Switching Odoo Partners: A Step-by-Step Guide

Switching Odoo partners feels daunting. You worry about losing knowledge, breaking things, and the sheer hassle of getting someone new up to speed. These fears are understandable, and they are exactly why many businesses stay with underperforming partners far longer than they should.

Here is the reality: switching is almost always less painful than continuing with a bad fit. You already know what you need better than anyone, and a competent new partner can get up to speed faster than you think. This guide walks you through the process step by step.

Signs it is time to switch

Before diving into the how, let us make sure the why is solid. Not every frustration warrants a switch. But if you recognize several of these patterns, it probably is time.

• Response times have gotten consistently worse. What used to take hours now takes days or weeks.
• The senior consultant who understood your business has been replaced by juniors who keep asking the same questions.
• Costs keep escalating without proportional value. Every small change becomes a multi-day affair.
• They are not proactive. You expected guidance and recommendations; you got order-taking at best.
• Communication has broken down. You feel like you are not being heard, or worse, being blamed for project problems.
• They lack expertise in areas you now need, like Belgian localization, specific modules, or integrations you have added.
• You dread meetings with them. That gut feeling matters more than you think.

Step 1: Assess what you have

Before approaching anyone new, take stock of your current Odoo setup. You need a clear picture of what you are handing over.

1. Document which Odoo version and edition you are running (Community or Enterprise, Odoo Online, Odoo.sh, or on-premise).
2. List all installed modules, both standard and custom. Your current partner should provide this, but you can also find it in Settings > Technical > Installed Modules.
3. Identify all custom developments. Custom modules, modified views, automated actions, scheduled scripts. This is critical because a new partner needs to understand what has been changed.
4. Note all active integrations: payment providers, shipping services, accounting connections (CODA, SODA), e-commerce platforms, and any other connected systems.
5. Gather your existing documentation. Implementation notes, process descriptions, training materials, anything that captures how your business uses Odoo.

Step 2: Secure your access and data

This step is critical and should happen before you notify your current partner of the switch.

• Confirm you have admin access to your Odoo instance. If your partner controls the admin account, that is a problem you need to solve first.
• Make a full backup of your database. If you are on Odoo.sh, download a backup. If on-premise, ensure you have recent backups stored somewhere your partner does not control.
• Verify you own your domain, SSL certificates, and any cloud resources associated with your Odoo deployment.
• Check your contract for notice periods, data handover obligations, and any intellectual property clauses around custom developments.
• Ensure you have the source code for all custom modules. You paid for this development; the code should be yours.

Step 3: Find your new partner before leaving the old one

Do not leave your current partner before you have a new one ready. Overlap is better than a gap, especially if issues come up during the transition.

When evaluating new options, be specific about what went wrong with the previous relationship. A good new partner will ask about this and use the information to avoid the same pitfalls. Share your module list and custom developments so they can assess the complexity before committing.

Consider whether you want the same type of engagement or something different. If you were with a large partner and felt lost in the shuffle, maybe a direct relationship with a senior freelance consultant through a platform like odoone would be a better fit. The model matters as much as the people.

Step 4: Plan the transition

Work with your new partner to create a transition plan. This does not need to be elaborate, but it should cover the key elements.

1. Knowledge transfer. Schedule sessions where your new partner reviews the existing setup. This is typically 10 to 30 hours depending on complexity.
2. Access handover. Create new admin accounts for the new partner and plan when to revoke the old partner's access.
3. Support continuity. Agree on who handles urgent issues during the transition period. For a few weeks, you may need both parties available.
4. Open issues. List all outstanding bugs, feature requests, and in-progress work. The new partner needs to know what is pending.
5. Timeline. Set a clear date for the full handover. Having a deadline prevents the transition from dragging on indefinitely.

Step 5: Notify your current partner

Once your new partner is lined up and the transition plan is ready, notify your current partner in writing. Be professional and factual. You do not owe them a detailed explanation, but burning bridges is rarely wise in a small market like Belgium's Odoo ecosystem.

Request all documentation, source code for custom developments, and any credentials or configuration details they hold. Give them a reasonable deadline. Most contracts specify a handover process; follow it.

Expect some pushback or a retention offer. Evaluate any counter-offer objectively, but remember that the problems that made you want to switch rarely disappear because of a discount or a promise to do better.

Step 6: Execute the handover

The actual handover typically takes two to four weeks. During this period, your new partner should be reviewing code, understanding your processes, and testing that they can support your system effectively.

• Revoke the old partner's access only after the new partner confirms they have everything they need.
• Update all emergency contact information and support channels.
• Test critical processes with the new partner before considering the transition complete.
• Brief your team. They need to know who to contact for support and how to submit requests.

Step 7: Start fresh with clear expectations

Use the switch as an opportunity to reset expectations. Define clear service level agreements, communication cadences, and escalation procedures. Everything that was unclear or assumed in the old relationship should be explicit in the new one.

It also helps to start with a small project, perhaps fixing a few long-standing issues or implementing a feature your old partner never got around to. Early wins build confidence on both sides and give you a real basis for evaluating the new relationship.

Common fears addressed

Let us tackle the worries that keep people stuck in bad partnerships.

We will lose all the knowledge about our setup

Most of the knowledge lives in the system itself, in the configuration, the data, and the code. A competent consultant can read an Odoo database and understand how it works. You are also a source of knowledge. You know your business processes better than any consultant ever will.

The transition will break things

This is why you plan the transition carefully and maintain overlap. The system itself does not change when you switch partners. Nothing breaks just because a different person is maintaining it.

It will cost too much

Yes, there is a transition cost. Typically 10 to 30 hours of the new partner's time for knowledge transfer. But compare that to the ongoing cost of staying with a partner who is overcharging, underperforming, or both. The transition cost is a one-time investment; the cost of a bad partner is recurring.

At odoone, the free 10-minute intro call and free approval cycle let you evaluate a new consultant before any commitment. That reduces the risk of the switch significantly because you can validate the fit before you start the formal transition.

Moving forward

Switching partners is not a failure. It is a normal business decision. Companies outgrow their partners, needs change, and sometimes the fit was never right to begin with. The businesses that thrive with Odoo are the ones that are willing to make this change when it is needed, rather than accepting mediocre support as the price of stability.

The Odoo ecosystem in Belgium is large enough to give you good options and small enough that reputation matters. Use that to your advantage.