#97 | NetSuite Creating Transactions-Based Searches

Creating transactions-based searches in NetSuite make it easy for users to track and create reports easily. However, it may be confusing for a beginner to be able to enjoy this kind of feature.

In this guide, you will learn the following:

• What is a Saved Search?
• Planning Stage of Constructing a Transaction Saved Search
• Procedures in Creating a Transaction Search for Invoices
• Other options for Saved Searches

I suggest you watch the video. It’s easier to understand if you are a visual/audio learner. The content below is the same as the video. It’s for those who learn by reading.

1.1 What is a Saved Search?

• It is a reusable search definition that can have many advanced search filters and results display options.
• It provides reporting and tracking and serves as the basis for business analysis and strategic decision-making.
• If you have the Publish Search permission, you can share search results with other users.

A saved search is a present list of dynamic results to take action on the following:

1. Set different views and access
2. Update underlying records quickly
3. Enforce workflow
4. Focus users on critical information

1.2 Planning Stage of Constructing a Transaction-Saved Search

To guide you in constructing a transaction-saved search, here are the 4 stages on how you can plan it.

• 1. Know your Record or Data: What is your end goal? What do you want to achieve from the list of information?
• 2. Create Your Search: Is it going to be a Basic Search or Advanced with more criteria?
• 3. Search Options: What criteria are you using? What results do you want to see? Do we want to display the search somewhere in the Dashboard or a Reminder?
• 4. Use the Search:
  • To highlight information to identify things
  • On your dashboard to give users information access
  • As email alerts
  • As reminders

1.3 Procedures in Creating a Transaction Search for Invoices

For this tutorial’s example, we will build a saved search based on this sample scenario:

• Find transaction records for customers who spend an average of $50,000 a year because the Sales Manager wants to know who the top-paying customers are.
• They want to create Platinum Sales Team who focuses on customers spending an average of $50,000 a year.
• Anything less than $5,000 a year will be outsourced to a partner.

1.3.1  Constructing a Saved Search

• Step 1: Go to Reports → Saved Searches → All Saved Searches → New (Administrator).
• Step 2: Choose Transaction as the Record Type for the saved search.
• Step 3: Type in a Search Title to find the search easily. If you’re creating for a certain department, you may put the department name at the beginning.

• Step 4: The ID field is sometimes used in scripting and reference in reports.
• Step 5: To define the Criteria, the following will be chosen for this example:
  1. For Type, we will choose Invoice.
  2. For Status, we will choose Invoice: Paid in Full.

• Step 6: Click the Save & Run button or Preview button to see the results.

In the Result page, you will notice that the first line with the asterisk is the total amount of the duplicate lines underneath. There are duplicates because the search result shows all GL Impact transaction lines.

To fix this, the Main Line should be set to True to filter out line items. Follow the steps below to set the criteria.

• Step 1: To determine what to show on the search results, click the Edit this Search button at the bottom to add other criteria.
• Step 2: Select Yes to set the Main Line to True. You will see here that the Main Line to Either is selected by default.
• Step 3: Click the Set This will now show the total amount of the debit side, which is the Accounts Receivable.

1.3.2  Choosing Results

To choose Results, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Set the Sort By field to Amount and mark Descending
• Step 2: Select the Output Type to view the results of this search. Options are Normal, Report, Grid, and Graph.
• Step 3: Mark the Show Total This will include totals for all the numerical fields in search results.
• Step 4: Remove columns that are not needed by highlighting the field(s) and click the Remove button.

To learn about other customization that you can apply to the result, you may watch the full video tutorial.

1.3.3  Adding Highlight to Details

In the preview search results below, it shows the highest amount at the top, but will not focus to details like who among the customers have the amount greater than $50,000 and those less than $5,000.

To highlight these details, you will need to do the following:

• Step 1: Click Edit this Search
• Step 2: Go to Highlighting tab then Highlight if Click on the filter button beside the Condition field.
• Step 3: Select Amount and set it to greater than or equal to. Set the Value to 50,000
• Step 4: Add other information as necessary: Dollar sign as the Image, Text Color, Background Color, Bold, Description, etc.

This is what the result looks like with the highlight.

1.3.4  Adding Filters

Instead of adding saved searches, you can also add filters like adding the Sales Rep. To do this, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Go to Available Filters
• Step 2: Select Sales Rep on the Filters
• Step 3: Mark the Show in Footer If a specific Sales Rep is selected, search results will show his customers’ invoices only.

1.3.5  Controlling Access to Saved Search

You can also control access when there is information in saved searches that is not suitable for everyone to have access.

To do this, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Go to Audience
• Step 2: Select specific Roles, Subsidiaries (for OneWorld accounts), Employees, Departments, Groups or Partners. You may click the Select All Otherwise, mark the Public checkbox, so everybody can access it.

In this example, only the Sale Managers and Sales Persons may access the search results or reports.

2.1 Other Options for Saved Searches

When any of these options are checked, it enables the following:

• Available List View: Makes the search results available to audience members a view for lists of this kind of record.
• Available as Dashboard View: Makes the search results available to audience members a dashboard list portlet of this kind of record.
• Available as Sublist View: Makes the search results available to audience members as a view for sublists on lists of this kind of record. This is a sublist view within a record.
• Available for Reminders: Allows a count of and link for these search results to be displayed in the Reminders portlet. Reminders should be actionable.
• Show in Menu: All audience members will have this saved search available as a link on the tabbed page and in dropdown menus. Audience members can click this link to run the search.

Summary
You just learned the overview and the procedures involved in creating transactions-based searches.

To go through the sections again, click the links below.

• What is a Saved Search?
• Planning Stage of Constructing a Transaction Saved Search
• Procedures in Creating a Transaction Search for Invoices
• Other options for Saved Searches