How an Islamabad Construction Firm Gained Real-Time Project Cost Visibility with Odoo
ECOSIRE configured Odoo Project with a construction-specific workflow where each project is broken into phases and cost centers matching the company standard WBS structure. Every purchase order, timesheet entry, and subcontractor invoice is tagged to a specific project phase, providing real-time cost-to-budget visibility. A three-tier approval workflow was implemented for purchase orders: site engineer initiates, project manager approves, and finance validates against remaining phase budget. Subcontractor milestones were formalized in Odoo with photo-documented completion sign-offs and automated retention tracking. The Documents module stores all project correspondence, drawings, and approvals in a structured, searchable archive.
关键事实
面临的挑战
Budget Overruns Discovered Too Late
Project managers tracked costs in Excel spreadsheets that were updated weekly at best. By the time a budget overrun was identified, the project had already overspent by 15-20%. The finance team and site managers worked from completely different numbers, with reconciliation happening only at project completion.
Uncontrolled Material Procurement
Site engineers issued purchase orders to local suppliers via phone calls and WhatsApp messages. There was no approval workflow, no price comparison, and no central record of what had been ordered versus what was delivered. Duplicate orders and inflated supplier invoices were common but undetectable.
Subcontractor Payment Disputes
Subcontractor work completion was tracked informally through site supervisor sign-offs on paper. Disputes over completed milestones, deductions for defective work, and retention calculations consumed significant management time and frequently escalated to legal threats.
取得的成果
“We used to find out a project was over budget when it was already too late to do anything about it. Now I open my phone and see exactly where every rupee has gone on every active site. That visibility alone has transformed how we manage projects.”
下一步
The company is exploring Odoo integration with their existing AutoCAD and Revit workflows for automated material quantity take-offs. They also plan to implement a subcontractor portal where vendors can submit invoices and track payment status online.