Can Odoo manage architecture project phases?

Yes. Create projects with task groups for each AIA phase (Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, etc.). Track hours, costs, and deliverables per phase against the fee allocation.

How does Odoo handle architecture fee billing?

Configure milestone-based invoicing tied to project phases. Bill a percentage of the total fee at each phase completion, or use hourly billing with phase caps. Both fixed fee and hourly structures are supported.

Can Odoo coordinate consultants for architecture projects?

Yes. Create purchase orders for each consultant (structural, MEP, landscape). Track consultant invoices against their contracted fee. Consultant costs flow to the project's analytic account for profitability analysis.

Does Odoo track architecture project profitability?

Yes. Analytic accounts compare fee revenue against actual costs (staff hours at cost rate + consultant fees + expenses). Reports show which projects, phases, and project types are most profitable.

Odoo for Architecture Firms: Project & Design Management (2026)

Why Odoo for Architecture Firms?

Architecture firms manage multi-phase projects spanning months or years, coordinate with engineering consultants, track billable hours across project phases, and manage fee structures tied to construction costs. Odoo provides project management, time tracking, consultant purchasing, and invoicing to run an architecture practice.

Key Modules for Architecture

Requirement	Odoo Module	Architecture Use
Project Management	Project	Design phases, milestones
Time Tracking	Timesheets	Hours per phase per project
Client Management	CRM	RFP tracking, new business
Proposals	Sales	Fee proposals, scope documents
Consultants	Purchase	Structural, MEP, landscape sub-contracts
Billing	Invoicing	Phase-based billing, hourly, percentage
Documents	Documents	Drawings, specs, submittals
Expenses	Expenses	Travel, printing, model materials

AIA Project Phases

# Standard Architecture Project Phases (AIA):
# ──────────────────────────────────────────────
# Phase              | % of Fee | Duration
# Schematic Design   | 15%      | 4-6 weeks
# Design Development | 20%      | 6-8 weeks
# Construction Docs  | 40%      | 10-14 weeks
# Bidding/Negotiation| 5%       | 2-4 weeks
# Construction Admin | 20%      | 12-18 months
# ──────────────────────────────────────────────
# Total Fee (example): $180,000
# (Based on 8% of $2.25M construction cost)

Fee Structures

Architecture fees are calculated differently per project type. Odoo supports all common fee structures through flexible invoicing:

Percentage of construction cost: 6-12% of estimated or actual construction cost
Fixed fee per phase: predetermined amount per AIA phase
Hourly with cap: bill actual hours up to a maximum per phase
Hourly (time and materials): for feasibility studies and consulting
Per square foot: common for repetitive project types

Consultant Coordination

# Typical Consultant Team:
# ──────────────────────────────────────
# Discipline      | Firm               | Fee
# Structural      | ABC Engineers      | $28,000
# Mechanical/HVAC | Comfort Systems    | $22,000
# Electrical      | Bright Engineering | $18,000
# Plumbing        | Flow Design        | $12,000
# Landscape       | Green Space Design | $15,000
# Civil           | SitePlan Eng.      | $20,000
# ──────────────────────────────────────
# Total Consultants: $115,000
# Architect passes through with coordination fee

Design Review Workflow

Internal design reviews, client presentations, and city plan check submissions follow structured workflows. Odoo Project tasks model each review milestone with approval stages.

Internal design review (pin-up, team critique)
Client presentation with milestone approval
City/county plan check submission tracking
Plan check comments response and resubmission
Building permit issuance tracking

Project Profitability

Track actual hours and costs against the fee budget per phase. If schematic design was budgeted at $27,000 (15% of $180K) but actual hours cost $32,000, the project is over budget early — alerting the project manager to adjust scope or efficiency.

Budget vs actual hours per phase
Earned value: % complete vs % fee consumed
Consultant cost tracking against allowance
Project profitability reports by type, size, and team

DeployMonkey for Architecture

Deploy Odoo for your architecture firm on DeployMonkey. The AI agent configures project phase templates, fee structures, consultant management, and time tracking workflows for design practices.

Odoo for Architecture Firms: Project Management & Design Workflow