Setup Advance Report Studio

Start from a trusted source: your vendor (for example WebbyCrown Solutions), the Odoo Apps store if you purchased there, or your internal package repository. Always use the build that matches your Odoo major version (for example 17.0 for Odoo 17), because modules are not interchangeable between major releases.

You will usually receive a ZIP archive or a folder named like advance_report_studio. If you receive a ZIP file, extract it on your computer first so you can see the actual add-on folder inside. The folder that contains the file __manifest__.py (or __openerp__.py on very old systems) is the one you must copy to the server-that folder name is what Odoo will look for.

Download to a location you remember, and if your organization uses checksums or signed packages, verify them before you upload anything to production.

Odoo only loads modules from directories listed in its configuration as addons paths. On a typical installation you may see paths such as addons (shipped with Odoo), custom_addons, enterprise, or a company-specific folder. Your administrator decides which path is used for custom modules.

Copy the entire advance_report_studio folder (the one containing __manifest__.py) into one of those directories. Do not nest it twice (for example avoid custom_addons/advance_report_studio/advance_report_studio/__manifest__.py unless that is how your vendor structured the release-normally there is only one level with the manifest at the root of the module folder).

If you use source control (Git) on the server, commit the module there instead of editing files by hand on production. If you use Docker or a managed cloud, follow your host’s method: often you upload through their file manager, Git deploy, or a support ticket.

On Windows or Linux, make sure the user account that runs the Odoo process has read permission on the new folder and all files inside it.

After new Python files or a new module folder appear on disk, Odoo must be restarted so it rescans the filesystem and loads the new code. Until you restart, the Apps screen may not see your module at all.

How you restart depends on your environment:

• Linux service – Often sudo systemctl restart odoo or a similar service name (odoo17, odoo-enterprise, etc.). Your server administrator will know the exact command.
• Windows service – Use Services (services.msc), find the Odoo service, and choose Restart.
• Docker – Recreate or restart the container that runs Odoo, following your compose or orchestration playbook.
• Odoo.sh or SaaS – You usually push the module through the platform’s Git or upload flow; the platform restarts for you. If you are on pure SaaS without custom addons, you may not be able to install custom modules at all-confirm with your provider.

Wait until the service is fully up again (check the log for “HTTP service running” or equivalent) before you continue.

Note: Restarting Odoo briefly interrupts logged-in users. Schedule it during a quiet window if you have many concurrent users.

Developer mode (sometimes called Developer Mode or debug mode) exposes extra technical menus and can make it easier to refresh the list of applications and troubleshoot installation issues. It does not change who can install modules by itself-you still need administrator rights.

In Odoo 16 and 17, a common way to enable it is: go to Settings, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click Activate the developer mode (wording may vary slightly by version or theme). Another method is to add ?debug=1 to your browser’s address bar after the Odoo URL and reload the page. Some databases show a small bug icon in the menu bar when developer mode is on.

If your organization does not allow developer mode on production, ask an administrator to perform the Update Apps List step for you, or use whatever internal process you have for module updates.

Odoo keeps a cache of which modules exist on disk. After you add or replace a module folder, you must tell Odoo to rescan so the new module appears when you search in Apps.

• Open the Apps menu (sometimes labeled Applications).
• Remove the default “Apps” filter if it hides non-feature modules-click the small x on the filter chip, or switch to a view that shows All modules, depending on your version.
• Open the Update Apps List action. With developer mode enabled, you often find it under a menu icon or link on the Apps screen; in some builds it appears in the Apps dropdown or under Settings → Apps. Confirm the update in the dialog.
• Wait until Odoo finishes scanning. This can take from a few seconds to several minutes on a large server.

If you skip this step, searching for “Advance Report Studio” may return no results even though the files are on the server.

Return to the Apps screen. In the search box, type Advance Report Studio or a short keyword such as advance report. When the module appears, open its card.

Click Activate or Install (Odoo versions use slightly different labels). Odoo will run the module’s installation hooks, create database tables, load security rules and default data, and register menus. Wait until the button changes to Installed or until you return to the home screen without an error banner.

If installation fails, open the Odoo log file: the last lines usually name the missing dependency (for example another Odoo app or a Python library). This module declares a dependency on Mail (mail); your database must be able to install or already have the standard Mail / Discuss stack. For Excel exports, the server needs the Python package xlsxwriter as noted in the module manifest.

Common mistake: Installing a module built for Odoo 18 on an Odoo 17 server (or the reverse). The major version in the module folder name or manifest must match your server.

Some modules ship demonstration data: sample records, tutorial templates, or preset rows so you can explore features immediately. Whether that data appears depends on how your database was created, not on a separate switch inside this module alone.

• If the database was created with demonstration data (the checkbox you see when creating a new database in some installers), Odoo may load demo XML when you install apps. You might then see [Studio demo] report templates and sample contacts after installing Advance Report Studio.
• If the database was created without demonstration data (typical for production), you will usually not get sample partners or pre-built demo rows. The module still works; you simply create reports from scratch or use Quick start presets under the Configuration menu.
• Some tutorial templates are created when other apps (Sales, CRM, etc.) are installed later-the module can add demos on demand when those models become available.

If you expected demos and do not see them, check your database policy first; do not assume the module is broken. You can always use Quick Start & Demo Reports after install.

Advance Report Studio defines two main security groups (see Getting Started for day-to-day meaning):

• Advance Report Studio / User – Can open the Report templates list, run Open data, download exports, and use Run drill. In standard configuration, regular internal users receive this access automatically so they can use reports without extra clicks.
• Advance Report Studio / Manager – Can design templates, import/export JSON, open Configuration, and edit everything on the template form. Administrators in Settings typically receive Manager rights automatically.

To review or change who has what:

• Sign in as an administrator.
• Open Settings → Users & Companies → Users.
• Open the user you want to adjust.
• On the Access Rights tab (wording may vary), find the section for Advance Report Studio and set User or Manager as appropriate. Only trusted report designers should be Managers.
• Save the user form.

If a user still cannot see menus, also check that their user type is Internal User (not portal or public) and that multi-company rules do not hide menus for their active company.

After saving access rights, the user should log out and log in again, or perform a hard refresh of the browser (Ctrl+F5 on Windows, or clear cache for the site). Odoo caches menu definitions in the session; a fresh login is the most reliable way to see new applications.

The person should now see the main menu Advance Report Studio (exact label from the module). Under it, expect at least:

• Report templates – list of saved reports (everyone with User rights).
• Run drill – shortcut to test drills with a record ID (everyone with User rights).
• Configuration – presets, JSON import, studio configuration (Managers only).

Open Report templates and try Open data on a row. If that works, installation and permissions are complete. Continue with Getting Started to learn how to use reports day to day.