Dolibarr Roadmap: What to Expect in Future Versions

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. A Brief History of Dolibarr Development

3. How Dolibarr Releases Are Planned

4. What Was Delivered in Recent Versions (21.x–22.x)

5. Key Themes for Future Development

6. Upcoming Features in Version 23.0 and Beyond

   • 6.1 User Experience and Interface Enhancements

   • 6.2 Accounting and Compliance Improvements

   • 6.3 Project and Task Management Upgrades

   • 6.4 CRM and Sales Automation Enhancements

   • 6.5 API and Integration Roadmap

   • 6.6 New Tools for Developers and Module Creators

   • 6.7 HR and Payroll Evolution

   • 6.8 Reporting and Business Intelligence Plans

7. Focus on Localization: France, Morocco, and Beyond

8. Strategic Priorities for Long-Term Development

9. The Role of the Community in Shaping the Roadmap

10. How to Prepare for Future Upgrades

11. Final Thoughts: Why the Future of Dolibarr Looks Strong

12. Resources and Further Reading

1. Introduction

In the ever-evolving landscape of business management software, long-term product vision matters. Dolibarr, one of the leading open-source ERP and CRM solutions, has continued to gain ground globally by staying agile, modular, and community-driven.

With the release of version 22.0 behind us, users and developers alike are looking ahead—what's next for Dolibarr? What innovations are in the pipeline, and how will upcoming features improve usability, compliance, and extensibility?

This article provides a deep dive into the official and unofficial roadmap of Dolibarr, focusing on what businesses, developers, and administrators can expect in the next major versions, including 23.x and beyond.

2. A Brief History of Dolibarr Development

Dolibarr began in the early 2000s as a lightweight ERP for freelancers and small businesses. Over time, it evolved into a full-featured ERP/CRM platform used by hundreds of thousands of organizations globally.

Key milestones:

• Version 10.x (2019): Focused on accounting and API improvements

• Version 13.x (2021): Introduced REST API v2 and new themes

• Version 15.x (2022): Overhauled the user interface for mobile responsiveness

• Version 20.x (2023): Brought deep integration of HR and project modules

• Version 22.0 (2025): Enhanced accounting, permissions, and document workflows

This history shows a platform that listens to its users, iterates with stability in mind, and embraces open-source values.

3. How Dolibarr Releases Are Planned

Dolibarr follows a structured release cycle:

• Two major releases per year (typically June and December)

• Versioning format: Major.Minor (e.g., 22.0)

• Feature planning guided by:

  • GitHub issues

  • Feature requests from users

  • Developer contributions

  • Strategic priorities of the Dolibarr Foundation

  • Regional/local legal and accounting requirements

Each release includes backward compatibility tests, database upgrade scripts, and deprecation notices.

4. What Was Delivered in Recent Versions (21.x–22.x)

Before looking forward, it’s useful to reflect on what’s recently been added:

These features demonstrate Dolibarr’s move toward being an enterprise-grade solution while remaining SME-friendly.

5. Key Themes for Future Development

Based on Foundation discussions, GitHub pull requests, and user surveys, Dolibarr’s roadmap is expected to focus on these themes:

• Improved user experience (UX)

• Accounting and regulatory compliance (especially per-country)

• Automation and smart workflows

• API maturity and external system integration

• Custom module creation and extensibility

• More advanced HR/payroll support

• Increased mobile usability and PWA readiness

• Enhanced document processing and signature tools

Let’s now explore what’s actively in development or being discussed for Version 23.0 and beyond.

6. Upcoming Features in Version 23.0 and Beyond

The following features and improvements have either been confirmed by contributors, are being actively developed on GitHub, or are top-voted community priorities.

6.1 User Experience and Interface Enhancements

• Refined navigation layout, with adaptive menus and context-aware toolbars

• Improved module search with real-time filtering

• Enhanced dashboards with drag-and-drop widget customization

• Native dark mode support

• Auto-save forms for long input sessions

• Accessibility improvements (WCAG compliance in progress)

These changes are expected to significantly reduce onboarding time for new users and non-technical staff.

6.2 Accounting and Compliance Improvements

• Built-in reconciliation wizard for accounting and banking

• More intuitive closing fiscal year tool, with better rollback safety

• Enhanced VAT declaration generator, including region-specific rules (France, Morocco, etc.)

• FEC (Fichier des Écritures Comptables) export enhancements for French users

• More robust fixed asset and depreciation module

The goal: make Dolibarr a compliance-ready ERP, even in regulated sectors.

6.3 Project and Task Management Upgrades

• More granular task dependencies (start-to-start, finish-to-finish)

• Task timeline snapshots (history and planning comparison)

• Kanban view enhancements (custom columns, tags, filters)

• Time budget per task and automatic alerts on overruns

• Better resource allocation tracking by user availability

These features aim to turn Dolibarr into a full-fledged project operations suite.

6.4 CRM and Sales Automation Enhancements

• AI-driven lead scoring engine

• Lead nurturing automation: trigger emails or task creation after status changes

• New quotation follow-up workflows

• Sales team performance dashboards

• Email open tracking and prospect engagement analysis

These will give sales teams more power to close deals and reduce churn.

6.5 API and Integration Roadmap

• REST API v3 in beta, with full CRUD coverage of all major modules

• Webhook engine with retry logic and secure delivery

• GraphQL API pilot program

• Native connectors for Stripe, WooCommerce, Shopify, and Zapier

• Advanced OAuth and SSO integration (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace)

This helps Dolibarr become integration-friendly out of the box, no matter the tech stack.

