Odoo for Logistics Companies in Belgium

Belgium sits at the crossroads of European logistics. With the port of Antwerp-Bruges (Europe's second largest), Brussels Airport, and a dense motorway network, the country is a natural hub for transport and distribution. Belgian logistics companies manage complex operations spanning warehousing, fleet management, customs, and multi-modal transport — often across multiple EU countries.

Odoo offers a suite of tools that can serve logistics businesses well, but the platform requires thoughtful configuration to handle the specific demands of transport and distribution. Here is what Belgian logistics companies need to know.

Fleet Management

Odoo's Fleet module provides a central place to manage your vehicle fleet. For logistics companies, this covers trucks, vans, trailers, and any other vehicles in your operation.

• Vehicle registry — track make, model, license plate, chassis number, and assigned driver for every vehicle
• Contract management — monitor leasing agreements, insurance policies, and service contracts with renewal reminders
• Fuel tracking — log fuel consumption per vehicle for cost analysis and efficiency monitoring
• Maintenance scheduling — plan and track preventive maintenance, inspections (including the Belgian vehicle inspection / keuring), and repairs
• Cost analysis — see total cost of ownership per vehicle, including fuel, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation

The Fleet module gives you a dashboard view of your entire fleet with status information at a glance. For companies managing 20+ vehicles, this centralized view replaces the spreadsheets and paper files that many logistics businesses still rely on.

One limitation to be aware of: Odoo Fleet is a management tool, not a Transport Management System (TMS) in the traditional sense. It does not include route optimization, live GPS tracking, or digital tachograph integration out of the box. For these features, you may need third-party integrations or custom development.

Warehouse Operations

For logistics companies operating warehouse facilities — whether for their own distribution or as third-party logistics (3PL) providers — Odoo Inventory provides solid warehouse management capabilities.

• Multi-warehouse support — manage multiple distribution centers from one system
• Configurable routes — one-step, two-step, or three-step receiving and shipping processes
• Barcode scanning — mobile-friendly scanning for all warehouse operations
• Lot and serial tracking — full traceability from goods receipt to dispatch
• Wave and batch picking — group picks by carrier, destination zone, or priority for efficient order fulfillment
• Cross-docking — configure routes to move goods directly from receiving to shipping without storage

For 3PL providers, multi-company functionality in Odoo Enterprise allows you to manage inventory for multiple clients within the same system, with clear separation of stock and reporting per customer.

Delivery Tracking and Shipping Integration

Odoo integrates with major shipping carriers for label printing, rate calculation, and tracking. For Belgian logistics, the most relevant integrations include:

• bpost — Belgium's national postal service, widely used for domestic parcel delivery
• PostNL — commonly used for shipments to the Netherlands and domestic Belgian parcels
• DHL — international express and freight
• UPS — international parcel and freight services
• FedEx — international express shipments
• Sendcloud — a shipping aggregator popular in the Benelux that connects to multiple carriers through one integration

These integrations allow you to generate shipping labels directly from delivery orders in Odoo, get real-time shipping rates, and push tracking information to customers automatically. For businesses shipping high volumes, this automation eliminates the manual work of logging into carrier portals, copying tracking numbers, and emailing updates.

EU Customs and Cross-Border Trade

Belgium's position as a European logistics hub means many logistics companies handle cross-border trade — both within the EU single market and with non-EU countries. Odoo supports several aspects of this:

Intra-EU Trade

For goods moving between EU member states, Odoo handles intra-community VAT correctly with the right tax codes. The system tracks intra-community transactions for the VAT listing (intracommunautaire opgave) that Belgian companies must file. Intrastat reporting — the statistical reporting of goods movements between EU countries — can be generated from Odoo using the Belgian thresholds for dispatch and arrival declarations.

Non-EU Trade

For goods entering or leaving the EU customs territory, the process is more complex. Odoo can manage landed costs (import duties, transport costs, customs fees allocated to product costs) and track country of origin. However, customs declaration itself — the actual filing with Belgian Customs (PLDA/AES systems) — typically requires integration with a specialized customs broker or customs software.

Many Belgian logistics companies work with customs brokers who handle the declarations, while Odoo manages the commercial and inventory side. The key is ensuring that your Odoo setup provides the data (HS codes, values, origins, weights) that your customs process needs.

Belgian Logistics Specifics

Operating a logistics business in Belgium comes with specific requirements that your Odoo setup should account for:

• Kilometre tax (wegenvignet) — Belgium levies a distance-based road charge on heavy goods vehicles (3.5+ tonnes). While Odoo does not integrate directly with the OBU (on-board unit) systems, you can track these costs per vehicle in the Fleet module
• Driving hours and rest periods — EU regulations on driver hours (EC 561/2006) require careful tracking. Digital tachograph data needs to be stored and analyzed, which typically requires dedicated software. Odoo can manage the scheduling side, but compliance tracking needs integration or a separate tool
• Sunday and night driving restrictions — Belgian regulations restrict heavy vehicle traffic at certain times. Production and delivery planning in Odoo should account for these windows
• Ecocombis and LZV — Belgium allows longer and heavier vehicle combinations on certain routes. Fleet planning in Odoo can be configured to distinguish vehicle types and their permitted routes
• ADR (dangerous goods) — for transport of hazardous materials, additional documentation and compliance requirements apply. Odoo can be configured to flag ADR products and ensure the correct documentation accompanies shipments

Integration with External Systems

Logistics companies rarely operate in isolation. You exchange data with customers, suppliers, carriers, customs brokers, and port authorities. Odoo provides an API and various integration methods, but expect to build or configure connections for:

• EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) — many large customers and suppliers require EDI-based order and invoice exchange. Odoo supports EDI through modules and custom development
• Port community systems — for companies working through Antwerp or other Belgian ports, integration with port systems (e.g., C-point, NxtPort) may be necessary
• TMS software — if you need advanced transport management features, Odoo can serve as the ERP backbone with a dedicated TMS handling route optimization and dispatch
• WMS systems — for high-volume warehouse operations, a specialized WMS can integrate with Odoo for inventory synchronization

Getting Started with Odoo for Logistics

Logistics is an industry where operational efficiency directly impacts profitability. The right Odoo configuration can streamline your warehouse operations, improve fleet cost management, and reduce administrative overhead. But the wrong setup — or a generic configuration that does not account for logistics-specific requirements — will create more problems than it solves.

Belgian logistics has unique requirements: multilingual operations (Dutch, French, English), cross-border EU trade, specific regulatory compliance, and integration with local carriers and port systems. You need a consultant who understands both Odoo and the logistics industry.

Through odoone, you can find senior Odoo consultants with relevant logistics and supply chain experience. With rates starting at €80/hour, a free approval cycle to verify the match, and a money-back guarantee, you get the expertise you need without the risk. Getting your logistics ERP right from the start pays dividends every day your trucks are on the road.