For companies to provide outstanding customer service and stay profitable, field service responsibilities must be managed effectively. For handling field service activities, including time-and-materials billing, Odoo 17 offers a reliable solution. We’ll look at how companies may use Odoo 17 to automate field service task billing, guaranteeing accuracy, openness, and profitability, in this in-depth blog. In the field service industry, time and material invoicing is a popular billing system where the cost of services performed is determined by the amount of time technicians spend on tasks and the materials they need to execute them. For field service operations, Odoo 17 provides a feature-rich array of tools to make invoicing precise and effective.

Managing field service activities with ease is made much more efficient when specific tools within Odoo are used. Since field services frequently take place outside of the company’s boundaries, they naturally call for careful job monitoring. You can easily create detailed records for every work in the field services module of Odoo and keep a close eye on its progress. This module streamlines labor management by making it easier to allocate workers to certain tasks. Moreover, it facilitates accurate monitoring of workers’ working hours, guaranteeing responsibility and openness in the use of resources.

Users are provided with intelligent buttons in each task to easily log the resources used to complete the designated goals. This feature makes resource use tracking more accurate and streamlines inventory management. The Field Service module’s ability to use recorded time and material data to easily create invoices for clients is one of its main features. Through task-specific automation of the invoicing process, companies may streamline billing processes and guarantee timely revenue recognition.

Step 1: Configuring Sales Orders

To use time and material billing in Odoo 17, you must first create service sales orders for your clients. First, you can create a new sales order in the Sales module before starting a new task in the field service module. You can enter some information while creating this sales order, such as the customer’s data, the invoice and delivery addresses, the order date, the price list, and the terms of payment.

You can configure service products within the Sales Order Line. Using the Create option, you can create a new service product; if you already have one, you can edit it by clicking on the Internal Link next to the product name.

You can choose to set the Product Type to Service while configuring the product. You have four options for Invoicing Policies for Service products: Fixed Price/Prepaid, Based on Delivered Quantity, Based on Milestones, and Based on Timesheets. From the choices provided, you can choose the proper billing policy. Additionally, you may set up the Worksheet Template for the project in the appropriate fields and designate the project as Field Service. You can proceed to complete the remaining fields in the Sales Order and then click the Confirm button after making any necessary adjustments to the product details.

Then, in the Field Service module, you may set this sales order up when you create tasks for the associated field service.

Step 2: Creating Field Service Tasks

Field service jobs can be created and sent to technicians to complete after a sales order is established. A wide range of tasks, including installations, repairs, maintenance, and inspections, can be included in field service tasks. Users of Odoo 17 can create field service tasks straight from the field service module, including timetables, subtasks, and task descriptions.

Add the following: Project, Assignees, Customer, Planned Date, Worksheet Template (which corresponds to the sales order), and Tags. As you supply the Customer information, as seen in the screenshot that goes with it, another field will show up that lets you describe the Sales Order Item.

You can include the confirmed Sales Order that was generated in the Sales module earlier for this particular field service in this field.

Step 3: Recording Time and Materials

Using the user-friendly Odoo 17 mobile app or web interface, technicians may log the amount of time spent on each task and the materials used when doing field service duties. To ensure correct tracking of billable hours and material expenses, technicians can start and stop task timers, log their working hours, and document the materials utilized.

Every person allocated to this assignment has their time spent on it recorded in the Timesheets tab. If you have chosen the “Based on Timesheets” billing policy, these time records are essential for creating invoices. By using the “Add a Line” button, you can manually record timesheets. Alternatively, the “Start” button to begin time tracking will appear on the screen when you save the job.

You can use the “Start” button to start time tracking while working on this task, and Odoo will automatically log the amount of time that has passed.

Click “Stop” to end the recording. The time that was captured will be added under the Timesheets tab, as seen below.

Additionally, by using the “Products” smart button that is included in the window, you may make a record of the materials that were used for this task.

This feature makes accurate tracking and resource management possible by enabling you to keep thorough records of the materials used throughout job execution.

The “Products” menu item will display a list of every product that is configured in the Field Service module. You can carefully select the products you’ll need and the amounts needed to complete the task using this interface. This feature ensures accurate inventory management and resource allocation by streamlining the process of recording and controlling the materials used during job execution.

After the task has been completed successfully, you can select “Done.” This action denotes the end of the task and proves that all necessary actions and goals related to it have been completed.

Step 4: Generating Invoices

Administrators can create invoices based on documented time and materials when field service operations are finished. The billing process is automated using Odoo 17, which gathers information from field service assignments to produce precise and comprehensive invoices. Relevant data, including work descriptions, labor rates, material costs, and tax computations, can be added to invoices upon request.

When the task is finished, you will see three buttons, as shown below: Create Invoice, Sign Report, and Send Report.

The Send Report button ensures prompt and transparent communication by facilitating the easy transfer of the field service report to the appropriate customer. As an alternative, the customer can electronically sign the task report right from your website by clicking the Sign Report button, which will speed up the approval process and increase convenience.

The task report includes all of the necessary information, including the assigned employees’ timesheets, a breakdown of time and material, and information about the worker and the customer, as seen in the screenshot above. This thorough report offers an open and honest assessment of the services rendered, promoting accountability and clarity for all stakeholders. Furthermore, the client has the option to sign the document online by clicking the Sign button, which expedites the approval process and guarantees smooth service completion documentation.

The option to Create Invoice, which is the last button on the screen, generates an invoice for the task that is currently in progress. This button, as shown in the screenshot below, starts the process of creating a draft invoice.

The confirmed client invoice that lists the time and materials used on a particular task is represented by the screenshot that is being displayed.

Step 5: Reviewing and Sending Invoices

Verify the correctness and completeness of invoices before forwarding them to clients. Administrators can evaluate invoices using the tools in Odoo 17 and make any necessary modifications or adjustments.

After completed, invoices can be printed and distributed physically or sent electronically to clients via email.

Step 6: Tracking Payments 

Odoo 17 helps companies monitor payments and effectively handle accounts receivable once invoices are received. Using the “Register Payment” option, you may document the invoice’s payment.

Administrators can keep tabs on the progress of invoices, track when payments are due, and remind clients to make payments as needed. Real-time insight into financial transactions is made possible with Odoo 17’s integrated accounting tools, which also guarantee accurate reporting and reconciliation.

Businesses may bill clients for services delivered simplified and effectively using Odoo 17’s time and material invoicing feature for field service operations. Businesses may optimize their field service operations and improve customer satisfaction by utilizing Odoo 17’s extensive capabilities for field service management, job tracking, and invoicing automation. you need, regardless of size, to optimize productivity and profitability in your field service operations.