NetSuite Tips

Explore consulting provides our NetSuite customers with tips on how to use NetSuite more efficiently and how to perform complex or unintuitive tasks. We hope that you find these tips helpful.

• Elimination Subsidiaries for Consolidated Reporting
• SuiteScript Inline Editing
• Lists Preference Settings
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) with NetSuite
• CSV Import Improvements for Mac
• Free Shipping With An Item
• Global Search Auto Suggest
• CSV Import Assistant Overview
• Multi-Website Capabilities in NetSuite
• Outlook Integration - Automatically save email threads in Outlook
• Campaign Subscription Categories
• Project Accounting - Assigning Resources and Time Management
• Publishing Dashboards
• Increase Your Exposure Through Website Product Feeds
• Excel Web Query
• Partner / Affiliate Capabilities in NetSuite
• KPI Scorecards Track and Compare Metrics all Year
• Coupons/Discounts Promotions in NetSuite
• Gift Certificates
• Long Running Reports
• Date Shortcut - a time saver tip
• Report Scheduling
• Relationships as Individuals or Companies
• Demand-based Inventory Replenishment
• Associating Promotion Codes to Items
• Minimum Order Amounts
• Using NetSuite Custom Code for Intelligent Online Forms

Elimination Subsidiaries for Consolidated Reporting

When managing and reporting on the activities of multiple consolidated entities, it may be necessary to eliminate revenue or expenses when those companies transact with each other. Intercompany loans, sales, and inventory transfers are all examples of transactions between entities that may require these eliminating entries.

NetSuite provides for the creation of "Elimination Subsidiaries" to which journal entries can be posted to balance consolidated books. After the transaction has posted to the two companies' books, you would create an inter-company journal entry to record the elimination and balance the effect of the transaction.

To set up these elimination subsidiaries:

1. Navigate to Setup > Company > Subsidiaries > New
2. Provide a name for this elimination subsidiary, and specify to which parent it relates
3. Check the "Elimination" checkbox. This will ensure only Journal Entries can post to this subsidiary (it cannot be accidentally selected on transactions)

SuiteScript Inline Editing

Workflow Management Using List Views:
Inline Editing in a list view is very convenient for quickly updating records with out having to open each record individually. This is especially useful for managing company-specific workflow processes because you can easily run through a list and check boxes or change status fields for many records in a short amount of time. By using different filters in a list view, records can move from one list to the next as field values change.

Word of caution:
If you use SuiteScript on your record that is based on a user event such as save, the SuiteScript will not execute when changes are made from a list view. Event based SuiteScripts only execute when the record is opened and saved from within the form.

This is acceptable most of the time unless the fields you are changing in the list view correlate to the business rules or automation provided by the SuiteScript. In this situation you will need to prevent users from editing records from the list view. This can be done by changing a preference on the form. Find the preferred form for your record type, select Edit, and uncheck the field "Enable Field Editing on Lists". Although you many have different forms for a given record type, the list view always looks at the preferred form to determine if inline editing is possible.

Use Case Scenario:
Foster Services has implemented a new workflow to help streamline their new hire process. They start by adding a "Hire Status" custom field to the employee record. When the status is changed to "Offer Accepted" NetSuite tasks are automatically created to setup their email account and order building access cards. Since the company depends on the creation of these tasks, they could not allow users to update the status field via inline editing so they unchecked the "Enable Field Editing on Lists" option on their preferred employee form.
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Lists Preference Settings

You may have noticed in NetSuite, that in some cases you will find a field based on a list of values that gives you a convenient dropdown list, and in other places you only get a popup window. Take a look at the two pictures below of the same sales order form. In the first shot, a little button is shown, and in the second shot of the same field, the dropdown option is gone. What controls this change in behavior?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) with NetSuite

There are several ways to improve the ranking of your website in search engine listings. A NetSuite-generated site will rank higher than other dynamic sites because you can change your own meta tags, Alt image tags and page titles.

Meta tags are found in the head tag and include information about the page, including author, copyright and keywords. When customers use search engines to find companies and/or products, they type in keywords that search through all websites to find matches. The more keyword matches, the higher your ranking and the more visibility your site will have to potential customers.

To setup meta tag keywords go to Setup> Web Site > Set Up Web Site. On the General tab, you will add your keywords into the Meta Tag HTML box under Search Engine Optimization. You may also add keywords to your tabs, categories and items on their respective records using the same Meta Tag HTML field.

CSV Import Improvements for Mac

Free Shipping With An Item

You can offer free shipping promotions when your customers buy certain items. When you use this preference, the shipping for the entire order automatically changes to zero when the item or items are added to the cart.

