Losing $57K on Remote Work Chaos? Manage Hybrid Teams in Odoo 18
By Braincuber Team
Published on December 22, 2025
Company allows remote work. HR manager uses spreadsheet to track who's working from where. Employee 1: "Office Monday-Wednesday, home Thursday-Friday." Employee 2: "Home all week except Tuesday." Employee 3: "Office but left early—didn't update sheet." Manager needs to schedule urgent meeting—checks spreadsheet, shows 8 people in office. Calls office: only 3 actually there. Wastes 37 minutes hunting people down. Happens 4 times weekly. Payroll runs—remote employees forgot to log hours, manual follow-up takes 6.2 hours monthly. Attendance report for audit: 18 hours to compile from scattered spreadsheets, emails, Slack messages.
Your remote work chaos: Spreadsheet tracking (out of sync within 2 hours of update). No single source of truth for employee locations. Managers don't know who's available where (meeting coordination nightmare). Attendance tracking broken (remote employees "forget" to log). Time-off requests mixed with WFH requests (approval confusion). Payroll errors (remote hours not captured = 7% underpayment complaints). Compliance risk (labor laws require location tracking for remote workers). No visibility into remote productivity vs office productivity. Hybrid schedule confusion (employee scheduled office day, works from home anyway).
Cost: Manual tracking time = 6.2 hours monthly × 12 × $67/hour = $4,982/year. Meeting coordination failures = 37 min × 4 weekly × 52 × $87/hour = $11,180 (manager time wasted). Payroll errors = 23 complaints × 4.7 hours resolution × $67/hour = $7,267. Attendance audit preparation = 18 hours × $87/hour = $1,566 (quarterly × 4 = $6,264/year). Compliance risk (labor department audit found location tracking failures) = $27,400 fine. Lost productivity tracking = can't measure remote vs office efficiency, can't optimize hybrid policies.
Odoo 18 Employee Remote Working fixes this: Work locations (Office, Home, Hybrid) defined in system. Employee profiles show current location + weekly schedule. Visual dashboard: See who's where today (office icons vs home icons). Attendance module: Remote check-in/check-out (IP/geolocation verified). WFH requests as Time Off type (approval workflow built-in). Working hours per location (track productivity by work location). Reports: Remote work analytics, location-based attendance. Here's how to configure remote work management so you stop losing $57K annually to hybrid work chaos.
You're Losing Money If:
What Remote Work Management Does
Centralized system to track employee work locations (office/home/hybrid), manage schedules, approve WFH requests, capture attendance remotely, and generate location-based reports.
| Spreadsheet Tracking | Odoo Remote Work Management |
|---|---|
| Out of sync within 2 hours (37 min wasted weekly) | Real-time location dashboard (instant visibility) |
| Manual attendance = 6.2 hrs monthly ($4,982/year) | Auto check-in/out (0 manual work) |
| No WFH approval workflow (confusion) | WFH as Time Off type (approval built-in) |
| 18 hours quarterly audit prep ($6,264/year) | One-click attendance reports (15 min) |
| Compliance risk = $27,400 fine | Location tracking compliant (audit-ready) |
💡 Remote Work Dashboard View:
Manager opens Odoo at 9 AM:
- Today's View: Employee cards show 🏠 (home) or 🏢 (office) icon
- Status colors: Green (present), Gray (absent), Orange (not working hours)
- Schedule visibility: Click employee → See Monday-Sunday location plan
- Meeting scheduling: Filter "In office today" → 12 people shown → Schedule conference room
- Total time: 45 seconds vs 37 minutes hunting via spreadsheet
Step 1: Enable Remote Work Feature
- Go to Employees app
- Navigate to Configuration → Settings
- Find Remote Work section
- Enable ☑ Remote Work checkbox
- Click Save
✓ Feature Enabled:
- Work Locations menu appears in Configuration
- Employee profiles gain Work Information → Work Location Schedule
- Kanban view shows current work location on employee cards
- Attendance module can track remote check-ins
Step 2: Configure Company Working Hours
Define standard working schedules (full-time, part-time, shift-based).
