diff --git a/web/demo_data.js b/web/demo_data.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..383c09ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/demo_data.js
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+(function(window) {
+  "use strict";
+
+  var menus = [
+    {
+      id: 96,
+      name: "Discuss",
+      parent_id: false,
+      action: "ir.actions.client,131",
+      icon: "fa fa-comment",
+      children: [
+        {
+          id: 97,
+          name: "Integrations",
+          parent_id: 96,
+          action: false,
+          icon: false,
+          children: [
+            {
+              id: 188,
+              name: "Github Repositories",
+              parent_id: 97,
+              action: "ir.actions.act_window,233",
+              icon: false,
+              children: []
+            }
+          ]
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    {
+      id: 205,
+      name: "Notes",
+      parent_id: false,
+      action: "ir.actions.act_window,250",
+      icon: "fa fa-pen",
+      children: []
+    },
+    {
+      id: 409,
+      name: "CRM",
+      parent_id: false,
+      action: "ir.actions.act_window,597",
+      icon: "fa fa-handshake",
+      children: [
+        {
+          id: 418,
+          name: "Sales",
+          parent_id: 409,
+          action: false,
+          icon: false,
+          children: [
+            {
+              id: 423,
+              name: "My Pipeline",
+              parent_id: 418,
+              action: "ir.actions.act_window,597",
+              icon: false,
+              children: []
+            },
+            {
+              id: 812,
+              name: "My Quotations",
+              parent_id: 418,
+              action: "ir.actions.act_window,1051",
+              icon: false,
+              children: []
+            },
+            {
+              id: 419,
+              name: "Team Pipelines",
+              parent_id: 418,
+              action: "ir.actions.act_window,275",
+              icon: false,
+              children: []
+            }
+          ]
+        },
+        {
+          id: 421,
+          name: "Leads",
+          parent_id: 409,
+          action: false,
+          icon: false,
+          children: [
+            {
+              id: 422,
+              name: "Leads",
+              parent_id: 421,
+              action: "ir.actions.act_window,595",
+              icon: false,
+              children: []
+            },
+            {
+              id: 752,
+              name: "Scoring Rules",
+              parent_id: 421,
+              icon: false,
+              action: "ir.actions.act_window,1083",
+              children: []
+            }
+          ]
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  ];
+  window.demoData = {
+    menus: menus
+  };
+})(window);
diff --git a/web/index.html b/web/index.html
index 3bcd2924..1ff0aff4 100644
--- a/web/index.html
+++ b/web/index.html
@@ -21,113 +21,18 @@
     <script src="/main.js"></script>
     <link rel="stylesheet" href="/app.css">
 
+    <script src="/demo_data.js"></script>
+
     <script>
         window.odoo = {};
-        odoo.menus = [
-          {
-            id: 96,
-            name: "Discuss",
-            parent_id: false,
-            action: "ir.actions.client,131",
-            icon: "fa fa-comment",
-            children: [
-              {
-                id: 97,
-                name: "Integrations",
-                parent_id: 96,
-                action: false,
-                icon: false,
-                children: [
-                  {
-                    id: 188,
-                    name: "Github Repositories",
-                    parent_id: 97,
-                    action: "ir.actions.act_window,233",
-                    icon: false,
-                    children: []
-                  }
-                ]
-              }
-            ]
-          },
-          {
-            id: 205,
-            name: "Notes",
-            parent_id: false,
-            action: "ir.actions.act_window,250",
-            icon: "fa fa-pen",
-            children: []
-          },
-          {
-            id: 409,
-            name: "CRM",
-            parent_id: false,
-            action: "ir.actions.act_window,597",
-            icon: "fa fa-handshake",
-            children: [
-              {
-                id: 418,
-                name: "Sales",
-                parent_id: 409,
-                action: false,
-                icon: false,
-                children: [
-                  {
-                    id: 423,
-                    name: "My Pipeline",
-                    parent_id: 418,
-                    action: "ir.actions.act_window,597",
-                    icon: false,
-                    children: []
-                  },
-                  {
-                    id: 812,
-                    name: "My Quotations",
-                    parent_id: 418,
-                    action: "ir.actions.act_window,1051",
-                    icon: false,
-                    children: []
-                  },
-                  {
-                    id: 419,
-                    name: "Team Pipelines",
-                    parent_id: 418,
-                    action: "ir.actions.act_window,275",
-                    icon: false,
-                    children: []
-                  }
-                ]
-              },
-              {
-                id: 421,
-                name: "Leads",
-                parent_id: 409,
-                action: false,
-                icon: false,
-                children: [
-                  {
-                    id: 422,
-                    name: "Leads",
-                    parent_id: 421,
-                    action: "ir.actions.act_window,595",
-                    icon: false,
-                    children: []
-                  },
-                  {
-                    id: 752,
-                    name: "Scoring Rules",
-                    parent_id: 421,
-                    icon: false,
-                    action: "ir.actions.act_window,1083",
-                    children: []
-                  }
-                ]
-              }
-            ]
-          }
-        ];
+
+        // we add demo data here
+        window.odoo.menus = demoData.menus;
+
+        // this will start the main.ts code, which creates the web client
         require('main');
     </script>
+
   </head>
   <body>
   </body>
diff --git a/web/static/src/ts/init.ts b/web/static/src/ts/init.ts
index 62c9a24b..65fa654c 100644
--- a/web/static/src/ts/init.ts
+++ b/web/static/src/ts/init.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ async function loadTemplates(): Promise<string> {
  */
 function loadMenus(): MenuInfo {
   const menuItems: BaseMenuItem[] = (<any>window).odoo.menus;
+  if (!menuItems) {
+    throw new Error("Cannot find menus description");
+  }
   const menuInfo = getMenuInfo(menuItems);
   delete (<any>window).odoo.menus; // overkill?
   return menuInfo;