You want to integrate payroll with hours, leave and contracts — and not have to knock on an external payroll bureau's door every year. That's possible in Odoo, provided you know where the limits are. In this article we walk through the setup, the monthly routine and the honest question: when is Odoo Payroll right for you, and when isn't it?
What you need before you start
Odoo Payroll is an Enterprise module; it is not included in the Community edition. Install the Payroll module via Apps, plus the Dutch or Belgian localisation. That localisation contains the salary structures and tax rules for your country — without it you build everything yourself, and you don't want that.
- Employees app with an up-to-date contract for each employee
- The Payroll app with the NL or BE localisation
- Time off and timesheet registration if you want to include variable components
From contract to payslip
The contract is the foundation. Go to Employees ▸ select an employee ▸ Contracts and record the salary structure, gross salary and salary components there (think travel expenses or a phone allowance). Once the contract is right, the monthly routine is short:
- Open Payroll ▸ Payslips ▸ Batches and create a new Payslip Run for the month.
- Generate the payslips: Odoo calculates gross-to-net, including deductions and employer contributions.
- Check for anomalies — a new employee, a pay rise halfway through the month — and confirm the batch.
What Odoo Payroll is and isn't suitable for
Let's be honest: for complex Dutch collective labour agreements (CAOs), Odoo is rarely a full replacement for AFAS or Nmbrs. An installation company with twenty engineers under the Metaal & Techniek CAO, with allowances and periodic increments? Then stick with your specialist (for now). But a consultancy with twelve people on a fixed monthly salary runs the whole cycle perfectly well in Odoo — and keeps hours, leave and payroll costs in one system.
Finally: shadow-run first
Practical tip: run the first two or three months in parallel with your current payroll and compare the payslips side by side. And have your accountant check the generated payroll tax return before you submit — Odoo does the calculating, but the responsibility stays with you. Not sure whether your situation fits? Contact DAADit Group, and we'll look at your payroll administration together.
You want payroll integrated with hours, leave and contracts — instead of sending everything to an external payroll agency year after year. Odoo can do this, as long as you know where the limits are. In this article we walk through the setup, the monthly routine and the honest question: when is Odoo Payroll a good fit, and when is it not?
What you need before you start
Odoo Payroll is an Enterprise module; it is not included in the Community edition. Install the Payroll module via Apps, together with the Dutch or Belgian localization. That localization contains the salary structures and tax rules for your country — without it you would be building everything from scratch, and you really do not want that.
- The Employees app with an up-to-date contract per employee
- The Payroll app with the NL or BE localization
- Time-off and timesheet registration if you want to include variable components
From contract to payslip
The contract is the foundation. Go to Employees ▸ select an employee ▸ Contracts and record the salary structure, gross salary and salary components there (think travel allowance or a phone reimbursement). Once the contract is correct, the monthly routine is short:
- Open Payroll ▸ Payslips ▸ Batches and create a new Payslip Run for the month.
- Generate the payslips: Odoo calculates gross-to-net, including deductions and employer costs.
- Review exceptions — a new hire, a mid-month salary increase — and confirm the batch.
Where Odoo Payroll fits, and where it does not
Let's be honest: for complex Dutch collective labor agreements, Odoo is rarely a full replacement for AFAS or Nmbrs. An installation company with twenty technicians under the Metal & Engineering CLA, with shift premiums and seniority steps? Stick with your specialist for now. But a consultancy with twelve people on fixed monthly salaries runs the whole cycle comfortably in Odoo — and keeps hours, leave and payroll costs in one system.
Finally: run in parallel first
Practical tip: run the first two or three months in parallel with your current payroll provider and compare the payslips side by side. And have your accountant check the generated payroll tax return before you submit it — Odoo does the math, but the responsibility stays with you. Not sure whether your situation fits? Contact DAADit Group and we will look at your payroll setup together.