots of customizable reports
* Real-time consolidation of multiple charts of accounts
* Different journal types for Refunds and Invoices
* When creating a new journal, parameters are preset according to the journal type. The Entry Sequence for the journal is automatically created on Save
* Cash Box, possible to keep a real cash register
D) PROJECT MANAGEMENT
OpenERP Project Management module provides great set of services in managing daily tasks within the organization. If you have good systems for managing tasks, then your whole company will benefit. Open ERP's project management modules enable you to manage and track tasks efficiently, work on them effectively, delegate them quickly, and track the delegated tasks closely. Open ERP also helps people in the company to organize their personal time.
Some features of project management module are -
* Creating Projects and Related Tasks
* Once a project has been defined, you can enter the tasks to be executed.
* Improved Gantt chart in the Web version,
* Long Term Planning that can be calculated according to the working time of each employee involved in the project with the new Scheduler feature
* Invoicing Tasks
* You can plan your projects with Long Term Planning
E) MANUFACTURING MANAGEMENT
The manufacturing modules of OpenERP manage all the best-practices concerning manufacturing industries different costs methods available, phantom BoMs, configurable products, workcenter operations, integrates sales forecasts, etc. It supports several methods to automate productions or purchases propositions such as Master Production Schedule, Minimum Stock Rules etc.
Some features of Manufacturing Management Module are -
* Double-entry stock operations for powerful traceability
* Control costs and margins on orders, projects, products, partners
* Easy to setup and run
* Track the evolution of the stock value, according to the level of manufacturing activities as they progress in the transformation process.
* Schedulers automatically organise manufacturing orders, launch purchase orders & reserve products in stock.
F) HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
OpenERP provides all latest features and functionalities to effectively manage the human resource in an organization. OpenERP Human Resources provides a complete set of tools that allows companies to manage the most crucial assets in their organization-their workforce. It includes applications for managing recruitments or performance evaluations. It also provides the tools to track and manage attendance, leaves of absence and timesheets. OpenERP's Human Resources modules enable you to manage important aspects of staff work efficiently, such as their skills and working time.
Features of Human Resource Management Modules are -
* Record timesheets, check time spent on tasks, control your employees and project costs.
* Contract management : This helps to manage the employee contracts. This manages the various information such as start and end date, salary structure, allowances and deductions etc.
* Attendance management : This manages the daily attendance of staff members with sign-in and sign-out features.
* Holiday management : This helps you to manage the different kinds of leaves and their allocation, leave requests and its approval or refusal, leaves analysis and leaves reporting.
* Payroll management : This helps to manage all aspects of managing employee salaries and reporting. This includes the management of salary slips, payment advices, salary heads and salary register.
* Employee evaluation : This helps to manage the periodic evaluations of the employees. An evaluation can be created by an employee for sub-ordinates, juniors as well as for his manager. This helps to keep a trace over the reviews and identify and focus on the area of improvement.
