One of the tasks that can often be frustrating and time-consuming for users is trying to find the information they need. When datasets are small and simple there is not much of an issue. As the number of records in the system grows, it can become increasingly hard to find information.

When implementing an ERP system, you will want to take the time to work with users and get familiar with the data that they use each day. If you are working with a purchasing system that only produces an average of 10 purchase orders a day, you will have far fewer concerns raised over advanced searching in that application. However, if you have 20 purchasing agents cutting 450 purchase orders a day, it will be critical that the users have a firm grasp on the search functionality of the system. Trying to locate a specific order can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Fortunately, Odoo offers a robust searching mechanism, as well as the ability to create dashboards for displaying information that the user may need to look at frequently.

In this chapter, we will create a new database with demonstration data so you can better see the searches in action.