Payroll is one of the most sensitive HR functions, and accuracy is everything. A single mistake in salary calculation or tax compliance can cause financial risks, employee dissatisfaction, or even legal penalties. That’s why companies are moving from manual spreadsheets to modern payroll software — and Odoo open ERP has become one of the most popular choices.
From Odoo 14 to Odoo 18, the payroll module has gone through significant transformations. Each version introduced updates that improved automation, compliance, integration, and reporting. Whether you are a small business taking the first steps toward digitization or a global enterprise scaling operations, Odoo has a payroll solution that fits.
In this blog, we’ll walk through Odoo Payroll’s evolution from version 14 to version 18, highlighting what changed, why it matters, and who benefits most.
Odoo Payroll 14: Building the Foundation
When Odoo 14 was released, payroll received important updates that gave HR teams their first big step away from manual processes.
Key Features:
- Bulk Work Entry Editing to speed up payslip preparation.
- New Advantages/Benefits configuration for employee-specific perks.
- Basic localization support (Belgium as a starting point).
- Independent handling of Time Off requests within payroll.
Why it mattered:
For many businesses, Odoo 14 was the gateway to digital payroll. Companies moving from Excel sheets could now automate repetitive payroll tasks, avoid clerical errors, and ensure salaries aligned with leave records.
Odoo Payroll 15 (HR Payroll): Deeper HR Integration
Odoo 15 marked a turning point where payroll became more closely tied to HR and compliance functions.
Key Features:
- Commission salary structure for sales teams.
- Time Off integration directly into payroll.
- Redesigned payslip layouts with cleaner structures.
- Social audit & compliance reports introduced.
- New Payroll Dashboard with monitoring of batches, costs, and errors.
Why it mattered:
Odoo 15 made payroll more transparent and reliable. With dashboards, HR managers gained real-time visibility into salary costs, warnings, and pending actions.
Odoo Payroll 16 (Payroll Accounting): Finance Meets HR
With Odoo 16, payroll finally connected seamlessly to accounting, making it a milestone release.
Key Features:
- Direct Payroll → Accounting integration, generating journal entries.
- Expanded dashboard with interactive graphs for trends and costs.
- Work entries auto-generated from attendance or planning.
- Manager-specific access rights to HR records.
- Ex-employees secure access to final payslips.
Why it mattered:
This version turned payroll into a finance tool as much as an HR tool. By syncing payslips directly with accounting journals, CFOs and finance teams saved hours of manual work.
Odoo Payroll 17 (HR Payroll Module, Tutorial & Documentation): Smart Rules & Flexibility
By Odoo 17, payroll had matured with flexibility and usability improvements designed for modern HR processes.
Key Features:
- Generic salary attachments (e.g., garnishments) across multiple employees.
- Conditional advantages (e.g., fuel card only if employee has a company car).
- Automatic cancellation of e-signatures if contracts are withdrawn.
- Built-in payslip PDF viewer for faster verification.
- Batching enhancements — ability to add existing payslips to new batches.
- Simplified contract views and duplication of salary structures.
Why it mattered:
Payroll became smarter and more flexible, giving HR managers tools to design conditional rules without relying on developers.
Odoo Payroll 18 (Payroll Module, Documentation, Community): Compliance & Scalability
The latest release, Odoo 18, takes payroll to the enterprise level with a focus on scalability and updated compliance.
Key Features:
- Unified salary structure (no more separate structures for different types).
- Updated tax rates and compliance tools (e.g., STP Phase 2 in Australia).
- Department tags on payslips for better analytics and reporting.
- Expanded localization for multiple countries.
- Payroll remains Enterprise-only, with OCA payroll apps available for community users.
Why it mattered:
Odoo 18 is built for large organizations with global operations. It ensures compliance across countries, simplifies salary structure management, and delivers insights with department-based reporting.
