Why Indexing Matters in Odoo
Odoo is a modular ERP system that heavily relies on PostgreSQL for managing its business-critical data — from sales orders and customer records to inventory and accounting. Every user interaction triggers multiple database queries, and poorly optimized indexes can cause significant slowdowns.
Well-designed indexes can reduce query times from seconds to milliseconds. Conversely, incorrect or redundant indexes can degrade performance, increase write overhead, and consume unnecessary storage.
1. Tailored Indexing — Not One Size Fits All
At Cybrosys, we understand that each query has a unique pattern, and indexing must be designed accordingly. Our team carefully analyzes:
- Query filters (e.g., WHERE, JOIN, ORDER BY)
- Execution plans using EXPLAIN ANALYZE
- Table scan frequencies and query counts
- Odoo model usage and access patterns
Based on this analysis, we create precise indexes that match the workload, not just general best practices.
2. Types of Indexes We Use for Odoo
We implement the most suitable index types based on query and column behavior:
- B-Tree Indexes: Ideal for equality and range searches on numeric or text fields
- GIN & GiST Indexes: Powerful for full-text search, JSON fields, and array columns used in advanced Odoo modules
- Partial Indexes: Index only rows matching specific conditions — great for archiving, soft-delete flags, or filtering frequent subsets
- Expression Indexes: Index based on expressions like LOWER(email) or DATE(created_at) to speed up specific query patterns
- Covering Indexes (INCLUDE): Allow PostgreSQL to fetch all required columns directly from the index
3. The Risk of Unsuitable Indexing
More indexes do not always mean better performance. Poorly chosen indexes can:
- Slow down INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE operations
- Consume significant disk space
- Mislead the PostgreSQL query planner, leading to inefficient query paths
- Introduce maintenance complexity in Odoo’s evolving schema
That’s why we perform index audits regularly, removing unused indexes and optimizing existing ones.