After spending over two decades helping media companies and TV channels successfully implement ERP solutions, I can confidently say this — the media industry is one of the most complex, fast-moving, and unique sectors to work with.
Unlike traditional industries, media businesses are dealing with rapid content cycles, tight advertising windows, multi-platform distribution, and ever-changing audience demands. It’s not just about tracking products or services — it’s about managing content assets, ad slots, royalties, live schedules, and multi-channel subscriptions — often all at the same time.
Over the years, I’ve seen too many media houses struggle with disconnected tools, Excel-based ad inventories, missed billing cycles, and painfully slow scheduling processes. What’s worse? These issues silently bleed revenue.
That’s exactly where Odoo ERP’s streamlined implementation has consistently changed the game for my clients. But here’s the truth — not every Odoo implementation is created equal. Media companies need a very tailored, step-by-step approach.
I’ve built this checklist from my real-world experiences working closely with TV channels, digital publishers, and creative agencies. If you’re planning to install and customize Odoo ERP for your media business, this guide will help you avoid common pitfalls and set your project up for long-term success.
Let’s walk through it — one step at a time.
My Proven Step-by-Step Checklist for Odoo ERP Implementation in the Media Industry & TV Channels
Phase 1: Pre-Implementation Planning (The Foundation You Can’t Skip)
1. Understand What Matters Most to Your Business
In my experience, most media companies get the biggest wins when they start by focusing on:
- Managing ad slot sales efficiently
- Handling multi-platform content scheduling
- Automating billing and subscription models
- Tracking royalties and content rights
- Giving creative teams a structured way to collaborate
Before jumping into the software, you need to map out your priorities.
2. Define Clear, Measurable Goals
Ask yourself:
- Do we need to reduce the time it takes to schedule and broadcast content?
- Are we losing revenue because ad slots aren’t managed in real-time?
- How quickly are we able to bill advertisers and collect payments?
Your goals should directly address these pain points.
3. Build the Right Project Team
I’ve learned that ERP projects succeed when you involve:
- Sales teams who understand ad bookings
- Content managers who know daily scheduling chaos
- Finance teams who can flag billing gaps
- IT experts to handle the technical side
Don’t build your project in a silo. Cross-team collaboration is key.
4. Set a Realistic Budget and Timeline
You need to budget for:
- Odoo licenses
- Custom development (most media companies need this)
- Data migration (always more complex than it seems)
- User training and ongoing support
And trust me — leave room for surprises. ERP projects often uncover hidden process gaps you didn’t know existed.
Phase 2: Installing Odoo ERP (Where the Real Work Begins)
5. Decide: Cloud or On-Premise?
Based on my years of implementing both, most media companies do better with cloud hosting because:
- It’s faster to scale as you grow
- Updates and security patches are easier
- Remote teams can access it anywhere
But if your company has strict internal policies, on-premise might be your path.
6. Get Your Infrastructure Ready
For cloud:
- Choose a reliable hosting partner
- Configure your database securely
For on-premise:
- Make sure your server is strong enough to handle media files and real-time data flow
7. Install Core Odoo Modules
From experience, here’s your starting lineup:
- CRM (for managing advertiser relationships)
- Sales (for ad slot bookings)
- Invoicing (to tighten your billing cycles)
- Project (to track campaigns and creative jobs)
- Studio (you will need this for custom tweaks)
8. Add Media-Specific Custom Modules
This is where most off-the-shelf ERPs fall short — but Odoo can handle it with the right customization:
- Ad slot scheduling and inventory
- Subscription management across TV, web, and mobile
- Royalty tracking and rights management
- Multi-platform content publishing dashboards
Phase 3: Mapping, Customizing & Making It Fit You
9. Document Your Existing Processes (No Guesswork)
Take time to lay out:
- How your team books ad slots now
- How content moves from creation to publishing
- How subscriptions are handled across platforms
This is your baseline. Without this, you’re flying blind.
10. Identify What’s Broken
I’ve seen companies discover massive gaps here — like manual processes that take hours but could be automated in minutes.
Look for:
- Data silos
- Excel sheets running your ad schedules
- Delays in cross-team approvals
11. Customize Odoo to Mirror Your Workflow
For media companies, some of the best ERP customizations I’ve delivered include:
- Real-time ad slot availability dashboards
- Automated approval chains for content scheduling
- Subscription bundles (TV + Digital + Mobile offers)
Make Odoo work for you, not the other way around.
12. Integrate with Third-Party Tools
I always recommend integrating:
- Ad servers
- Broadcasting systems
- Social media management tools
- CDNs
This gives you a single source of truth.
Phase 4: Data Migration & Testing (Where Projects Often Slip)
13. Plan Data Migration Carefully
Migrating:
- Advertiser databases
- Content libraries
- Ad inventory histories
- Billing records
This can get messy if rushed. Double-check the formats and back everything up.
14. Test, Test, and Test Again
Run your key workflows:
- Booking an ad slot
- Scheduling a program
- Billing a subscription
Validate that everything flows correctly before moving forward.
15. Conduct User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
Let real users test it, not just the project team. I’ve seen critical improvements come from frontline teams during this phase.
Phase 5: Training & Go-Live (Don’t Skip This)
16. Train by Department
- Sales: CRM and ad sales
- Content: Scheduling and publishing workflows
- Finance: Billing, invoicing, and royalty tracking
Real success happens when users are comfortable with the system.
17. Set Proper User Permissions
One mistake I’ve seen? Giving everyone access to everything.
Control access tightly to protect sensitive financial and content data.
18. Start with a Soft Go-Live
I always recommend running the old and new systems side-by-side for a few weeks.
It gives teams confidence before fully switching over.
19. Full Go-Live
Once everyone’s comfortable, make the full transition.
Be ready with immediate support in case things need quick adjustments.
Phase 6: Post-Go-Live Support (Where Long-Term Success Lives)
20. Monitor System Health
Track:
- Speed
- Accuracy
- Reporting reliability
- User adoption rates
Don’t assume it’s perfect on day one.
21. Have Ongoing Support in Place
Set clear SLAs with your support partner so you know how fast you’ll get help when issues come up.
22. Keep Improving
The most successful media companies I’ve worked with keep fine-tuning their workflows and adding new features as they grow.
ERP is not a one-time project — it’s a journey.
For sure Odoo ERP revolutionizes media operations when it’s done right.
It’s not just about installing software — it’s about:
- Building the right processes
- Training your people
- Connecting your tools
- Constantly evolving with the industry
This checklist is not theory — it’s built from the ground up based on what has actually worked for TV channels, broadcasters, and media agencies I’ve personally guided.
If you want to talk about how you can leverage media specific ERP for your business, I’d love to share more.
Just drop us a line at sales@apagen.com or call us at +91 9971800665.