You can decide if only one of the items in the promotion can make an order ship for free, or if all items in the promotion must be purchased for the order to ship for free.

Note: Free shipping is only offered with the shipping methods where you set this preference. To make sure that customers receive the offer of free shipping in a NetSuite Web site, you may want to make sure your default shipping method in the Web site is the method with the promotion.

To offer free shipping with certain items:

1. Go to Lists > Accounting > Shipping Items.
2. Click Edit next to the shipping item that should be free when the items are purchased, or click New to create a new shipping item for the promotion.

Global Search Auto Suggest

With the new Global Search Auto Suggest feature available from Version 2007.0, searching has never been faster. When you enable this feature, you can scroll through a list box of suggested matches as you type into the Global Search field. You can quickly select one of the suggested matches by using the mouse, or the up and down arrows, and select from a list using the mouse, Enter, or Tab.

To enable or disable this feature:

1. Go to the Home tab>Set Preferences
2. On the Reporting/Search tab, check or uncheck the Quick Search Uses Keywords and Global Search Auto Suggest boxes

CSV Import Assistant Overview

The new CSV Import Assistant helps you import business and customer data from comma-delimited CSV files for common record types. The Import Assistant replaces the rigid, template-based import page from previous versions and is designed to provide an easier, faster, and more robust way to import and manage data in NetSuite. With the CSV Import Assistant, you simply select a record type for import (and subtype, if applicable) select one or more CSV files, select data handling options, map your fields to NetSuite fields, and start your import.

Some advantages include:

• Easier and faster importing
• Saving and re-using a mapping that you defined in the import assistant
• Importing Contacts and Entities (Leads, Customers, and Prospects) Together
• Better error messaging

1. Ignore these errors and proceed with the import, or
2. Download a zip of the CSV file (s) with an additional column in each file indicating the errors. Fix the errors and then relaunch the Assistant and reupload the files. If no errors are detected, the Assistant will proceed to the Save and Start Import screen.

1. Save and Run to Save the settings (including field mappings) of this import for reuse and start the Import job.
2. Save Only to save the settings (including field mappings) without starting the Import Job.
3. Run to start the Import job without saving any of the settings specified in the previous screens.

1. Click the Status link to review the status of this and other Imports.
2. Click Start Another Import to launch the Assistant and start another import.
3. Click View Saved Imports to review the list of saved Import Maps and start an import Job based on one of those Maps.

Multi-Website Capabilities in NetSuite

Since Version 2007.0, many new website features have become available in NetSuite:

• Multiple Website publishing all from one account
• Web Site Assistant for step-by-step guidance as you build your site
• Content Manager to provide easy access to your website pages and items
• Shopping Cart customization for item information and layout control
• "Email a Friend" link that allows shoppers to email the item page to a friend
• "Call for Price" message to showcase items without displaying their price

Outlook Integration - Automatically save email threads in Outlook

With the Outlook Integration feature, you can save both messages that you are sending and messages that you have received directly into relationship records in your NetSuite account.

To enable the Outlook Integration feature, go to Setup > Company > Enable Features > CRM, check the Outlook Integration box, and click Save.

Before you can begin using the Outlook Integration feature, you need to download and install the client.

1. Close Outlook if you currently have it open.

2. Go to Home > Settings > Set Up Outlook Integration.


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3. Click the link to download and install the client. Note your Account ID which will be needed when setting preferences below


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4. Follow the steps provided in the setup wizard

5. When you reopen Outlook, you will see two new buttons available in the toolbar:
Save in NetSuite - You will use this button to save messages you have received in Outlook to your NetSuite account.
NetSuite Options - You will use this button to log in, set preferences and set up your NetSuite address book.


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To log in to NetSuite through Outlook:

6. In Outlook, click NetSuite Options to open the dropdown menu.

7. Select Set Login Values...

8. In the NetSuite Login popup, enter the email address and password you use to log in to your NetSuite account as well as your Account ID found in the previous step above.


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9. Check the Save values and login automatically box to have your email address, password and account number saved in Outlook.

10. Check the Automatically save in NetSuite if exact match is found box to have a message automatically saved when there is an exact match for the record in your NetSuite Address Book.

11. Click OK to save your preferences.

If a match is not found, the Save Message to NetSuite window pops up, where you can manually search for records in your account and you can choose to save attachments included in the message as well.


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Messages save on the Files subtab of each record you save this message to and in the Attachments to Send or Attachments Received folders of the File Cabinet.

You can save up to 5MB for each attachment and a total of 10MB for each message.


