CRM migration

Migrate from Simply CRM to Odoo CRM

Field-level mapping, validation, and rollback between Simply CRM and Odoo CRM. We move data and schema; workflows are rebuilt natively in Odoo CRM.

Simply CRM logo

Simply CRM

Source

Odoo CRM

Destination

Odoo CRM logo

Compatibility

92%

11 of 12

objects map 1:1 between Simply CRM and Odoo CRM.

Complexity

BStandard

Timeline

4–6 weeks

Rollback included Accuracy guarantee Field-level validation

Overview

What this migration involves

Simply CRM and Odoo CRM take fundamentally different approaches to data organization. Simply CRM stores contacts, companies, and deals in a flattened model with custom fields accessible at the object level. Odoo CRM separates leads from opportunities, uses res.partner for both contacts and companies, and stores most business data in PostgreSQL-backed models that follow Odoo's XML-RPC API conventions. FlitStack AI extracts Simply CRM data via its REST API, transforms records to match Odoo's crm.lead (for leads) and crm.lead/opportunity (for qualified deals) schema, and loads via Odoo's XML-RPC interface with external IDs for relationship integrity. Activity history — calls, emails, meetings, and notes — migrates to Odoo's mail.message and crm.activity models. Any Simply CRM custom fields that have no Odoo equivalent become ir.model.fields custom definitions created before data lands. Workflows, automations, and email templates do not migrate — FlitStack exports your Simply CRM workflow definitions as a reference document your Odoo administrator uses to rebuild them in Odoo's Automations framework.

Field-level fidelity

Every standard and custom field arrives verified.

Schema-aware mapping

AI proposes the map; you confirm before any record moves.

Relationships preserved

Parent–child, lookups, and ownership stay linked.

Full activity history

Calls, emails, meetings — with original timestamps.

Attachments & notes

Documents, uploads, and inline notes move with the record.

Why teams make this switch

Two sides of the same decision

Leaving

Simply CRM logo

Simply CRM

What's pushing teams away

  • At least one user reported significant discrepancies between on-screen record data and exported CSV data, creating billing disputes with vendors — a data integrity concern during routine export operations.
  • Users coming from more feature-rich CRMs have reported that the platform lacks the depth of customization options available in competitors, causing them to outgrow the tool.
  • Sync issues attributed to server traffic and response delays have been noted as a source of friction, particularly during high-activity periods.
  • Some users have flagged that document and presentation tracking is either unavailable or insufficient for their workflow needs, requiring workarounds.

Choosing

Odoo CRM logo

Odoo CRM

What's pulling them in

  • Teams choose Odoo CRM for its modular architecture — one base install with one-click app additions means they can adopt CRM alone and add accounting, inventory, or sales later as the business grows.
  • Small businesses pick Odoo because the Community edition is free and open-source, with no per-user or contact limits, allowing full evaluation before committing to a paid Enterprise tier.
  • The drag-and-drop Kanban pipeline and AI lead scoring are highlighted across G2 reviews as concrete features that make lead management faster and more visual than spreadsheet-based workflows.
  • Odoo's native integration with email, live chat, SMS, VoIP, and WhatsApp means inbound leads from multiple channels feed into a single pipeline without third-party middleware.
  • Companies in retail, supply chain, and construction value that Odoo's CRM module shares the same PostgreSQL database and UI as its ERP modules, eliminating data silos between sales and operations.

Object mapping

How Simply CRM objects map to Odoo CRM

Each row shows how a Simply CRM object lands in Odoo CRM, including any object-level transformations, lookup resolution, or schema-design dependencies.

Typical mapping — final map is confirmed during the sample migration step.

Simply CRM

Contact

maps to

Odoo CRM

res.partner

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM contacts map directly to Odoo res.partner records. The primary company link becomes res.partner.parent_id (for company records) or a separate res.partner record of type 'company' linked via parent_id. Unassigned contacts get a placeholder company record created in Odoo. During transformation, FlitStack preserves the contact's original created_date and last_modified timestamp in custom Char fields (create_date_original__c, write_date_original__c) to maintain audit trail continuity after migration.

Simply CRM

Contact

maps to

Odoo CRM

crm.lead

1:many
Fully supported

Contacts in Simply CRM's early pipeline stages (New, Contacted) map to Odoo crm.lead with type='lead'. Contacts that have progressed past a qualification threshold (Simply CRM's 'Qualified' stage) map to crm.lead with type='opportunity'. Your team specifies the split point during mapping planning.

Simply CRM

Company

maps to

Odoo CRM

res.partner

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM companies map to res.partner records with partner_type='company'. Odoo's parent-child hierarchy for company branches maps from Simply CRM's parent company relationships via the parent_id field. Child companies become separate res.partner records linked to the parent. When a Simply CRM company has no primary contact, FlitStack creates a placeholder contact within that company record to preserve the relationship structure in Odoo's res.partner model.

