ERPNext Jinja Templates - Implementation

This skill helps you determine HOW to implement Jinja templates. For exact syntax, see erpnext-syntax-jinja .

Version: v14/v15/v16 compatible (with V16-specific features noted)

Main Decision: What Are You Trying to Create?

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ WHAT DO YOU WANT TO CREATE? │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ ► Printable document (invoice, PO, report)? │ │ ├── Standard DocType → Print Format (Jinja) │ │ └── Query/Script Report → Report Print Format (JavaScript!) │ │ │ │ ► Automated email with dynamic content? │ │ └── Email Template (Jinja) │ │ │ │ ► Customer-facing web page? │ │ └── Portal Page (www/*.html + *.py) │ │ │ │ ► Reusable template functions/filters? │ │ └── Custom jenv methods in hooks.py │ │ │ │ ► Notification content? │ │ └── Notification Template (uses Jinja syntax) │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

⚠️ CRITICAL: Report Print Formats use JAVASCRIPT templating, NOT Jinja!

Jinja: {{ variable }}
JS Report: {%= variable %}

Decision Tree: Print Format Type

WHAT ARE YOU PRINTING? │ ├─► Standard DocType (Invoice, PO, Quotation)? │ │ │ │ WHERE TO CREATE? │ ├─► Quick/simple format → Print Format Builder (Setup > Print) │ │ - Drag-drop interface │ │ - Limited customization │ │ │ └─► Complex layout needed → Custom HTML Print Format │ - Full Jinja control │ - Custom CSS styling │ - Dynamic logic │ ├─► Query Report or Script Report? │ └─► Report Print Format (JAVASCRIPT template!) │ ⚠️ NOT Jinja! Uses {%= %} and {% %} │ └─► Letter or standalone document? └─► Letter Head + Print Format combination

Decision Tree: Where to Store Template

IS THIS A ONE-OFF OR REUSABLE? │ ├─► Site-specific, managed via UI? │ └─► Create via Setup > Print Format / Email Template │ - Stored in database │ - Easy to edit without code │ ├─► Part of your custom app? │ │ │ │ WHAT TYPE? │ ├─► Print Format → myapp/fixtures or db records │ │ │ ├─► Portal Page → myapp/www/pagename/ │ │ - index.html (template) │ │ - index.py (context) │ │ │ └─► Custom methods/filters → myapp/jinja/ │ - Registered via hooks.py jenv │ └─► Template for multiple sites? └─► Include in app, export as fixture

Implementation Workflow: Print Format

Step 1: Create via UI (Recommended Start)

Setup > Printing > Print Format > New

DocType: Sales Invoice
Module: Accounts
Standard: No (Custom)
Print Format Type: Jinja

Step 2: Basic Template Structure

{# ALWAYS include styles at top #} <style> .print-format { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; } .header { background: #f5f5f5; padding: 15px; } .table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } .table th, .table td { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 8px; } .text-right { text-align: right; } .footer { margin-top: 30px; border-top: 1px solid #ddd; } </style>

{# Document header #} <div class="header"> <h1>{{ doc.select_print_heading or _("Invoice") }}</h1> <p><strong>{{ doc.name }}</strong></p> <p>{{ _("Date") }}: {{ doc.get_formatted("posting_date") }}</p> </div>

{# Items table #} <table class="table"> <thead> <tr> <th>{{ _("Item") }}</th> <th class="text-right">{{ _("Qty") }}</th> <th class="text-right">{{ _("Amount") }}</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> {% for row in doc.items %} <tr> <td>{{ row.item_name }}</td> <td class="text-right">{{ row.qty }}</td> <td class="text-right">{{ row.get_formatted("amount", doc) }}</td> </tr> {% endfor %} </tbody> </table>

{# Totals #} <div class="text-right"> <p><strong>{{ _("Grand Total") }}:</strong> {{ doc.get_formatted("grand_total") }}</p> </div>