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Campaign Subscription Categories

With the Campaign Subscription Categories feature available from Version 2007.0, customers and others with whom you communicate via bulk email, can choose which types of campaign communication they want to receive. When you turn on this feature, you can create your own campaign subscription categories in addition to the following default subscription categories - Billing Communication, Marketing, Newsletters, Product Updates, and Surveys.

To create a new subscription category:
1. Go to Setup > Marketing > > Campaign Subscriptions > New.
2. Enter the name of this subscription category and a description.


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3. Check the Unsubscribed by Default box if you want new records to be unsubscribed to this campaign subscription (Entities must manually subscribe to subscriptions that they are unsubscribed to.)
4. In the External Name field enter the name of this subscription category as you want it to appear in the Campaign Subscription Center.
5. In the External Description field, enter the description of this category that you want to show in the Campaign Subscription Center.
6. Click Save.

You can associate subscriptions with marketing and email templates. When you select a template on a campaign record or in an email merge, this subscription category is chosen by default. Email is only sent to the recipient group members with this subscription.

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When you send email through a campaign or bulk merge operation, email is only sent to members of the group with the subscription selected in the Subscription field. The Subscription subtab on customer, contact, partner, vendor and employee records shows the subscription status for each subscription category.

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By logging in to the Campaign Subscription Center from the Customer Center, recipients can choose which subscriptions they want.


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Project Accounting - Assigning Resources and Time Management

With the Advance Project Accounting module you can assign resources and designate their role on a project record. You can also specify on the project record to limit time record entry for that project to assignees only. This will reduce the number of projects that consultants see when entering time and help to alleviate time entry errors.

To assign resources:

Navigate to the resources tab on the project record.

On the resources tab choose the individual you would like to add to the project. Their email address is sourced from their record and you can designate their role. Resources can be both employees and vendors.


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To limit who can enter time for this project, check the checkbox on the general tab for “Limit Time to Assignees.” Now only the name in the resource list will be able to see this project record on the time entry screen.

Publishing Dashboards

You can customize dashboards and apply them to your employees' accounts. Publishing dashboards allows you to make sure that everyone with the same NetSuite role views the same information. This also saves time by allowing one person to set up every team member's dashboard.

The role you use to customize your published dashboard determines which roles you can assign the dashboard to. For example, Sales administrators can publish dashboards to sales administrators, sales manager and sales reps.

To publish a dashboard:

First, customize the pages in your account to appear as your employees should view them. This includes adding, customizing and arranging portlets on each tab in your account. You can customize which information appears on a tab by clicking Customize this Page on each tab, in the top right corner.

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1. When your dashboard is set up, go to the Settings Portal in the lower left corner of the Home Page and click on Publish Dashboard.
2. On the Publish Dashboard page, enter a name for this dashboard.

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3. In the Notes field, enter a description for this dashboard.
4. On the Apply to Roles subtab, choose one or more roles you want to assign this dashboard to.
5. Check the Override Existing User's Settings box only if you want to replace your employees' current dashboards with this saved dashboard.
6. Click Add.
7. Click the Apply to Tabs subtab.
8. On the Apply to Tabs subtab, check the box in the Apply column next to each tab you want this dashboard applied to.

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9. For each tab you check, your employees' dashboards will be updated to include the same information you have set up.
10. In the Mode column, choose one of the following for each tab:
Unlocked: this lets employees change all aspects of their dashboards
Locked: this restricts employees from making any changes to their dashboards
Add/Move Content: this allows employees to add new content to their dashboards and also to move the portlets you have created. Employees cannot remove content.
Note: Once you have applied a dashboard to a role, you can no longer change the tabs that a dashboard is applied to.
11. Click Save.
Your saved dashboard is now assigned to the roles you chose.

Increase Your Exposure Through Website Product Feeds

You can increase the exposure of your Web site and items by exporting lists of items to Web site comparison search engines, Yahoo Shopping, NexTag, Shopzilla, Shopping.com and Froogle. These search engines display your items and information in shoppers' search results. For example, if you sell printers in your Web store, you can export information about the printers to Froogle. Then, when shoppers search Froogle for printers, your printers that match their search criteria show in the list of results. Shoppers can see an image of the item, get pricing information and click to open the item in your web store.

In order to provide information specific to these sites, optional fields have been added to the following item records: Kit/Package, Non-inventory Item for Sale, Non-inventory Item for Resale, Assembly (lot and serialized), Inventory (lot and serialized).

Enter information in these fields before exporting your item lists. You can use direct list-editing to quickly enter this information on your items list.

