Case Study: Digital Transformation in International Education
How International British School turned data chaos into a streamlined system with Odoo 18 Enterprise
International British School (IBS)
Administrative
Odoo 18 Enterprise
(Deep Customization)
HR, Payroll, Contracts, Documents as Phase 1 of general ERP implementation
Orchestrating Digital Transformation
International British School (IBS) Case Study
Executive Summary (Brief for C-Level)
The "Before" Situation
Critical reliance on manual Excel calculations (5 levels of verification), high risk of payroll errors, fragmented data (Yomly + Excel + PandaDoc + Google Forms), opaque tracking of Time Off and Allowances.
The "After" Result
The Challenge: An Equation with Many Variables
Managing human capital in an international school differs drastically from standard business. It involves a rigid academic calendar superimposed on the complex logistics of expat life.
Core "Pains" at IBS before implementation:
"Excel Dependency" in Finance
Payroll calculation involved 5 circles of hell: export from Yomly → manual Part-time recalculation → manual applying allowances & deductions → manual tracking and calculation Time Offs → final spreadsheet consolidation from different Excel files. Error risk increased at every step.
"Expat Package" Complexities
The school manages the lives of not just the employee, but their entire family (visas, housing, flights). This data was tracked in disconnected silos.
Dynamic Motivation
The system of allowances for extracurricular work ("Management Points") changed every semester, requiring constant manual monitoring of contracts.
The Challenge: "5 Circles of Hell"
Managing human capital in an international school is an equation with many variables. Before Odoo 18, Finance relied on a fragile, manual Excel-based ecosystem. Payroll calculation involved 5 distinct levels of manual verification, increasing the risk of error with every step.
Previous Pain Points:
- Fragmented data (Yomly, Excel, Google Forms).
- Critical risk of "Expat Package" errors.
- Manual tracking of "Management Points".
- Opaque Time Off tracking.
The Old Manual Workflow
Solutions for the HR Department: From Admin to Strategist
We transformed the HR module from a simple database into an intelligent talent management hub.
Data "Gold Standard" (Compliance)
In international matters, "just a name" is a risk. We implemented a strict structure:
Passport Name Policy:
Fields for First / Middle / Last Name are strictly separated. This is critical for visa centers and flight bookings (a one-letter error costs money).
Preferred Name:
A separate field for the "School Name" (e.g., Mr. Bob), used for internal communications to avoid confusing official documents.
Smart Time Off Management
No more disputes over "did my leave expire?"
Odoo automatically analyzes the contract type and reason for absence, deciding whether to deduct weekend days from the balance.
Transparency:
Employees see their real-time balance in their portal, not in an HR manager's Excel sheet.
Family Profile in One Click
Instead of routine form filling, we developed a Family Wizard.
Automation The system automatically establishes links (Is Student, Is Parent), creating a unified ecosystem for the school community.
HR Transformation: Speed & Structure
Turning the HR department from administrators into strategists by automating routine tasks and enforcing data integrity.
Family Data Entry Time Cost
Drastic reduction in administrative overhead per employee.
The "Family Wizard"
Instead of manual form entry, we developed a custom Wizard. HR now enters spouse and child data in just 60 seconds. The system automatically establishes links (Is Student, Is Parent), creating a unified ecosystem.
Data "Gold Standard"
Passport Name Policy: Strict separation of First, Middle, and Last names ensures 100% compliance for visa centers and flight bookings.
Smart Time Off: Automated logic decides whether to deduct weekend days based on contract type.
Solutions for Finance: Precision and Control
The Finance Department needed a system that eliminates end-of-month "surprises," alongside auto-generation of Payroll Reports and Bank Reports with digital signature processes.
Financial Engine "Allowances"
We digitized the complex gamification and allowance system.
A teacher assumes the role of "Head of Year" for 6 months. How do you remember to add and then remove the allowance promptly?
Each role has a "weight" in points and a value. Points are assigned in the contract with clear Start/End Dates.
Allowances Matrix
- Housing Housing logic (cash allowance vs school-provided accommodation) — directly impacts taxes.
- Education Tuition benefits for employees' children.
- Flights Who flies? (Employee / +Spouse / +Family). Result: Data flows into the payslip automatically.
Payroll Architecture: "Main vs Additional Run"
A unique solution for the "mid-month joiner" problem.
Outcome: Custom reports merge both runs into a single Total Cost of Employment file, ensuring accounting has perfectly accurate figures for final posting.
Finance: The Engine of Accuracy
Digitizing the complex "Management Points" system and ensuring absolute payroll precision for hundreds of staff with varying contracts.
Handling Complexity: The Allowances Matrix
An international teacher's compensation is more than just a salary. It's a complex stack of benefits. We created a "Calculator Tab" in Odoo that automatically feeds the payroll engine.
- • Basic Salary
- • Housing Allowance
- • Flight Tickets
- • Education Benefits
- • Management Points
- • Operational (Uniforms)
The "Mid-Month Joiner" Solution
Problem: Main payroll closes on the 20th, but 10 new staff arrive on the 22nd.
Solution: Parallel Payroll Runs.
Teacher Compensation Structure
Visualizing the "Allowances Matrix" automation
For the IT Director: Reliability and Tech Stack
A brief architecture overview ("Under the Hood"):
Security (Safeguarding)
Strict Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). Personnel files, medical records, and visas are stored in isolated Workspaces.
Localization
Field validation for local requirements (Emirates ID) with automatic alerts and notifications for document expiry.
Python Customization
- ▶ Added functionality to include or exclude weekends in vacation calculation and payroll calculation. This is also taken into account when carrying forward vacation to the next payroll.
- ▶ Developed MP (Management Points) functionality and implemented its usage in payroll calculation.
- ▶ Developed a final summary report with manager signatures for all salaries calculated within a batch.
- ▶ Determination of the leave type after manager approval.
- ▶ Added new fields to the employee and contract objects.
- ▶ Developed employee family information functionality.
- ▶ Enhanced Salary Attachments for flexible configuration and further use in payroll (use of payout coefficient – prorata, display of the payout amount).
Added approval workflow configuration functions for different Time Off types
Security & GDPR
Strict Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). Personnel files and medical records are stored in isolated "Workspaces".
Python Customization
Rewrote core logic for leaves, payrolls and extended HR models to fit the school's unique data structure.
Localization
Field validation for local requirements (e.g., Emirates ID) with automatic expiry alerts.
From Chaos to Clarity
The implementation of Odoo 18 at International British School didn't just automate old processes; it created a new digital foundation. We delivered 100% payroll accuracy, a single source of truth, and peace of mind for the Directorate.
Conclusion
The implementation of Odoo 18 at the International British School is a case study on how specific industry requirements can be elegantly solved with a flexible ERP.
Odoo has become the digital foundation upon which the effective management of a modern international school is built.