Four handy reports and searches

NetSuite offers data management and reporting tools that allow users to manage, share, and audit data within NetSuite, empowering users with the means to maintain high data quality and reliability across operations.

Here are four reports and searches to help you share and manage data in NetSuite. 

1. Web queries  

Web queries allow admins to share report data with colleagues who do not have a NetSuite license. This is particularly useful for distributing key business insights while managing license costs and access control.  

They work by creating a link between a NetSuite report and an Excel file, enabling the Excel file to pull the latest data from NetSuite each time it is opened, ensuring the report is always up-to-date.  

Here’s how to set up a Web Query 

1. Select the report:

• Navigate to the report you need within NetSuite. 
• Click 'Customize' on the report toolbar. 

2. Enable Web Query:

• Within the customisation settings, switch to the 'More Options' tab. 
• Check the box labelled 'Allow Web Query' to enable linking the report to Excel. 

3. Export the report:

• With Web Query enabled, export the report to an Excel file. 
• This Excel file will maintain an active link to the NetSuite data. 

4. Open and refresh the Excel rile:

• The exported Excel file should automatically refresh with the latest data from NetSuite each time it is opened. 

5. Save and share:

• Ensure the Excel file is saved after the Web Query is set up. 
• Share the Excel file with the relevant stakeholders who require the report data. 

6. Regular updates:

• To get updated data, open the Excel file regularly. 
• Verify that the latest data is reflected each time you open the file. 

There is one notable limitation – Web Queries do not work for reports with the Financial Statement Layout. This means standard financial statements like balance sheets or income statements cannot be shared using this method.  

2. Set up an audit trail custom search  

Creating an "Audit Trail" saved search allows you to track and report changes made to records in NetSuite including who made the changes, what changes were made, and when they were made.  

This type of search is particularly useful for monitoring data integrity, ensuring compliance with internal controls, and for general record-keeping purposes, especially in environments where multiple users have edit permissions on records. 

How to set up an Audit Trail Custom Search: 

1. Create a New Saved Search: 

   In NetSuite, navigate to Reports > Saved Searches > All Saved Searches > New. 

2. Select search type: 

   Choose 'Analytics Audit Trail' as the search type. This option is specifically designed to track changes made to records. 

3. Configure search criteria: 

   Define the criteria for the search to specify which records and time period you want to audit. For example, you can set the date range to track changes made during a specific month or quarter. 

4. Set up results columns: 

   Configure the results columns to display the information you need. Typically, this would include fields such as the date of the change, the user who made the change, the record type, and the specific fields that were changed. 

5. Save and run the search: 

   Once you have set up the criteria and results format, save the search. You can then run it to view the audit trail for the specified period and criteria. 

6. Regular monitoring: 

   You can schedule this search to run at regular intervals or access it as needed to monitor changes to your records. 

3. Reports by Accounting Period or Date 

Did you know you can  run reports in NetSuite by accounting Period or date? It's tucked away in the preferences settings, and it's one of those features that can really make a difference once you know about it. What's great is that you can customise it to work with just your financial reports or expand it to all the reports you run. For example, when you're dealing with inventory valuation reports, you can choose to run reports for a specific date rather than just for an accounting period. This is particularly useful when you want to get a clear picture of your inventory valuation right before and after a stocktake. It's one of those little tweaks in NetSuite that can make a big impact on how you handle your data. 

 Here’s how to run reports by Accounting Period or Date in NetSuite, along with how to change the related preferences:

1. Access preferences: 

In NetSuite, go to Setup > Company > Preferences > General Preferences. 

2. Locate reporting preferences: 

Within General Preferences, find the section titled ‘Reporting’ or ‘Report Preferences.’ 

3. Select reporting basis: 

1. Choose between running reports by ‘Accounting Period’ or ‘Date.’ This option allows you to customise how your reports are generated. 
2. For Financial Reports Only: This applies the setting exclusively to financial reports. 
3. For All Reports: This applies the setting to all report types. 