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Once you have entered the information into your NetSuite items, you then export the item lists:

1. Go to Setup > Web Site > Product Feeds.
2. Click the name of the comparison engine you want to export to.
3. A list of your online items appears showing only the fields required for the comparison engine you chose.
4. Click Export.

Excel Web Query

To help you operate more efficiently without constantly relying on a technical staff to provide custom reports and key metrics in a specific format, NetSuite provides the ability to create "Web Queries". They allow you to pull real-time data from any NetSuite report into Microsoft ® Excel. This gives you a powerful and familiar environment for crunching numbers and generating highly customized reports from your NetSuite data. To do this, customize any report, navigate to the "More Options" section of the Report Builder, and click on the "Allow Web Query" checkbox.



Save and run the report. Then, click the "Export - Excel Web Query" button.



When you open the document in Microsoft ® Excel, you will be prompted for your NetSuite username.


You can now update the information in the report at anytime by clicking on the refresh button in Excel.


Excel Web Queries can be used for easy access to your NetSuite information. They can also provide the ability to build reports including information that may not be stored in NetSuite.
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Partner / Affiliate Capabilities in NetSuite

Included in the standard NetSuite account is the Partner Center Role for partners. A partner is a company you have a business agreement with who isn't a customer or a vendor. The Partner Center role lets your partners view their Customers, Sales and Promotion Codes and reports.

1. Open the partner record.
2. On the Access subtab, check the Give Access box.
3. In the Role field, select Partner Center.
4. Check the Send Notification Email box if you want to notify this partner that they have been given access. This e-mail explains login procedures. However, it does not contain the partner's password. You need to communicate this information to the partner.
5. Enter a login password for this partner.
6. In the Confirm Password field, re-enter the password.
7. If you want to allow this partner to give access to its subpartners, check the Can Give Login Access to Subpartners box.
8. Click Save.

KPI Scorecards Track and Compare Metrics all Year

The KPI Scorecards feature allows you to add a portlet to your dashboard that shows the results of multiple KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for multiple date or period ranges within a single portlet. The scorecard-like functionality also allows you to compare one KPI to another within the same portlet. For example, a sales manager can track the sales of multiple sales team simultaneously. In our example, we are providing a KPI displaying Revenue Target Metrics for members of the Board of Directors.

When comparing KPIs, you can select Ratio or Variance, Absolute or Percent differences. Historical pipeline and forecast data are also supported.

To enable the KPI Scorecards feature:

1. Go to Setup > Company > Enable Features.
2. On the General subtab, check the KPI Scorecards box.
3. Click Save.

1. Go to Setup > Customization > KPI Scorecards > New.
2. On the Content subtab, select the KPI you want shown in the portlet.
3. On the Content subtab, select the additional KPI you want shown in the portlet.
4. Check Compare with Previous if you want to compare the results of this comparison to the comparison defined in the row above this one on the KPIs subtab.
5. Select one of the following comparison types:
• Variance Percent: 100*(B-A)/A
• Variance Absolute: B-A
• Ratio Percent: 100*B/A
• Ratio Absolute: B/A
• Sum: A + B
6. Check Invert Comparison if you want to invert the operation used to calculate the comparison type.
7. Enter a column label for the KPI. This label is the column header in the KPI Scorecard portlet.
8. Repeat steps 2-7 to add additional KPIs to the portlet.
9. On the Date Range subtab, select a date range for the KPIs you selected and repeat steps 2-7 above.
10. Repeat steps above to add additional date ranges to the portlet. Note: A column will be listed in the KPI Scorecards portlet for each date range or comparison range defined.
11. Click Save.

1. Go to Home > Settings > Customize this Page.
2. On the Customize page, click the Standard Content subtab.
3. Check the box in the Show column next to KPI Scorecard.
4. Click Save.

• KPI Scorecard - Choose the KPI scorecard you want shown in your portlet.
• Restrict To - Select My Team or Only Mine to filter the results shown on your scorecard. Select All to include all data.
• Orientation - Choose to show KPI or dates in the left most column of the scorecard.

Coupons/Discounts Promotions in NetSuite

With Version 11.0 you can create Coupons and/or Discounts that are only valid on certain items, or alternatively valid on all items except for a few specified items. For example, you can have a 10% off coupon on cables and a 20% off coupon on keyboards. To set up a discount go to Lists > Accounting > Items > New > Discount. From there create the name and desired discount amount.

