Welcome to Odoo for Beginners!

In this comprehensive guide, we’re diving deep into a groundbreaking feature introduced in the latest version: Odoo 18 Domain Rules. This powerful, yet often overlooked, capability is set to revolutionize how you manage your warehouse operations and streamline complex logistics.

Master Odoo 18 Domain Rules: Revolutionary Workflow Automation Explained in 5 Simple Steps

Why Odoo 18 Domain Rules Are a Game Changer for Your Business

Before Odoo 18, businesses often faced a dilemma when their inventory workflows had slight variations. Imagine a scenario where most products follow a three-step receiving process (Vendor -> Input -> Quality -> Stock), but certain categories or products from specific vendors need a two-step process (Vendor -> Input -> Stock). What was the common solution? Creating entirely separate routes for each variation. This approach, while functional, quickly led to:

• Configuration Clutter: A proliferation of routes that were almost identical, making management cumbersome.
• Maintenance Headaches: Any change to the core process required modifications across multiple routes.
• Reduced Flexibility: Adapting to new business requirements meant duplicating efforts and risking inconsistencies.
• Increased Complexity: Understanding the flow for a specific product or vendor involved navigating a maze of routes.

This is where Odoo 18 Domain Rules step in as a transformative solution. They eliminate the need for redundant routes by allowing you to define conditional logic directly within a single route. Instead of creating a “Three-Step Route” and a “Two-Step Route,” you can have one “Receive Products” route, and let domain rules dictate which steps are executed based on dynamic conditions like product category, vendor, or even specific product attributes. This innovative approach promises unparalleled efficiency, adaptability, and clarity in your inventory management.

What Exactly Are Odoo Domain Rules? Unveiling the Logic

At its core, an Odoo “domain” is a powerful filtering mechanism. Think of it as an “if-then” statement applied to individual steps (or “rules”) within your warehouse routes. Each rule in a route dictates a specific movement (e.g., from Input to Quality). By attaching a domain to that rule, you’re essentially telling Odoo: “Execute this particular move only if these conditions are met.”

The concept is simple: instead of having separate routes for different scenarios, you embed the conditional logic directly into the existing route’s rules. If a product or vendor meets a certain criteria defined in the domain, a specific step might be executed. If not, that step could be skipped, or an alternative step with a different domain might be triggered instead. This dramatically simplifies your route configuration, making your inventory workflows intelligent and dynamic. The implementation of Odoo 18 Domain Rules is a significant leap forward in making Odoo’s inventory management even more robust and user-friendly.

Unlocking the Power of Odoo 18 Domain Rules: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

This tutorial will walk you through two practical use cases, demonstrating how to leverage Odoo 18 Domain Rules to adapt your warehouse steps based on product category and vendor.

Prerequisites:

• Access to an Odoo 18 instance with the Inventory module installed.
• Basic understanding of Odoo Inventory Routes and Rules.
• Familiarity with creating products, product categories, and vendors.

General Approach for Implementing Domain Rules:

1. Identify the Route: Determine which existing warehouse route you want to modify.
2. Locate the Relevant Rule(s): Pinpoint the specific step(s) within the route that need conditional execution.
3. Add/Modify Domain: Apply or adjust the domain filter on these rules to define when they should apply.
4. Create Alternative Rules (if necessary): If a step is skipped, you might need a new rule to define the alternative path.
5. Test Thoroughly: Always test your new configuration with various scenarios to ensure it behaves as expected.

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Use Case 1: Different Warehouse Steps Based on Product Category

Scenario:
Your warehouse, “Techarium,” generally follows a 3-step receiving process:
Vendor -> Input Location -> Quality Location -> Stock Location.

However, for products belonging to the “Pigment” category, the “Quality Location” step is unnecessary. These products should move directly from Input Location -> Stock Location. All other product categories should follow the standard 3-step process. This is a perfect application of Odoo 18 Domain Rules.

Steps:

1. Navigate to Warehouse Routes:

   • Go to the Inventory app.
   • Click on Configuration -> Warehouses.
   • Select your target warehouse (e.g., “Techarium”).
   • Click on the Routes smart button or tab to view its associated routes.

2. Edit the Existing “Receive in Three Steps” Route:

   • Find the route named something similar to “Receive in three steps” or your default incoming route.
   • Open this route for editing. You’ll see a list of rules within it.

