How to Customize PDF Reports in Odoo Studio (Without Code)

In the world of business, your documents are your ambassadors. An invoice, a quotation, or a delivery slip is often the only physical (or digital) touchpoint a client has with your brand after a meeting. If your documents look generic, messy, or—worst of all—confusing, it reflects poorly on your professionalism.

Standard Odoo reports are functional and clean, but they are designed to be “one size fits all.” Most businesses, however, are not “one size fits all.” You have specific branding, specific legal requirements, and specific data you need to show.

In the past, customizing these PDF reports required a developer who understood QWeb and XML coding. It was expensive and slow. Enter Odoo Studio.

With Odoo Studio, customizing PDF reports becomes a drag-and-drop experience. This guide will walk you through how to transform your documents from “Generic Odoo” to “Uniquely Yours”—without writing a single line of code.

Why Customize with Studio?

Before Odoo Studio, changing a column width on an invoice could take a developer two hours. With Studio, it takes a user two minutes.

• Speed: Make changes instantly.
• Cost: No need to hire external consultants for minor tweaks.
• Control: You decide exactly what your customer sees.

(Note: Odoo Studio is available in Odoo Enterprise Edition.)

Getting Started: The Safety First Rule

Pro Tip: Before you start editing a live report, Duplicate it. If you make a mistake in the code structure (even with the visual editor), it can be frustrating to undo. By working on a copy, you have a safety net.

To duplicate:

1. Go to Settings > Technical > Reports.
2. Search for the report (e.g., “Invoices”).
3. Select it, click Action, and choose Duplicate.

Step-by-Step Guide to Customization

1. Accessing the Report Editor

Navigate to the document you want to change. If you want to edit the Quotation, go to the Sales App and open any existing quotation.

1. Click the Odoo Studio Icon (the toggle wrench) in the top right corner.
2. In the Studio menu at the top, click Reports.
3. Select the report you want to edit (e.g., “Quotation/Order”).

2. Understanding the Interface

You are now in the visual report editor.

• The Center: This is your live preview. It shows the document exactly as it will print.
• The Left Sidebar: This is your toolbox. It contains “Components” (images, text blocks, titles) and “Fields” (data from your database).
• The Right Sidebar (Properties): When you click an element in the report, this sidebar lets you change fonts, colors, alignment, and visibility conditions.

3. Adding and Removing Data Fields

This is the most common requirement: “I need to show the Product Reference code on the invoice line.”

1. Click on the Data Table in the main view (the list of products).
2. Look at the Left Sidebar under “Field”.
3. Search for the field you want (e.g., “Internal Reference”).
4. Drag and Drop that field into the table header in the main view.

Odoo will automatically create a new column for that data. You can do the same to remove columns—simply select the column header and press the trash icon or “Remove” in the properties.

4. Customizing the Header and Footer (Branding)

Odoo uses a “Base Layout” (External Layout) for headers and footers to ensure consistency across all documents (Invoices, POs, etc.).

• To change the Logo: It is best to do this in Settings > Companies > Company Data, as it propagates everywhere.
• To change the Layout Style: While in the Report Editor, look for Report Layout in the properties. You can switch between “Clean,” “Boxed,” “Bold,” or “Striped” with one click.
• Adding a Watermark: Drag an Image Block onto the report, upload your company logo, and use the transparency slider in the Right Sidebar to fade it out.

5. Editing Text and Labels

Sometimes you just want to change the language. Perhaps you want “Description” to say “Scope of Work.”

1. Click directly on the text in the report preview.
2. Type your new text.
3. Done. It is that simple.

You can also bold, italicize, or change the color of text using the context menu that appears when you highlight text, similar to Microsoft Word.

6. Advanced: Conditional Display (The “If” Logic)

This is where Studio shines. Suppose you want to show a specific bank account only if the currency is USD.

1. Select the block containing the USD bank details.
2. In the Right Sidebar, look for the “Visible if” or limitation filter.
3. Set the condition: Currency is equal to USD.

Now, that text block will vanish on ZMW (Kwacha) invoices and appear on USD ones.

Common Customizations You Should Try

If you are wondering where to start, here are three high-value changes businesses often make:

• Signatures: Add an image block at the bottom of the Quote for “Customer Acceptance.”
• Terms & Conditions: Instead of a generic block, add a text field that pulls from a specific “Terms” field on the Sales Order, allowing you to have custom T&Cs for different projects.
• Product Images: Drag the “Image” field into the line item row to show a thumbnail of the product being sold—great for furniture or retail businesses.

While Studio is powerful, it is not magic. You might still need a developer if:

• You need complex mathematical calculations inside the report (e.g., “Total Weight” calculated from line items).
• You need dynamic grouping of lines (e.g., grouping products by Category on the invoice).
• You require distinct, complex styling that CSS in Studio cannot handle.

Conclusion

Odoo Studio has democratized report design. You no longer need to accept “default” as your standard. By spending 30 minutes in the Studio Report Editor, you can create documents that are cleaner, more informative, and deeply aligned with your brand identity.

Your invoice is the last thing a customer sees of your transaction, make sure it leaves a good impression.