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Gift Certificates

Get Ready For The Holidays and take advantage of this NetSuite Feature!!! Did you know with the new Gift Certificates feature in Version 11.0, you can create items that allow customers to purchase store credit to send as a gift? The recipient can use the gift certificate code when placing an order through the Web store or with a sales representative. Gift certificates can be applied toward the total amount of an order and are not limited by item. If the total amount of the gift certificate is not applied with the first purchase, the amount remaining is displayed with order confirmation, and the certificate code can be used again. Recipients of gift certificates receive an email with a link to your store and a code to apply the gift certificate amount when they place an order. The gift certificate code is entered in the Gift Certificate field on transactions and in the Web store.

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Long Running Reports

If you have a long running report that you don't want to wait around for, you can now initiate it, and come back later to review the results. Further, you can be alerted via email once the results are available.

When you start the report, the following dialog will appear:

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Date Shortcut - a time saver tip

Here's another great Time Saving shortcut! In any date field you can simply click inside the box and hit "T" for today's date to appear and "Y" for yesterday's date to appear.

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Report Scheduling

You can now set up any report to e-mail automatically! Simply set up a schedule stating how often you would like each report to run and who it should be sent to. Have the report sent every day, week, month, year, or set of weekdays. View and edit your set of Report Schedules at any time. Other enhancements include the ability to run long-running reports while you work on other tasks. View the report when you're ready.

1. Create your report.
   
2. Click "Schedule" in the bottom right hand corner.
   
3. Fill out form.
   
4. Click on the "Recurrence" tab and choose appropriate selections.

Relationships as Individuals or Companies

With NetSuite, you can indicate whether a relationship record represents an individual or a company.

When you create a customer, partner, vendor or other name record, choose whether this record is for a company or an individual in the Type field. Your selection determines which information is recorded on this page.

Records for individuals:

• Do not have Contacts sub-tabs
• Include title, first and last name fields
• Have an optional Company Name field
• Have other fields specific to individuals such as Job Title

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Records for companies:

• Have a mandatory Company Name field
• Have a Contacts sub-tab
• Have other fields appropriate for companies such as Web Address

You can choose whether customer records are created as individuals or companies by default at Setup > Company > General Preferences in the Default Customer Type field. This preference is set to Company by default.

You can choose the type of record created when customers submit online customer forms. On the Set Up Workflow sub-tab of the online form record, check the Create Customers as Companies field. Then, if customers enter information in the Company Name field, a company type record is created. If nothing is entered in the Company Name field, an individual type record is created.

If you want individual type records to also show as contacts, check the Show Individuals as Contacts box at Setup > Company > General Preferences.

Demand-based Inventory Replenishment

Since version 11, NetSuite provides intelligent control over inventory replenishment, helping ensure that you have enough quantity on hand to fill anticipated orders, but keep excess stock to a minimum.

Average lead time, historical or seasonal-based sales demand, and number of days’ supply to stock are used to dynamically set reorder point and preferred stock level for each item, on an ongoing basis. You can always override or disable these calculations for individual items, to handle atypical circumstances.

You set up the rules, NetSuite runs the numbers and the end result is a dynamic ordering queue, where you can order all your inventory items with one click and get what you need, when you need it.

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Associating Promotion Codes to Items

The functionality to associate promotion codes directly to an item or group of items has been released in NetSuite Version 11. This makes it possible to create promotion codes that will deduct a flat rate or percentage off only the items specified. There is also an option to 'Exclude Items' for scenarios where a promotion code will be associated to all items except the specifed items.

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Minimum Order Amounts

You can set a minimum order amount for orders placed through a NetSuite e-commerce website. If customers attempt to place an order below the set amount a message will be displayed on the final review and submit order screen of the checkout process.

1. Navigate to Setup -> Website -> Setup Website
2. Click the Checkout tab
3. Enter the amount in the field labeled 'Minimum Order Amount'
4. Save

Using NetSuite Custom Code for Intelligent Online Forms

Publishing NetSuite online forms is a powerful and simple way to capture information from your customers, vendors, employees, or any other entities. These forms provide a secure and efficient way for you to automate the process of gathering data and can be used for a host of initiatives including Online Surveys, Reviews, RSVP Forms, or Questionnaires to name a few. In some cases, additional functionality may be required to ensure that the data being submitted is accurate or meaningful. NetSuite custom code allows you to add your own business logic to the forms, thus making them more 'intelligent'.

The example below shows that if a user selects a particular field option they get an alert and the submit button is disabled, not allowing them to submit the form until a valid value is provided. In other words, the custom code is performing field level validation to ensure that the data submitted is accurate and will be useful once captured into your NetSuite account. Custom code allows you to perform calculations, set field values, enable or disable fields and many other functions.

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Before: User selects dropdown field option

After: Pop-up alert is displayed and submit button is disabled