Cross-Module Workflows¶
Overview¶
Scott Recycling's Odoo system is built from many interconnected modules. No module operates in isolation -- data flows from customer contact through scheduling, pickup, receiving, processing, sales, and shipping. This guide documents the three primary end-to-end workflows that span multiple modules, showing which Odoo menu is used at each step and which role is responsible.
Understanding these workflows helps every employee see how their work connects to the steps before and after them. When something goes wrong in one step, knowing the full chain helps you identify where the problem originated and who to contact.
Last Updated: February 2026 Target Audience: All Staff, Managers, New Employees
Flow 1: Pickup to Shipment (Reusable Electronics)¶
This is the primary revenue-generating workflow. It traces a device from the moment a customer is called through to the device being shipped to a buyer.
Step-by-Step¶
| Step | Action | Odoo Menu / Module | Role | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CSR works call queue and contacts customer | Scott Recycling → Customers & Sales → Queue A/B/C/D | CSR | CSR works queues in priority order D, C, B, A. Opens customer record and clicks Add a Note. |
| 2 | CSR schedules a pickup | Add a Note Wizard → Schedule Pickup | CSR | Within the same wizard: completes customer profile, enables Schedule Pickup, selects date, truck, and pickup details. Clicks Confirm. |
| 3 | Dispatcher reviews and organizes routes | Scott Recycling → Fleet Overview / Truck Schedule | Dispatcher | Dispatcher reviews the day's pickups, optimizes route order, assigns trucks if not already assigned. Target: 50 stops/day dispatched. |
| 4 | CSR makes confirmation call (day before) | Scott Recycling → Customers & Sales → Service Visit Calls | CSR | Calls customer the morning before the pickup to confirm. Verifies pickup location, materials, and access details. |
| 5 | CSR makes verification call (day of) | Scott Recycling → Customers & Sales → Service Visit Calls | CSR | Calls customer the morning of the pickup to verify they are ready. |
| 6 | Driver completes the pickup | Scott Recycling → Fleet Overview (mobile) | Driver | Driver follows the route, arrives at customer site, loads materials, labels boxes, takes photos, gets signature. Marks pickup as complete. Target: 12-15 stops/day. |
| 7 | Warehouse receives the material | Inventory Processing → Quick Entry (for devices) or Weighted Receiving → Quick Receive (for bulk materials) | Receiving Clerk | Truck returns to warehouse. Each box is opened and contents are entered into the system. Devices get serial numbers scanned; bulk materials get weighed. Target: 30 boxes/day. |
| 8 | Devices are sorted and staged | Inventory Processing → All Items | Head Sorter / Sort Line Worker | Devices are sorted by type (laptop, desktop, phone, etc.) and staged for processing. Target: Head Sorter 40 boxes/day, 16 LCDs; Sort Line Worker 25 boxes/day. |
| 9 | Devices are processed and graded | Inventory Processing → Quick Entry / All Items | Laptop Tech / Desktop Tech / QA Tech | Each device is tested, specs recorded (CPU, RAM, HDD), condition assessed, and grade assigned. Target: Laptop Tech 20 laptops/day; Desktop Tech 10 desktops/day; QA Tech 50 devices/day. |
| 10 | Components harvested from non-resale devices | Inventory Processing → Reusable Components | Hard Drive Operator / Tech | Devices graded F or R are disassembled. Usable RAM, CPUs, hard drives, and batteries are cataloged. Target: Hard Drive Operator 100 drives/day, 160 CPUs, 160 memory modules. |
| 11 | Non-resale devices go to disassembly | Inventory Processing (status update) | Disassembly Tech | Remaining materials sorted into commodity streams (steel, aluminum, plastic, circuit boards) and loaded into gaylords. Target: 3 gaylords/day, 8 boxes disassembled, 3000 lbs systems. |
| 12 | Resale devices listed for sale | Multi-Channel eCommerce or General Sales | eBay Lister / Sales Staff | Graded devices (A, B, C) are photographed, described, priced, and listed on eBay, Amazon, and/or the website. Target: 64 listings/day or 100/week. |
| 13 | Order received from buyer | Multi-Channel eCommerce → Orders | Sales Staff | Buyer purchases on a platform. Order appears in Odoo automatically via sync. Target: 25 orders/day fulfilled. |
| 14 | Item packed into shipping container | Shipping → Shipping Containers | Shipping Clerk | Device is located in warehouse, serial verified, packed into a container, weight verified. Target: 75 devices/day. |
| 15 | Container shipped to buyer | Shipping → Shipping Containers | Shipping Clerk / Coordinator | Carrier and tracking entered, status set to Shipped. Tracking syncs back to the selling platform. Target: Coordinator 15 devices/day. |
Visual Flow¶
Customer Contact (CSR)
↓
Pickup Scheduled (CSR)
↓
Route Dispatched (Dispatcher)
↓
Pickup Completed (Driver)
↓
Warehouse Receiving (Receiving Clerk)
↓
Sort & Stage (Sorter)
↓
Process & Grade (Tech)
↓
├── Grade A/B/C → List for Sale (Lister) → Order Received → Ship to Buyer
├── Grade D → Bulk/Wholesale Sale → Ship in Bulk
├── Grade F → Harvest Components (Hard Drive Op) → Remaining to Disassembly
└── Grade R → Disassembly (DA Tech) → Weighted Materials
Flow 2: Weighted Material Receiving to Invoice¶
This workflow covers bulk materials (plastics, metals, recyclables) that are tracked by weight rather than individual serial numbers. These materials typically come from the disassembly line or directly from pickups.
