Complete Guide to Odoo Integration, API Access & PEPPOL Compliance
Odoo is a comprehensive, modular ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) platform that offers a full suite of business applications including accounting, invoicing, inventory management, CRM, and more. Originally developed in Belgium, Odoo has become one of the world's most popular open-source business management platforms.
For Belgian businesses, Odoo provides powerful accounting tools that can be integrated with Belgium Accounting's PEPPOL-compliant e-invoicing platform to meet the mandatory 2026 B2B e-invoicing requirements.
Why Odoo for Belgian Accounting? Odoo's modular approach means you can start with just accounting and invoicing, then expand to other business functions as needed. With both free (Community Edition) and paid (Enterprise) options, there's a solution for every business size and budget.
If you're not a developer, the term "API" might sound intimidating. But the concept is actually quite simple.
You (the customer) sit at a table and want food. The kitchen has the food and knows how to prepare it. The waiter is the messenger who takes your order to the kitchen and brings back your meal.
In software terms:
Without an API, you'd have to manually:
With an API, the two systems talk to each other automatically:
Real-World Example: When you check the weather on your phone, the weather app doesn't store all global weather data. Instead, it uses an API to ask a weather service "what's the temperature in Brussels right now?" and the weather service's API responds with the latest data. APIs let software applications communicate and share information automatically.
This is the critical part for Belgian businesses choosing Odoo:
For a 5-person company, that's €233.50/month (€2,802/year) in API fees on Odoo Online vs €0 with self-hosted Odoo Community. This page helps you understand which option makes financial sense for your business.
Understanding the differences between Odoo's editions is crucial for choosing the right solution for your Belgian business.
| Feature | Community Edition | Enterprise Edition |
|---|---|---|
| License Cost | FREE (Open Source) | $31.10-$58.40/user/month |
| Basic Accounting | ✓ Invoicing app included | ✓ Full Accounting module |
| Advanced Accounting | ✗ Limited features | ✓ Bank reconciliation, multi-currency, budgeting |
| API Access (Self-Hosted) | ✓ Full XML-RPC/JSON-RPC access | ✓ Full XML-RPC/JSON-RPC access |
| API Access (Odoo Online) | N/A (no free cloud tier with API) | ⚠ Only on Custom plan ($46.70+/user/month) |
| PEPPOL Integration | ✓ Free built-in PEPPOL access | ✓ Free built-in PEPPOL access |
| Odoo Studio (No-Code Customization) | ✗ Code-based customization only | ✓ Visual customization tool |
| Official Support | ✗ Community forums only | ✓ 24/7 support, priority bug fixes |
| Multi-Company Management | ⚠ Basic support | ✓ Advanced multi-company features |
| Best For | Small businesses, startups, testing | Growing businesses, advanced workflows |
If you need API integration for external systems (like Belgium Accounting's PEPPOL platform), self-hosted Odoo Community Edition is completely free with full API access. Odoo Online requires the expensive Custom plan for API access, making self-hosting the most cost-effective choice for integration projects.
Odoo provides robust API access for external integrations, but the availability and cost vary significantly based on your deployment method.
✓ Complete API Freedom
€0
Per user/month
€31.10
Per user/month (annual billing)
€46.70
Per user/month (annual billing) • €58.40/month (monthly billing)
Odoo is planning to deprecate the traditional XML-RPC and JSON-RPC APIs (endpoints /xmlrpc, /xmlrpc/2, /jsonrpc) in Odoo 20 (fall 2026). These will be replaced by the new External JSON-2 API. If you're building integrations, plan for this migration or work with developers who stay current with Odoo's API evolution.
Self-Hosted Odoo Community Edition
Free forever, full API access, complete control. Perfect for integrating with Belgium Accounting's PEPPOL platform at no additional cost.
Self-Hosted Odoo Enterprise
One-time license fee, advanced features, official support, full API access without per-user API charges.
Odoo Online Custom Plan
Only if you specifically need Odoo's cloud hosting and can justify €46.70+/user/month for API access.
Self-Hosted Enterprise Multi-Company
Manage multiple client companies, full API for automation, Belgium Accounting integration for PEPPOL compliance.
One of Odoo's most compelling features for Belgian businesses is its built-in, free PEPPOL integration—available in both Community and Enterprise editions.
Belgium 2026 Mandate Compliance: Odoo's PEPPOL integration ensures your business meets the January 1, 2026 mandatory B2B e-invoicing requirements. Send and receive structured electronic invoices directly through Odoo's interface with no additional software needed.
While Odoo provides excellent built-in PEPPOL functionality, Belgium Accounting extends Odoo's capabilities with:
Direct connection to SPF Finances' MyMinfin system for automated tax reporting—beyond what Odoo PEPPOL offers alone.
