Odoo Actions: Window, Server, Report, and URL Actions

Actions define how the Odoo system responds to user interactions — clicking a menu item, pressing a button, selecting a record, or running a scheduled job. An action tells the client what to do next: open a view, run server-side code, generate a report, redirect to a URL, or trigger a client-side component. Actions can be stored as database records (referenced by ID or external ID) or returned directly as dictionaries from Python methods.

Action Basics

All actions share two mandatory attributes:

Attribute	Description
`type`	The action category, e.g. `ir.actions.act_window`. Determines which other fields are valid.
`name`	Short human-readable description. May appear in breadcrumbs or button labels.

A client can receive an action in four forms:

False — close any open dialog.
A string — treated as a client action tag.
An integer — load the action record from the database by ID.
A dictionary — execute directly as an inline action descriptor.

Bindings

Any action can be bound to a model so it appears in the model’s contextual Action or Print drop-down menu on list and form views:

Attribute	Description
`binding_model_id`	The model to bind the action to (use `model_id` for server actions instead).
`binding_type`	`action` (appears in the Action menu, default) or `report` (appears in the Print menu).
`binding_view_types`	Comma-separated view types: `list`, `form`. Defaults to `list,form`.

<record id="action_estate_property_sold" model="ir.actions.server">
    <field name="name">Mark as Sold</field>
    <field name="model_id" ref="model_estate_property"/>
    <field name="binding_model_id" ref="model_estate_property"/>
    <field name="binding_type">action</field>
    <field name="binding_view_types">list,form</field>
    <field name="state">code</field>
    <field name="code">records.action_sold()</field>
</record>

Window Actions (`ir.actions.act_window`)

The most common action type. Opens a model through one or more views (list, form, kanban, graph, pivot, etc.).

Fields

Field	Description
`res_model`	(required) The model to display.
`view_mode`	Comma-separated list of view types, e.g. `list,form,kanban`.
`views`	List of `(view_id, view_type)` pairs; auto-built from `view_mode` if not set.
`res_id`	When `view_mode` starts with `form`, opens this specific record ID.
`search_view_id`	`(id, name)` pair specifying a custom search view.
`target`	Where to open the action: `current` (default), `new` (dialog), `fullscreen`, `main` (clear breadcrumbs).
`context`	Additional context dict passed to all views.
`domain`	Domain filter applied to all searches in the action.
`limit`	Default number of records in list views. Defaults to 80.

Example

<record id="action_estate_property" model="ir.actions.act_window">
    <field name="name">Properties</field>
    <field name="res_model">estate.property</field>
    <field name="view_mode">list,form,kanban</field>
    <field name="domain">[('active', '=', True)]</field>
    <field name="context">{'search_default_available': 1}</field>
    <field name="help" type="html">
        <p class="o_view_nocontent_smiling_face">
            Create your first property listing!
        </p>
    </field>
</record>

Opening a Specific Record in a Dialog

<record id="action_view_property_form" model="ir.actions.act_window">
    <field name="name">Property Details</field>
    <field name="res_model">estate.property</field>
    <field name="view_mode">form</field>
    <field name="target">new</field>
</record>

Returning an Action from Python

def action_view_offers(self):
    return {
        'type': 'ir.actions.act_window',
        'name': 'Offers',
        'res_model': 'estate.property.offer',
        'view_mode': 'list,form',
        'domain': [('property_id', '=', self.id)],
        'context': {'default_property_id': self.id},
        'target': 'current',
    }

Server Actions (`ir.actions.server`)

Server actions execute Python code or predefined operations on the server when triggered by a user, a button, or an automation rule.

Fields

Field	Description
`model_id`	The model the action operates on.
`state`	What the action does: `code`, `object_create`, `object_write`, `multi`.
`code`	Python code to execute (when `state='code'`). Exposes `env`, `model`, `record`, `records`.
`child_ids`	List of sub-actions to run sequentially (when `state='multi'`).
`crud_model_id`	Model to create/update in (when `state='object_create'` or `object_write`).

Code Action

<record id="action_send_welcome_email" model="ir.actions.server">
    <field name="name">Send Welcome Email</field>
    <field name="model_id" ref="base.model_res_partner"/>
    <field name="binding_model_id" ref="base.model_res_partner"/>
    <field name="state">code</field>
    <field name="code">
for partner in records:
    template = env.ref('my_module.email_template_welcome')
    template.send_mail(partner.id, force_send=True)
    </field>
</record>

In server action code, the following names are available: env (the ORM environment), model (the model class), record (single record, may be empty), records (all selected records), datetime, dateutil, time, timezone (corresponding Python modules), log (a log(message, level='info') function that records debug information in ir.logging), and UserError (constructor for the UserError exception).

Code Action That Returns a Next Action

A server action code block can define a variable called action, which is then returned to the client as the next action to execute:

<record id="action_open_property_wizard" model="ir.actions.server">
    <field name="name">Open Offer Wizard</field>
    <field name="model_id" ref="model_estate_property"/>
    <field name="state">code</field>
    <field name="code">
action = {
    'type': 'ir.actions.act_window',
    'res_model': 'estate.property.offer.wizard',
    'view_mode': 'form',
    'target': 'new',
    'context': {'default_property_id': record.id},
}
    </field>
</record>

Multi-Action

<record id="action_estate_multi" model="ir.actions.server">
    <field name="name">Validate and Notify</field>
    <field name="model_id" ref="model_estate_property"/>
    <field name="state">multi</field>
    <field name="child_ids" eval="[
        (4, ref('action_mark_sold')),
        (4, ref('action_send_confirmation_email')),
    ]"/>
</record>

Report Actions (`ir.actions.report`)

Report actions generate PDF or HTML documents from QWeb templates.