Step-by-Step¶
| Step | Action | Odoo Menu / Module | Role | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Material arrives at warehouse | Physical receiving area | Receiving Clerk / Warehouse Staff | Material arrives from a pickup (bulk weight), the disassembly line (commodity streams), or a third-party source. |
| 2 | Material is weighed and received into system | Weighted Receiving → Quick Receive (detailed) or Weighted Receiving → Operations → Receive Material (simplified Recycling Receiving) | Warehouse Staff / Lead | Select material type, container (box or pallet), enter gross weight from scale. Net weight computed automatically. System generates WGT barcode. Status: Received. |
| 3 | Material is marked Available | Weighted Receiving → All Inventory | Warehouse Lead | Open the item and click Mark Available. Item is now ready to be assigned to a customer or sales list. |
| 4 | Material is reserved for a customer | Weighted Receiving → All Inventory | Sales Staff / Lead | Open the item and click Reserve. Select the customer. Auto-assignment rules may handle this automatically based on material type and customer preferences. |
| 5 | Sales list is created | Sales Lists → Sales Lists | Sales Staff | Create a new sales list for the customer. Add the reserved weighted items (and any reusable items) as line items. Set pricing per unit. Status: Draft. |
| 6 | Sales list reviewed and confirmed | Sales Lists → Sales Lists | Sales Staff / Manager | Advance status: Draft → Pending → Confirmed. Review all line items, quantities, and pricing before confirming. |
| 7 | Sales order created | Sales Lists → Sales Lists (one-click button) | Sales Staff | Click Create Sales Order on the confirmed list. An Odoo sales order is generated automatically with all line items and pricing. |
| 8 | Shipping manifest created | Sales Lists → Shipping Manifests (one-click button) | Shipping Staff | Click Create Manifest. A manifest is created in Draft status with the customer and items pre-populated. |
| 9 | Manifest confirmed and shipped | Sales Lists → Shipping Manifests | Shipping Staff | Enter carrier and tracking number. Click Confirm, then Mark Shipped when the carrier picks up. |
| 10 | Invoice created | Sales Lists → Shipping Manifests (one-click button) | Sales Staff / Manager | Click Create Invoice on the shipped manifest. An Odoo invoice is generated. Send to the customer for payment. |
| 11 | Delivery confirmed | Sales Lists → Shipping Manifests | Shipping Staff | Click Mark Delivered when the customer confirms receipt. |
Visual Flow¶
Material Arrives
↓
Weighed & Received (WGT barcode generated)
↓
Marked Available
↓
Reserved for Customer (manual or auto-assignment)
↓
Added to Sales List
↓
Sales List Confirmed
↓
Sales Order Created (one click)
↓
Shipping Manifest Created (one click)
↓
Shipped to Customer
↓
Invoice Created (one click)
↓
Delivered & Payment Received
Flow 3: Prospect to First Pickup¶
This workflow covers acquiring a new customer -- from the first cold call through account creation and first scheduled pickup.
Step-by-Step¶
| Step | Action | Odoo Menu / Module | Role | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prospect identified | Scott Recycling → Prospects → Prospect Queue or Prospect Automation | Prospector / CSR | Prospects enter the system through the Prospect Queue (manual entry), Prospect Automation (web scraping/data enrichment), or inbound leads (website form, phone call). |
| 2 | Prospector calls the prospect | Scott Recycling → Prospects → Prospect Queue | Prospector | Prospector works the prospect queue, calling businesses to identify if they generate e-waste. Target: 125 calls/day, 30 conversations. |
| 3 | Decision maker reached | Scott Recycling → Prospects → Prospect Queue | Prospector | The prospector reaches the decision maker (DM) and qualifies the prospect: Do they have e-waste? How much? How often? Are they interested in recycling service? |
| 4 | Prospect qualified and converted | Scott Recycling → Prospects (conversion action) | Prospector / CSR | If the prospect is qualified, convert them to a customer. This creates a full contact record in Odoo with company details, contact info, and service preferences. Target: Prospector 2 pickups, 1 new customer/day; CSR New Accounts 2 pickups, 3 new customers/day. |
| 5 | Customer profile completed | Contacts (customer record) | CSR | Fill in the customer profile: forklift availability, loading dock, material location, business hours, service elevator, floor info. All profile fields must be set to Yes or No. |
| 6 | First pickup scheduled | Customer Record → Add a Note Wizard → Schedule Pickup | CSR | CSR opens the new customer record, clicks Add a Note, completes the contact log, enables Schedule Pickup, and schedules the first pickup. See Scheduling Pickups. |
| 7 | Confirmation and verification calls | Scott Recycling → Customers & Sales → Service Visit Calls | CSR | Day-before confirmation call and day-of verification call, same as any other pickup. |
| 8 | First pickup completed | Scott Recycling → Fleet Overview (mobile) | Driver | Driver completes the pickup. This establishes the customer's pickup history baseline. |
| 9 | Customer enters regular call cycle | Scott Recycling → Customers & Sales → Queue A | CSR | After the first pickup, the customer is assigned a call frequency and enters the regular queue rotation. They will appear in Queue A when their next call date arrives. |
Visual Flow¶
Prospect Identified (Queue, Automation, or Inbound Lead)
↓
Prospector Calls & Qualifies
↓
Decision Maker Reached → Qualified?
