This presentation is an overview of the "base_import" module in OpenERP. With test driven development and data migration, we need to gather and enter real data owned by users.

1. BEST PRACTICES ON
HOW TO IMPORT DATA
INTO OPENERP
Why you should love CSV Import
Cyril MORISSE ( @cmorisse )

2. Introduction
 With Test Driven Development and Data Migration,
we need to gather and enter real data owned by
users
 We need a data format within user’s reach
(compared to XML)
 As of version 7.0 OpenERP has redesigned the
import system (“base_import” module):
 It has nearly everything right out of the box
 Only missing feature is user oriented documentation
 This talk is an overview of the module

3. Installation
 Export functionality is available right out of the box
 BUT import functionality must be installed:
 Import is covered by “base_import” module
 Import must be installed via Settings / Configuration /
General Settings
 Then “Import” link is available in all list/tree views

4. CSV import issues
 When importing data using CSV, you will
face 3 main issues:
Identify the fields required for an import
Understand “OpenERP External IDs”
Understand how to import the different type
of fields
Simple fields ( date, text, numbers, boolean,…)
Relational fields:
 Many2many
 Many2One
 One2many

5. Identify fields to import
 To identify the columns required to import an
object:
1. Activate “Developer Mode”
2. Write down all the fields you must enter manually
3. Export a file with all these fields
4. Delete values in the id column then re-import the
file to check everything is ok
5. If a column is missing ; do it again from step 3 and
add the column

6. Understand IDs
 Example Product categories
 CSV Import allows User Defined External IDs
 External IDs are symbolic names for records
 Format is module_name.id_name

7. Understand IDs (continued)
 User defined IDs are saved in the database and can be
retrieved via:
 Settings / Technical / Sequences & Identifiers / External Identifiers

8. Understand IDs (end)
 User defined IDs allow to manage Import / Update of data
 During import:
 If a record exists with this ID, OpenERP will update the record
 If no record exists with this ID, OpenERP will create a new record
 Export IDs
 During Export, OpenERP creates an export ID for all records without
IDs (manually created records)
 In the database all External IDs are stored in table ir_model_data

9. Import simple Fields
Field type Cell content Example
char, text Content surrounded by “ “This is a text ""value”"."
float Number with . as decimal
separator
3.15
boolean True or False “0” or 0 or “False” or False
or “1” or 1 or “True” or True
date YYYY-MM-DD 2013-06-10
datetime YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS 2013-06-10 07:07
selection Value as given by
“developer mode” inspector
reference Value in database is
“object,id”

10. Import relations: Many2One
 Many2one
 This is the simplest relation to import in CSV
 Just use id of referenced object
id
parent_id
product_category
...

11. Import relations: Many2Many
 Eg. Customer Tags
 Many2many involves 3 tables
 Really simple in CSV ; enter all values separated by
comma with no space
...
id
res_partner
id
...
res_partner_category
category_idpartner_id
res_partner_res_partner_category_rel

12. Import relations: One2Many
 Eg. Quotations/ Quotations Lines
 In CSV: Enter lines while you don’t repeat header object fields
 Child objects column format is
“one2many_fieldname/child_object_field”
...
id
sale_order
id
order_id
sale_order_line
...

13. Integrate CSV in your development
workflow
 Create a set of shared Google Spreadsheet that your
users will complete with project data
 Organize your OpenERP project in 3 modules:
 project_core with code and technical parameters
 project_data : will contains only data in CSV files
 project_test : contains your test code and test specific data
 Use a tool to automate export and download of the
Google Spreadsheet into the project_data module
 http://bitbucket.org/cmorisse/edgdd
 Your users will be able to “cooperatively” enter their
data and you will be able to seamlessly integrate and
use this data in your project

14. More information?
www.audaxis.com
Contact us
openerp@audaxis.com
14
Visit our booth at OpenERP Community Days in Hall K