Difference between Product Packages and Packagings in Odoo 17
Managing inventory efficiently is one of the biggest challenges for businesses that handle multiple products, warehouses, and customer deliveries. Whether you sell individual items, bundled products, or bulk quantities, selecting the right packaging method directly affects warehouse productivity, shipping accuracy, inventory accuracy, and customer satisfaction.
Understanding the Difference between Product Packages and Packagings in Odoo 17 helps businesses configure their inventory correctly and avoid operational mistakes. Although both features appear similar, Odoo designed them for completely different purposes.
Why Understanding This Difference Matters
Many businesses mistakenly use Product Packages when they actually require Product Packagings. Others create Product Packagings when warehouse Packages are more appropriate. As a result, inventory movements become confusing, warehouse operations slow down, and delivery processes become less efficient.
Fortunately, Odoo 17 separates these two concepts clearly. Warehouse teams can organize shipments more effectively, while sales teams can sell products using predefined package quantities. Therefore, businesses improve inventory accuracy and reduce manual work across departments.
What You Will Learn
This guide explains the complete Difference between Product Packages and Packagings in Odoo 17. You will learn their purpose, configuration process, workflows, business use cases, and practical differences. By the end of this article, you will know exactly which feature to use in different inventory and sales scenarios.
Product Packages in Odoo 17
One of the primary functions of product packaging is to protect the product during transportation, handling, and storage. Packaging helps prevent damage, breakage, contamination, and spoilage, ensuring that the product reaches the consumer in a satisfactory condition. Packaging helps extend the shelf life of many products by providing a barrier against external elements such as air, moisture, light, and microorganisms. This preservation function is crucial for perishable goods and products that are sensitive to environmental conditions. It is also a key element of a product’s branding and marketing strategy. The design, color, and overall presentation of the package contribute to the brand’s identity and help attract the attention of consumers.
Odoo 17 ERP System provides two effective ways of managing your Product Packaging using the Odoo Inventory module. Let us dive into each Packaging feature and its workflow!
Firstly, we can discuss Product Packages. You will need to activate the feature in Settings.
Inventory Application => Configuration Menu => Settings => Operations Section => Packages => Save
In Odoo 17, packages are collections of many products that enable product positioning and tracking. We can now create a new product package.
Inventory App => Products Menu => Packages => New
After activating the ‘Packages’ option in the settings, we can find the Packages option in the Products menu of the Inventory module. Select the ‘New’ option in the window to create a new package.
In the package form, we can fill in the details such as Package reference, Package Type, Shipping weight, Pack date, Package Use which can be disposable or reusable and so on. The ‘CONTENT’ section shows the contents of the package; this page is only available after stock movements. The product list includes the lot/serial number, quantity, unit of measurement, and product name. A package may include multiple items while delivery orders are being confirmed. After entering the details, click on the ‘Save’ option.
Packages are mainly used for delivering multiple products in Packages that are transported to the same location. The products which are to be delivered to the same location can be kept in a single package. So, let’s see the use of packages in delivering products to customer locations.
To view all the delivery orders created in the Odoo system, follow the path below:
Inventory App => Operations Menu => Transfers Section => Deliveries
Select the ‘New’ option in the ‘Deliveries’ window to create a new delivery order.
In the new delivery order, we can specify the Delivery address, Operation type, Source location, Scheduled date, and Source document along with the products and their quantity to be transported in a package under the ‘Operations’ tab. We have to ‘Save’ the order.
There is an option, ‘Put in Pack’ at the bottom-right corner of the delivery order. On selecting the option, we can arrange the products in the order in the pack.
A pop-up appears as above where we can specify the Delivery package type, Shipping weight, Scale, and ‘Save’ the package details for the order.
Now, the ‘Packages’ smart button appears at the top of the order.
On selecting the ‘Packages’ smart button, the Package associated with the delivery order is shown as in the screenshot above. Here, ‘PACK0000003’ contains the product, Large Cabinet which is specified in the delivery order.
Let us now return to the delivery order to validate the order. For that, select the ‘Validate’ button in the delivery order.
In the Package associated with the delivery order, you may now find the ‘Package Transfers’ smart button which shows the details of the transfer of the product package to the customer location.
Product Package Types in Odoo 17
We can also create different types of Product Packaging according to the size and quantity of the product to be used in packages. While transporting different products to different locations, we use different Packages ideal for the dimensions of the products that are transported. Let us now define the new product package type.
Inventory App => Configuration Menu => Delivery Section =>Package Types => New
All Package Types configured in the system are listed in the window along with details such as Package type name, Carrier integration, Height, Width, Length, Maximum Weight, and Carrier code. Select the ‘New’ option in the window for creating a new product package type.
We can also specify the dimensions of the package type here along with the maximum weight that can be accommodated in the package type. Save the created package type after entering the details.
Product Packagings in Odoo 17
Same as Packages, we need to activate the ‘Product Packagings’ feature from ‘Settings’.
Inventory Application => Configuration Menu => Settings => Products Section =>Product Packagings => Save
We can create a new product packaging by going to the ‘Product Packagings’ option directly from the settings below the feature.
We can also create new product packaging by following the path below:
Inventory App =>Configuration Menu =>Products Section =>Product Packagings => New
The page shows all the product packagings configured in Odoo.
Product Packaging in Odoo is used to keep the same products in a pack. For example, a pack of 10 pencils, a pack of 20 cards, and so on.
In the Product Packagings form, we can enter the Packaging name, Product, Package type, Contained quantity, Barcode, Company, Routes, and the option to sell and purchase the product in the created product packaging. Let us ‘Save’ the packaging for future use.
