Wasting $211K Annually? Centralize with Odoo 18 Documents Module

Sales team needs signed contract from legal. Legal: "I emailed it 3 weeks ago." Sales: "Can't find it." Search inbox: 847 emails. No contract. Legal re-sends. Sales saves to desktop folder "Client Contracts Final." Week later: "Which version is latest? Desktop has v3, email attachment is v4, shared drive has v2." Waste 47 minutes finding correct version. Customer waiting.

Your document chaos: Files scattered across email attachments, Google Drive, Dropbox, local desktops, SharePoint, Slack channels. No central repository. HR needs employee contract: searches 4 different places, finds 3 versions, doesn't know which is executed copy. Accountant needs invoice: "Check the Finance folder... no wait, it's in Sharon's email... actually try the Q3 folder on shared drive."

Cost: Team wastes 8.7 hours weekly searching for documents = $22,724/year (at $50/hour avg). Version confusion causes errors: Sent outdated proposal to client, lost $87K deal. Compliance risk: Can't find signed NDAs during audit = $12,000 legal fees. Duplicate storage: Same files saved 7 times across systems = paying for 4TB storage (need 600GB). No access control: Ex-employee still has Google Drive access to confidential files.

Odoo 18 Documents Module fixes this: Centralized document repository (one source of truth), folder organization by department/project, version control (no more "which is latest?"), access permissions (control who sees what), full-text search (find anything in seconds), integration with other Odoo apps (invoices, contracts, HR docs auto-attached). Here's how to configure centralized document management so you stop losing $121,724/year to file chaos.

What Odoo 18 Documents Module Does

Centralized document management system integrated with all Odoo apps:

Document Module Interface Overview

Step 1: Understand Workspace Structure

1. Company Workspace

Shared company-wide documents organized by department.

2. My Drive

Personal workspace. Files here are private by default. Use for drafts, work-in-progress, personal notes. Share explicitly when ready.

3. Shared with Me

Documents other users shared with you specifically. Convenient view of all collaborative files without hunting through folders.

4. Recent

Auto-populated list of recently opened/modified files. Quick access to ongoing work.

5. Trash

Deleted documents (not permanently removed). Recovery option for accidental deletions.

Step 2: Create Folder Structure

Best Practice: Mirror your organizational structure.

1. Go to Documents app
2. Select Company workspace (left sidebar)
3. Click New → Folder
4. Create top-level folders by department:
   • Finance
   • HR
   • Sales
   • Marketing
   • Legal
5. Within each department, create subfolders:
   • Finance → Invoices, Receipts, Tax Returns, Contracts
   • HR → Contracts, Policies, Performance Reviews, Onboarding
   • Sales → Proposals, Client Contracts, Presentations

Step 3: Upload Documents

Method 1: Upload from Computer

1. Navigate to target folder (e.g., Finance → Invoices)
2. Click New → Upload
3. Select files from computer
4. Supports: PDF, Word, Excel, Images, ZIP, etc.
5. Files upload to current folder

Method 2: Drag & Drop

1. Open folder in Odoo Documents
2. Drag files from desktop
3. Drop into Odoo window
4. Auto-uploads to current folder

Method 3: Link External URL

1. Click New → Link
2. Enter external URL (Google Drive link, Dropbox, cloud storage)
3. Add description
4. Save
5. Document stores link (no duplicate storage)

Step 4: Organize with Tags

Tags provide additional categorization beyond folders.

1. Click document to select
2. Right panel opens with document details
3. Add tags: "Q4 2024," "Client: ABC Corp," "Urgent," "Draft"
4. Search/filter by tags later

Step 5: Set Access Permissions

Control who can view, edit, or delete documents.

1. Select document or folder
2. Click gear icon (settings)
3. Click Manage Access
4. Configure permissions:
   • Owner: Full control (you, by default)
   • Can Edit: Select users/groups who can modify
   • Can View: Select users/groups with read-only access
   • No Access: Everyone else (default)
5. Click Save

Step 6: Request Documents

Scenario: HR needs ID proof from new employee. Instead of email follow-ups, use document request.

1. Go to folder where document should be uploaded (e.g., HR → Employee Files → John Doe)
2. Click New → Request
3. Fill request form:
   • Request From: Employee email
   • Document Name: "Government ID Proof"
   • Due Date: Set deadline
   • Instructions: "Please upload passport or driver's license"
4. Click Send Request
5. Employee receives email with upload link
6. They upload document directly to specified folder
7. You get notification when uploaded
8. No email back-and-forth needed

Step 7: Create & Collaborate on Spreadsheets

Odoo Spreadsheets integrate with Odoo data (live updates from Sales, Accounting, Inventory).

1. Click New → Spreadsheet
2. Name spreadsheet: "Q4 Sales Report"
3. Spreadsheet editor opens (similar to Excel/Google Sheets)
4. Enter data manually OR pull from Odoo:
   • Insert → Odoo Menu → Sales Data
   • Select fields: Customer, Amount, Date
   • Data auto-populates from Sales module
   • Updates in real-time when sales created
5. Share spreadsheet:
   • Click Share button
   • Add team members
   • Set permissions (Can Edit / Can View)
6. Collaborators see changes live (like Google Sheets)

Step 8: Search Documents

Full-Text Search

1. Top-right: Search bar
2. Enter search term: "ABC Corp contract"
3. Odoo searches:
   • Document names
   • Document content (inside PDFs, Word docs)
   • Tags
   • Folder names
4. Results appear instantly
5. Click to open document

Advanced Filters

1. Click Filters button
2. Filter by:
   • Document type (PDF, Word, Excel, Image)
   • Upload date range
   • Owner
   • Tags
   • Workspace (Company, My Drive, Shared)
3. Combine multiple filters
4. Save custom filter for reuse

Step 9: Lock & Pin Important Documents

Lock Document (Prevent Edits)

1. Select document
2. Click gear icon → Lock
3. Document marked "Locked"
4. No one (except owner) can edit or delete
5. Use for: Signed contracts, executed agreements, final versions

Pin Document (Quick Access)

1. Select document
2. Click gear icon → Pin
3. Document appears at top of folder (always visible)
4. Use for: Frequently accessed files, templates, important references

Step 10: Integrate with Other Odoo Apps

Auto-Attach Invoices

When you create invoice in Accounting module, PDF auto-saved to Documents → Finance → Invoices. No manual upload needed.

Link Documents to Records

1. Open customer record (Sales → Customers)
2. Click Documents smart button
3. See all documents related to this customer:
   • Contracts
   • Invoices
   • Proposals
   • Correspondence
4. Click Upload to add new document
5. Auto-linked to customer record

Real-World Use Cases

Use Case 1: HR Onboarding

Use Case 2: Sales Proposal Management

Use Case 3: Finance Document Compliance

Common Mistakes

Real-World Impact Example

Quick Implementation Checklist