Configuration

To configure a PDF document template for import, the first thing to do is to have the document defined with a specific structure.

1. Go to Settings > Technical > Base Import PDF Simple > Templates
2. Create a new template by entering a characteristic name and the model on which the record will be generated.

Fields to consider completing on template:

• Main Model: model on which the record will be generated. Example: purchase.order
• Child field: One2many field that will create records from selected template. Example: Order Lines (purchase.order)
• Auto detect pattern: Define a characteristic pattern of the document so that it recognizes that it corresponds to the template we are creating. Need to use regular expression. Example: (?<=ESA79935607)[Ss]*
• Header Items: Complete this field if the template has a header table to extract information lines. Example: Reference,Quantity,Price
• Company: Set the company that will use the template. If it is empty, template will apply for all companies set on the environment.

1. Add new lines.

• Related model: When adding new line, the section where to locate the data; “header” which, as its name indicates, refers to the header of the document and “lines” refers to the structure of lines or table of the document.
• Field: Map the field to be completed. Example: product
• Pattern: Optional field to complete. Define pattern of the document so that it recognizes the place to get the field selected on PDF template. Need to use regular expression. Example: ([0-9]{7}) [0-7]{1}
• Value type:
  • Fixed: Select this value, if the field mapped will always have an specific value and not extract the information from template. In this case Pattern field must be empty.
  • Variable: Select variable to get the information from template. In this case, Pattern field must be completed.
• For Value type “Variable” will appear extra fields to complete:
• Search value: Indicates the field by which the value obtained in the PDF will be searched on the system.
• Default value: If the search result is empty for the search value option, you can set default value to create a record and not getting error message.
• Log distint value?: This option is useful when getting prices in order to compare prices inside system and prices obtained from PDF. This will create lines with prices obtained from the system but create log on chatter to see the differences obtained from PDF.

Check demo data to further information.

Usage

This module allows to upload PDF files in any Odoo model. It processes each of the files and converts it into a new record. Technically, the pdf is transformed into text and that text is processed to create the record. The module incorporates an option in actions ‘Import records (with template)’ and Template configuration in order to recognized any document structure.

Known issues / Roadmap

• Add operator in template lines (= or ilike)
• Add support for selection fields as default value.
• Simplify auto-detection (defining a text only to search the system should search the corresponding regular expression).
• Allow compatibility with registration process created from email alias (for purchase order for example).
• Remove error if some file is not auto-detected template, options: boolean (default option according to system parameter) to omit error for not found files or change process to 2 steps, auto-detect and show lines (each one with respect to a file) with template applied (similar to dms_auto_classification).
• Create test_base_import_pdf_simple module with sale, purchase and account dependencies to leave templates created in runboat and tests more useful for testers.
• Display a more readable error if there is an error in Preview process, example: wrong pattern. Message: “Please check template defined, some items are not correctly set”.
• Add a progress bar (widget=“gauge”) in the import wizard process, useful if we import for example sales orders with 20 lines and thus know the progress.

Compatibility with csv, xls, etc:

• Separate much of the logic to new module base_import_simple that would contain the logic of templates, type of files (csv, excel, etc) in the templates and wizard and this module would depend on the other adding only what relates to PDF.
• The base module should take into account for each template whether each line is a new record or not, and start line (in case you want to omit any), only page 1 would be imported.
• The preview smart-btton would serve exactly the same purpose.
• In the case of csv and Excel that each record is a line, the document will NOT be attached to the record.
• If you indicate that each record is a line the column will be the key, otherwise you must specify to which line each line of the template refers.
• In the case of csv it will try to auto-detect the lines and columns (no need to complicate delimiters configuration).
• The menu “Import PDF” of the favorite menu would become “Import file”, and the allowed file extensions would be those obtained from a method (it would be extended by other modules that add other formats such as PDF).
• Add queue_job_base_import_simple module to process everything by queues (example: Excel with hundreds of lines, each one a record).

Bug Tracker

Bugs are tracked on GitHub Issues. In case of trouble, please check there if your issue has already been reported. If you spotted it first, help us to smash it by providing a detailed and welcomed feedback.

Do not contact contributors directly about support or help with technical issues.

Credits

Maintainers

This module is maintained by the OCA.

OCA, or the Odoo Community Association, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the collaborative development of Odoo features and promote its widespread use.

Current maintainer:

This module is part of the OCA/edi project on GitHub.

You are welcome to contribute. To learn how please visit https://odoo-community.org/page/Contribute.