Odoo's project module isn't Jira and isn't Asana. It's simpler, but it's connected to the rest of the system: time reported on tasks can be invoiced directly. That's the big difference.
Projects and tasks
Each project has a Kanban board with stages: New, In Progress, Review, Done. Tasks are dragged between stages. Each task has assignee, deadline, tags, description, and chatter (internal communication). It's enough for most project types.
Time tracking
The timesheet module connects to tasks. Click on a task, log time. Or use the timer: start, work, stop. Time is shown per task, per project, per employee. Weekly summary with manager approval.
Time invoicing
Connect the project to a customer and a price matrix. Reported time automatically creates invoice lines. Consulting hours: 850 SEK per hour, 12 hours logged this week = 10,200 SEK ready to invoice. This flow alone justifies Odoo for consulting firms.
Customer portal
Give the customer access to the project via the portal. They see task status, can comment, and get notifications on updates. Transparency without extra tools.
Limitations
No Gantt charts in CE (Enterprise has them). No advanced resource planning. No dependencies between tasks (task A must be done before task B starts). If you need that: consider supplementing with a dedicated project tool and integrating via API.
Odoo Project works excellently for service companies selling time. It's not the right tool for planning a construction project with a thousand dependencies.