Step 3: Test and Refine

Open a document (e.g., Sales Invoice)
Menu > Print > Select your format
Check layout, adjust CSS as needed
Test PDF generation

Implementation Workflow: Email Template

Step 1: Create via UI

Setup > Email > Email Template > New

Name: Payment Reminder
Subject: Invoice {{ doc.name }} - Payment Due
DocType: Sales Invoice

Step 2: Template Content

<p>{{ _("Dear") }} {{ doc.customer_name }},</p>

<p>{{ _("This is a reminder that invoice") }} <strong>{{ doc.name }}</strong> {{ _("for") }} {{ doc.get_formatted("grand_total") }} {{ _("is due.") }}</p>

<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 20px 0;"> <tr> <td style="padding: 8px; border: 1px solid #ddd;"> <strong>{{ _("Due Date") }}</strong> </td> <td style="padding: 8px; border: 1px solid #ddd;"> {{ frappe.format_date(doc.due_date) }} </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding: 8px; border: 1px solid #ddd;"> <strong>{{ _("Outstanding") }}</strong> </td> <td style="padding: 8px; border: 1px solid #ddd;"> {{ doc.get_formatted("outstanding_amount") }} </td> </tr> </table>

{% if doc.items %} <p><strong>{{ _("Items") }}:</strong></p> <ul> {% for item in doc.items %} <li>{{ item.item_name }} ({{ item.qty }})</li> {% endfor %} </ul> {% endif %}

<p>{{ _("Best regards") }},<br> {{ frappe.db.get_value("Company", doc.company, "company_name") }}</p>

Step 3: Use in Notifications or Code

In Server Script or Controller

frappe.sendmail( recipients=[doc.email], subject=frappe.render_template( frappe.db.get_value("Email Template", "Payment Reminder", "subject"), {"doc": doc} ), message=frappe.get_template("Payment Reminder").render({"doc": doc}) )

Implementation Workflow: Portal Page

Step 1: Create Directory Structure

myapp/ └── www/ └── projects/ ├── index.html # Jinja template └── index.py # Python context

Step 2: Create Template (index.html)

{% extends "templates/web.html" %}

{% block title %}{{ _("Projects") }}{% endblock %}

{% block page_content %} <div class="container"> <h1>{{ title }}</h1>

{% if frappe.session.user != 'Guest' %}
    &#x3C;p>{{ _("Welcome") }}, {{ frappe.get_fullname() }}&#x3C;/p>
{% endif %}

&#x3C;div class="row">
    {% for project in projects %}
    &#x3C;div class="col-md-4">
        &#x3C;div class="card">
            &#x3C;h3>{{ project.title }}&#x3C;/h3>
            &#x3C;p>{{ project.description | truncate(100) }}&#x3C;/p>
            &#x3C;a href="/projects/{{ project.name }}">{{ _("View Details") }}&#x3C;/a>
        &#x3C;/div>
    &#x3C;/div>
    {% else %}
    &#x3C;p>{{ _("No projects found.") }}&#x3C;/p>
    {% endfor %}
&#x3C;/div>

</div> {% endblock %}

Step 3: Create Context (index.py)

import frappe

def get_context(context): context.title = "Projects" context.no_cache = True # Dynamic content

# Fetch data
context.projects = frappe.get_all(
    "Project",
    filters={"is_public": 1},
    fields=["name", "title", "description"],
    order_by="creation desc"
)

return context

Step 4: Test

Visit: https://yoursite.com/projects

Implementation Workflow: Custom Jinja Methods

Step 1: Register in hooks.py

myapp/hooks.py

jenv = { "methods": ["myapp.jinja.methods"], "filters": ["myapp.jinja.filters"] }

