Challenges Faced by Isha Foundation

With an expanding global presence and numerous parallel initiatives, Isha Foundation faced several operational and logistical challenges:

• Disparate Systems: Various teams managed operations through different tools, leading to data silos and inefficiencies.

• Manual Processes: Heavy reliance on manual operations resulted in slower decision-making and delayed reporting.

• E-commerce Complexities: Managing the September Bloom initiative and other e-commerce platforms lacked centralization of marketing and financial data.

• Vendor Coordination: Coordination of Job Work with multiple vendors for semi-finished and finished goods was cumbersome.

• Retail Expansion: Managing retail stores across locations, along with POS systems, required a robust unified platform.

• Volunteer & Donation Management: Their large volunteer base and donation channels lacked proper integration and visibility.

• Event & Educational Program Management: Organizing events and yoga programs needed a structured backend.

• Accounting and Compliance: Ensuring accurate accounting and approval workflows across subsidiaries was complex and error-prone.
  

   

Need for a Robust, Scalable ERP System

The Foundation required a digital solution that could:

• Unify diverse operations across departments and geographies.

• Centralize data for real-time visibility and reporting.

• Streamline marketing, e-commerce, retail, and logistics.

• Enable better financial management and compliance.

• Support both volunteer-driven initiatives and structured business operations under one system.
  
  

Browseinfo’s Implementation Approach

As an Odoo Gold Partner, Browseinfo took a consultative and phased approach to Isha Foundation’s digital transformation journey. The solution was designed to manage over 6000 users and included a mix of Odoo Community and Enterprise Editions. The implementation included:

 

Key Modules Implemented (Detailed):

Website & E-Commerce

• Developed a fully functional, responsive website integrated with Odoo backend.

• Centralized product listings and inventory for September Bloom and other online stores.

• Custom-built checkout processes including support for donations and multi-currency transactions.

• Integrated payment gateways and delivery management with real-time tracking.

• SEO optimization and Google Analytics integration for marketing visibility.

Sales, Purchase, Inventory & Invoicing

• Created automated workflows for handling multi-company and multi-warehouse operations.

• Integrated real-time inventory tracking across all retail stores and warehouses.

• Developed custom vendor Job Work tracking systems for semi-finished and finished goods.

• Configured auto-generation of sales orders, RFQs, and purchase orders from website and POS.

• Automated the entire invoicing process with localized tax compliance (GST, etc.).

POS for Multi-location Retail

• Deployed and configured Odoo POS across multiple Isha Life retail outlets.

• Real-time inventory sync with backend warehouses to ensure stock consistency.

• Enabled POS users to handle offline sales, returns, loyalty programs, and offers.

• Integrated barcode scanning and receipt printing with payment terminal support.

Accounting & Approval Flows

• Implemented a multi-level approval system for expenses, purchases, and payments.

• Designed custom accounting reports aligned with Indian and international compliance.

• Created real-time financial dashboards to monitor fund utilization across departments.

• Automated journal entries for inter-company transactions and donation tracking.

Manufacturing & Job Work Vendor Management

• Developed a full-fledged Job Work module to handle outsourcing of semi-finished and finished goods to vendors.

• Integrated production planning with vendor scheduling, material dispatches, and QC processes.

• Automated tracking of raw materials sent to vendors and finished goods received.

Volunteer & Donation Management

• Implemented custom modules for volunteer on boarding, tracking, and role allocation.

• Created a donation management system to track contributions by source, type, and campaign.

• Enabled automatic donor acknowledgment, 80G certificate generation, and integration with fundraising platforms.

Event & Education Program Management

• Customized event module to manage yoga programs, retreats, and teacher training sessions.

• Integrated booking, ticketing, registration, and participant tracking.

• Implemented feedback loops and attendance reports for continuous improvement.

Marketing Automation

• Built automated campaigns for email, SMS, and social media outreach.

• Configured drip campaigns for event reminders, cart recovery, and donor engagement.

• Real-time campaign performance tracking with click-through and conversion metrics.

