Set up Accounting Pro for the first time

Always start from a clean, official package from your vendor or from the Odoo Apps store, not an old folder copied from another computer by hand (that copy might be incomplete or the wrong version).

• Go to the place where you purchased or received the module (for example Odoo Apps – Accounting Pro or your partner’s download link).
• Download the ZIP file or the folder exactly as provided. If you receive a ZIP, keep it zipped until you are ready to extract it on the server (step 2).
• Check that the module version matches your Odoo version where possible (for example documentation for Odoo 17 should be paired with a build tested for Odoo 17). If the numbers do not match, ask your vendor before you install.

Why this matters: A wrong or partial folder is the most common reason Odoo says “module not found” or the app list does not show the module.

Odoo only loads modules that sit inside an addons path-a directory listed in your Odoo configuration. Many teams use either the main addons folder or a separate custom_addons (or extra-addons) folder so custom code stays easy to find.

• On the server (or in your Odoo.sh repository), open the folder where third-party modules are allowed.
• Copy the whole module directory so that the folder name matches the technical name of the app (for Accounting Pro, the folder is usually named account_pro). You should end up with a path like …/custom_addons/account_pro/ containing files such as __manifest__.py.
• Do not place the files one level too deep (for example custom_addons/account_pro/account_pro/__manifest__.py) unless that is how your vendor packaged it-normally there is only one folder named account_pro with the manifest inside it.
• If your server runs Linux, check file ownership so the Odoo process user can read the folder (your IT person knows the correct user, often odoo).

Why this matters: If the folder is not under an configured addons path, Odoo will never list the module, no matter how many times you click “Update Apps List.”

After new Python or XML files are added on disk, Odoo must be restarted so it rescans the filesystem and loads the new module definition safely.

• Windows service: Use Services (services.msc), find your Odoo service, and click Restart.
• Linux (typical): Your administrator runs something like sudo systemctl restart odoo (the exact service name can differ).
• Docker: Restart the Odoo container using your compose or run script.
• Odoo.sh: A git push that adds the module usually triggers a rebuild-follow your partner’s Odoo.sh workflow instead of manual uploads when possible.

Why this matters: Skipping the restart often leads to “ghost” errors or an old app list until the next restart anyway.

Developer Mode is a special setting that shows extra technical menus. For installing third-party apps, your documentation or partner may ask you to enable it so you can use Update Apps List reliably and see technical names.

• Log in to Odoo as an administrator.
• Open Settings (the gear icon).
• Scroll to the bottom of the General Settings page. Expand Developer Tools if it is collapsed.
• Click Activate the developer mode (wording can vary slightly by version).

If your organization does not allow Developer Mode on production, ask your partner to install the module for you or to run the update step using their process.

Odoo keeps a cache of which modules exist. After you add files on disk and restart, you must tell Odoo to read the disk again.

• Open the main Apps menu (sometimes labeled Applications).
• Click the ⋮ menu (three dots) or Update Apps List-exact placement depends on Odoo 17 layout; it is usually in the top-right of the Apps screen.
• Confirm Update and wait until Odoo finishes. This can take from a few seconds to a few minutes on a large database.

Why this matters: Without this step, the new module will not appear when you search in Apps.

“Activate” means Odoo will install the module: it creates database tables, security rules, and menu entries.

• Still inside Apps, clear any filter that hides extra modules. If you see “Apps” only, switch the filter to Apps + Extra or remove the “Official Apps only” style filter so third-party modules show up.
• In the search box, type Accounting Pro or the technical name your vendor gave you (for example account_pro).
• Open the module card and click Activate (or Install).
• Wait until the progress finishes. Do not close the browser tab in the middle of the operation.

If activation fails, read the red error message carefully, copy it, and send it to your Odoo partner. The most common causes are: wrong Odoo version, missing dependency (Accounting Pro needs the standard Accounting, Inventory, and Contacts apps), or the module folder was incomplete.

Some modules ship demonstration records (sample invoices, partners, or settings) that load only when you install with a “demo” database or when you press a special button.

• At install time: If your database was created with “demo data” enabled in Odoo, standard demo hooks may create sample records automatically for some apps. This is a database-wide choice, not something every company uses on production.
• Accounting Pro specifically: After install, an administrator can go to Settings → General Settings, find the Accounting Pro section, and use Load Accounting Pro Demo Data to create or refresh sample invoices, payments, and bank cards so the Pro Dashboard shows realistic numbers for training. This button is safe to run more than once on a test system; on production, only use it if your policy allows sample data.

Why this matters: New users learn faster when they see menus filled with harmless example data-but you should never confuse demo customers with real customers on a live company database.

Installing the module adds new security groups (who may see which fields and menus). By default, not every user is in those groups. If someone says “I installed it but I see nothing,” this step is almost always the reason.

• Go to Settings → Users & Companies → Users.
• Open the user who should work with Accounting Pro (for example an accountant).
• On the Access Rights tab, ensure the user already has normal Accounting access (for example Billing or Adviser, depending on your policy).
• Accounting Pro adds extra groups for optional areas (invoice line quality, payments treasury, bank KYC, and so on). Tick only the groups that match that person’s job. Your implementation partner can give you a small matrix: role → which boxes to tick.
• Click Save on the user form.
• Repeat for each colleague who needs access.

Why this matters: Odoo hides menus and fields when the user lacks rights-even if the module is installed perfectly.

After rights change, the user’s browser session may still hold old menu data. A refresh forces Odoo to send the updated menu tree.

• Ask the user to log out and log in again, or press a hard refresh in the browser (Ctrl+F5 on Windows, or clear cache for the site if menus still look wrong).
• Open the Accounting app. You should see items such as Pro Dashboard (and any reporting shortcuts your partner added) when the user has the correct accounting groups.
• Open Settings → General Settings as an administrator and scroll to Accounting Pro to turn on the optional field groups your company wants (see the guide Turning features on).

Congratulations: If you reached this point and the Pro Dashboard opens, the technical installation is complete. Everything after that is normal business setup (charts of accounts, journals, bank journals, and your own rules for who fills which new fields).

You obtain a clean copy of the add-on from your vendor or Odoo Apps so checksums, version notes, and support stay valid. Skipping this and copying an unknown folder is the fastest way to a broken install.

You place the account_pro folder where your Odoo configuration already looks for add-ons. If the path is wrong, no later step can make the module appear.

You restart the Odoo service so the server reloads Python and XML from disk. Without a restart, some sites keep serving an old module list or stale code.

Developer mode exposes technical menus; many teams use it before Update Apps List. If your security policy forbids it on production, ask your partner to perform the update step.

Updating the Apps list rescans the filesystem and registers new modules in the database cache. It is the bridge between “files on disk” and “visible in the Apps screen.”

Activating (installing) runs Odoo’s install hooks: security, menus, and data structures. Until this succeeds, end users will not see Accounting Pro menus.

Demo or sample data is optional: either your database was built with Odoo demos, or you press Load Accounting Pro Demo Data in Settings for training. Avoid surprises on live production without approval.

You assign each user the normal Accounting role plus the specific Accounting Pro groups they need. Without rights, menus and fields stay hidden even after a perfect install.

You refresh the browser or log in again so the new menus and permissions appear, then you spot-check Accounting and Settings. This confirms the rollout actually reached the user’s session.