International Import Workflow in Odoo#
Importing goods involves more steps than a domestic purchase: negotiating incoterms, coordinating freight, clearing customs, and applying landed costs. Odoo can track each step and ensure the true cost is reflected in inventory.
Step 1 - Purchase Order with Incoterms#
Purchase → New PO:
- Vendor: Overseas Supplier Ltd. (China)
- Currency: USD (or CNY with FX conversion)
- Incoterms: FOB Shanghai (vendor's responsibility ends when goods are on the vessel)
Incoterms field: select from the dropdown (FOB, CIF, EXW, DAP, DDP, etc.)
The selected incoterm determines:
- Where your liability for the goods begins
- Who pays freight, insurance, and customs
- The valuation point for customs duty calculation
Step 2 - Freight Forwarder Bill of Lading#
When the vendor ships:
- Receive the Bill of Lading (carrier document)
- Record the shipment on the PO chatter: "Shipped FOB Shanghai - ETA 2027-10-28"
- Scheduled Date on the receipt: update to expected arrival date
Track the container in transit - no Odoo action needed until goods arrive.
Step 3 - Customs Clearance#
When the ship arrives:
- Customs broker submits entry and pays duties
- Broker sends customs entry summary: duties paid, value, HS codes
- Record the customs broker bill in Odoo:
- Vendor: Customs Broker Co.
- Lines: Customs Duties $2,400 / Broker Fee $350
Step 4 - Warehouse Receipt#
When goods clear customs and arrive at your warehouse:
Inventory → Receipts → [Linked to PO] → Validate:
- Enter actual quantities received
- Record lot/serial numbers if tracked
- Goods enter WH/Input → putaway rules route to final location
Step 5 - Apply Landed Costs#
Inventory → Operations → Landed Costs → New:
- Picking: the just-validated receipt
- Costs:
- Ocean Freight: $3,500 (from freight forwarder invoice)
- Customs Duties: $2,400
- Broker Fee: $350
- Port Handling: $200
- Split Method: by Current Cost (or weight)
- Validate → Odoo distributes landed costs across all imported products
Final Inventory Cost#
Each product's cost = Purchase Price + Allocated Landed Costs
Example: Product imported at $10/unit, 1,000 units:
- Purchase: $10,000
- Landed costs (allocated share): $650
- True landed cost: $10.65/unit (used for COGS when sold)