How to Implement search Parameter in Odoo?

How to Implement search Parameter in Odoo?

✅ What is it?

When you define a computed field in Odoo, you may also want to make it searchable in the UI (tree, form, search view). However, since the value is not stored in the database (store=False), Odoo cannot natively perform SQL-level filtering.

To make such a computed field searchable, you provide a custom search method using the search= parameter.

✅ Syntax

fields.FieldType(‘Field Label’, compute=’_compute_method’, search=’_custom_search_method’)

📌 Realistic Odoo Example

🎯 Scenario:

You want to define a computed datetime field called delay_alert_date which triggers an alert if delivery is delayed, and you want this field to be searchable in the UI (e.g. filter records where delay is after a given date).

✅ Code:

from odoo import models, fields, api

class StockPicking(models.Model):

_inherit = ‘stock.picking’

delay_alert_date = fields.Datetime(

‘Delay Alert Date’,

compute=’_compute_delay_alert_date‘,

search=’_search_delay_alert_date’

)

def _compute_delay_alert_date(self):

for record in self:

if record.scheduled_date and record.date_done:

if record.date_done > record.scheduled_date:

record.delay_alert_date = record.date_done

else:

record.delay_alert_date = False

@api.model

def _search_delay_alert_date(self, operator, value):

# Custom search logic

pickings = self.search([

(‘scheduled_date’, ‘<‘, value),

(‘date_done’, operator, value)

])

return [(‘id’, ‘in’, pickings.ids)]

🔍 Explanation:

Component	Purpose
compute=’_compute_delay_alert_date’	Calculates the field’s value dynamically
search=’_search_delay_alert_date’	Enables search/filter on this field
_search_delay_alert_date method	Performs the actual search based on logic you define

⚠️ Without defining search=, users cannot filter based on this computed field in views or filters.

🧠 Use Cases

Filter sales orders with computed margin
Search for overdue tasks with computed delay
Filter products based on computed stock forecast

✅ Summary Table

Concept	Description
search= param	Points to custom method for searching computed fields
When needed	For non-stored (store=False) computed fields
Returns	A domain like [(‘id’, ‘in’, matching_ids)]
Benefit	Makes dynamic fields searchable in UI

Component

Purpose

Concept

Description

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