Fields

Field	Description
`name`	Report name; used as filename if `print_report_name` is not set.
`model`	The model the report is about.
`report_name`	External ID of the QWeb template (e.g. `estate.report_property_template`).
`report_type`	`qweb-pdf` (default) or `qweb-html`.
`print_report_name`	Python expression returning the filename, e.g. `"'Property - %s' % object.name"`.
`binding_model_id`	Bind to a model so the report appears in the Print menu.
`paperformat_id`	Many2one to `report.paperformat`; defaults to company format.
`groups_id`	Many2many to `res.groups`; restricts which groups can view or use the report.
`multi`	If `True`, the action will not be displayed on a form view.
`attachment_use`	If `True`, the report is generated once and re-printed from the stored attachment on subsequent requests.
`attachment`	Python expression defining the attachment name; the record is accessible as `object`.

Example

<record id="action_report_estate_property" model="ir.actions.report">
    <field name="name">Property Report</field>
    <field name="model">estate.property</field>
    <field name="report_type">qweb-pdf</field>
    <field name="report_name">estate.report_property_template</field>
    <field name="print_report_name">'Property - %s' % object.name</field>
    <field name="binding_model_id" ref="model_estate_property"/>
    <field name="paperformat_id" ref="base.paperformat_euro"/>
</record>

QWeb Report Template

<template id="report_property_template">
    <t t-call="web.html_container">
        <t t-foreach="docs" t-as="doc">
            <t t-call="web.external_layout">
                <div class="page">
                    <h2 t-field="doc.name"/>
                    <div class="row">
                        <div class="col-6">
                            <strong>Expected Price:</strong>
                            <span t-field="doc.expected_price"/>
                        </div>
                        <div class="col-6">
                            <strong>Postcode:</strong>
                            <span t-field="doc.postcode"/>
                        </div>
                    </div>
                </div>
            </t>
        </t>
    </t>
</template>

URL Actions (`ir.actions.act_url`)

URL actions redirect the user to an internal or external URL.

Fields

Field	Description
`url`	The address to open.
`target`	`new` (new tab/window, default), `self` (current window), `download` (trigger browser download).

Examples

<!-- Open Odoo website in a new tab -->
<record id="action_visit_website" model="ir.actions.act_url">
    <field name="name">Visit Our Website</field>
    <field name="url">https://www.example.com</field>
    <field name="target">new</field>
</record>

<!-- Force-download a file from a controller -->
<record id="action_download_export" model="ir.actions.act_url">
    <field name="name">Download Export</field>
    <field name="url">/estate/export/properties</field>
    <field name="target">download</field>
</record>

From Python

def action_open_external(self):
    return {
        'type': 'ir.actions.act_url',
        'url': 'https://www.example.com/property/%d' % self.id,
        'target': 'new',
    }

Client Actions (`ir.actions.client`)

Client actions trigger a handler implemented entirely in JavaScript — the server has no knowledge of what happens after dispatching the action.

Fields

Field	Description
`tag`	Client-side identifier registered in the `actions` registry.
`params`	Optional Python dict passed to the client handler.
`target`	`current` (default), `new`, `fullscreen`, or `main`.

Example

<record id="action_estate_dashboard" model="ir.actions.client">
    <field name="name">Estate Dashboard</field>
    <field name="tag">estate.dashboard</field>
    <field name="target">main</field>
</record>

Register the handler in JavaScript:

/** @odoo-module **/

import { registry } from "@web/core/registry";
import { EstateDashboard } from "./estate_dashboard";

registry.category("actions").add("estate.dashboard", EstateDashboard);

Get Started

Backend Framework

Frontend Framework

External API

How-to Guides

Odoo Actions: Window, Server, Report, and URL Actions

Action Basics

Bindings

Window Actions (`ir.actions.act_window`)

Fields

Example

Opening a Specific Record in a Dialog

Returning an Action from Python

Server Actions (`ir.actions.server`)

Fields

Code Action

Code Action That Returns a Next Action

Multi-Action

Report Actions (`ir.actions.report`)

Fields

Example

QWeb Report Template

URL Actions (`ir.actions.act_url`)

Fields

Examples

From Python

Client Actions (`ir.actions.client`)

Fields

Example

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get Started

Backend Framework

Frontend Framework

External API

How-to Guides

Documentation Index

​Action Basics

​Bindings

​Window Actions (ir.actions.act_window)

​Fields

​Example

​Opening a Specific Record in a Dialog

​Returning an Action from Python

​Server Actions (ir.actions.server)

​Fields

​Code Action

​Code Action That Returns a Next Action

​Multi-Action

​Report Actions (ir.actions.report)

​Fields

​Example

​QWeb Report Template

​URL Actions (ir.actions.act_url)

​Fields

​Examples

​From Python

​Client Actions (ir.actions.client)

​Fields

​Example

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Action Basics

Bindings

Window Actions (`ir.actions.act_window`)

Fields

Example

Opening a Specific Record in a Dialog

Returning an Action from Python

Server Actions (`ir.actions.server`)

Fields

Code Action

Code Action That Returns a Next Action

Multi-Action

Report Actions (`ir.actions.report`)

Fields

Example

QWeb Report Template

URL Actions (`ir.actions.act_url`)

Fields

Examples

From Python

Client Actions (`ir.actions.client`)

Fields

Example