Salora’s Guide to Navigating NetSuite: 3 NetSuite Features You Didn’t Know About (Probably*)

Hey there, NetSuite Newbies! Today we’re taking a quick look at 5 Not-so Hidden Features You Didn’t Know about (Probably). From efficiency hacks to shortcuts, we’ll try to cover as much as we can in detail! To get you started, we’ll explore some powerful tools and features that can significantly enhance your NetSuite experience. These include efficient shortcuts like Global Search Prefixes, customizable dashboard elements with Custom Portlets, and organized communication tracking through Email Capture. Let’s dive in and uncover how these features can streamline your workflow and boost your productivity.

1. [Shortcuts] Global Search Prefixes
2. [Feature] Custom Portlet
3. [Feature] Email Capture

1. Global Search: The Power of Prefixes

NetSuite's Global Search is an incredibly powerful tool that becomes even more efficient when you use prefixes. Prefixes allow you to target specific types of records, which makes finding the information you need faster and more accurate. Here’s a deeper look into how to use these prefixes and a more comprehensive list to get you started.

How Prefixes Work

When you type a prefix followed by a colon and your search term into the Global Search bar, NetSuite filters the results to show only the records that match the prefix. This targeted search means you won't have to wade through pages of unrelated information to find what you're looking for.

Commonly Used Prefixes

Here are some of the most frequently used prefixes and examples of how to use them:

• cu: Customers Example: cu:Smith will search for customers with the name Smith.
• in: Invoices Example: in:INV12345 will search for an invoice with the number INV12345.
• tr: Transactions Example: tr:PO45678 will search for a transaction with the number PO45678.

Additional Prefixes

Here are more prefixes you can use to quickly locate different types of records in NetSuite:

• ve: Vendors Example: ve:ABC Supplies to find a vendor named ABC Supplies.
• it: Items Example: it:Laptop to find items with the name Laptop.
• po: Purchase Orders Example: po:PO2023-001 to find a specific purchase order.
• so: Sales OrdersE xample: so:SO2023-001 to find a specific sales order.
• em: Employees Example: em:John Doe to find an employee named John Doe.
• cu: Contacts Example: co:Jane Smith to find a contact named Jane Smith.
• es: Estimates Example: es:EST12345 to find an estimate with the number EST12345.
• ex: Expenses Example: ex:Office Supplies to find expenses related to office supplies.
• de: Departments Example: de:Marketing to find the Marketing department.
• cl: Classes Example: cl:Online Sales to find the class for Online Sales.
• loc: Locations Example: loc:Warehouse A to find a location named Warehouse A.
• ca: Cases Example: ca:Support Issue to find cases related to a support issue.
• pr: Projects Example: pr:Website Redesign to find a project named Website Redesign.
• bu: Budget Example: bu:2024 to find budget information for the year 2024.

Tips for Using Prefixes

1. Be Specific: The more specific your search term, the more refined your results will be.
2. Use Wildcards: If you’re unsure of the exact term, use an asterisk (*) to broaden your search.Example: cu:Sm* will return all customers whose names start with "Sm."
3. Combine Prefixes: Sometimes combining prefixes can help narrow down the search even further.Example: in:INV* ve:ABC Supplies to find invoices related to a specific vendor.

By mastering these prefixes, you can significantly enhance your efficiency in NetSuite, making it easier to manage and navigate through vast amounts of data.

2. Custom Portlets: Your Dashboard, Your Way

Custom portlets in NetSuite offer a powerful way to personalize your dashboard, providing you with immediate access to the specific information you need to streamline your daily tasks. By adding custom portlets, you can create a tailored workspace that brings your most critical data and tools to the forefront. Here’s a deeper dive into how you can leverage custom portlets to enhance your NetSuite experience.

Types of Custom Portlets

Custom portlets can be used to display a variety of content types on your dashboard, including:

1. Saved SearchesPurpose: Display real-time data from any saved search directly on your dashboard.Example: You can have a portlet showing outstanding invoices, top-performing sales reps, or inventory levels.
2. Custom ReportsPurpose: Keep an eye on critical business metrics by embedding custom reports.Example: Monthly financial summaries, sales forecasts, or budget vs. actuals reports.
3. SuiteScript PortletsPurpose: Use SuiteScript to create highly customized portlets with interactive functionality.Example: An interactive calendar, a custom form for data entry, or a dashboard widget showing live data from an external API.
4. HTML/Free-Form TextPurpose: Display static content, instructions, or notes directly on your dashboard.Example: Company announcements, a quick-reference guide, or motivational quotes.

How to Add a Custom Portlet

Adding a custom portlet to your NetSuite dashboard is straightforward. Here are the steps:

1. Navigate to Your DashboardGo to your Home dashboard in NetSuite.
2. Add a New PortletClick on the ‘Personalize’ link at the top right corner of your dashboard. In the pop-up window, choose ‘Custom Portlet’ from the list of available portlets.
3. Configure the Portlet Once added, click the ‘Set Up’ button on the portlet to configure it. Select the type of content you want to display (Saved Search, Report, SuiteScript, etc.).Follow the prompts to select the specific search, report, or script.
4. Customize the Display Adjust the display settings such as title, size, and layout to fit your needs.

Best Practices for Custom Portlets

1. Keep It Relevant Only add portlets that provide actionable insights or important data to avoid clutter.
2. Update Regularly Ensure that the data in your portlets is up-to-date by linking to live searches and reports.
3. Leverage SuiteScript Utilize SuiteScript to create interactive and dynamic portlets that can improve productivity.
4. Organize Wisely Group related portlets together and prioritize them based on your workflow to maximize efficiency.

