Guide ยท Odoo
How do vendor lead times and purchase buffers work in Odoo?
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In Odoo, the vendor lead time is set per vendor on the product's vendor pricelist (Purchase tab, Lead Time). It is the number of days from confirming a purchase order to receiving the goods. Days to Purchase, a company setting, adds buffer days for the vendor to confirm an RFQ. Together they decide when reordering rules ask you to order.
This guide follows the Odoo 19.0 documentation as published on 2026-10-01. The Odoo 17.0 documentation also describes a separate "Security Lead Time for Purchase" setting. In that version it moves the order deadline on a PO earlier by the days you set.
Which lead times affect purchasing?
Two settings drive purchase timing in Odoo 19: the vendor lead time and Days to Purchase. The other lead times (customer, sales security, manufacturing) affect sales and production dates.
| Setting | Meaning | Where to set it | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vendor lead time | Days from PO confirmation to receipt | Product form, Purchase tab, vendor pricelist line, Lead Time | Sets Expected Arrival on the RFQ/PO and widens the reordering window |
| Days to Purchase | Days the vendor needs to review and confirm an RFQ | Inventory, Configuration, Settings, Advanced Scheduling, Days to Purchase | Widens the reordering window; no effect on the gap between Order Deadline and Expected Arrival |
How do you set the vendor lead time?
Set it on the vendor pricelist line for each product and vendor. Odoo uses the line at the top of the list as the default vendor and lead time.
- Go to Purchase app, then Products, then Products, and open the product.
- On the Purchase tab, click Add a line (or edit the existing line).
- Enter the Vendor, Unit Price and Lead Time in days.
- Put your preferred vendor first in the list. Its lead time is the one reordering uses by default.
For many products, export the vendor pricelists from Purchase, then Configuration, then Vendor Pricelists. Edit the Lead Time column and import it back, with the External ID included so existing lines are updated rather than duplicated.
How do lead times change when Odoo asks you to order?
Odoo works backward from when stock is needed, using just-in-time logic. It adds the lead times to today to get a forecasted date. If the forecast falls below the rule's Min by that date, Odoo orders now. If the shortfall comes later, it waits.
Odoo's documented example:
- Today: April 21.
- Vendor lead time: 1 day. Days to Purchase: 2 days.
- Forecasted date: April 24 (today + 3 days).
- An RFQ created today shows Order Deadline April 23 (today + 2) and Expected Arrival April 24 (deadline + 1).
Order Deadline is the last day to confirm the RFQ. A PO whose Expected Arrival has passed counts as late and shows in the Late box on the Purchase dashboard.
For manual rules, horizon days stretch the window further. See how to read the replenishment report.
What goes wrong when lead times are off?
A lead time that is too short makes Odoo order too late. One that is too long makes it order early and carry extra stock. One that is missing makes just-in-time timing almost meaningless. Typical symptoms:
- Needs appear too late. The forecasted date is too close, so shortfalls show up after it is too late to order. Check the vendor line's Lead Time and Days to Purchase.
- RFQs never appear. The shortfall falls just after the forecasted date. See why rules are not creating RFQs.
- The wrong vendor's lead time is used. The top line on the pricelist is the default. Reorder the lines or set Vendor on the rule.
- Many POs land in Late. The real lead time is longer than the one entered. Update it from recent receipts.
How do you keep lead times accurate?
Review lead times against real receipts every quarter, starting with your biggest vendors. A simple routine:
- From the Purchase dashboard's Late box, list vendors with late POs.
- Compare their confirmation and receipt dates with the Lead Time on their pricelist lines.
- Update the pricelist lines, in bulk by export and import if there are many.
- Use Days to Purchase for a company-wide buffer rather than padding every vendor line.
How does ReorderOwl use lead times?
ReorderOwl, a purchasing agent you use in ChatGPT, reads vendors and lead times from Odoo along with sales history, stock on hand and open purchase orders. It sizes each order to cover forecast demand over the lead time plus safety-stock days.
When an item has no lead time, the cell is left blank and marked red in its Excel workbook, so you can fix it in Odoo. The Odoo connection is built and tested against Odoo test systems, and we connect it to yours with you during setup. See ReorderOwl for Odoo.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the vendor lead time in Odoo?
On the product form, Purchase tab, in the Lead Time column of each vendor pricelist line. The top line is the default.
What is Days to Purchase?
A company-wide setting under Inventory, Configuration, Settings, Advanced Scheduling. It adds days for the vendor to confirm an RFQ, which pushes reordering earlier. It does not change the gap between Order Deadline and Expected Arrival.
Are Odoo lead times in working days?
Odoo's documentation describes its lead times in calendar days, and notes that they do not account for weekends or holidays. Pad vendor lead times if your vendors only count working days.
Can one product have different lead times for different vendors?
Yes. Each vendor pricelist line has its own Lead Time. Reordering uses the top line unless the rule names a different vendor.
Sources
- Lead times (Odoo 19.0), Odoo, accessed 2026-10-01
- Just in time logic (Odoo 19.0), Odoo, accessed 2026-10-01
- Import vendor pricelist (Odoo 19.0), Odoo, accessed 2026-10-01
- Lead times (Odoo 17.0), Odoo, accessed 2026-10-01