- Go to Employees → Configuration → Working Schedules
- Click Create
- Configure schedule:
- Name: "Standard 40 hours/week"
- Company: Select your company
- Company Full Time: 40 hours/week
- Average Hour per Day: 8.0 hours
- Work Time Rate: 100% (for full-time)
- Timezone: Select timezone (e.g., Asia/Kolkata)
- ☐ Flexible Hours: Uncheck for fixed schedule, check for flexible
- In Working Hours tab, add daily schedule:
- Monday: 09:00 - 18:00 (1 hour lunch break 13:00-14:00)
- Tuesday: 09:00 - 18:00
- Wednesday: 09:00 - 18:00
- Thursday: 09:00 - 18:00
- Friday: 09:00 - 18:00
- Saturday/Sunday: Leave empty (weekend)
- Click Save
Working Hours Fields Explained:
- Company Full Time: Used for payroll calculations (e.g., 40 hrs/week = 1.0 FTE)
- Average Hour per Day: Automatically calculated from weekly hours ÷ 5 days
- Work Time Rate: 100% = full-time, 50% = part-time (20 hrs/week)
- Flexible Hours: When enabled, employees not bound to strict start/end times (total hours tracked)
- Timezone: Important for remote workers in different time zones
Create Additional Schedules (Optional)
For part-time or different shift patterns:
- Part-Time 20 hours/week: Work Time Rate = 50%, 4 hours daily
- Flexible Schedule: Check "Flexible Hours", set total weekly hours
- Night Shift: 22:00 - 06:00 schedule
Step 3: Create Work Locations
- Go to Employees → Configuration → Work Locations
- Click Create
- Configure first location (Office):
- Work Location Name: "Main Office"
- Work Address: Link to company address or create new
- Cover Image: Select building icon (for visual identification)
- Company: Select company
- Click Save
- Create second location (Remote):
- Work Location Name: "Home / Remote"
- Work Address: Can leave generic or link to employee home
- Cover Image: Select home icon
- Company: Select company
- Click Save
- Create additional locations as needed:
- "Branch Office - Mumbai"
- "Co-working Space - Bangalore"
- "Client Site"
💡 Cover Image Icons:
Choose icons for quick visual recognition on dashboards:
- 🏢 Building icon: Office locations
- 🏠 Home icon: Remote/WFH
- 📍 Map marker: Client sites, co-working spaces
- 🌐 Globe icon: International locations
Step 4: Configure Employment Types
Define job arrangement categories (Full-Time, Part-Time, Contractor, etc.).
- Go to Employees → Configuration → Employment Types
- Default types available:
- Employee
- Student
- Trainee
- Contractor
- Freelance
- Create custom types if needed:
- Click Create
- Name: "Remote Full-Time" or "Hybrid Employee"
- Click Save
- Employment types used for:
- Filtering employees in reports
- Applying specific policies (e.g., contractors don't get PTO)
- Payroll rules differentiation
Step 5: Configure Employee Profiles
Set Employment Type
- Go to Employees → Employees
- Open employee record
- Go to Settings tab
- Employee Type: Select (e.g., "Employee", "Contractor")
- Click Save
Assign Working Hours
- In employee record, go to Work Information tab
- Working Schedule: Select schedule (e.g., "Standard 40 hours/week")
- System calculates expected hours based on schedule
- Click Save
Configure Work Location Schedule
- In Work Information tab, find Work Location Schedule
- Weekly calendar appears (Monday-Sunday)
- For each day, select work location:
- Monday: "Main Office"
- Tuesday: "Main Office"
- Wednesday: "Home / Remote"
- Thursday: "Main Office"
- Friday: "Home / Remote"
- Saturday/Sunday: (non-working days, no selection)
- System displays:
- 🏢 Building icon for office days
- 🏠 Home icon for remote days
- Color-coded status (green = present, gray = absent)
- Click Save
Example Work Location Patterns:
🏢 Full-Time Office:
Mon-Fri: Main Office | Sat-Sun: Off
🏠 Fully Remote:
Mon-Fri: Home / Remote | Sat-Sun: Off
🔄 Hybrid (3-2 Split):
Mon-Wed: Main Office | Thu-Fri: Home / Remote | Sat-Sun: Off
🌍 Multi-Location:
Mon-Tue: Main Office | Wed: Client Site | Thu-Fri: Home / Remote
Step 6: View Remote Work Dashboard
Kanban View (Visual Dashboard)
- Go to Employees → Employees
- Switch to Kanban view (grid icon)
- Each employee card displays:
- Employee photo
- Name and job title
- Current Work Location: 🏢 "Main Office" or 🏠 "Home / Remote"
- Status indicator: Green dot (present), Gray (absent), Orange (outside hours)
- Manager can see at a glance: "Who's in office today?"
- Filter by location:
- Click Filters
- Add custom filter:
Current Work Location = Main Office - Shows only employees in office today
Employee Detailed View
- Click employee card
- Go to Work Information tab
- View full weekly schedule:
- Calendar view with icons for each day
- Current day highlighted
- Past days show attendance status (checked in/out times)
- Future days show planned location
Step 7: Setup WFH Time Off Type (Optional)
For ad-hoc WFH requests that need approval (not part of regular schedule).
- Go to Time Off → Configuration → Time Off Types
- Click Create
- Configure WFH time off:
- Time Off Type Name: "Work From Home"
- Take Time Off in: Days or Half Days
- Validation: Set approval required (by manager)
- Allocation: No limit or set limit (e.g., 52 WFH days/year)
- Color: Choose color for calendar display
- Click Save
Employee Requests WFH
- Employee goes to Time Off app
- Click New Time Off
- Select:
- Time Off Type: "Work From Home"
- From: Date (e.g., tomorrow)
- To: Same date (1 day) or range
- Description: Optional reason
- Click Submit
- Manager receives notification for approval
- Once approved, employee's work location for that day updates to "Home"
Step 8: Configure Remote Attendance Tracking
Enable remote employees to check in/out via Odoo Attendances module.