We can use this Product Packaging in a sales order to see how products can be sold in packs. For this, there is a setting that is to be activated in the ‘Sales’ Application.
Sales App => Configuration Menu => Settings =>Product Catalog Section => Product Packagings =>Save
We need to make sure that this feature in the Sales App is enabled before selling products in Packages. After that, we have to specify the product that we want to sell in packages. For that, select the product to add packaging.
Sales App => Products Menu => Products => Select the Product
In the product configuration form, add the packaging configured in the Odoo system by selecting the ‘Add a line’ option in the ‘PACKAGING’ section under the ‘Inventory’ tab. We can also add more than one packaging to a product by selecting the ‘Add a line’ option.
We can now sell this product in packages to a customer by creating a new sales order.
Sales Application => Order Menu => Orders => New
In the Quotation, we can add the customer and the product, Bolt along with their quantity and packaging details.
The quantity of Bolt in the sales order is 1. As we have selected the Product Packaging ‘100 Bolt Pack’, the required quantity in the pack is 100. A warning pop-up window appears indicating we have to sell 100 units of the Bolt. So, let us change the quantity to 100.
We can now select the 100 Bolt Pack that is configured in the Product form in the sales order. Save the order and we can proceed with the usual steps of a sales order.
We hope that you are clear with the concepts covered in this article especially the uses and workflow of Product Packages and Product Packagings in Odoo 17. We would like to know your concerns about Odoo ERP Software. Do reach out to us at www.infintor.com to learn more about Odoo ERP Software and other services.
Difference between Product Packages and Packagings in Odoo 17 – Final Comparison
Although Product Packages and Product Packagings appear similar, they solve two completely different business problems in Odoo 17. Understanding this distinction helps organizations configure their inventory correctly and avoid unnecessary operational complexity.
Product Packages primarily support warehouse logistics. They group multiple products together during picking, packing, storage, and shipping. Warehouse employees use Packages to organize deliveries, track package movements, and transport multiple inventory items under a single package reference. Consequently, businesses handling large shipments, wholesale deliveries, third-party logistics, and warehouse transfers benefit significantly from this feature.
In contrast, Product Packagings define how a single product is packaged for purchasing or selling. For example, businesses often sell products in boxes of 10, cartons of 50, or pallets of 500 units. Instead of manually entering quantities every time, Product Packagings automatically apply predefined package quantities during sales and purchase transactions. This approach improves pricing consistency, minimizes order entry mistakes, and speeds up sales operations.
When businesses implement both features together, they create a much more efficient inventory workflow. The sales team can sell products in predefined packaging quantities, while the warehouse team can pack multiple order lines into delivery packages for shipment. As a result, inventory management becomes more organized, warehouse operations become faster, and customer deliveries become more accurate.
When Should You Use Product Packages?
Product Packages work best when your warehouse needs to:
- Combine multiple products into one shipment.
- Track physical packages during inventory transfers.
- Organize warehouse picking and packing.
- Monitor package movements between locations.
- Improve delivery management and logistics tracking.
When Should You Use Product Packagings?
Product Packagings are ideal when your business wants to:
- Sell products in predefined pack sizes.
- Purchase products in standard quantities.
- Maintain packaging consistency across sales orders.
- Reduce manual quantity calculations.
- Improve order processing efficiency.
Business Benefits of Using Both Features
Businesses implementing Product Packages and Product Packagings correctly in Odoo 17 can experience several operational improvements. Warehouse staff spend less time organizing shipments because packages simplify delivery operations. At the same time, sales representatives process quotations more quickly since packaging quantities automatically populate during order creation. Inventory accuracy also improves because warehouse movements and sales packaging remain standardized throughout the business.
Furthermore, these features support scalable warehouse operations. As order volumes increase, businesses can continue managing inventory efficiently without introducing unnecessary manual work. Consequently, companies improve customer satisfaction through faster deliveries, accurate shipments, and better stock visibility.
Why Businesses Choose Odoo 17 Inventory Management
Odoo 17 provides an integrated inventory management platform that connects purchasing, sales, warehouse operations, manufacturing, accounting, and logistics within a single ERP system. Instead of relying on multiple disconnected applications, businesses manage every inventory transaction from one centralized platform.
Features such as barcode scanning, batch transfers, package tracking, warehouse routing, automated replenishment, serial number management, lot tracking, and advanced reporting make Odoo 17 one of the most powerful inventory management solutions for growing businesses.
When implemented correctly, Odoo Inventory helps organizations reduce operational costs, improve warehouse productivity, increase order accuracy, and deliver better customer experiences.
Conclusion
Understanding the Difference between Product Packages and Packagings in Odoo 17 is essential for building an efficient inventory management process. While Product Packages help organize and track multiple items during warehouse operations and deliveries, Product Packagings define how individual products are purchased and sold in standardized quantities. Since each feature serves a unique purpose, businesses should configure them according to their operational requirements rather than treating them as interchangeable tools.
Whether you manage a retail business, wholesale distribution, manufacturing company, or eCommerce operation, implementing these Odoo 17 features correctly will improve inventory accuracy, simplify warehouse operations, and enhance overall business efficiency.
If you are planning to implement Odoo ERP, customize your inventory workflows, or optimize warehouse management, Infintor Solutions can help. Our experienced Odoo consultants deliver end-to-end Odoo implementation, customization, migration, integration, and support services tailored to your business requirements. Contact our team today to discover how Odoo 17 can transform your inventory and supply chain operations.