In just one day, we developed a fully functional, interactive cargo tracking map within Odoo—using entirely open-source tools. Integrated with 17TRACK and OpenStreetMap, it enables companies shipping internationally from China or Mexico to follow their containers, parcels, and air shipments in real time—at zero cost for most use cases.
Introduction
Keeping track of international shipments has long been a pain point for businesses dealing with factories, 3PLs, and overseas customers. Whether it’s a container leaving Shenzhen or a parcel bound for Berlin, knowing *where* your cargo is—and *when* it will arrive—can make or break your supply chain planning.
At Majorbird, we built a proof-of-concept shipment tracker fully integrated with Odoo. In under 24 hours, we had an interactive, real-time map up and running. Now it’s already being adopted by customers across regions.
A Map that Knows Where Your Cargo Is
We built an interactive map (think Google Maps-style) entirely using open source libraries and OpenStreetMap. It automatically updates cargo positions using live data from the [17TRACK](https://www.17track.net/) platform, which supports most shipping providers worldwide.
Here’s how it works:
- Odoo users input the shipment info (packing list, container number, B/L, or parcel tracking ID).
- When the shipment is marked *In Transit*, our system registers it with 17TRACK.
- From then on, it polls for position updates, matches them with GPS coordinates, and draws them on the map.
Smart Geolocation and Progress Visualization
Each new update from the 17TRACK API includes a city or checkpoint. Using the free OpenStreetMap geocoding API, we convert these into precise coordinates. Then we use simple math to:
- Draw smooth route lines between known checkpoints
- Estimate progress toward ETA
- Highlight delays or detours visually
The result: your team can see where things are, and what’s coming next, directly in Odoo.
Automating Notifications and Alerts
Because all this data lives inside Odoo, we can do much more than visualization. We set up triggers and rules to:
- Send email alerts when a shipment is delayed or near arrival
- Attach a link to the map in the notification
- Notify internal teams or external customers depending on shipment status
It’s not just visibility—it’s actionable logistics automation, all from your ERP.
Conclusion
This proof-of-concept only took a day to build—and it’s already saving hours of follow-up time for customers managing logistics out of China and Mexico. With zero licensing costs for up to 100 active shipments, this approach is perfect for SMEs and factories that want real-time shipment visibility without enterprise pricing.
Interested to do the same ?