Payroll Feature Comparison
| Feature / Version | Odoo 14 | Odoo 15 | Odoo 16 | Odoo 17 | Odoo 18 |
| Dashboard | N/A (no summary) | Basic payroll views | New overview dashboard | Enhanced (warnings, batches, trends) | Continued (warnings, trends, notes) |
| Work Entry Sources | Fixed schedule | Same as 14 | Flexible: attendance/planning | Same as 16 | Same as 16 |
| Bulk Work Entry Edit | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Payslip PDF & Batches | Basic | Improved layout & batching | Month in filename | Payslip viewer | Dept shown on payslip |
| Salary Structures | Simple | Added commissions, part-time rules | No change | Duplicate/Copy rules | All-in-one structure |
| Salary Attachments/Deductions | Per contract | Global (per employee) | Yes (ex-employees docs) | Generic attachments (multi-emp) | Yes, plus refined reporting |
| Conditional Advantages | No | No | No | Yes (conditional benefits) | Yes |
| Localization Compliance | Belgian, others | Expanded (e.g. HK, BE) | New local modules (Kenya, Luxembourg) | Monthly pay for more countries | Major tax updates (STP, etc.) |
| Time Off Integration | N/A | Direct in Payroll | Enhanced (work-entry conflicts) | Continues (time-off to report) | Continues |
| Accounting Integration | No (via expenses only) | Yes (with add-ons) | Full journal posting | Yes | Yes, plus new reports |
| Automation & Reports | Manual | Social Audit report | New dashboard & reports | More automated work entries | Advanced tax reports, STP export |
The Odoo payroll module has matured into a robust, end-to-end HR/payroll solution. Version by version, it added more automation and compliance: from bulk work entries in v14 to full accounting entries and dashboards by v16, to flexible rules and automated workflows in v17/18. This aligns with broader industry trends. For example, firms that adopt modern payroll software report ~37% faster payroll processing. Conversely, many companies are still catching up – one survey found that over 70% of businesses say their payroll isn’t fully automated.
At BSS (Business Solutions & Services), we see companies using Odoo Payroll to achieve true payroll maturity. BSS consultants help tailor salary structures to local laws and migrate disparate processes into Odoo. In practice, clients often replace complex spreadsheets and legacy systems with Odoo – “handling payroll entirely in Odoo, saving weeks of work per year,” as one BSS case study notes. By consolidating HR, time tracking, and accounting in one ERP, Odoo enables scalable, compliant payroll. In summary, the Odoo payroll evolution (14→18) reflects the growing emphasis on automation, integration, and regulatory support – and with expert partners like BSS, companies can fully leverage these enhancements to modernize their payroll operations.
FAQ’s
What is Odoo Payroll used for?
Odoo Payroll automates salary computation, benefits, tax deductions, and compliance reporting while integrating directly with HR and Accounting modules.
is Odoo Payroll available in the Community version?
No. Odoo Payroll is part of the Enterprise version, though the OCA community apps provide payroll features for Community users.
How does Odoo Payroll integrate with Accounting?
From Odoo 16 onwards, payslips can directly generate accounting journal entries, making reconciliation faster and error-free.
Which Odoo version is best for small businesses?
Odoo 14 & 15 are suitable for smaller companies and HR teams starting with digital payroll.
Odoo 16–18 are better for larger or growing companies needing deeper compliance and finance integration.
What’s new in Odoo 18 Payroll?
Odoo 18 introduces a unified salary structure, updated global compliance rules, department tags on payslips, and broader localization support.
Can payroll be customized in Odoo?
Yes. Salary structures, benefits, tax rules, and payslip layouts can all be customized. BSS helps companies tailor payroll to their policies and compliance needs.
How secure is payroll data in Odoo?
Odoo ensures payroll data confidentiality with role-based access control, meaning only authorized HR or finance staff can access sensitive employee data.
How does BSS support Odoo Payroll implementation?
At BSS (Business Solutions & Services), we help companies migrate from manual payroll, configure Odoo Payroll for compliance, integrate it with accounting, and train HR/finance teams for smooth adoption.