- Go to Attendances app (install if not already)
- Navigate to Configuration → Settings
- Enable features:
- ☑ Kiosk Mode: Employees check in/out via device
- ☑ Display Extra Information: Show work location on check-in
- Optional: Enable pin code for security
- Click Save
Remote Employee Check-In
- Employee opens Odoo (web or mobile app)
- Go to Attendances app
- Click Check In button
- System records:
- Check-in timestamp
- Current work location (from employee profile schedule)
- IP address (optional for verification)
- Geolocation (if mobile app with permissions)
- At end of day, click Check Out
- Total hours automatically calculated
⚠️ Remote Attendance Verification:
For remote workers, consider enabling:
- IP Whitelist: Only allow check-in from approved IP ranges
- Geofencing: Mobile app verifies location within radius
- Random Screenshots: Third-party integration for compliance industries
- Activity Tracking: Via Timesheets module (project-based time logging)
Step 9: Generate Remote Work Reports
Location-Based Attendance Report
- Go to Attendances → Reporting → Attendances
- Apply filters:
- Date Range: This month
- Work Location: "Home / Remote"
- Report shows:
- Total remote work hours by employee
- Average daily hours remote vs office
- Attendance rate (checked in/out compliance)
- Export to Excel for further analysis
Employee Work Location Schedule Report
- Go to Employees → Employees
- Select multiple employees (checkbox)
- Click Print → Work Location Schedule
- PDF generates showing weekly schedules for all selected employees
- Use for:
- Team coordination meetings
- Office capacity planning
- Compliance audits (location tracking records)
Real-World Impact
Software Company (120 Employees) Example:
Before Odoo Remote Work Management:
- Google Spreadsheet tracking (updated manually by employees)
- Out of sync within 2 hours of Monday update
- HR spends 6.2 hours monthly chasing attendance data
- Meeting coordination: 37 minutes wasted weekly hunting people
- Payroll errors: 23 complaints about missing remote hours
- Quarterly audit: 18 hours compiling location records
- Labor department audit: Failed location tracking requirement = $27,400 fine
- No visibility into remote productivity vs office
After Implementing Odoo Remote Work:
- Configured work locations (Office, Home, 2 branch offices)
- 120 employees assigned weekly location schedules
- Kanban dashboard: Real-time view of who's where
- Meeting coordination: 45 seconds (filter "in office today")
- Remote attendance: Check-in/out via mobile app (IP verified)
- WFH requests: Approval workflow (replaced email chaos)
- Payroll: Attendance data auto-feeds (zero manual collection)
- Audit reports: One-click export (15 minutes vs 18 hours)
- Analytics: Remote work = 7% higher productivity (data-driven decisions)
Financial Impact:
- HR time saved: 6.2 hrs monthly × 12 × $67/hr = $4,982
- Manager time saved: 37 min weekly × 52 × $87/hr = $11,180
- Payroll error resolution: $7,267 eliminated
- Audit prep time: 18 hrs → 15 min quarterly = $6,106 saved
- Compliance fine avoided: $27,400
- Productivity optimization: 7% increase = $247,000 annual value
- Total Year 1 impact: $303,935
- Implementation cost: $0 (included in Odoo), 4 hours setup time
Best Practices
- Set Clear Remote Work Policy
- Define eligibility (which roles can work remotely)
- Set hybrid schedules (e.g., min 2 days office per week)
- Document in employee handbook, link from Odoo
- Update Schedules Regularly
- Review employee work location schedules quarterly
- Adjust based on business needs (e.g., more office days for team projects)
- Communicate changes 2 weeks in advance
- Monitor Attendance Compliance
- Weekly report: % employees checking in/out properly
- Follow up with non-compliant employees (gentle reminders first)
- Link compliance to performance reviews
- Use Data for Decisions
- Compare remote vs office productivity (Timesheets module)
- Analyze: Are remote days meeting output targets?
- Adjust policies based on data, not assumptions
- Integrate with Other Modules
- Timesheets: Track project hours by location
- Appraisals: Include remote work adaptability criteria
- Recruitment: Specify remote-eligible roles in job postings
Pro Tip: Remote work isn't binary (office or home). Many employees thrive in hybrid. Odoo's weekly location schedule lets you optimize: Monday-Tuesday office (team collaboration days), Wednesday-Friday remote (deep work days). Data showed one company's developers 18% more productive on remote days (fewer interruptions), but collaboration suffered. Solution: Mandated 2 office days weekly for all teams on same days (Tuesdays-Wednesdays). Productivity stayed high, collaboration improved. Use Odoo's flexibility to experiment, measure, optimize.
Losing $57K Annually to Remote Work Chaos?
We configure Odoo 18 Employee Remote Working: Work locations, attendance tracking, WFH approval workflows, location-based reports, compliance setup. Turn spreadsheet hell into real-time visibility.
