A manufacturing skills gap can exist even when a plant has employees available for every shift. The key question is whether those employees have the qualifications required for the work they are expected to perform. In Odoo 20, this involves two separate records: employee skills and certifications, which describe a person's documented capabilities, and the Allowed Employees field on a Work Centre, provided by the Enterprise Shop Floor module (mrp_workorder), which restricts employee selection at that work centre.
Consider a manufacturer with several CNC machines and specialised welding stations. An employee may have CNC Operation recorded in their Skills profile and hold a relevant safety certification. However, the employee will only be available for selection at that work centre if they are included in its Allowed Employees list. Managers need to review both records when assessing workforce coverage.
In practical terms, manufacturing skills may include:
- Skill Types, such as CNC Operation, Welding, and Quality Control
- Individual Skills and their recorded proficiency levels
- Certifications with validity start and end dates
- Work Centre Allowed Employees lists
- Employee coverage across specialised production areas
In Odoo 20, the Employees app records employee skills, skill types, skill levels, and certifications. Managers can review these records through the Skills Inventory report to identify employees with the required capabilities.
Separately, the Enterprise Shop Floor module (mrp_workorder) provides the Allowed Employees field on each Work Centre. It lists the employees available for selection when work is assigned at that centre. If the field is left blank, all employees are allowed. Odoo does not automatically compare this list with an employee's Skills or Certifications records. Managers must maintain work-centre access according to the plant's qualification and authorisation rules.The two records support different management decisions: documented qualifications and work-centre availability.
Separate Qualifications From Work Centre Permissions
A welding qualification, forklift certificate, or CNC training record does not automatically mean an employee is authorized for every related work centre. Internal production rules may require site-specific orientation, supervisor approval, recent experience, or additional equipment training.
In Odoo 20 Employees, Skill Types organise capabilities into categories such as Machine Operation, Quality Control, Safety, or Equipment Maintenance. Individual Skills record a specific capability, while Skill Levels indicate the employee's proficiency. Skill Types can also be configured as certifications, allowing formal qualifications to be recorded with validity dates and supporting documents.
Allowed Employees is a separate field on the Work Centre form in the Manufacturing app. If the field is left blank, all employees are allowed. Odoo does not automatically compare an employee's Skills or Certifications records with this list. Managers must maintain the list according to the plant's qualification and authorisation rules.
Employee Skills and Certifications should be reviewed according to the installed Employees application and available edition features. The Allowed Employees field is part of the standard Manufacturing Work Centre configuration in Odoo 20.
It is available under Manufacturing app → Configuration → Work Centers → General Information and does not require the Shop Floor application.
Build a Skills Matrix for Production Decisions
A skills matrix gives managers a clearer way to compare required capabilities with available people. Consider a fabrication operation with manual welding stations, robotic welding cells, and inspection equipment. Each area may call for a different mix of welding ability, safety training, programming knowledge, inspection knowledge, and certifications.
Odoo 20 Employees allows managers to organise workforce information through Skill Types, individual Skills, Skill Levels, and Certifications. For example, a fabrication plant can define Welding, CNC Operation, and Quality Control as skill categories, then record the specific capabilities and proficiency levels of individual employees. Formal certifications can also be recorded with validity dates.
Useful categories may include:
- Equipment authorization
- Safety certification
- Quality training
- Regulated trade credentials
- Production programming knowledge
The Skills Inventory report is available under Employees app → Reporting → Skills Inventory. It groups recorded competencies by Skill Type and individual Skill, and shows the employees who have each skill and their recorded proficiency levels. Managers can use this report to identify areas with limited coverage and compare available capabilities with the requirements of each production area. The report does not compare employee skills with Work Centre Allowed Employees automatically.
A formal matrix that automatically compares requirements by role, shift, or equipment may need reporting configuration, exports, dashboards, or custom development.
Keep Certified Operators Current at Each Work Centre
Consider a laser cutting work centre. An operator may require equipment training, safety certification, and demonstrated production competence. Employee records can document the related Skills and Certifications, including certification and expiry dates. Management then decides who is currently authorized under internal policies.
To configure this restriction in Odoo 20, open Manufacturing app → Configuration → Work Centers and select the relevant work centre.
In the General Information tab, add the permitted employees to the Allowed Employees field. These employees become available for selection when work is assigned at that work centre. If the field is left blank, all employees are allowed.
Reviewing employee profiles and updating Allowed Employees creates a disciplined review process. A production manager can examine an employee profile, confirm relevant records are present, then add or remove that person from Allowed Employees. Managers should repeat this review when an employee changes roles, completes training, transfers to another production area, or when equipment requirements change.
Standard Odoo 20 keeps employee certifications and Work Centre Allowed Employees as separate records. It does not automatically verify that an employee's certification meets a specific work-centre requirement or remove an employee from the Allowed Employees list when a certification expires. A process that checks expiry dates, requests approvals, or updates work-centre eligibility automatically requires additional configuration, integration, or custom development.
Review Workforce Records Before Gaps Disrupt Production
Skills and permissions need ongoing governance. Retirements, promotions, leave coverage, turnover, new hires, and changing customer demand can all alter available coverage. A new machine or revised production process may also create qualification requirements that did not exist before.
We suggest periodic reviews involving production, quality, HR, and maintenance leaders. Focus attention on exposed areas, including:
- Single-person coverage for specialised equipment
- Missing or outdated certification dates
- Employees no longer assigned to a production line
- Newly trained operators awaiting authorization
- Work centres with specialised access requirements
Accurate records also help preserve qualification continuity as experienced people leave the organization. Our article, “Maintenance Knowledge is Retiring: What Regulatory Deadlines Can Teach Canadian Manufacturers,” explores the related risk of knowledge leaving the workforce. Here, the focus remains on personnel competency records and work centre permissions rather than work instructions or maintenance knowledge processes.
Turn Workforce Visibility Into a Practical ERP Plan
Odoo 20 Employees records who has the required skills and certifications, while Manufacturing Work Centres define who can be selected to perform work at each location through the Allowed Employees field. Reviewing both records helps production managers identify where documented qualifications and work-centre permissions need attention.
Start with work centres that depend on scarce expertise, regulated credentials, specialised machinery, or limited operator coverage. Document the required factory work skills, review employee records, and update Shop Floor work-centre lists whenever people, equipment, or production responsibilities change. This focused approach can address the manufacturing skills gap without turning the work into a broad HR project.
Turn Skills Data Into Better Production Decisions
Kodershop helps manufacturers connect workforce capability data with the operational decisions that affect scheduling, quality, and output. See how our approach to the manufacturing skills gap can support a clearer, more reliable view of shop-floor readiness. When you are ready to assess your Odoo requirements, contact us to speak with our team.