A Template is your own private Odoo instance, and the starting point for everything else on Norcloud. Set it up once with the Odoo version, apps, modules and data you want. Then use it to launch Evaluations for prospects, Hosts for clients, or a Community Vertical for the whole Norcloud community.
A Template is never used directly by your clients. Once it's set up the way you want, you can stop it and leave it stopped: you can still launch Evaluations and Hosts from a stopped Template. Start it again whenever you want to make changes.
Open Norcloud Management Interface → Templates to see your Templates. The list shows only active Templates by default; remove the Active filter to include deleted ones.
Creating a Template
Click New. The editable fields are on the left of the form; the right-hand side is filled in by Norcloud.
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Template Name | A name to help you recognise the Template. You can change it later while the Template is stopped. |
| Odoo Version | Odoo 16, 17, 18 or 19. This can't be changed once the Template is created. |
| Evaluation Time (Value) and (Units) | How long each Evaluation launched from this Template lasts, in minutes, hours or days. The default is 3 hours. |
| Install Demo Data on Evaluation | Installs Odoo's demo data in every Evaluation launched from this Template. Available once the Template is registered for maintenance. |
| DB Master Password | The Odoo database master password, written to the instance's configuration. It's locked once the Template is created. You don't need to remember it: click the eye icon to view it. |
| Server Type | The type of server the Template itself runs on. Chosen before the Template is created. |
| Eval Launch Server Type | The server type for Evaluations launched from this Template. |
| Host Launch Server Type | The server type for Hosts launched from this Template. |
Server types set the resources, and therefore the price, of an instance. You'll see the types that currently have capacity, such as Entry Level and Intermediate.
When you're ready, click Create Template. Norcloud queues a background job that reserves ports and builds the container and database. The status in the form header shows the job's progress, and this can take a few minutes. When it finishes, the Template is Stopped and ready to start.
Starting your Template for the first time
Click Start Template. The first time, a Create Database window asks for the details of your Odoo database:
- Database Name
- Email and Password: the login for the database's administrator
- Phone number, Language and Country
Click Create database.
You will notice the similarity to the Odoo create-database screen. The "Master Password" has already been entered.
When the Template is running, a link appears at the top of the form: Right-click here and open in private/incognito. Opening in a private window keeps your Odoo instance's login separate from your Norcloud login, so neither logs you out of the other.
You can log in with the email and password you just entered, and set your instance up as you would any Odoo database: install apps, configure settings, add users and data. When it looks the way you want your clients to see it, close the browser to return to Norcloud.
Registering for maintenance
Registering is optional, but it unlocks several features. Click Register on a running Template and confirm. Norcloud adds a maintenance user to your database, which it uses to install and manage modules on your behalf.
Once Registered for Maintenance is ticked, you can:
- turn on Install Demo Data on Evaluation;
- choose Modules to Install;
- deploy your own add-on modules straight into the Template (see Addon Modules).
Unregister removes the maintenance user again.
Modules to Install
Once registered, the Template has a Modules to Install field. It offers extra modules that Norcloud provides for your Odoo version. If a module exists for Odoo version, an info icon appears next to the field. Click the info icon to read about each one. You can change the selection while the Template is stopped, and the modules are installed the next time it starts.
If a newer version of an installed module becomes available, a notice appears under the buttons: Newer module version(s) available. Do a full restart to apply it.
Template buttons
The buttons under the fields change with the Template's state.
| Button | Available when | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Create Template | New (not yet created) | Builds the Template's container and database. |
| Start Template | Stopped | Starts the Template. The first start asks for your database details. |
| Stop Template | Running | Stops the Template. It stays intact and can still be copied or used to launch other instances. |
| Restart Template | Running | Restarts the Template. See Restarting a Template. |
| Copy Template | Stopped or running | Creates an exact copy called <name>_copy. |
| Launch Evaluation | The database exists | Creates a time-limited copy. See Evaluations. |
| Launch Host | The database exists | Creates a permanent copy. See Hosting. |
| Create Vertical | The database exists | Shares a copy with the Norcloud community. See Community Verticals. |
| Register / Unregister | Running | Adds or removes the maintenance user. See Registering for maintenance. |
| Edit Config | Stopped or running | Opens the configuration file editor. See Editing configuration files. |
| Log Viewer | Running | Shows the Template's Odoo log. See Logs. |
| Delete Template | Stopped | Deletes the Template's files and database and sets the status to "Dead". All changes are lost. |
| Upgrade Template | Stopped | Coming soon: upgrading a Template to a newer Odoo version. |
| Clear Error | Error | Stops the Template and clears the error so you can try again. |
To remove a Template completely, click Reset Template, then Delete Template.
Restarting a Template
Restart Template has a Full restart switch next to it:
- Off: a quick restart of the Odoo service.
- On: a full stop and start. This re-applies your Modules to Install, any Python requirements and newer module versions. It takes longer.
Editing configuration files
Edit Config opens an editor for the Template's configuration files. It opens odoo.conf first; use the arrow next to Edit Config to switch to docker-compose.yml, requirements.txt, pg_hba.conf or postgresql.conf.
- Save Version saves your changes; Save & Restart also restarts the container so they take effect.
- Every save is kept on the Version History tab, where you can restore an earlier version. Restore System Default puts back the original file and clears the history.
- Passwords are shown as
********. You can't change them here: Norcloud always writes the real values back when you save. - In
requirements.txt, adding a line installs that Python package and deleting a line uninstalls it. Save with Full Restart to apply the change.
Changing configuration without knowing what it does can stop your Template from working, which is why Norcloud asks you to confirm first.
Logs
Log Viewer shows the Template's Odoo log. You can filter by log level, search for text and choose how many of the latest lines to show.
The bottom of the form also keeps Norcloud's own history for the Template. Use Log View to switch between the Activity Log, Error Logs and Information Logs.
Template states
| State | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Initial / Draft | Not yet created, or reset. The fields can be edited. |
| Stopped | Created and ready, but not running. |
| Running | Running and reachable from its link. |
| Error | Something went wrong; check the logs, then click Clear Error. |
| Suspended | Your account is suspended because your wallet balance reached zero. Top up your wallet in Norcloud Finance and your instances are restarted. |
| Hibernated | Paused by Norcloud during server maintenance. It resumes automatically afterwards. |
| Deleted | Removed. Deleted Templates are hidden by the Active filter. |