Shift Output: How Odoo Adapts to the Operational Rhythm of the Plastic Recycling Industry

In the plastic recycling industry, every regenerated pellet represents a closed-loop journey - from waste to resource, from the end of one lifecycle to the beginning of another. To keep this cycle running smoothly, recycling enterprises need more than a standard ERP system. They need flexibility beyond the limits of the discrete manufacturing model that Odoo was originally designed for.

The nature of this industry goes far beyond simple input-output tracking; it requires continuous monitoring of every change throughout the production process to meet the needs of a plant that must operate in continuous shifts, with real-time supervision and energy optimization - just like CPC. Data must accurately reflect performance, cost, and production value per shift, while capturing the factory’s real operational rhythm - understanding each production stage, labor allocation, energy fluctuation, and material consumption - rather than merely recording outcomes at the end of the process. This is the story of CPC Vietnam, where Trobz pioneered a strategic advancement with the Shift Output feature in Odoo’s Manufacturing (MRP) module - a solution that enables Odoo ERP to fully adapt to the unique characteristics of Circular Manufacturing, where technology truly synchronizes with the real rhythm of circular production.

The Challenge: When Odoo Meets a Closed-Loop Recycling Process

In standard Odoo, a Manufacturing Order (MO) only records finished goods upon completion (Done status) and creates a Back Order for the remaining unfinished quantities - representing a typical “single recording - single result” model.

This approach leads to major limitations for CPC’s shift-based production model:

1. Unable to record multiple outputs for the same MO

→ Each shift produces different output quantities, yet in Odoo standard, finished goods only become available after the entire MO is completed.

2. No mechanism to reflect material consumption or output by shift

→ Raw material consumption data is accumulated at the end of the order, making per-shift performance tracking impossible.

3. Production cost calculated only after MO completion

→ With long production cycles (sometimes lasting a week), CPC lacked real-time costing data for timely operational adjustments.

4. No shift-based definition for labor, machine, or energy cost

→ This caused inaccurate cost allocation that did not represent actual operational efficiency.
A modern ERP must be as flexible as the recycling line itself - not limited by the “record-only-after-completion” logic.

Trobz’s Solution: The “Shift Output” Feature – Synchronizing ERP with Real Production Rhythm

Understanding the fundamental differences of recycling workflows, Trobz designed and developed the Shift Output feature - an intelligent logic layer positioned between Manufacturing and Costing in Odoo, enabling production output, cost, and valuation to be recorded by shift.

1. Defining detailed production costs directly in the BOM

  • Each Bill of Materials (BOM) not only lists raw materials but also defines:
    • Labor Cost    
    • Machine Cost
    • Energy cost (electricity, water, steam, etc.)

→ This ensures precise cost calculation per unit of output, reflecting the real cost structure for each working shift.
2. Supporting both main and by-products within the same BOM

  • Trobz extended the standard BOM model to include semi-finished and by-products alongside main finished goods.
  • Businesses can define cost allocation ratios for each product type, ensuring transparency and accurate valuation across product groups - for example, recycled PET pellets versus industrial scrap.

3. Shift-based recording for production and material consumption

  • Each working shift is defined in the system (e.g., Shift A: 6 AM–2 PM, Shift B: 2 PM–10 PM).
  • At the end of each shift, operators record actual material usage and finished output. The system automatically:
    • Updates raw material and finished goods stock levels
    • Creates corresponding cost journal entries

→ This enables real-time production performance tracking, instead of waiting for the entire MO to finish.

4. Mass balance constraint – ensuring data consistency

  • Trobz introduced a mass balance constraint to maintain data integrity:
    • Total raw material consumed = Total finished goods produced
  • This mechanism eliminates data discrepancies, ensuring accuracy, audit compliance, and adherence to international recycling traceability standards.

5. Real-time cost journal entries

  • Whenever a shift ends and operators record Shift Output, Odoo automatically triggers a cost journal entry at that exact moment.
  • Costing is thus updated in real time, giving the accounting and management teams instant access to cost data - a major improvement compared to Odoo’s standard batch costing at period end.

→ This is especially critical for recycling businesses like CPC, where material and energy prices fluctuate frequently and real-time visibility is essential for cost optimization.

Impact: When ERP Reflects Real Operations Instead of Just Recording Them

The Shift Output feature is not merely a technical customization - it represents a mindset transformation that enables ERP to fully synchronize with CPC's circular production cycle.

The impact can be clearly observed across three levels:

1. Operations - Real-time performance

  • Production staff and supervisors can monitor shift output, compare material consumption, and evaluate machine efficiency directly on the dashboard.

2. Accounting - Transparent costing

  • Labor, utilities, and machine costs are accurately allocated per shift and per product group, ensuring that cost reports reflect true operational data rather than standard estimates.

3. Management - Real-time data-driven decision-making

  • The management team can instantly access production costs, consumption ratios, and productivity by shift - forming the foundation for flexible decisions in production adjustment, maintenance planning, or dynamic pricing.

Vision: Standardizing Circular Recycling ERP

From the CPC project, Trobz has not only solved a specific challenge for one client but has also begun shaping a new ERP capability framework for the plastic recycling industry. The Shift Output feature demonstrates the true power of Odoo when customized the right way - not by imposing rigid templates, but by adapting to the real operational nature of each business.

From an ERP system that once only recorded results, Trobz has transformed Odoo into a tool that reflects the process itself - where every shift, every production hour becomes valuable data that fuels sustainable growth for CPC and the entire recycling sector.

 

The Plastic Recycling Industry

Approval Matrix – When Trobz redefines the approval mechanism in Odoo to reflect the operational authority of a plastic recycling enterprise

Approval Matrix – Overview of the Modern Approval Mechanism in the Operational Workflow of Plastic Recycling Enterprises

Shift Output – How Odoo Adapts to the Operational Rhythm of the Plastic Recycling Industry

CPC – Comprehensive Overview of Project Challenges and Solutions

CPC - Implementing Odoo for the leading plastic recycling plant in Vietnam, Myanmar