Ventus Implements Odoo to Automate Subscription Billing and Agreement Management – Case Study
Overview
Name of Company: Ventus
Country: USA
Industry: Telecommunications & IT Networking
Implementation Partner: Bista Solutions Inc.
Services Offered/Apps Implemented: CRM, Sales, Subscription, Invoicing, Agreements, Purchase, Manufacturing, Inventory
Ventus partnered with Bista Solutions to implement Odoo in order to modernize core operational workflows and eliminate manual processes tied to subscription billing and customer agreement tracking. The main objective was to move away from manual invoicing for complex subscription scenarios and establish a system that could support growth while remaining adaptable as business needs changed.
Customer Snapshot
Ventus is a managed connectivity and network infrastructure provider that supports businesses with secure, reliable networking. Their focus is simplifying WAN complexity for organizations by providing centralized oversight, security, uptime, and ongoing support so customers can stay focused on their core operations instead of network maintenance.
Founded: 1999
Headquarters: Norwalk, Connecticut, USA
Acquired: Acquired by Digi International in 2021 (a larger technology and connectivity company)
Ventus delivers managed connectivity services designed to cover the full lifecycle of enterprise networks, including:
- Managed Connectivity and WAN Services
- Network Technologies and Solutions
- Hardware and Monitoring Tools
- 24/7 Support and Service Management
The Challenge
Ventus’ primary need was an ERP system that could generate subscription invoices automatically across the real-world scenarios they were handling manually.
Ventus required subscription invoicing that could cover scenarios such as:
- Subscription prorations
- Prorated credits
- Early termination fees
- Charging one month in advance
These were common cases being completed manually. Ventus also lacked a system to manage customer agreements. Agreement values and tracking were being handled manually.
Existing systems and why change was necessary
Initially, the goal was to replace QuickBooks for invoicing. Later, Ventus was acquired by Digi International, which had an established NetSuite system. As a result, the operating process became:
- Odoo generates invoices
- Invoices are manually exported from Odoo to NetSuite
Ventus was also dealing with an internal PHP-based system that had accumulated increasing customization over time, which made it difficult to manage. This was a major driver for moving to Odoo, including the need for faster customization as requirements changed.
Why Bista Solutions
Ventus found Bista Solutions online. Early engagement helped build confidence, including:
- An initial GAP analysis
- Initial meetings that strengthened trust in the approach
- Extensive onsite visits by Bista subject matter experts (SMEs), which supported closing the project
Scope of the Odoo Implementation
Modules implemented for Ventus
- CRM
- Sales
- Subscription
- Invoicing
- Agreements
Additional scope for a child company
Over time, Ventus had a child company under it: Ventus Technologies LLC, with approximately 15 licenses separately. That environment included:
- Purchase
- Manufacturing
- Inventory
This portion was described as mostly default with less customization compared to Ventus Wireless.
Timeline and Project Evolution
- Initial GAP analysis occurred in 2016
- Overall development and implementation took 2 years
- Go-live occurred in 2018
- The project has continued since 2018 and has undergone multiple Odoo migrations:
- Started on Odoo v11
- Migrated to Odoo v13 (ran for a few years)
- Later moved to Odoo v18
As Ventus expanded, additional modules were implemented through the lifecycle of the project, customized according to business requirements.
Delivery Model
The implementation was primarily completed remotely, supported by one onsite resource who worked directly with the client to handle:
-
- Daily meetings
- Demos
- Capturing changing business needs
Integrations
The implementation included:
- API integration with an internal system called “VPS”
- API integration with NetSuite
Challenges Encountered
A continuing challenge involves customers with a large number of active subscriptions. Generating invoices for those customers is time-consuming and remains a major challenge.
Outcome
Ventus currently uses Odoo for:
- Lead and opportunity workflow
- Sending proposals and quotes
- Customer agreements
- Customer pricelists
- Sales orders and subscriptions
- Order and subscription lifecycle activities
- Invoice generation
Once lifecycle activities are complete, Odoo generates invoices, which are then manually exported to NetSuite.
Current status
Ventus is satisfied with the implementation. The project is currently in support, with minor changes still coming up.
Training and Ongoing Support
Training approach
- After the initial go-live, training was conducted for 2 months
- Since then, there have been 3 migrations, and each migration includes about 2 months of user QA and training
Support model
Bista currently provides:
- Quarterly SOWs for high-level tasks
- A dedicated team supporting new customization, bug fixes, and general support
All in all, by partnering with Bista Solutions, Ventus established a long-term Odoo environment that supports complex subscription billing, customer agreement management, and day-to-day sales operations in a single system. From the initial GAP analysis through multiple Odoo migrations and ongoing support, Bista has remained closely aligned with Ventus as the business evolved. Today, the solution continues to operate as intended, with automated invoicing, structured workflows, and a support model that allows Ventus to make incremental improvements while maintaining stability in their core operations.