Step 2: Create Methods Module

myapp/jinja/methods.py

import frappe

def get_company_logo(company): """Returns company logo URL - usable in any template""" return frappe.db.get_value("Company", company, "company_logo") or ""

def get_address_display(address_name): """Format address for display""" if not address_name: return "" return frappe.get_doc("Address", address_name).get_display()

def get_outstanding_amount(customer): """Get total outstanding for customer""" result = frappe.db.sql(""" SELECT COALESCE(SUM(outstanding_amount), 0) FROM tabSales Invoice WHERE customer = %s AND docstatus = 1 """, customer) return result[0][0] if result else 0

Step 3: Create Filters Module

myapp/jinja/filters.py

def format_phone(value): """Format phone number: 1234567890 → (123) 456-7890""" if not value: return "" digits = ''.join(c for c in str(value) if c.isdigit()) if len(digits) == 10: return f"({digits[:3]}) {digits[3:6]}-{digits[6:]}" return value

def currency_words(amount, currency="EUR"): """Convert number to words (simplified)""" return f"{currency} {amount:,.2f}"

Step 4: Use in Templates

{# Methods - called as functions #} <img src="{{ get_company_logo(doc.company) }}" alt="Logo"> <p>{{ get_address_display(doc.customer_address) }}</p> <p>Outstanding: {{ get_outstanding_amount(doc.customer) }}</p>

{# Filters - piped after values #} <p>Phone: {{ doc.phone | format_phone }}</p> <p>Amount: {{ doc.grand_total | currency_words }}</p>

Step 5: Deploy

bench --site sitename migrate

Quick Reference: Context Variables

Template Type Available Objects

Print Format doc , frappe , _()

Email Template doc , frappe (limited)

Portal Page frappe.session , frappe.form_dict , custom context

Notification doc , frappe

Quick Reference: Essential Methods

Need Method

Format currency/date doc.get_formatted("fieldname")

Format child row row.get_formatted("field", doc)

Translate string _("String")

Get linked doc frappe.get_doc("DocType", name)

Get single field frappe.db.get_value("DT", name, "field")

Current date frappe.utils.nowdate()

Format date frappe.format_date(date)

Critical Rules

ALWAYS use get_formatted for display values

{# ❌ Raw database value #} {{ doc.grand_total }}

{# ✅ Properly formatted with currency #} {{ doc.get_formatted("grand_total") }}

ALWAYS pass parent doc for child table formatting

{% for row in doc.items %} {# ❌ Missing currency context #} {{ row.get_formatted("rate") }}

{# ✅ Has currency context from parent #}
{{ row.get_formatted("rate", doc) }}

{% endfor %}

ALWAYS use translation function for user text

{# ❌ Not translatable #} <h1>Invoice</h1>

{# ✅ Translatable #} <h1>{{ _("Invoice") }}</h1>

NEVER use Jinja in Report Print Formats

{% for(var i=0; i<data.length; i++) { %} <tr><td>{%= data[i].name %}</td></tr> {% } %}

NEVER execute queries in loops

{# ❌ N+1 query problem #} {% for item in doc.items %} {% set stock = frappe.db.get_value("Bin", ...) %} {% endfor %}

{# ✅ Prefetch data in controller/context #} {% for item in items_with_stock %} {{ item.stock_qty }} {% endfor %}

Version Differences

Feature V14 V15 V16

Jinja templates ✅ ✅ ✅

get_formatted() ✅ ✅ ✅

jenv hooks ✅ ✅ ✅

wkhtmltopdf PDF ✅ ✅ ⚠️

Chrome PDF ❌ ❌ ✅

V16 Chrome PDF Considerations

See erpnext-syntax-jinja for detailed Chrome PDF documentation.

Reference Files

File Contents

decision-tree.md Complete template type selection

workflows.md Step-by-step implementation patterns

examples.md Complete working examples

anti-patterns.md Common mistakes to avoid

erpnext-impl-jinja

Safety Notice

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In Server Script or Controller

myapp/hooks.py

myapp/jinja/methods.py

myapp/jinja/filters.py

Source Transparency

Related Skills

erpnext-code-interpreter

erpnext-syntax-jinja

erpnext-impl-controllers

erpnext-database