Simply CRM

Deal / Opportunity

maps to

Odoo CRM

crm.lead

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM deals map to Odoo crm.lead records with type='opportunity'. The crm.lead.stage_id field maps from Simply CRM's pipeline stage, with stage names aligned to Odoo's stage groups (New, Qualified, Proposal Sent, Negotiation, Won, Lost). Deal amount maps to crm.lead.planned_revenue, and the original close date becomes date_deadline. The Simply CRM deal ID is stored in x_source_id for relationship tracing during delta migration runs.

Simply CRM

Pipeline

maps to

Odoo CRM

crm.team + stage group

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM pipelines map to Odoo crm.team records. Each pipeline stage becomes an Odoo crm.stage within the team's pipeline. Odoo's stage groups (Kanban columns) are configured in Settings > CRM > Stages. Multi-pipeline setups in Simply CRM create multiple crm.team records in Odoo.

Simply CRM

Task / Activity

maps to

Odoo CRM

mail.message + crm.activity

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM tasks and logged activities (calls, emails, meetings) map to Odoo mail.message records linked to the parent res.partner or crm.lead. Odoo's subtypes (discussions, emails, calls, meetings) are matched to Simply CRM activity types. Original timestamps and assigned users are preserved via Odoo's create_date and user_id fields.

Simply CRM

Note

maps to

Odoo CRM

mail.message

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM notes on contacts, companies, or deals become Odoo mail.message records with subtype 'Note' linked to the target record. Rich-text formatting is preserved if Simply CRM exports HTML; plain text is stored as-is in the body field. Notes maintain their association to the original record via res_model and res_id, and author information maps from Simply CRM's owner_id to Odoo's author_id using email-based user resolution.

Simply CRM

Attachment / File

maps to

Odoo CRM

ir.attachment

1:1
Fully supported

File attachments from Simply CRM are downloaded and re-uploaded to Odoo's ir.attachment model, linked to the corresponding res.partner or crm.lead record via res_model and res_id. Odoo's filestore preserves the original filename and content type. Large file handling follows Odoo's 25MB per-file limit.

Simply CRM

User / Owner

maps to

Odoo CRM

res.users

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM users are matched to Odoo res.users by email address. Unmatched users are flagged before migration; your team either creates Odoo accounts first or assigns their Simply CRM records to a fallback user. Active/inactive status is preserved where available.

Simply CRM

Custom Fields

maps to

Odoo CRM

ir.model.field (custom)

1:1
Mapping required

Simply CRM custom fields without Odoo equivalents require ir.model.field definitions created in Odoo's technical settings before data import. FlitStack generates a custom field creation checklist with field name, type (char, selection, float, date, etc.), and target model (res.partner, crm.lead) for your Odoo admin to pre-configure.

Simply CRM

Workflow / Automation

maps to

Odoo CRM

Not migratable

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM workflows, assignment rules, and email automation do not transfer to Odoo. FlitStack exports workflow definitions as a structured reference document. Odoo Studio's Automations (triggers, server actions, scheduled actions) rebuild these from scratch using the exported definitions as a guide.

Simply CRM

Reports / Dashboards

maps to

Odoo CRM

Not migratable

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM custom reports and dashboards do not migrate — underlying data moves, but visualization configurations are platform-specific and must be rebuilt in Odoo. Odoo's Reporting menu, Pivot, Graph, andkanban views reconstruct reporting from migrated data. FlitStack's sample migration validates data integrity so your team has confidence in the underlying data when rebuilding reports in Odoo.

Gotchas + challenges

What specifically takes care here

Platform-specific issues from each side, plus the pair-specific challenges that don't show up on either platform's page on its own.

Simply CRM logo

Simply CRM gotchas

Medium

SugarCRM Professional edition gates certain modules

High

Export discrepancies between screen records and CSV output

Medium

Custom field schema varies per installation

Medium

Workflow automations do not survive migration

Odoo CRM logo

Odoo CRM gotchas

High

Odoo.sh version gating blocks assisted migrations from trial

High

Enterprise modules fail to install on Community after database restore

Medium

Custom module view inheritance breaks between Odoo major versions

Medium

Custom fields risk losing their application context on Community

Low

API access for Community is gated behind the Custom Plan

Pair-specific challenges

  • Simply CRM custom fields require Odoo ir.model.field pre-creation

    Simply CRM stores custom field definitions as object-level JSON properties that export via the REST API as additional key-value pairs. Odoo does not auto-create fields from incoming import data — any Simply CRM custom field without a native Odoo equivalent requires an ir.model.field definition created in Settings > Technical > Database Structure > Fields before import runs. FlitStack generates a field creation checklist with field name, Odoo field type, and target model. If custom fields are not pre-created, import data lands in Odoo but the values are silently discarded, creating data loss that only surfaces during reconciliation.