4. Running inventory valuation reports: 

1. Navigate to Reports > Inventory/Items > Inventory Valuation. 
2. Choose a Specific Date: Ideal for pre and post stocktake valuation. 
3. Select an Accounting Period: Suitable for regular financial reporting. 

5. Generate the report: 

1. Click on the ‘Refresh’ or ‘Run Report’ button to generate the inventory valuation report based on your selected criteria. 

6. Review and analyse: 

1. Examine the generated report to understand your inventory valuation at the specified date or period. 
2. Compare: Run the report again for a different date or period to compare changes, particularly useful for stocktake evaluations. 

7. Adjust settings as needed: 

1. If you frequently use specific report settings, consider saving these preferences for future use. 

4. Deleted record search 

NetSuite is able to track records that have been deleted from the system. This feature is often used in scenarios where you need to audit data removal actions, possibly to recover important information or to understand the context of data deletion for security and operational continuity purposes. To see a list of who deleted records and when, you can create a Saved Search specifically for deleted records.  

 How to set up a Saved Search for deleted records in NetSuite: 

1. Create a New Saved Search:

• In NetSuite, go to Reports > Saved Searches > All Saved Searches > New. 
• Click on the ‘New’ button to create a new saved search. 

2. Select search type:

• In the list of search types, select ‘Deleted Record’ as your search type. 

3. Configure search criteria:

• Set up the criteria to specify which deleted records you want to track. For example, you may want to track records deleted within a certain time period, so you would set the date range accordingly. 
• If needed, apply additional filters to narrow down your search to specific users, record types, or departments. 

4. Set up results columns:

• Decide which fields you want to include in your search results. Typically, this includes the name of the record, the type of record, the date and time of deletion, and the user who deleted the record. 
• Arrange the columns in a way that makes the data easy to read and analyse. 

5. Save and run the search:

• Give your search a descriptive name and save it. 
• Execute the saved search to view the results. 

6. Review and refine:

• Review the list to ensure it captures all relevant deletions. 
• If necessary, go back and adjust your criteria or results columns to better fit your tracking needs. 

7. Schedule or share (optional):

• If you need to review deletions regularly, you can schedule the search to run at certain intervals, and have the results emailed to you or other stakeholders. 
• You can also share the search with other NetSuite users who need to monitor deleted records. 

BONUS: Delete multiple records simultaneously 

You can delete multiple customer records simultaneously within NetSuite which is often far more efficient than deleting records individually, especially when you need to remove several entries at once. 

Before proceeding, please take note: 

1. Before performing mass deletions, it’s wise to back up your data or ensure that it’s not needed in the future. 
2. Ensure you have the necessary permissions to delete customer records, as this action is irreversible. 
3. Understand the impact of deletion on related records and your overall system, as this could affect reporting, relationships, and historical data. 
4. Make sure that mass deletion complies with your company’s data handling policies and NetSuite’s terms of use. 

1. Navigate to the Customer List

• Go to Lists > Relationships > Customers. 
• This will open a list of all customer records in your NetSuite account. 

2. Enable editing mode

• Ensure that the 'Edit' option is enabled. 
• This is typically a button or a link at the top of the list and allows you to make changes to the records listed on the page. 

3. Select multiple records

• Hold down the 'CTRL' key (or 'Command' key on Mac) on your keyboard. 
• While holding the key, click on each customer record line that you want to delete. 
• Each selected line should be highlighted, indicating that it's been selected for an action. 

4. Initiate deletion

• Hover over the 'Actions' column or the column with a similar name at the far left of the screen. This is typically the first column in the list view. 
• Click on the 'Delete Record' option. 
• A prompt may appear asking you to confirm the deletion of the selected records. 

5. Confirm deletion

• Confirm the action if prompted. 
• The system may ask you to validate your choice to ensure that you do not accidentally delete important data. 

6. Review and complete

• After confirming, review the list to ensure the correct records have been deleted.