The process, plainly
Upgrading self-hosted Odoo Community: a plain guide
If your company runs its own Odoo (the free Community edition) and you're on an older version, this walks through what an upgrade actually involves — in everyday language, with no technical background assumed.
What "upgrading" really means
Odoo releases a new version roughly once a year — 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and so on. Newer versions are faster, more secure, and supported for longer. But your system doesn't move forward on its own. Someone has to carry your data and your custom features onto the new version and make sure everything still works. That's an upgrade.
Two parts make it more than a button-press:
- Your data — customers, invoices, products, stock, years of history. All of it needs to come across intact.
- Your custom features — anything built specifically for your business. When Odoo changes between versions, some of these need adjusting to keep working.
Why people put it off
Usually one of two reasons. Either the upgrade quote was frighteningly large, or nobody was quite sure what would break, so it felt safer to stay put. The trouble is that staying on an old version gets riskier over time — less security, no support, and a bigger gap to cross later. The longer you wait, the more there is to bring forward.
What we need from you
Just two things, and Odoo helps you produce both:
1. A backup of your database
Odoo can make one for you. There's a built-in "database manager" screen with a Backup button — choose the option that includes your files, and it produces a single download. That download is your whole system in one file. (If you're not sure how, your IT person or hosting provider will know, or we can point you to it.)
2. Your custom features
If a developer built custom features for you, they live in a folder of "modules." If you have that folder, zip it up and send it. If you're not sure whether you have custom features or where they are, tell us — it's a common question and we'll help you find out.
You upload both through a secure page on this site. It handles very large backups by sending them straight into encrypted storage in the background — nothing you need to think about. We never ask for live passwords.
What we do
- Quote. We look at what you sent and reply with one fixed price within 24 hours. Free, no obligation.
- Upgrade. Once you approve the price, we move your data to the version you asked for and bring your custom features forward. Anything that behaves differently on the new version, we flag for you.
- Check every number. We compare the new system to your old one — row counts, financial totals, stock on hand, invoice numbers — and make sure they match. If something's off, we fix it before you ever see it.
- Hand you a working copy. You get a login to your own data, running on the new version. You and your team click through it and confirm it works.
You pay only when it works
Here's the part that makes this safe: you don't pay until you've logged into the upgraded copy and seen it working for yourself. If it's not right, we fix it first. See exactly what we check →
What happens after you're happy
Once you've confirmed everything works and paid, you get download links to your upgraded database and features, plus plain instructions for going live — putting the new version into day-to-day use. If you'd rather your own IT person or hosting provider handle that final switch, the instructions are written for them too.
A quick reality check on cost
Most whole-instance upgrades land between $5,000 and $15,000 USD, though it depends on your system's size and complexity. For price bands by scenario see the Odoo migration pricing guide; if you've been quoted far more, it's worth understanding what goes into a big quote and what actually drives the price.
Find out where you stand
Send us a backup and your custom features. We'll come back with one fixed price within 24 hours — and you only pay once you've seen it working.
Get your fixed quote