  • Lead-to-opportunity split requires pipeline-stage threshold definition

    Simply CRM treats all deals as a unified pipeline object. Odoo separates leads (type='lead') from opportunities (type='opportunity'), and the split point is defined by Odoo's crm.stage 'on_change_stage' behavior or by Automations that promote leads to opportunities when a stage transition occurs. Migrating Simply CRM deals into Odoo requires your team to specify which Simply CRM pipeline stages represent leads versus opportunities — for example, 'New' and 'Contacted' become Odoo leads, while 'Qualified', 'Proposal', and 'Negotiation' become Odoo opportunities. If no threshold is specified, all deals land as opportunities but lead-stage records appear in the wrong Odoo pipeline section.

  • Activity history subtype mapping must distinguish Odoo's mail.message chain

    Odoo's mail.message model uses a subtype system (discussions, emails, calls, meetings, notes) that drives the activity chatter display on res.partner and crm.lead forms. Simply CRM exports activity type as a string field. If the mapping from Simply CRM activity types to Odoo subtypes is not defined, all historical activities land as generic 'discussions' subtype, cluttering the chatter with historical call logs and making it difficult to distinguish email threads from logged phone calls. FlitStack configures the subtype mapping before migration — your team validates the chatter appearance during the sample migration.

  • Odoo API authentication requires database credentials or OAuth token

    Odoo's XML-RPC interface (or JSON-RPC in v14+) requires either database-name + user login credentials or an external API key generated via Settings > Users > [User] > API Access. Unlike cloud-first CRMs that use OAuth 2.0 bearer tokens, Odoo's on-premise and Odoo.sh deployments often require username + password + database name in the XML-RPC request. For Odoo Online (cloud), OAuth is available but must be configured. FlitStack supports both authentication methods and will test connectivity during the scoping phase to identify any firewall or credential configuration required.

  • Multi-company Odoo setups require company_id field population

    If your Odoo instance uses the Multi-Company feature, every res.partner and crm.lead record requires a company_id field value. Simply CRM has no equivalent multi-company field — contacts and deals exist in a single workspace. Without explicit mapping, FlitStack assigns records to the default company. If you operate multiple subsidiaries in Odoo, you must specify the company assignment rule (by Simply CRM company name, by owner team, or by a custom field) before migration runs, or Odoo's multi-company security rules block visibility.

Migration approach

Six steps for a successful Simply CRM to Odoo CRM data migration

  1. Audit Simply CRM API and Odoo environment

    FlitStack connects to your Simply CRM instance via REST API using your credentials and performs a schema discovery — exporting all object definitions, custom field names, pipeline configurations, and user accounts. Simultaneously, we inspect your Odoo instance (via XML-RPC) to inventory existing crm.lead stages, res.partner fields, crm.team structures, and installed modules. This phase produces a gap analysis: which Simply CRM fields have no Odoo equivalent, which Odoo custom fields must be pre-created, and which Simply CRM pipelines map to which Odoo teams. The gap analysis is delivered as a shared spreadsheet for your Odoo admin to action before the migration run.

  2. Pre-create Odoo custom fields and configure pipeline stages

    Your Odoo administrator creates the custom fields identified in the gap analysis using Settings > Technical > Database Structure > Fields. FlitStack provides the exact field name, Odoo type (Char, Selection, Float, Date, etc.), and target model for each custom field. Simultaneously, Odoo crm.stage records are configured per team to match Simply CRM pipeline stages — stage names, sequence order, and fold status are set to match the source so deal progression history is meaningful after migration. This step runs in parallel with data extraction preparation.

  3. Extract and transform data with relationship resolution

    FlitStack extracts contacts, companies, deals, activities, notes, attachments, and users from Simply CRM via REST API. Records are transformed according to the object and field mapping plan: Simply CRM contacts split into res.partner (partner type) and crm.lead (lead/opportunity) records, owner IDs resolve to Odoo user records by email, and company links resolve via external ID lookups. Activity records are linked to parent records using FlitStack's x_source_id custom field. The transformation pipeline generates CSV or JSON files staged for Odoo import, with all relationship IDs pre-resolved.

  4. Run sample migration and generate field-level diff

    A representative sample (typically 100–300 records spanning all object types and pipeline stages) is migrated first into a staging environment. FlitStack generates a field-level diff comparing source and destination values, showing discrepancies in custom field mapping, stage assignment, owner resolution, and relationship links. You review the diff with your Odoo admin to validate pipeline-to-team mapping, lead/opportunity split point, and activity subtype classification. Any mapping adjustments are applied before the full run.

