Odoo Module Installation Overview

While Odoo offers a rich set of modules out-of-the-box, many organizations require additional features to meet their specific operational demands. Fortunately, the Odoo ecosystem provides a vast array of modules and plugins designed to address nearly every business requirement. Installing these modules is essential to unlocking their full potential.

There are primarily two distinct methods for installing Odoo modules:

• Standard Installation from the Admin Interface: This method is suitable for official modules readily available within the Odoo application environment.
• Manual Installation of Custom Plugins: This approach is necessary for modules downloaded from the Odoo plugin catalog or custom-developed add-ons, requiring manual deployment to your Odoo server.

Official modules can typically be installed directly from the Odoo Admin Page shortly after the initial Odoo setup. For other, more specialized modules, the process involves visiting the Odoo plugin catalog, downloading the desired module, and then performing a manual installation.

Standard Installation via the Odoo Admin Interface

For modules available within the official Odoo repository, the installation process is straightforward and can be completed directly from your Odoo administration panel. Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to your Odoo admin page and locate the 'Apps' menu item. Click on it to proceed.
2. A comprehensive list of available applications and modules will be displayed. This list includes both modules that are already installed and those ready for deployment.
3. To find a specific module, you can either utilize the search bar to enter the module's name or browse through the available modules listed.
4. Once you have identified the desired module, click on its 'Install' button. The system will then process the installation.
5. Upon successful completion of the installation, the new module will be active and ready for immediate use within your Odoo environment, enhancing your system's capabilities.

Manual Installation of Custom Odoo Modules

When a specific module is not available within the standard Odoo selection, or if you are deploying a custom-developed add-on, a manual installation process is required. This method involves several crucial steps to ensure proper integration and functionality.

1. Enable Developer Mode: Before proceeding, you must activate Developer Mode within your Odoo Admin Panel. Go to 'Settings' and click on 'Activate the developer mode (with assets)'. This mode unlocks advanced functionalities necessary for manual module management.
2. Obtain the Module: Visit the Odoo plugin catalog to find the desired module. It is critically important to download the module version that corresponds precisely to your installed Odoo version to avoid compatibility issues.
3. Extract Module Files: Once downloaded, unzip the compressed file. This action will reveal a folder containing all the essential files and subdirectories that constitute the Odoo module.
4. Transfer to Odoo Server: The extracted module folder needs to be transferred to your Odoo server. For this task, we highly recommend using an SFTP client such as FileZilla to securely send the files via SSH/SFTP.
5. Place Module in Addons Directory: Place the module folder into one of the designated Odoo custom add-ons directories on your server. Common locations include:

   /opt/odoo/odoo13-custom-addons/

   Or:

   /opt/odoo/odoo13/addons/

   Ensure that the module is placed within a directory configured for Odoo to recognize custom add-ons.
6. Set File Ownership: After transferring the module folder, establish an SSH connection to your server. Execute the following command to ensure that the Odoo user has the correct ownership permissions for the module files. This is vital for the module to function correctly:

   sudo chown -R odoo:odoo /opt/odoo/odoo13-custom-addons/module-directory-name

   Note: Remember to replace /opt/odoo/odoo13-custom-addons/module-directory-name with the actual, full path to your module's directory on the server.

7. Update Apps List in Odoo: Return to your Odoo Admin Panel. Navigate to 'Apps' and locate the 'Update Apps List' button. Click this button to instruct Odoo to scan for new modules.
8. Confirm Update: Click 'Update' again in the subsequent prompt to finalize the refresh of the module list.
9. Locate and Install Module: Clear any existing search filters within the 'Apps' section and then enter the name of your newly added module into the search bar. You should now see the module listed. Click 'Install' to complete the manual installation process and activate the module.