The Challenge 

Romo’s existing accounting software, Sage Opera, no longer met the company’s requirements. The outdated system struggled with handling multi-company management, VAT reporting, bank reconciliation, and invoice processing, which hindered operational efficiency and scalability. Romo needed a modern solution to centralise and automate these processes while providing advanced financial oversight. 

The Solution

Smart IT proposed implementing the Odoo Accounting module, designed to deliver robust financial management capabilities. Key features of the solution included: 

• Multi-Company Management: Seamless setup and automation for inter-company transactions. 
• Invoice Digitisation: Leveraging the Odoo Documents App for automated invoice processing. 
• Bills Approval and Expense Management: Enhanced controls for deferred expenses and approval workflows. 
• Bank Reconciliation: Comprehensive tools for reconciling multiple accounts efficiently. 
• Budgeting and Consolidation: Enabling accurate financial reporting across multiple entities. 

Additionally, Smart IT extended the solution to include: 

• Purchase Management: Streamlined procurement processes for better supply chain efficiency. 
• Maintenance Tracking: Tools to manage and schedule equipment upkeep, minimising downtime. 
• Employee Management: Centralised HR functionalities, from onboarding to performance tracking. 
• Expense Handling: Simplified expense claims with improved visibility and approval workflows. 
• Document Management: Secure storage and easy access to critical documents across teams. 

 Smart IT also delivered tailored training through a "train-the-trainer" approach and facilitated a smooth data migration, including vendor details, the chart of accounts, and opening balances. 

The Results 

The deployment of Odoo Accounting transformed Romo’s financial operations, delivering measurable improvements: 

• Streamlined Processes: Automated workflows for invoicing, bank reconciliation, and expense management reduced manual effort and errors. 
• Enhanced Reporting: Comprehensive VAT reporting and budgeting tools improved compliance and strategic planning. 
• Improved Financial Oversight: Simplified tracking and approval flows enabled better decision-making. 
• Scalability: The system’s flexibility positioned Romo for future growth and system expansions. 

“Having identified that we needed new accounting software to try and capture the functions of several outdated and disjointed software functions, we partnered with Smart IT to help us identify how to transition and best practice implement what we wanted to achieve with the new software. 

We have found Smart IT to be very responsive and supportive through the initial setup of the software and look forward to building our relationship over the coming years as we transition more functions. 

We believe Smart IT will be able to support and guide us through our planned transitions and to put us on the best footing to achieve our goals.” 
- Denise Rook, Group Financial Controller 

Conclusion 

The partnership between The Romo Group and Smart IT has successfully transformed Romo’s accounting processes, aligning their operations with modern standards while enhancing efficiency and scalability. By implementing Odoo’s robust features and tailoring the system to meet Romo’s unique needs, Smart IT has enabled the business to achieve greater financial oversight and operational excellence. As Romo continues to expand, the foundation built through this collaboration ensures they are well-positioned to adapt, grow, and drive innovation across their portfolio of brands.