CLK Supplies, a distributor of locksmith tools and supplies, transformed its daily operations by implementing Odoo as a unified business management system. In this customer story, President P.J. Slauson explains how the company moved away from fragmented software to streamline inventory, purchasing, accounting, and CRM processes, while improving visibility and control across the entire operation..
About the Company
Based in Hayden, Idaho, CLK Supplies serves professional locksmiths by providing locks, keys, and specialized tools. The company has grown organically from hands-on industry experience, rooted in a family business.
"I grew up working for my dad, who is a locksmith. I started selling some of his extra supplies on eBay in 2004, and that kind of led into what we are today."
Today, the company employs more than 20 people and differentiates itself through both its product offering and its strong community engagement. CLK Supplies runs the “#Lockboss” community, which includes weekly live shows and interactive sessions where professionals connect, learn, and share expertise, an uncommon approach in a traditionally transactional industry.
Inefficient Inventory and Purchasing Workflows Before Odoo
Before adopting Odoo, CLK Supplies relied on a combination of Fishbowl for inventory and QuickBooks Online for accounting, alongside various Zoho tools. This multi-system setup created inefficiencies and operational friction.
"It was a complete disaster in many ways. It would break all the time, it was very expensive, actually double the cost of Odoo, and the workflows weren’t customizable at all."
The lack of integration between systems made it difficult to maintain consistency across operations. Teams had to navigate disconnected tools, which slowed down processes and limited visibility. As a result, everyday tasks became unnecessarily complex and frustrating.
Building an Integrated Workflow Across Departments with Odoo
CLK Supplies discovered Odoo while searching for a more robust ERP solution, particularly for inventory and purchasing management. After encountering discussions in online forums and exploring product demos, the team identified Odoo as a potential fit.
Implementation began in March–April 2023, with the company going live on December 1, 2023. Contrary to the typical challenges associated with ERP transitions, the internal response was overwhelmingly positive.
"Usually, when companies switch ERPs, everyone is upset. In our case, it was the exact opposite; everyone was very happy."
With approximately 25 Odoo apps in use, CLK Supplies now runs its core operations on a fully integrated platform. The company actively uses Inventory, Purchase, Manufacturing, Sales, CRM, and Accounting, enabling a connected workflow across departments.
End-to-end traceability across sales, inventory, and fulfillment: One of the most impactful improvements has been the ability to trace transactions across the entire workflow. Using Odoo’s interconnected system and smart buttons, employees can move seamlessly from a sales order to related invoices, picking operations, and fulfillment details. This level of traceability is critical for inventory management with Odoo and customer service. Teams can quickly identify who processed an order, what was shipped, and when, without switching systems.
Custom automation for manufacturing workflows with Odoo: CLK Supplies also leverages Odoo for manufacturing management, including custom automation. For example, the company developed a script that integrates Amazon FBA recommendations into Odoo. Previously, employees manually reviewed Amazon data and created manufacturing orders. Now, the system automatically generates draft manufacturing orders based on demand, reducing the process to under 10 minutes per week. “What used to be almost impossible to keep up with is now very streamlined,” Slauson explains.
Flexible pricing strategies with Odoo Sales: Using Odoo Sales, CLK Supplies can create and manage customer-specific price lists. This is particularly useful for negotiated pricing agreements with certain clients, including government entities. The ability to assign tailored pricing structures improves accuracy and efficiency in sales management with Odoo, while reducing manual adjustments.
Future plans: scaling operations and expanding automation with Odoo
Looking ahead, CLK Supplies plans to continue growing both operationally and strategically. The company recently acquired a competitor and successfully integrated it into Odoo, demonstrating the platform’s scalability.
"We plan to do another acquisition this year as well. Being able to incorporate that into Odoo is awesome."
In parallel, the team is exploring new efficiencies within Odoo, including advanced picking strategies and additional automation. With the rollout of version 19, CLK Supplies is evaluating new warehouse workflows and planning further system enhancements. “We’re always looking for more efficiencies,” Slauson adds. “We plan to continue adding automations.”
From inventory and manufacturing to CRM and accounting, CLK Supplies demonstrates how a fully integrated ERP system can simplify complex workflows and support business growth. Ready to streamline your operations with Odoo? Contact our team today to learn how Odoo can adapt to your business needs.