Transfer invoices from Odoo to your server via FTP/SFTP/WebDAV in organized client-specific folder structures.
Sync Odoo invoices with other accounting systems, backup solutions, or client portals automatically.
Manage multiple client Odoo instances from one Belgium Accounting dashboard—perfect for Belgian accounting firms.
The Community edition includes the Invoicing app, which provides:
The free Community edition lacks advanced accounting features like automated bank reconciliation, advanced tax configurations, accounts payable/receivable aging reports, budgeting tools, and automated workflows. For most small Belgian businesses, the Invoicing app is sufficient, especially when paired with external integrations.
The Enterprise Accounting module adds sophisticated features:
Here's how Belgium Accounting can integrate with your Odoo setup to maximize automation and compliance:
Best for: Cost-conscious businesses, startups, small Belgian companies
What We Can Do:
Setup Requirements: Your Odoo instance URL/IP, API username/password. That's it.
For API access on Odoo Online, you need the Custom plan at €46.70/user/month (annual) or €58.40/month (monthly).
For a 5-person team, that's €233.50/month (€2,802/year) JUST for API access. Compare this to self-hosting Odoo Community for free with identical API capabilities.
If you're already on Odoo Online Custom plan for other reasons (multi-company, Odoo Studio, etc.), Belgium Accounting can integrate with the same API endpoints as self-hosted Odoo.
Best for: Belgian accounting firms, fiduciaries, bookkeeping services
What We Can Do:
Belgium Accounting connects to Odoo using industry-standard protocols:
🔒 Enterprise-Grade Security
Workaround: Self-host Odoo Community Edition instead. You'll get:
Hosting Options: Low-cost VPS providers (DigitalOcean, Linode, OVH) start at €5-10/month for small Odoo instances.
Workaround: Use Odoo Community for invoicing and integrate with specialized tools:
This modular approach often costs less than Odoo Enterprise while providing similar functionality.
Workaround: For self-hosted Odoo Community:
Brussels-based development team with deep knowledge of Belgian accounting requirements, SPF Finances systems, and Odoo platform.
We maximize free/open-source tools (Odoo Community) and avoid expensive per-user API fees from Odoo Online.
We build robust integrations that work with Odoo Community, Enterprise, Online—any version you choose.
Leverage Odoo's built-in PEPPOL + our MyMinfin integration for complete 2026 compliance.
Not just integration—we can develop custom Odoo modules, workflows, and automations tailored to your needs.
Connect Odoo with other systems: CRM, e-commerce, banking, document management, and more.
Whether you're running Odoo Community, Enterprise, or considering which version to choose, we can help you build the perfect integration for Belgian compliance.
Contact Daniel and Marta from our Brussels-based development team to discuss your Odoo integration, PEPPOL compliance, and accounting automation requirements.
Contact Us for Odoo IntegrationAbsolutely! Odoo Community Edition provides full XML-RPC and JSON-RPC API access when self-hosted. We can connect to any Community Edition instance with no restrictions or additional costs.
No. Odoo Community Edition includes the same PEPPOL integration as Enterprise. PEPPOL e-invoicing is free and unlimited in both versions.
As of 2025, Odoo Online Custom plan costs €46.70 per user per month (annual billing) or €58.40 per user per month (monthly billing). This is the ONLY Odoo Online plan that includes API access.
Self-hosted Odoo Community Edition is completely free (open source) with unlimited API access. Hosting costs start at €5-10/month on budget VPS providers. This is dramatically cheaper than Odoo Online's Custom plan.
Yes! We can help you migrate from Odoo Online to self-hosted Odoo Community or Enterprise, preserving all your data while gaining full API access and reducing ongoing costs.
Odoo has basic VAT reporting but does NOT have direct MyMinfin API integration. Belgium Accounting provides this missing link, connecting your Odoo invoices to SPF Finances systems for automated tax reporting.
Odoo provides excellent built-in PEPPOL sending/receiving directly in the interface. Belgium Accounting EXTENDS this with automated invoice organization, MyMinfin integration, multi-system synchronization, and accounting firm features for managing multiple clients.
Yes! Beyond integration, our team builds custom Odoo modules, workflows, reports, and automations. We're agile developers who can implement exactly what your Belgian business needs.
Yes. Odoo plans to deprecate XML-RPC and JSON-RPC endpoints in Odoo 20 (fall 2026), replacing them with the External JSON-2 API. We're already preparing for this transition and will migrate all integrations when the time comes.
Absolutely! We can connect to multiple client Odoo instances, aggregate data in a centralized Belgium Accounting dashboard, and provide consolidated reporting across your entire client portfolio.