KSIDol documentation > KSIDol modules > Modern Theme (ModernTemplate)

Module guide: Modern Theme (ModernTemplate)

Non-technical user guide: what the module does, how to use it and how it fits in with Dolibarr.

Dolibarr compatibility18 to 24

Languages provided14

Setup tabs8

Classic viewReversible at any time

1. Module overview

The Modern Theme dresses Dolibarr in a full-screen interface designed for touch and mobile use. It replaces the usual navigation with a "shell": Dolibarr is displayed inside the page, the native menus give way to a single toolbar, a right-hand "Main menu" panel made of coloured tiles and a left-hand panel of contextual submenus. The module relies exclusively on Dolibarr's extension mechanisms (hooks): no core file is modified, and you can return to the classic interface at any time.

A full-screen tile interface that replaces Dolibarr's navigation without touching the software core.
A single toolbar gathers the essentials: help, navigation (back, forward), home, search, printing, full screen, support, setup, classic view and logout.
The right-hand "Main menu" panel presents the management areas as coloured tiles; the left-hand panel shows the contextual submenus of the open page.
Every Dolibarr screen remains accessible and works exactly as before: only the look and the navigation change.
You can return to classic Dolibarr at any time through a dedicated icon.

2. Installation and activation

The module installs like any Dolibarr module, with a few automatic checks that guarantee a smooth start.

Install the module in the htdocs/custom/moderntemplate directory: this location is mandatory and activation is refused anywhere else.
Activation checks the PHP version (8.1 minimum) and the Dolibarr version (branches 18 to 24).
Two tables for preferences and tiles are created automatically, on MySQL/MariaDB as well as on PostgreSQL.
A "Modern Theme" entry is added to Dolibarr's top menu.
Ready-to-use default values are set: full screen, redirection after login and introduction modal.
Disabling the module is not destructive: tiles and settings are kept. Fully purging the data is a separate, explicit action (Uninstall tab).

3. After login

Once the module is enabled, the user lands directly in the new interface and is shown the essential pointers.

Login leads straight to the Modern Theme full-screen shell.
A welcome modal presents the key shortcuts: tile-based main menu, submenus, quick search and setup.
This introduction can be turned off with one click ("Do not show this introduction again after login").
Switching the browser to full screen is offered when the browser allows it.

4. The tile-based main menu

The right-hand panel shows a grid of coloured tiles, one per management area: third parties, products, invoices, bank, accounting, projects, agenda, documents (ECM), tickets and many more.

A tile only appears if the corresponding Dolibarr module is enabled and the user's native permissions allow it.
Tiles can be rearranged by simple drag and drop; the order is remembered.
Each tile opens the corresponding Dolibarr screen inside the shell.
An option allows external modules (custom directory) to be included in the main menu tiles.
The left-hand "Submenus" panel expands the contextual entries of the open tile or page.

5. Quick search

The magnifier in the toolbar launches a cross-object search that covers the main business objects.

The search first queries exact references: if a single result matches, the card opens directly.
It then continues by label or by contact detail: name, email or phone number.
Scope covered: customer and supplier invoices, quotations, sales and supplier orders, projects, products, tickets, third parties, contacts and agenda.
Results are always filtered by the logged-in user's permissions: everyone only sees what their rights allow.

6. Setup (8 tabs, administrators only)

The tools icon in the toolbar opens the module's setup page, organised into eight tabs.

Colors: Dolibarr's native colour editor is embedded in the tab, complemented by the top bar background and text; a field left empty inherits from the Dolibarr theme.
Tiles: add, rename and order tiles, their submenus and their links; downloadable and restorable SQL backup; reinstall the base menu delivered with the module.
ACL rights: a tiles × users matrix; everything is allowed by default, unchecking a box removes access to the corresponding item.
Languages ("Languages & Preferences"): the native translation editor is embedded and the tile labels can be edited.
Tools: browser tab title, after-login redirections adjustable user by user, table repair and diagnostics.
Native rights: Dolibarr's native user manager is embedded to adjust permissions without leaving the page.
Uninstall: complete removal of the module's data with a detailed report; this action is irreversible.
Access: choice of which setup tabs are visible.

7. Security and robustness

The module is designed so that no interface manipulation can trigger an unintended action, and so that it can repair itself easily.

No destructive action can be triggered by a simple tile link: sensitive parameters are neutralised on the way.
Dolibarr's native session cycle is respected: when the session expires, the login screen takes over normally.
A "Repair tables" tool checks and restores the module's tables.
A rescue page, reserved for administrators, restores the native Dolibarr home page if ever needed.

8. Back to the classic view

The Modern Theme never replaces Dolibarr permanently: the original interface remains accessible.

A dedicated toolbar icon brings back native Dolibarr, with its usual menus.
The administrator can hide this icon from users to keep them in the modern interface.
Administrators keep access to the classic view in all cases.

9. Frequently asked questions

Answers to the most common questions about how the module works.

Does the module modify the Dolibarr core? No: it relies only on hooks, no core file is touched.
Can you go back? Yes, at any time, through the Classic view icon or by disabling the module.
Does disabling the module lose the settings? No: tiles and preferences are kept; only the explicit uninstall removes them.
Do all users see the same tiles? No: the display depends on the enabled modules, on each user's native permissions and on the ACL rights defined in the setup.
Do external modules appear in the tiles? Yes, if the corresponding option is enabled.

10. Requirements

The conditions to meet before installing.

Dolibarr version 18 to 24 (activation is refused beyond).
PHP 8.1 minimum.
MySQL/MariaDB or PostgreSQL database.
JavaScript enabled in the browser.
Installation in the htdocs/custom/moderntemplate directory.

11. Links with Dolibarr

The module does not work in isolation: it integrates with the native building blocks of Dolibarr.

Native menus : Tiles and submenus are built from Dolibarr's menus: the entries of enabled modules are found in the modern interface, and the module adds its own "Modern Theme" entry to the top menu.
Theme and colours : The module builds on the Dolibarr theme: non-customised colours inherit from the theme in place, and the native colour editor is embedded directly in the Colors tab of the setup.
Translations : Labels use Dolibarr's translation mechanism; the native translation editor is embedded in the setup to adapt tile and menu labels in each language.
Users and permissions : Tile display respects each user's native permissions, complemented by the module's ACL matrix; the native user manager is accessible from the Native rights tab.
Per-user preferences : The after-login redirection is set user by user, building on Dolibarr's individual user preferences.
Multi-company : The module's settings, tiles and preferences are stored per entity: each company of a multi-company installation has its own configuration.