6.6 New Tools for Developers and Module Creators

• In-app module development assistant

• New module framework using JSON descriptors

• Live reload for front-end changes during development

• Improved Dolibarr Forge for versioning and releases

• Better documentation for hooks, triggers, and REST API use

These changes are designed to accelerate extension development and adoption.

6.7 HR and Payroll Evolution

• Payroll structure builder (for CNSS, AMO, IGR in Morocco and similar schemes in other countries)

• Multi-country payroll profile support

• Enhanced employee profile templates (roles, certifications, skills)

• Improved leave approval workflows

• Integration with external time-tracking systems

Dolibarr is on track to support full HR lifecycle management without requiring third-party systems.

6.8 Reporting and Business Intelligence Plans

• New report builder interface

• Export-ready reports in Excel, CSV, or PDF

• Data visualization via embedded graphs

• KPI trend monitoring (sales, margin, stock turnover)

• Custom dashboards per role (CEO, HR, Accounting, Sales)

This is part of Dolibarr’s move toward being not just an ERP—but a decision-support system.

7. Focus on Localization: France, Morocco, and Beyond

Dolibarr’s growth is closely tied to its local adaptability, and future versions will deepen this commitment.

Localization Priorities for Upcoming Releases:

• France:

  • Continued enhancement of FEC exports

  • DSN integration (Déclaration Sociale Nominative) for payroll

  • Native support for Chorus Pro electronic invoicing (public sector compliance)

• Morocco:

  • CNSS, AMO, IGR payroll calculations

  • Moroccan PCG (Plan Comptable Général) preinstalled chart

  • VAT declarations and legal invoice sequencing

  • Arabic language refinements for RTL support

• Germany, Belgium, Tunisia, Brazil, India:

  • New language updates

  • Legal compliance modules contributed by local integrators

  • Regional tax handling rules and invoice templates

This geo-focused development approach ensures Dolibarr stays relevant across diverse legal environments while supporting global SMEs.

8. Strategic Priorities for Long-Term Development

Beyond version 23.0 and the next immediate releases, Dolibarr is expected to pursue longer-term goals. These are not confirmed roadmap items, but community and foundation discussions suggest a clear direction.

8.1 Cloud-Optimized Native Version

• Streamlined deployment scripts for Docker, Kubernetes

• Improved support for multi-instance management

• Database clustering and scalability tools

• SaaS management console (for partners/resellers)

This positions Dolibarr to compete with proprietary SaaS ERPs while keeping its open-source ethos.

8.2 Workflow Automation Engine

While triggers and cron jobs exist today, the plan is to introduce:

• A visual automation editor

• Conditional actions (e.g., “if unpaid for 15 days, send reminder”)

• Multi-step sequences tied to CRM, invoices, and HR

• Integration with external APIs via no-code connectors

This shift will make Dolibarr suitable for process-heavy environments, even with minimal IT resources.

8.3 AI-Driven Insights

Expected AI-based enhancements include:

• Automatic categorization of expenses and invoices

• Suggested actions based on historical patterns (e.g., reorder suggestions, follow-ups)

• Smart forecasts for revenue, stock, and HR needs

• Natural language search (e.g., “show unpaid invoices last 30 days”)

These improvements will elevate Dolibarr from transactional ERP to strategic business assistant.

9. The Role of the Community in Shaping the Roadmap

One of Dolibarr’s greatest strengths is its community-driven evolution.

How Contributions Influence Development:

• GitHub issues and pull requests are reviewed continuously

• Feature requests on the forum help guide priority setting

• Country-specific integrators create localization modules that feed into core

• The Dolibarr Foundation acts as a steward—not a gatekeeper

Recent examples of community contributions that became core features:

• Moroccan Chart of Accounts

• Gantt charts and task dependencies

• Enhanced leave management workflows

• REST API v2 and v3 specifications

Everyone from freelancers to multinational companies helps push the roadmap forward.

10. How to Prepare for Future Upgrades

With all these innovations in motion, Dolibarr users and administrators should take steps now to ensure they can fully benefit from upcoming versions.

Best Practices:

1. Follow LTS versions if you prefer stability (e.g., 21.x or 22.x).

2. Keep a staging instance to test new features before going live.

3. Document your custom modules and overrides—these may need refactoring with new releases.

4. Regularly update language packs and remove deprecated modules.

5. Stay engaged with the community to follow announcements, changelogs, and compatibility updates.

Keeping your system future-ready means fewer disruptions and faster adoption of powerful new tools.

11. Final Thoughts: Why the Future of Dolibarr Looks Strong

Dolibarr is no longer just a “light ERP for small businesses.” It is becoming:

• A powerful, modular business platform for any size organization

• A tool that can run on-premise, in the cloud, or hybrid

• An ERP capable of handling not only core business workflows—but also country-specific compliance, modern APIs, and scalable deployments

In a global ERP ecosystem increasingly dominated by high-cost, inflexible software, Dolibarr’s transparency, affordability, and community development model make it stand out.

Its roadmap is ambitious, but rooted in user needs. The improvements planned over the next few versions reflect a deep commitment to practical innovation and sustainable growth.

If you’re already using Dolibarr, you’re in a great position. If you’re considering it, 2025 is the perfect time to join an ecosystem that’s built for the future, not just today.

12. Resources and Further Reading

• Dolibarr Official Website

• GitHub – Dolibarr Repository

• Dolibarr Foundation Roadmap

• Dolistore – Module Marketplace

• Dolibarr Community Forum

• Docker Deployment Templates

• ERP Open Source Trends 2025