The Essential Odoo Toolbox Extension: Your Ultimate Guide

May peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you all. How are you? I hope you’re all doing well today.

Every Odoo developer and consultant strives for efficiency. We constantly seek tools that can cut down repetitive tasks, provide quick insights, and ultimately, accelerate our development and customization processes. In the vast ecosystem of Odoo, such a gem exists, available right in your browser’s extension store. We’re talking about the Odoo Toolbox Extension. This remarkable, open-source tool is a game-changer, transforming the way you interact with Odoo instances and supercharging your productivity.

This post will delve deep into the capabilities of the Odoo Toolbox Extension, offering a persuasive overview of its benefits and a step-by-step tutorial on how to leverage its most powerful features, particularly with Odoo 18. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or a new consultant, this extension will quickly become an indispensable part of your toolkit.

This article is inspired by a detailed review of the extension, which you can watch here for visual demonstrations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7mViyOE5JI

Why Every Odoo Developer and Consultant Needs the Odoo Toolbox Extension

The Odoo Toolbox Extension isn’t just another browser add-on; it’s a meticulously crafted suite of functionalities designed specifically to address common pain points in Odoo development. From automatically activating debug mode to providing an intuitive interface for inspecting technical details, this extension significantly reduces manual effort and accelerates the debugging and customization cycles.

Imagine a world where you no longer need to manually activate debug mode every time you switch databases or clear your browser’s cache. Picture effortlessly viewing and refreshing PDF reports directly in your browser without cluttering your downloads folder. Envision having instant access to technical names of models, fields, and even one-to-many relationships right on your Odoo screen. These aren’t futuristic concepts; they are the immediate benefits unlocked by the Odoo Toolbox Extension. Its open-source nature further ensures transparency, community support, and continuous improvement, making it a reliable and evolving asset for the Odoo community.

Getting Started: Installing the Odoo Toolbox Extension

The first step to unlocking this productivity powerhouse is simple: installation. The Odoo Toolbox Extension is readily available on popular browser extension stores, making it accessible to virtually all Odoo users.

Steps to Install:

1. Open Your Browser: Launch either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
2. Search for the Extension: In your browser’s search bar, type “Odoo Toolbox” and hit Enter.
3. Locate in Store: You will typically see links to the official extension stores.
   • For Chrome users, find it on the Chrome Web Store.
   • For Firefox users, look for it on Firefox Add-ons.
4. Install: Click on the appropriate link, then click the “Add to Chrome” or “Add to Firefox” button.
5. Confirm: A prompt will appear asking for confirmation to add the extension. Click “Add extension.”

Once installed, a new icon (often resembling an Odoo logo or a wrench) will appear in your browser’s toolbar. You’re now ready to configure and utilize the incredible features of the Odoo Toolbox Extension.

Core Features of the Odoo Toolbox Extension: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Let’s dive into the core functionalities that make the Odoo Toolbox Extension an indispensable tool, complete with practical, step-by-step instructions.

1. Seamless Debugging: Always-On Developer Mode

One of the most frequent actions for any Odoo developer is enabling debug mode. Traditionally, this involved either appending ?debug=1 to the URL or clicking a specific button from another extension like Odoo Debug Monkey. However, if you cleared cookies, opened a private window, or restarted your session, you’d have to reactivate it every single time. The Odoo Toolbox Extension eliminates this hassle.

Purpose: To automatically enable debug mode whenever you access any Odoo backend session, regardless of the database or browser context.

Steps:

1. Access Extension Settings: Click on the Odoo Toolbox Extension icon in your browser toolbar. This will open its settings panel.
2. Navigate to Debug Mode: Within the settings, locate the “Debug Mode” options.
3. Select “Always”: Choose the “Always” option.
   • Note: You’ll also find options to enable it only on specific conditions or disable it entirely, but “Always” is the go-to for most developers.

Verification:

1. Open Odoo Instance: Navigate to any Odoo 18 instance (e.g., http://localhost:8069 or your online Odoo SaaS).
2. Confirm Debug Mode: As soon as the page loads, you will notice that developer mode is automatically active. This is usually indicated by a small debug icon in the footer or the presence of “Developer Tools” in the user dropdown menu. You can immediately access technical features like viewing field names or setting custom filters.

This feature alone saves countless clicks and ensures you’re always operating in an environment optimized for development and troubleshooting.

2. Streamlined Report Development: Technical Print Options

Developing or customizing Odoo reports can be tedious. Each minor adjustment often requires you to print the report, download a PDF, open it, and then repeat the cycle. Your downloads folder quickly becomes a graveyard of outdated PDFs. The Odoo Toolbox Extension introduces a brilliant solution that keeps your workspace clean and your development flow smooth.

Purpose: To view PDF reports directly inside your browser without downloading them, and to refresh them instantly after making changes to the record or report template.

Steps:

1. Enable Feature: Ensure the “Show Technical Print Options” setting is enabled in the Odoo Toolbox Extension settings. This is usually on by default.
2. Navigate to a Record with a Report: In your Odoo 18 instance, open any record that has a printable report (e.g., a Sales Order, Invoice, or Purchase Order).
3. Initiate Print: Click the “Print” button usually found at the top of the form view.
4. Select Report: From the dropdown menu, select the desired PDF report.
5. Direct Browser View: Instead of a download prompt, the PDF report will open directly in a new browser tab.
6. Make Changes: Go back to your Odoo record, or if you’re modifying the report’s XML template, make your changes and update the Odoo module.
7. Instant Refresh: In the browser tab displaying the PDF, simply click the “Refresh” button (F5 or the browser’s refresh icon). The report will instantly regenerate with all your latest changes, saving you from repetitive downloads.