├── No → Stays in prospect queue or archived
└── Yes ↓
Convert to Customer (contact record created)
↓
Customer Profile Completed
↓
First Pickup Scheduled
↓
Confirmation & Verification Calls
↓
Pickup Completed by Driver
↓
Customer Enters Regular Call Queue Cycle
CSR Role Targets for New Accounts¶
| Role | Daily Target |
|---|---|
| Prospector | 125 calls/day, 30 conversations, 2 pickups booked, 1 new customer |
| CSR New Accounts | 100 calls/day, 35 conversations, 2 pickups booked, 3 new customers |
| CSR Existing | 125 calls/day, 25 DM conversations, 3 pickups booked |
Module Connection Map¶
This table shows which Odoo modules are involved in each flow and where they hand off to each other.
| Module | Flow 1 (Pickup to Ship) | Flow 2 (Weight to Invoice) | Flow 3 (Prospect to Pickup) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Recycling (Call Queues) | Steps 1, 4, 5 | -- | Step 9 |
| Scott Recycling (Scheduling) | Step 2 | -- | Step 6, 7 |
| Scott Recycling (Prospects) | -- | -- | Steps 1-4 |
| Scott Recycling (Fleet/Dispatch) | Steps 3, 6 | -- | Step 8 |
| Contacts | -- | -- | Step 5 |
| Inventory Processing | Steps 7-11 | -- | -- |
| Weighted Receiving | Step 7 (bulk) | Steps 2-3 | -- |
| Sales Lists | -- | Steps 5-11 | -- |
| Multi-Channel eCommerce | Step 12-13 | -- | -- |
| General Sales | Step 12-13 (non-computer) | -- | -- |
| Shipping | Steps 14-15 | Steps 8-9, 11 | -- |
Common Cross-Module Questions¶
"Where is my item?"¶
If you need to find an item at any stage, here is where to look:
| Item Stage | Where to Search |
|---|---|
| Just picked up, on the truck | Scott Recycling → Fleet Overview -- check the driver's active route |
| Being received at warehouse | Inventory Processing → Quick Entry or Weighted Receiving → All Inventory with status = Received |
| Being processed/graded | Inventory Processing → All Items with status filter |
| Listed for sale | Multi-Channel eCommerce → Listings or General Sales → All Items with status = Listed |
| Sold, waiting to ship | Shipping → Shipping Containers with status = Packing |
| Shipped | Shipping → Shipping Containers with status = Shipped -- check tracking number |
"Who do I talk to about a problem at this stage?"¶
| Stage | Contact |
|---|---|
| Customer call / scheduling | CSR team lead or manager |
| Route / dispatch | Dispatcher |
| Pickup at customer site | Driver supervisor |
| Warehouse receiving | Receiving clerk lead or warehouse manager |
| Processing / grading | Warehouse lead or QA supervisor |
| Sales listing | eBay/Sales Coordinator or sales manager |
| Shipping | Shipping coordinator or warehouse manager |
| Invoicing / payment | Office manager or accounting |
Tips¶
Follow the barcode
Every item gets a barcode at receiving -- either a serial number (reusable devices) or a WGT barcode (weighted materials). This barcode follows the item through every step. If you ever need to trace an item's history, search by that barcode in the relevant module.
Problems upstream cause problems downstream
Incomplete data at receiving (missing serial, wrong weight, no grade) creates issues at every later step -- wrong pricing, incorrect listings, weight discrepancies at shipping. Getting the data right at the first entry point saves everyone time.
Use the breadcrumb trail
Most records in Odoo have smart buttons or links to related records. A shipping container links back to its sales order. A sales order links to the customer. A customer links to their pickups. Use these links to navigate the full chain without searching each module separately.
Questions? Contact your supervisor or refer to the Getting Started guide.