  5. Execute full migration with delta-pickup window

    Full migration runs against your production Odoo environment via XML-RPC. A delta-pickup window (typically 24–48 hours) runs concurrently — any Simply CRM records modified or created during the cutover window are captured and synced to Odoo before go-live. FlitStack logs every API operation to an audit file. After migration completes, you run reconciliation checks: record counts by object, pipeline stage totals, owner assignment verification, and activity count validation. If reconciliation fails, one-click rollback reverts the Odoo environment to pre-migration state using the FlitStack backup snapshot.

  6. Hand off workflow definitions for Odoo rebuild

    FlitStack delivers an exported workflow definitions package: Simply CRM automations exported as a structured JSON document listing trigger events, conditions, and actions for each workflow. Your Odoo administrator uses this package with Odoo Studio Automations (triggers, server actions, scheduled actions) to rebuild the operational logic in Odoo. FlitStack's migration team is available for a consultation call to walk through the rebuild mapping, but the automation rebuild is a separate engagement from the data migration.

Platform deep dives

Context on both ends of the pair

Simply CRM logo

Simply CRM

Source

Strengths

  • Built on SugarCRM Professional with decades of stability behind the data model
  • Per-user monthly pricing from $12 with a 14-day free trial and no credit card required
  • Responsive customer support cited frequently across user reviews
  • Intuitive interface designed to reduce CRM complexity and improve adoption rates
  • Contact management, sales pipeline, and reporting available without additional modules

Weaknesses

  • Limited documented API surface beyond basic REST endpoints — bulk export requires careful planning
  • Data export discrepancies reported by at least one user, raising data integrity questions
  • Fewer native integrations compared to HubSpot, Salesforce, or Zoho
  • Limited advanced customization — teams with complex data models may outgrow the platform
  • Sync reliability concerns under heavy server load have been documented in reviews
Odoo CRM logo

Odoo CRM

Destination

Strengths

  • Modular open-source architecture lets teams start with CRM and add ERP apps as needs grow, all sharing one PostgreSQL database.
  • Free Community edition with no contact limits and full source code access means zero licensing cost for evaluation and small deployments.
  • Drag-and-drop Kanban pipeline with AI lead scoring gives a visual, prioritized view of the sales funnel without requiring custom configuration.
  • Native integrations with email, live chat, SMS, VoIP, WhatsApp, and social media feed all inbound leads into a single unified inbox.
  • Active Odoo Community Association (OCA) maintains dozens of community-maintained modules on GitHub for extended functionality.

Weaknesses

  • Gmail and email integration reliability is a recurring complaint — threads drop and conversations scatter across inboxes, disrupting sales team workflows.
  • Enterprise edition pricing stacks quickly: multiple apps at per-user rates ($25–$50/user/month) plus Odoo.sh hosting costs more than many SMBs anticipate.
  • Setup and configuration complexity increases significantly once custom fields, automation rules, and multiple installed modules are in play.
  • Odoo.sh trial databases run on a version (e.g., 18.3) that is not directly migratable to Odoo.sh, blocking the assisted migration path Odoo advertises.
  • Version upgrades between major Odoo releases (e.g., 17→18) frequently break custom module view definitions and XPath expressions, requiring manual remediation.

Complexity grading

How hard is this migration?

Standard CRM migration. 1 of 8 objects need a mapping; the rest are 1:1.

B

Overall complexity

Standard migration

Derived from compatibility, mapping clarity, API constraints, and data volume across Simply CRM and Odoo CRM.

  • Object compatibility

    B

    1 of 8 objects need a mapping; the rest are 1:1.

  • Field mapping clarity

    C

    Field mapping is derived from defaults — final spec confirmed during the sample migration.

  • Timeline complexity

    B

    8-object category — typical timelines run 2–7 days end-to-end.

  • API constraints

    B

    Simply CRM: Not publicly documented.

  • Data volume sensitivity

    B

    Simply CRM doesn't expose a bulk API — REST + parallelization used for high-volume runs.

Estimator

Estimate your Simply CRM to Odoo CRM migration cost

Rule-based pricing — no per-record fees, no manual quotes. Migrations over 2M records are scoped individually.

Step 1

What are you migrating?

Pick a category, then your source and destination platforms.

Category

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Simply CRM to Odoo CRM data migrations

Answers to the questions buyers ask most during Simply CRM to Odoo CRM migration scoping. Not seeing yours? Book a call.

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Most Simply CRM to Odoo CRM migrations complete in 4–6 weeks for under 25,000 records when Odoo custom fields are pre-created and pipeline stages are configured before data lands. The scoping and gap-analysis phase takes 5–7 business days; sample migration validation takes 3–5 days; full migration and delta-pickup takes 1–3 days. Larger datasets over 100,000 records or multi-company Odoo setups extend to 8–12 weeks, primarily because Odoo multi-company security rules require careful company_id assignment during transformation.

Adjacent paths

Related migrations to explore

Ready when you are

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