How to Implement check_company=True in Odoo?


What is check_company=True?

check_company=True is an option for relational fields—typically Many2one—that tells Odoo to automatically verify company consistency between:

  1. the main record’s company_id, and
  2. the linked record’s company_id.

If a mismatch is detected when the field is set or changed, Odoo raises a ValidationError.


✅ Where to Use It


field_name = fields.Many2one(

    'target.model',

    string='Target',

    check_company=True,    # ← enables automatic company check

)


  • Supported on Many2one, One2many, and Many2many (for the inverse Many2one).
  • No additional code is needed—the ORM handles the check.


📌 Realistic Use Cases in Odoo


1. Prevent Cross-Company Journal Selection


class Expense(models.Model):

    _name = 'hr.expense'


    journal_id = fields.Many2one(

        'account.journal',

        string='Expense Journal',

        check_company=True,

    )


If a user tries to pick an Accounting Journal that belongs to a different company from the expense, Odoo immediately blocks the operation with a clear error.


2. Keep Stock Moves Company-Safe


class StockMove(models.Model):

    _inherit = 'stock.move'

​

    picking_id = fields.Many2one(

        'stock.picking',

        check_company=True,   # picking and move must share the same company

    )


Eliminates accidental cross-company stock movements.


3. Enforce Company Consistency in Custom Models


class ProjectAsset(models.Model):

    _name = 'project.asset'


    company_id = fields.Many2one('res.company', required=True)

    analytic_account_id = fields.Many2one(

        'account.analytic.account',

        check_company=True,

    )


Guarantees the analytic account comes from the same company as the asset.


🔍 How It Works Internally

  • On write or create, the ORM compares record.company_id with linked_record.company_id.
  • If either side is empty (False), the check is skipped.
  • On failure, Odoo raises:

ValidationError: The selected Analytic Account does not belong to the same company.



✅ Summary Table


Option

Purpose

Typical Use Case

check_company=True

Automatic company-consistency check

Journals, pickings, custom links

_check_company_auto

Model-level blanket check (all links)

Entire models with many company fields


Use check_company=True when you need per-field protection; use _check_company_auto = True when you want the model to enforce company consistency on all eligible fields.