Examples of Effective Custom Portlets

• Sales Performance DashboardCombine saved searches showing top sales reps, recent orders, and sales forecasts to create a comprehensive sales performance dashboard.
• Financial OverviewAdd custom reports on cash flow, expense tracking, and budget comparisons to maintain a constant overview of the company’s financial health.
• Customer Service Tracker Use SuiteScript to create a live tracker of open support cases, pending responses, and customer satisfaction scores.
• Inventory Management Display real-time inventory levels, reorder alerts, and supplier information to streamline inventory management.

Transforming Your NetSuite Experience

By leveraging custom portlets, you can transform your NetSuite dashboard into a powerful command center tailored to your specific needs. This customization not only saves time but also provides immediate access to the data and tools you need to make informed decisions quickly. Whether you're focusing on sales, finance, customer service, or inventory management, custom portlets enable you to create a workspace that works for you, enhancing productivity and efficiency across your organization.

3. Email Capture: Keeping Communication in Check

NetSuite's email capture feature is an invaluable tool for maintaining comprehensive and organized communication records. By linking your emails directly to customer or vendor records, you can ensure that all interactions are logged systematically, making it easy to access past communications and stay on top of ongoing conversations. Here’s how you can effectively use this feature to keep your communication in check.

How Email Capture Works

NetSuite’s email capture functionality allows you to save incoming and outgoing emails directly into the system. This can be done manually or automatically, ensuring that all relevant communication is stored in the corresponding customer, vendor, or other transaction records.

Benefits of Email Capture

1. Centralized Communication Records All emails related to a particular customer or vendor are stored in one place, making it easy to review the history of interactions.
2. Improved Collaboration Team members can see past emails, which helps in providing consistent and informed responses to customers and vendors.
3. Enhanced Tracking and Accountability Email capture ensures that important information isn’t lost or overlooked, which is crucial for tracking project progress, resolving disputes, and maintaining records for compliance purposes.
4. Time Savings No need to search through your email inbox for specific communication threads; everything is organized and accessible within NetSuite.

Setting Up Email Capture

To set up email capture in NetSuite, follow these steps:

1. Enable Email CaptureNavigate to Setup > Company > Enable Features. Under the ‘CRM’ tab, ensure the ‘Capture Email Replies’ feature is enabled.
2. Configure Email PreferencesGo to Setup > Company > Email Preferences.Set up the default email capture settings, including inbound and outbound email addresses and any automatic forwarding rules.
3. Link Emails to RecordsWhen composing an email within NetSuite, use the built-in email functionality to ensure it gets logged correctly.For incoming emails, use the unique NetSuite email address associated with each record. This ensures the email is automatically attached to the correct customer or vendor record.

Using Email Capture in Daily Operations

Here are some practical examples of how you can use email capture to streamline communication tracking:

1. Customer Support Automatically log all email interactions with customers directly to their records, ensuring that support tickets are handled with complete context and history.
2. Sales Communication Track all emails sent to and received from prospects and customers, providing the sales team with a comprehensive view of the conversation history, which helps in closing deals more effectively.
3. Vendor Management Keep a complete record of all emails exchanged with vendors, including order confirmations, shipment updates, and dispute resolutions.

Best Practices for Email Capture

1. Use Templates Utilize email templates for common communications to ensure consistency and save time.
2. Regularly Review and Update Settings Periodically check your email capture settings to ensure they align with your current business processes and requirements.
3. Train Your Team Ensure all team members understand how to use the email capture feature and the importance of linking emails to the correct records.
4. Automate Where Possible Set up rules and filters to automatically forward relevant emails to NetSuite, reducing the need for manual logging.

Example Scenarios

• Sales Follow-Up: A sales representative sends a follow-up email to a prospect using NetSuite’s email functionality. The email is automatically logged in the prospect’s record, along with all subsequent replies, creating a complete conversation history.
• Customer Support Case: A customer sends an email to support regarding an issue. The email is captured and linked to the customer’s record and the specific support case. All communications related to this issue are now easily accessible to any support agent handling the case.
• Vendor Order Confirmation: An order confirmation email from a vendor is automatically forwarded to a specific NetSuite email address. The email is captured and attached to the vendor’s record and the corresponding purchase order, ensuring that all order details are documented.

NetSuite’s email capture feature enhances your ability to manage communications effectively by ensuring all emails are systematically logged and easily accessible.

Wrapping Up

These features and functions are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what NetSuite can do. By integrating these into your daily operations, you'll find yourself working smarter, not harder, unlocking a new level of efficiency and effectiveness in your workflow.

Quick Recap:

1. Global Search Prefixes: NetSuite’s Global Search becomes more efficient using prefixes, such as "cu:" for customers (e.g., cu:Smith) and "in:" for invoices (e.g., in:INV12345), allowing you to target specific record types quickly.
2. Custom Portlets: Customize your NetSuite dashboard with custom portlets to display saved searches, reports, or interactive SuiteScript elements, such as a portlet showing real-time inventory levels or top-performing sales reps.
3. Email Capture: NetSuite's email capture feature logs incoming and outgoing emails to related customer or vendor records, ensuring all communication is systematically organized and easily accessible, such as tracking support emails linked to a specific customer.

Have any other NetSuite secrets up your sleeve? We'd love to hear from you! Share them in the comments below and help our community thrive with collective wisdom.

Need help with anything NetSuite or accounting related? Whether you’re looking to optimize your financial reporting, streamline your operations, or just have some questions, we’re here to help! Reach out to Salora ERP for expert guidance and solutions tailored to your business needs. Let’s make your NetSuite experience seamless and powerful!

Contact us at (+1) 720-254-1320 or visit our website @ https://saloraerp.com/ and let’s make NetSuite easier today!