Connect Odoo ERP to WhatsApp

Odoo has three API protocols (XML-RPC, JSON-RPC, REST). This guide uses the REST API with Bearer token, available from Odoo 16+. It is the cleanest method for WA.Expert integration. If you are on Odoo 14 or 15, see the JSON-RPC alternative in the troubleshooting section below.

If you do not see the API Keys tab, your Odoo version may be older than 16, or the feature may be disabled. In Odoo 14/15, enable it via Settings > Technical > Allow API Keys. On very old versions, use JSON-RPC with username and password instead.

Odoo external API: odoo.com/documentation/19.0/developer/reference/external_api.html

The | operator in Odoo domain is a prefix OR. Put it before the two conditions it joins. Without customer_rank filter, the search returns all contacts including suppliers and employees.

[
  {
    "id": 142,
    "name": "Priya Sharma",
    "email": "priya@example.com",
    "phone": "9820000001",
    "mobile": "+919820000001",
    "street": "12 MG Road",
    "city": "Mumbai",
    "customer_rank": 3,
    "supplier_rank": 0
  }
]

Odoo's REST API returns partner records as a plain array, not wrapped in a 'data', 'value', or 'response' object. Map your variables using [0].name, [0].email, [0].city directly. If the array is empty, no partner was found with that phone number.

customer_rank is a count of how many sales orders the partner has placed. Higher values mean longer-standing customers. Use it to personalise replies: 'Welcome back, valued customer' vs 'Welcome, new customer'.

If the customer messaged you first within the last 24 hours, your reply is a free service conversation. For proactive outbound messages from Odoo data, use an approved Utility or Marketing template.

Customer messages your WhatsApp number.
WA.Expert captures their phone as {{customer_phone}} = "9820000001".

External API Request step:
GET https://yourcompany.odoo.com/api/res.partner
  ?domain=[["phone","=","9820000001"]]
  &fields=["name","city","customer_rank","email"]
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ODOO_API_KEY

Response (array):
[{
  "id": 142,
  "name": "Priya Sharma",
  "city": "Mumbai",
  "customer_rank": 3,
  "email": "priya@example.com"
}]

Mapped:
customer_name = "Priya Sharma"
customer_city = "Mumbai"
customer_rank = "3"

Conditions: if array is empty → "We could not find your record."

Bot replies (if found):
"Hi Priya Sharma, welcome back!
Account city: Mumbai
You have placed 3 orders with us.

Reply ORDERS to check your latest order status,
or reply SUPPORT for assistance."

Step 1: Authenticate to get user ID
POST https://yourcompany.odoo.com/web/session/authenticate
Content-Type: application/json

Body:
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "call",
  "params": {
    "db": "your_database_name",
    "login": "your@email.com",
    "password": "your_password_or_api_key"
  }
}

Response: { "result": { "uid": 7, ... } }  ← store uid

Step 2: Search res.partner
POST https://yourcompany.odoo.com/web/dataset/call_kw
Content-Type: application/json

Body:
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "call",
  "params": {
    "model": "res.partner",
    "method": "search_read",
    "args": [[ ["phone", "=", "9820000001"] ]],
    "kwargs": {
      "fields": ["name", "email", "city", "customer_rank"],
      "limit": 1
    }
  }
}

Response: { "result": [{ "id": 142, "name": "Priya Sharma", ... }] }
Map: result[0].name, result[0].city