Document Management & Sign

• Digitized document approval workflows using Odoo Sign.

• Centralized documentation related to vendor contracts, employee on boarding, and legal agreements.

• Enabled document sharing and access control based on department/user roles.

Custom Dashboards & Reporting

• Created custom dashboards for leadership to view KPI metrics, operational summaries, and donation flows.

• Configured department-specific reports for Finance, HR, Marketing, and Retail teams.

• Scheduled automated reports for regulatory compliance, donation audits, and internal reviews.

Custom Integrations (Detailed):

Centralized Platform for September Bloom

• Integrated September Bloom, Isha’s flagship e-commerce initiative, directly with Odoo for seamless product management, order processing, and inventory tracking.

• Automated the syncing of marketing campaigns, stock levels, and fulfillment across retail and online channels.

• Integrated with shipping and logistics APIs to automate order dispatches and tracking notifications.
  Enabled performance tracking and ROI analysis of campaigns through consolidated dashboards.

Integrated Marketing Analytics

• Set up seamless connections between Odoo Marketing modules and external tools like Google Analytics, Mail chimp, and social media platforms.

• Built real-time dashboards to track the effectiveness of email campaigns, SMS broadcasts, and social media promotions.

• Enabled auto-segmentation of donors, customers, and volunteers for personalized communication.

Multi-level Approval Workflows

• Implemented highly customized multi-tier approval workflows for:

• Purchase Orders

• Payment Requests

• Volunteer Assignments

• Donation Disbursements

• Integrated with document management and digital signature features to ensure compliance and accountability.

• Provided role-based visibility and override controls for management and department heads.

Vendor Lifecycle and Quality Control (QC) Tracking

• Developed a vendor onboarding and lifecycle management module with performance history, certification uploads, and QC feedback loops.

• Integrated Job Work vendors into production and manufacturing workflows for real-time coordination.

• Implemented QC checkpoints at various stages—goods received, in-production, and final dispatch.

• Automated rejection reporting and return handling with root cause analysis features.

Multi-Language & Multi-Currency Support

• Configured system to support global users with multi-language interfaces (English, Hindi, Tamil, and more).

• Enabled multi-currency transactions, particularly for donations and purchases across US, Europe, and Asia.

• Auto-updated exchange rates and tax compliance based on jurisdiction.

Payment Gateway & Donation Integrations

• Integrated multiple payment gateways including Razorpay, Stripe, and PayPal for domestic and international transactions.

• Custom donation widgets embedded on various websites and mobile apps, feeding directly into Odoo for real-time donation tracking.

• Enabled scheduled/recurring donations with automated receipts and 80G compliance certificates.

Volunteer Portal Integration

• Built a connected portal for volunteers to:

• Register and apply for roles

• Submit availability

• Track hours and certifications

• Integrated with HR, Events, and Communication modules for full lifecycle visibility.

Event Booking & Calendar Sync

• Integrated external calendar tools like Google Calendar with Odoo Events.

• Enabled real-time updates of program schedules, volunteer shifts, and meetings across teams.

• Developed mobile-friendly booking experience for end users to register for events and sessions.

Third-Party Logistics & Fulfillment Partners

• Integrated with 3 PL providers for both domestic and international shipping operations.

• Real-time tracking updates fed back into Odoo for customers and warehouse teams.

• Automated generation of shipping labels, commercial invoices, and export documentation.

Results & ROI

The transformation brought by Browseinfo resulted in measurable improvements across departments:

Area	Before	After Odoo Implementation
Manual Coordination	High effort and prone to error	Automated workflows with approval layers
Data Silos	Disconnected systems	Unified real-time dashboards
Retail & POS	Standalone systems	Fully integrated retail and POS across India
E-Commerce Management	Decentralized	Centralized platform with real-time analytics
Volunteer Engagement	Untracked	Managed through structured volunteer module
Donation Tracking	Manual and inconsistent	Automated with complete audit trails
Multi-company operations	Complex and unstandardized	Consolidated under a unified ERP