ECO Types & Stages in Odoo 18

Engineering managers handling product changes create approval chaos: mechanical engineer proposes component substitution for Electric Motor BoM, emails request to 5 reviewers, 3 approve via email but 2 never respond, engineer assumes approval implements change to production BoM, production discovers incompatible part causing $25K assembly line stoppage, investigation reveals no documented approvals—creating production crisis and compliance failures from informal change management without systematic ECO workflow tracking who approved what changes when.

Odoo 18 ECO Types & Stages enable structured engineering change management with ECO Type projects organizing changes by category (Product Design/Firmware/Components), customizable stage workflows (Feedback→In Progress→Verification→Approved→Closed), required approver configuration preventing unauthorized BoM changes, email alias auto-creation for external requests, Kanban visualization tracking ECO progress, folded stage cleanup, and flexible tagging—ensuring traceable change control reducing unauthorized production changes 90% through enforced approval gates and audit trails.

What are ECO Types?

ECO Types categorize Engineering Change Orders into projects grouping similar changes:

• Separate Workflows: Each type has its own stage pipeline
• Team Focus: Design team sees only design ECOs, firmware team sees only firmware ECOs
• Organized Management: Changes grouped by category not mixed together

Common ECO Type Examples:

• Product Improvement: Design enhancements, material upgrades
• Firmware Update: Software/firmware changes
• Component Substitution: Supplier changes, part replacements
• Cost Reduction: Value engineering initiatives
• Regulatory Compliance: Safety/compliance-driven changes

Creating ECO Type

1. Go to PLM → Configuration → ECO Types
2. Click New
3. Configure type fields (detailed below)
4. Save

ECO Type Configuration Fields:

Example Setup:

Editing ECO Type

1. Go to PLM → Configuration → ECO Types
2. Click on type to edit
3. Update Name or Email Alias
4. Click Save

ECO Stages Overview

Stages define the structured path ECOs follow from creation to completion:

Creating ECO Stage

1. Go to PLM → Configuration → ECO Stages
2. Click New
3. Enter Stage Name
4. Configure options (detailed below)
5. Save

Stage Configuration Options:

Creating Stage from Kanban View

Add stages directly from PLM Overview dashboard:

1. Open PLM → Overview
2. Select ECO Type project
3. Click + Stage button (right side of Kanban)
4. Enter stage name (e.g., "Testing")
5. Click Add

Benefit: Quick workflow adjustment during product launches without navigating to configuration.

Configuring Verification Stage

Verification stages require approvals before applying BoM changes:

1. In Kanban view, hover over stage column
2. Click ⚙️ gear icon → Edit
3. Check "Allow to apply changes"
4. Under Approvers, click "Add a line"
5. For each approver:
   • Select Role
   • Select User
   • Set Approval Type: "Is required to approve" (at least one must be required)
6. Click Save & Close

Approval Notification:

When ECO moves to verification stage:

• Assigned approver(s) receive automatic notification
• Approver reviews ECO details
• Approver accepts or rejects
• ECO progresses only after required approvals obtained

Configuring Closing Stage

Final stage marking ECO completion or cancellation:

1. Hover over final stage in Kanban
2. Click ⚙️ gear icon → Edit
3. Check "Folded in Kanban view" (collapse for cleaner layout)
4. Check "Allow to apply changes" (enable final BoM application)
5. Check "Final Stage" (designate as workflow endpoint)
6. Click Save & Close

ECO Tags

Flexible categorization across ECO types:

Creating Tags:

1. Go to PLM → Configuration → ECO Tags
2. Click Create
3. Enter Tag Name
4. Save

Example Tags:

Applying Tags:

• Edit ECO record
• Select one or more tags in Tags field
• Or use quick-edit from Kanban/List view

Benefit: Same tags work across all ECO types enabling cross-project filtering (e.g., show all "High Priority" ECOs regardless of type).

Complete Workflow Example

Best Practices

Always Configure Verification Stage: At least one stage with required approvers = mandatory. Prevents engineering changes applied without oversight. Production BoM update without approval = potential assembly line failure costing $10K-100K+ per incident.

Use Email Aliases for External Requests: Suppliers sending change requests via regular email = lost in inbox, no tracking. Email alias auto-creates ECO with audit trail showing: who requested, when submitted, current status, approval history. Never lose change request again.

Fold Closed Stages Not Delete: Completed ECOs moved to "Closed" stage folded in Kanban = clean workspace but preserved history. Deleting ECOs = lost compliance documentation when auditor asks "why did BoM change in March?" 2 years later.

Conclusion

Odoo 18 ECO Types & Stages enable structured engineering change management through type-based project organization, customizable approval workflows, verification gates with required approvers, and flexible tag categorization. Reduce unauthorized production changes 90% ensuring traceable change control with complete audit trails for compliance and continuous improvement.