Overview
If you are new to Odoo addons, don’t worry—this guide explains everything in simple steps. We will take the addon folder you downloaded, place it in your Odoo addons path, restart Odoo, and then install it from the Apps menu.
Who should do this? Usually, this is done by an Odoo Administrator or someone who has access to the server (or hosting panel). If you do not have server access, share this chapter with your technical/admin team.
Before you start (quick checks)
Confirm you have the real module folder
Open the folder and check you can see __manifest__.py (or __openerp__.py in older versions). If you only see another folder inside, you may be one level too high.
Confirm your Odoo addons path
Your admin/technical team should tell you where custom modules live (often custom_addons or extra-addons). Odoo must be configured to include that folder in its addons path.
Confirm you can restart Odoo
If you cannot restart the service, the module may not show up in Apps even after you copy the files.
Confirm you are an Administrator in Odoo
You need admin rights to enable Developer Mode, update the Apps list, install the module, and assign permissions to users.
Step-by-step installation (End Users / Admins)
Download the latest copy of the addon
Download the latest version of the Profit / Loss addon from your shared location (company drive, email, repository, etc.). If you received a ZIP file, extract it first so you have a normal folder.
Important: the folder must contain files like __manifest__.py (or __openerp__.py in older versions).
Upload the addon folder to your Odoo addons path
Copy the entire addon folder into your Odoo addons location. Most setups use one of these folders:
- Odoo default addons: addons folder (used in some local/dev setups)
- Custom addons: custom_addons or extra-addons folder (recommended)
Tip: do not copy only the files—copy the whole folder, so Odoo can detect the module correctly.
Restart the Odoo service
After copying the addon, restart Odoo so it can read the new module from disk. How you restart depends on your hosting:
- Windows service: restart the Odoo service from Services
- Linux server: restart using the service manager (systemd/service)
- Odoo.sh / managed hosting: use the platform restart / deploy option
If you skip this step, the module may not appear in the Apps list.
Activate Developer Mode
In Odoo, open Settings and enable Developer Mode (sometimes called Developer Mode (Debug)). Developer Mode helps you update the Apps list and find technical options.
Common location: Settings → scroll down → “Developer Tools” → “Activate the developer mode”.
Update the Apps list
Go to Apps, then update the apps list so Odoo rescans the addons paths.
Typical action: Apps → “Update Apps List” (you may see it under a menu/gear icon in Developer Mode).
Search the addon in Apps and install it
In the Apps menu, search for the module name (for example: Profit, Loss, or the exact technical name provided by your team). When you find it, click Install.
If you don’t see it, re-check steps 2–5 (addons path, restart, developer mode, apps list update).
Demo data (if included) will install automatically
Some databases are created with demo data enabled. In that case, the module may automatically load sample records during installation. This is normal and helpful for testing.
Note: demo data is usually for learning/testing, not for production reporting.
Give users access rights (Permissions)
After installation, users may still not see the Profit / Loss menus until permissions are granted.
Go to: Settings → Users & Companies → Users → open a user → set access under the Profit / Loss section.
- User: can usually enter Client Costs and External Expenses
- Administrator: can view profit/loss totals and open the Profit/Loss Graph report
Save the user after selecting the correct role.
Refresh Odoo and confirm the menus are visible
Ask the user to refresh the browser (or log out and log in again). Then confirm they can see the related menus inside Projects (and any Profit / Loss entries they should access).
Quick troubleshooting (if you can’t find the module in Apps)
- Module not visible in Apps: confirm the folder is inside the correct addons/custom_addons path and Odoo is configured to read that path.
- Still not visible: restart Odoo again, then run “Update Apps List” once more (Developer Mode must be enabled).
- Folder-level issue: ensure the folder you copied contains
__manifest__.pydirectly (not inside an extra nested folder). - Access issue after install: assign Profit / Loss permissions to users and refresh the browser or re-login.
Quick Test (Confirm Everything Works)
Use this checklist right after installation to confirm the module is working correctly for both Administrators and Users.
Admin test (recommended)
- Confirm the module is installedGo to Apps and search the module again. It should show as Installed (not “Install”).
- Confirm Profit / Loss menus are availableGo to Projects and look for the Profit / Loss related menus (and/or tabs inside a project).
- Confirm you can open a project and see totals (Admin only)Open any Project and check if Profit/Loss totals are visible. If totals are hidden, verify your role is Profit / Loss → Administrator.
Simple data test (5 minutes)
- Create one Paid Client CostOpen a project → add a Client Cost line (example: 1,000) and mark it Paid. This should increase the revenue side of Profit/Loss.
- Create one External ExpenseAdd an External Expense line (example: 200) linked to the same project. This should reduce Profit/Loss.
- Re-open the project and confirm the numbers matchExpected behavior: Profit/Loss should reflect the new lines. If it doesn’t, double-check the project link on each line and refresh the page.
Quick permission test (for end users) Log in as a normal user (or ask them to log in) and confirm they can see the menus they need. If menus are missing, update their access: Settings → Users → Profit / Loss → select User or Administrator, then refresh/re-login.
Tips
- Keep a clean addons folder: place custom modules in custom_addons to make upgrades safer.
- Install with an admin user: installation and access rights changes require admin permissions.
- After changing access rights: always refresh the page (or relog) to see new menus.
Common mistakes
- Copying the ZIP without extracting: Odoo cannot detect a zipped module unless it is extracted as a normal folder.
- Wrong folder level: sometimes the extracted ZIP creates an extra parent folder. Make sure the folder that contains
__manifest__.pyis the one you copied. - Forgetting to restart Odoo: new addons often won’t appear until Odoo is restarted.
- Not updating the Apps list: Odoo won’t show the new module until the apps list is refreshed.
- Installing but not assigning permissions: users will not see menus until you set their Profit / Loss access rights.