3. Modify the “Input to Quality” Rule with a Domain for Non-Pigment Products:

   • Locate the rule responsible for moving products from Input Location to Quality Location.
   • Edit this rule. You’ll find a field for “Domain.”
   • Add the following domain:

     [('product_id.categ_id.name', '!=', 'Pigment')]
     

   • Explanation: This domain means: “This rule (Input to Quality) will only apply if the product’s category name is not equal to ‘Pigment’.” Save the rule.

4. Create a New Rule to Move Pigment Products Directly to Stock:

   • Add a new rule to the same route.
   • Configure the rule as follows:
     • Operation Type: Internal Transfer
     • Source Location: Your Input Location (e.g., WH/Input)
     • Destination Location: Your Stock Location (e.g., WH/Stock)
     • Domain:

       [('product_id.categ_id.name', '=', 'Pigment')]
       

     • Explanation: This new rule says: “Perform an Internal Transfer from Input to Stock only if the product’s category name is equal to ‘Pigment’.” Save this new rule.

5. Test the Configuration:

   • Test 1 (Pigment Product):
     • Create a new Purchase Order.
     • Add a product that belongs to the “Pigment” category.
     • Confirm the order.
     • Go to the “Receipt” (or “Transfers” in Inventory). You should see two steps: Vendor -> Input and Input -> Stock. The “Quality” step will be bypassed due to the Odoo 18 Domain Rules.
     • Validate both steps.
   • Test 2 (Non-Pigment Product):
     • Create another Purchase Order.
     • Add a product from a different category (e.g., “Resin”).
     • Confirm the order.
     • Go to the “Receipt.” You should observe the standard three steps: Vendor -> Input, Input -> Quality, and Quality -> Stock.
     • Validate all three steps to confirm the full workflow.

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Use Case 2: Different Warehouse Steps Based on Vendor

Scenario:
Following the same 3-step default, you now have a specific requirement:
When products are purchased from the vendor “Router,” the “Quality Location” step should also be skipped. For all other vendors, the default 3-step process should be followed. This is another prime example of the power of Odoo 18 Domain Rules.

Steps:

1. Navigate to Warehouse Routes: (Same as Step 1 in Use Case 1).
2. Edit the Existing “Receive in Three Steps” Route: (Same as Step 2 in Use Case 1).

3. Modify the “Input to Quality” Rule with a Domain for Non-“Router” Vendors:

   • Locate the rule responsible for moving products from Input Location to Quality Location.
   • Edit this rule.
   • Modify its domain to include the vendor condition. If you already have the product category domain, you’ll combine them. Let’s assume for this example, we’re building a new domain focused on vendors, or extending the existing one using logical operators.
   • Add/Modify the domain to:

     [('group_id.partner_id.name', '!=', 'Router')]
     

   • Explanation: This domain ensures that the “Input to Quality” step only applies if the vendor associated with the procurement group (i.e., the purchase order’s vendor) is not “Router.” Save the rule.

4. Create a New Rule to Move Products from “Router” Vendor Directly to Stock:

   • Add a new rule to the same route.
   • Configure it as follows:
     • Operation Type: Internal Transfer
     • Source Location: Your Input Location (e.g., WH/Input)
     • Destination Location: Your Stock Location (e.g., WH/Stock)
     • Domain:

       [('group_id.partner_id.name', '=', 'Router')]
       

     • Explanation: This rule states: “Perform an Internal Transfer from Input to Stock only if the vendor is ‘Router’.” Save this rule.

5. Test the Configuration:

   • Test 1 (From “Router” Vendor):
     • Create a new Purchase Order.
     • Select “Router” as the vendor.
     • Add any product.
     • Confirm the order.
     • Go to the “Receipt.” You should see only two steps: Vendor -> Input and Input -> Stock.
     • Validate both steps.
   • Test 2 (From Another Vendor):
     • Create another Purchase Order.
     • Select a different vendor (e.g., “Mac”).
     • Add any product.
     • Confirm the order.
     • Go to the “Receipt.” You should observe the standard three steps: Vendor -> Input, Input -> Quality, and Quality -> Stock.
     • Validate all three steps.

Deep Dive into Odoo Domain Syntax and Logic

Understanding the structure of Odoo domains is key to mastering Odoo 18 Domain Rules. A domain is essentially a list of conditions, where each condition is a tuple.

Basic Structure:

[('field_name', 'operator', 'value')]

• field_name: This refers to a field on the record (in this case, a stock move or a related record like a product or partner). You can navigate through related records using dot notation (e.g., product_id.categ_id.name).

