Odoo partners can offer MCP to clients as a defined service: check the client's plan and version, design least-privilege users, connect a hosted, open-source or Odoo-native MCP server to the client's AI assistant, run a short pilot with a few named people, and then support it. The partner's value is knowing the client's data model, custom modules and access rules, which is exactly what makes an MCP connection safe and useful.
Why clients ask partners about MCP
Clients see AI assistants connect to e-mail, files and calendars, and ask why their ERP is not on the list. Odoo 20 now has an MCP server for Enterprise, which makes the question more frequent. Most clients still run Odoo 16 to 19, often with custom modules, and need someone who knows their database to answer it.
Step 1: qualify the client
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Odoo version and edition | Odoo 20 Enterprise has a native MCP server; 16 to 19 and Community need a third-party server |
| Hosting and plan | On Odoo Online, the external API requires the Custom plan |
| AI assistant in use | Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot or other; check the client's plan allows custom MCP servers |
| Data quality | Duplicate partners and inconsistent products produce poor answers |
| A named first user | A person who asks the same Odoo question every week |
| Custom modules | Custom models may need their own tools or field descriptions |
Step 2: design a pilot
One team, one to three people
For example the finance lead and the managing director. Each gets their own Odoo user and API key.
Read-only for the first weeks
Agree five to ten real questions in advance and compare the answers with Odoo reports.
Then one write action
Such as a draft quotation or a note on a lead, with confirmation required and undo available.
Review the log together
Go through the audit log with the client: which tools were used, which answers were wrong and why.
Decide
Extend to more users, add tools, or stop. A pilot that ends with "not useful yet" is still a valid result.
Step 3: choose the server model
| Model | Partner effort | Fits when |
|---|---|---|
| Odoo's native MCP server | Configure server actions and OAuth clients | Client is on Odoo 20 Enterprise or recent Odoo Online with the AI app |
| Open-source server, self-hosted | Deploy, secure, update, monitor | You have DevOps capacity and need full control |
| Hosted MCP service | Onboard users, configure permissions | You want to offer the service without running servers |
| Hosted service on the client's server | Coordinate installation with the provider | Client policy requires everything on its own infrastructure |
Licences matter if you host for clients. AGPL requires sharing modifications with network users, and Elastic License 2.0 restricts offering the software as a managed service. See the licence column in the server comparison.
White-label and branding questions
Before you promise a branded "AI for Odoo" service, check:
- whether the server's licence or the provider's terms allow your brand on it;
- whose name appears in the OAuth consent screen the client sees when connecting;
- who signs the data processing agreement with the client, and who is a sub-processor;
- where the server and its audit log are hosted.
Support model
Write down who does what before the pilot starts:
- Partner: Odoo users, groups, record rules, custom fields, first-line questions about data.
- MCP server provider: availability, tool behaviour, logs, security updates.
- AI vendor: the assistant, its plan limits and its data terms.
- Client: who may connect, which data is in scope, who reviews the log.
How partners can price it
We do not publish prices, and partners set their own. Common structures are a fixed-fee pilot with a defined question list, a monthly support fee per connected database, or inclusion in an existing support contract. Avoid pricing per AI call, which clients cannot predict.
Working with us
We run a hosted Odoo MCP server in pilot, for Odoo 16 to 20, with per-user Odoo API keys, read tools, confirmed and undoable write actions, and an audit log of every action. Self-hosted setup is possible for clients who require it. If you are a partner with a client in mind, request a pilot below and tell us about the client's version and hosting.
Partner pilot enquiry
Tell us about your partner practice, the Odoo versions your clients run and the first client you have in mind. We reply by e-mail.
Frequently asked questions
Do Odoo partners need to build their own MCP server?
No. Partners can use Odoo's own MCP server on Odoo 20 Enterprise, an open-source server, or a hosted service. Building one makes sense only if you need tools specific to your vertical modules and have the capacity to maintain and secure it.
Which clients are a good fit for an MCP pilot?
Clients on the Custom plan or on-premise, with reasonably clean data, a named person who asks the same Odoo questions every week, and an AI assistant already approved by their management. Clients on the Odoo Online Standard plan cannot use the external API.
Can a partner offer MCP under its own brand?
With open-source servers, yes, within the terms of each licence: AGPL and Elastic 2.0 have conditions for network or managed-service use. With a hosted service, branding depends on that provider's terms, so ask before you promise it to a client.
Who supports the client when the AI gives a wrong answer?
Agree on this before the pilot. Usually the partner handles first-line questions about Odoo data and permissions, the MCP server provider handles server issues, and the AI vendor handles the assistant. Write it in the pilot scope.