Managing inventory across Odoo and Shopify can feel overwhelming when you want everything to line up perfectly. A single missed update can throw off your sales, frustrate your warehouse team, and leave customers confused about what’s actually in stock.
You don’t need a technical background or a giant IT budget to keep both systems talking to each other. With the right workflow, you can automatically sync your stock levels, freeing up your time for the projects that really move your business forward.
This guide lays out the exact steps to sync your Odoo inventory to Shopify, including practical tips to avoid common pitfalls. You’ll pick up simple, effective ways to create reliable real-time inventory management between these two platforms and keep your operations running smoothly.
TL;DR Ready to skip the manual setup? Try our pre-built template for instant Shopify-Odoo inventory sync—just add it and go.
MESA Template ID
sync-shopify-odoo-stock-levels
Topics:
Step-by-step guide: How to sync Shopify inventory from Odoo
Time needed: 10 minutes
Getting your Odoo inventory to sync with Shopify doesn’t require a computer science degree or expensive consultants. With MESA’s automation platform, you can set up this integration in about 15 minutes. The workflow operates by checking your Odoo system regularly for inventory changes and pushing those updates to your Shopify store automatically. Here’s exactly how to make it happen:
Set up Odoo inventory monitoring
Connect your Odoo account to MESA and configure it to watch for inventory changes in the stock.quant entity. By default, this checks for updates every hour at the top of the hour (you can adjust this timing if needed). Make sure you’ve installed both the Sales and Inventory modules in Odoo, enabled inventory tracking, and that you’re using the Reference field in Odoo to store SKUs that match your Shopify products. When you update inventory in Odoo, use the Quantity on Hand field within the Sales module – this is what the trigger looks for to run your workflow.
Find matching Shopify products by SKU
When MESA detects an inventory change in Odoo, it takes the product reference code (your SKU) and searches for the matching product variant in Shopify. This step uses Shopify’s SKU lookup feature to find the exact product variant that needs updating. The workflow automatically passes the SKU from Odoo to Shopify to find the right match.
Update Shopify inventory levels
Once MESA finds the matching product in Shopify, it updates the inventory level to match what’s in Odoo. The workflow takes the available quantity from Odoo and sets it as the new inventory level in Shopify. You’ll need to make sure the location ID matches your actual Shopify location – you can find this in your Shopify admin under Settings > Locations.
Turn on and test your workflow
Turn your workflow On using the toggle switch. Run the workflow once to test that everything connects properly and your inventory syncs correctly between Odoo and Shopify. Once you confirm it’s working, the workflow will run automatically every hour to keep your inventory synchronized from Odoo to Shopify.
Want a shortcut? Use our template and get your Odoo-Shopify inventory sync up and running in minutes—no coding, no headaches.
MESA Template ID
sync-shopify-odoo-stock-levels
Tips on syncing Shopify inventory from Odoo
1. Match your SKU formatting before you start
Matching SKUs across both systems is the key to a smooth sync. Export product lists from Odoo and Shopify, and compare them side by side in a spreadsheet. Check for stray spaces, differences in capitalization, or missing dashes. Even tiny mismatches—like ‘PROD-001’ in Odoo versus ‘PROD001’ in Shopify—will block your sync.
2. Use Odoo’s lot tracking for better inventory control
Lot tracking in Odoo lets you keep tabs on expiration dates and batches, which comes in handy for food, beauty, or any perishable goods. While Shopify doesn’t show lot numbers to customers, you’ll know exactly which batch went where. This helps you fulfill orders with the oldest stock first and trace any issues back to a specific batch. It also means you can set up more accurate Shopify stock updates for each type of product.
3. Create buffer stock rules for popular items
Your bestsellers deserve a safety net. Set up reorder rules in Odoo so new purchase orders trigger before you hit zero stock. Focus on your top 20% of products by sales—this way, your Odoo Shopify integration keeps Shopify up-to-date while you’re already restocking behind the scenes.
What is Shopify Odoo inventory sync?
Shopify Odoo inventory sync creates a direct line between your Odoo ERP and Shopify store, so stock counts always match. You no longer have to update each system by hand or worry about selling products you don’t actually have.
It’s like having a digital assistant who never sleeps—constantly checking your warehouse in Odoo and updating your Shopify shelves right away. This happens through simple API connections that let both systems share updates in real time.
Running your store with inventory scattered across two systems creates confusion fast. A customer orders from your Shopify store, but your team realizes the item is out of stock in Odoo—now you have an unhappy customer and maybe a lost sale.
Syncing inventory means you work from a single source of truth. Your warehouse handles the physical stock in Odoo, while your sales channels, including Shopify, always show the right numbers. This becomes even more powerful when you sell across multiple platforms, since an update in Odoo instantly ripples to every place you sell.
You also spot problems faster. When your counts don’t line up, you’ll notice right away and can react before small issues turn into big headaches. With real-time inventory management, your team saves hours each week and can trust what customers see online matches what’s on your shelves.
Surprising benefits to keeping your inventory in sync
Catches shrinkage early: Sudden mismatches between Odoo and Shopify reveal theft or loss sooner, not months later.
Better supplier negotiation: Real sales data from live inventory sync gives you an edge when asking for better pricing or faster restocks.
Easier customer service: Your team always has the latest info, so they can answer questions quickly and confidently—no more scrambling across systems.
Accurate, automatic inventory sync turns what used to be a stressful guessing game into a calm, predictable process, giving you more time and headspace to focus on growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sync inventory for specific products only instead of my entire catalog?
Yes, you can. Add filters to your workflow to sync only certain categories, vendors, or SKU ranges. This works well if you have dropshipped products or manage some items outside of Odoo.
What happens if I have multiple Shopify locations?
You can map each Odoo warehouse to the right Shopify location by customizing the location ID in your workflow. Sometimes you’ll want a separate workflow for each warehouse-location pair, depending on your setup.
How quickly do inventory changes reflect in Shopify after updating Odoo?
The default is hourly, but you can set the workflow to check as often as every 15 minutes. Just keep an eye on Shopify’s API call limits if you ramp up the frequency.
Will this integration work with Odoo’s manufacturing module?
Yes, it does. Once you mark finished goods as complete in Odoo’s manufacturing module, the system updates inventory, and the sync pushes those numbers straight to Shopify—no extra steps.
What you should do now
Whenever you’re ready…here are 4 ways MESA can help you get more done:
Sign up for MESA. The best way to get started is sign up for MESA today. Every plan includes the first 7-days free so you can be assured your workflow is running properly.
Browse pre-made templates. Our customizable workflow templates are a great way to get started more quickly.
Talk to our automation experts. If you need help personalizing any workflow template, guidance how to make any automation or, simply want us to make your workflow, we can help.
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