• operator: Defines the comparison. Common operators include:

  • '=': Equal to
  • '!=': Not equal to
  • '>': Greater than
  • '<': Less than
  • '>=': Greater than or equal to
  • '<=': Less than or equal to
  • 'in': Is one of the values in a list
  • 'not in': Is not one of the values in a list
  • 'like': Matches a pattern (case-sensitive)
  • 'ilike': Matches a pattern (case-insensitive)
• value: The value to compare against. This can be a string, integer, boolean, or a list of values depending on the operator.

Common Fields Used in Route Domains:

• product_id: Refers to the product directly involved in the move.

  • product_id.categ_id.name: Accesses the name of the product’s category.
  • product_id.default_code: Accesses the product’s internal reference.

• group_id: Refers to the procurement group (often linked to a purchase order or manufacturing order).

  • group_id.partner_id.name: Accesses the name of the vendor (partner) associated with the procurement group.
• location_id: The source location of the move.
• location_dest_id: The destination location of the move.

Combining Conditions:

You can combine multiple conditions using logical operators:

• & (AND): Conditions connected by & must all be true. (This is the default if no operator is specified between conditions).

  • Example: [('product_id.categ_id.name', '=', 'Pigment'), '&', ('group_id.partner_id.name', '=', 'Router')]
  • Simplified: [('product_id.categ_id.name', '=', 'Pigment'), ('group_id.partner_id.name', '=', 'Router')] (The & is implicit between conditions if not explicitly stated).

• | (OR): At least one condition connected by | must be true.

  • Example: ['|', ('product_id.categ_id.name', '=', 'Pigment'), ('group_id.partner_id.name', '=', 'Router')]
  • This means: “If the product is ‘Pigment’ OR the vendor is ‘Router’.”

This flexible syntax empowers you to create highly specific and intricate rules, making Odoo 18 Domain Rules incredibly versatile for complex business logic.

Advanced Tips and Best Practices for Odoo 18 Domain Rules

To truly harness the power of Odoo 18 Domain Rules, consider these best practices:

1. Start Simple and Iterate: Begin with basic conditions and expand your domains as your understanding grows and requirements become clearer. Don’t try to build an overly complex domain from scratch.
2. Test Extensively: After every domain modification or new rule creation, test all possible scenarios. This includes cases where the domain should apply and where it should not. Use various products, vendors, and other relevant data.
3. Document Your Domains: Complex domains can become difficult to interpret over time. Add comments in the rule description explaining the purpose of each domain, especially for multi-condition rules. This is crucial for future maintenance.
4. Prioritize Readability: While domains can be complex, try to structure your rules and domains logically. If a domain becomes too convoluted, consider if you can split it into simpler, more manageable rules or even explore alternative Odoo configurations.
5. Performance Considerations: While Odoo domains are highly optimized, extremely complex domains with many lookups on large datasets could theoretically impact performance. For most typical use cases, this is not an issue, but keep it in mind for very high-volume, highly conditional processes.
6. When to Still Use Separate Routes: While Odoo 18 Domain Rules minimize the need for multiple routes, there are still cases where fundamentally different processes warrant their own routes. If a workflow diverges completely in its initial steps or involves entirely different sets of operations, a separate route might still be clearer and easier to manage.
7. Leverage Related Resources: For deeper insights into Odoo’s domain syntax, consult the official Odoo documentation. It provides a comprehensive reference for all operators and field types. For more details on Odoo’s core inventory features, explore our other articles on Odoo Inventory Management Best Practices or Optimizing Odoo Manufacturing Workflows.

Conclusion: Embrace the Future of Odoo Inventory

The introduction of Odoo 18 Domain Rules marks a significant advancement in Odoo’s already robust inventory management capabilities. By empowering users to define conditional logic directly within their warehouse routes, Odoo 18 offers an unparalleled level of flexibility, efficiency, and clarity. You can now dramatically simplify your route configurations, reduce maintenance overhead, and adapt your logistics workflows with remarkable agility, all within a single, unified framework.

No longer constrained by the need for numerous, nearly identical routes, businesses can now design smarter, more responsive, and easier-to-manage inventory processes. We encourage you to explore this powerful feature in your Odoo 18 instance. Experiment with different conditions, test various scenarios, and discover how Odoo 18 Domain Rules can transform your operations and drive greater productivity. If you encounter any challenges or wish to discuss more advanced implementations, the Odoo community and experts are always ready to assist. Embrace these revolutionary Odoo 18 Domain Rules and elevate your warehouse management to new heights!