This capability is invaluable for fine-tuning report layouts, ensuring correct data display, and significantly speeding up the report development lifecycle. For further insights on optimizing report design, consider exploring our guide on Mastering Odoo Report Customization.

3. Instant Information: Display Technical Name

Odoo versions, especially from 17.2 onwards, have simplified URLs by removing model names. While this enhances user experience, it can sometimes make it harder for developers to quickly identify the underlying model of a view. The Odoo Toolbox Extension brings this crucial information back to the forefront.

Purpose: To display the technical model name directly on the Odoo screen you are currently viewing.

Steps:

1. Enable Feature: Open the Odoo Toolbox Extension settings and enable the “Display Technical Name” option.
2. Navigate to Any Odoo Screen: Go to any list, form, or dashboard view in your Odoo 18 instance (e.g., Sales Orders, Customers, Products).
3. Observe Model Name: You will now see the technical model name (e.g., sale.order, res.partner, product.template) displayed prominently on the screen, often near the title or within the view itself.

This feature provides immediate context, allowing you to quickly understand which model you are interacting with, which is particularly useful when navigating complex Odoo environments or unfamiliar modules.

4. The Game-Changer: The Odoo Toolbox Extension’s Technical Sidebar

Introduced in version 1.5, the Technical Sidebar is arguably the most powerful feature of the Odoo Toolbox Extension. It’s akin to your browser’s “Inspect Element” but tailored specifically for Odoo’s internal structure, providing deep insights into models, fields, and data right within your Odoo interface.

Purpose: To inspect database information, record details, field properties, and technical names of elements on the Odoo screen in real-time.

Steps:

1. Open Odoo: Navigate to any Odoo form or list view in your Odoo 18 instance.
2. Activate Sidebar: Look for a small developer icon (often an Odoo logo or a small gear) at the bottom-right of your Odoo screen. Click this icon to open the Technical Sidebar.

Exploring Database & Record Information

Upon opening the sidebar, you’ll immediately see valuable information:

• Overview: Details about the current web enterprise screen.
• Database Information: This section provides crucial context, including the Odoo version (e.g., Odoo 18), the database name, server edition, language, and whether debug mode is active.
• Easy Copying: A fantastic quality-of-life feature is the ability to simply click on any of these details to instantly copy them to your clipboard, saving time when documenting or sharing information.

Inspecting Fields in List Views

When you’re in a list view (e.g., Sales > Orders), the sidebar provides:

• Model and View Type: It clearly shows the model name (e.g., sale.order) and the view type (List).
• Field List: Below this, it lists all the fields displayed on that screen, along with their technical names and other details.
• Interactive Inspection: To get even more granular, click the “Element Selector” button (often an arrow pointing to a box) within the sidebar. Then, hover your mouse over any column header or data field in the list view. The sidebar will instantly update to display:
  • The field’s technical name (e.g., partner_id for ‘Customer’).
  • Its type (e.g., many2one).
  • Related model (e.g., res.partner).
  • Whether it’s required, read-only, and any domain filters or contexts applied.

This dramatically simplifies understanding the data structure of a list view and quickly identifying the fields you need for customizations or queries.

Deep Dive into Form Views: Field and Relation Inspection

The power of the Technical Sidebar truly shines in form views (e.g., opening a specific Sales Order record).

• Comprehensive Field List: Similar to list views, the sidebar lists all fields on the form.
• Element Selector for Form Fields: Use the “Element Selector” and hover over any field label (e.g., “Salesperson”). The sidebar will reveal its technical name (user_id), the widget used (e.g., user_avatar), related model, and any applied domains. This avoids the tedious process of digging through XML or Python code to find a field’s exact technical identifier.
• Inspecting One-to-Many Relations: A common challenge in Odoo development is identifying the technical names of one-to-many fields, such as order_line for products in a sales order, invoice_line_ids in an invoice, or line_ids in journal items. These fields are crucial for accessing related data. The Technical Sidebar simplifies this:
  1. Open a form view containing such a relationship (e.g., a Sales Order form).
  2. Open the Technical Sidebar and activate the “Element Selector.”
  3. Hover over the section of the form that represents the one-to-many relationship (e.g., the table where product lines are listed in a sales order).
  4. The sidebar will immediately display the technical name of this crucial field (e.g., order_line).

This capability is incredibly valuable for writing custom code, creating reports, or performing data imports, as it provides the exact field names you need without guesswork. While the sidebar currently doesn’t capture everything (e.g., buttons or purely JavaScript-driven elements may not be selectable), it covers the vast majority of Python/XML-defined elements, making it an incredibly robust tool for inspecting your Odoo instances. For advanced debugging techniques, you might also find our article on Advanced Odoo Debugging Techniques useful.

Beyond the Basics: Maximizing Your Workflow

The features we’ve covered are just the tip of the iceberg. The Odoo Toolbox Extension includes other functionalities related to SSH (though less commonly used by all), and its continuous development means new features are always on the horizon. As an open-source project, it benefits from community contributions. If you’re interested in the codebase or even contributing, you can find its source on GitHub.

Regularly checking the extension’s settings and keeping it updated will ensure you’re always leveraging the latest enhancements. The more you explore, the more you’ll realize just how much time and effort this simple browser extension can save you.

Conclusion: Elevate Your Odoo Development Experience

The Odoo Toolbox Extension is an indispensable tool for anyone working with Odoo, especially developers and consultants. Its array of features – from automating debug mode and streamlining report generation to providing an unparalleled technical inspection sidebar – directly addresses the daily challenges faced in Odoo customization and development. By incorporating this powerful extension into your workflow, you’ll experience a significant boost in efficiency, accuracy, and overall productivity.

Don’t let manual tasks and tedious information retrieval slow you down. Install the Odoo Toolbox Extension today and revolutionize your Odoo development experience. It’s free, it’s powerful, and it’s essential.