NetSuite Saved Searches: The Ultimate Guide

When you’re looking to gain business intelligence from your data, NetSuite saved searches are the answer. They’re able to provide real-time information on any record in the system, filtering and matching on the data that is most important to you either out of the box or via custom saved searches you create.

Saved searches are a powerful tool and have a huge role in analytics in the system – even with the introduction of the newer NetSuite SuiteAnalytics tool.

NetSuite Saved Search Creation

Custom NetSuite saved searches can be created from scratch based on a specific record type in NetSuite. To create a new saved search, select Reports > Saved Searches > All Saved Searches > New. Then choose the record type which your search will be based on. Once you’ve named your search and checked the appropriate checkboxes, you’re ready to enter the options for the search.

• The Criteria subtab allows you to select what information must be true about the record for it to be included in the search.
• The Results subtab allows you to select which fields in the record you’d like to see data for. There are default fields already selected for you – you can add, remove, and rearrange fields as required.
• The Highlighting subtab allows you to highlight records that conform to specified criteria.
• Available Filters is where you can specify what you’d like to be able to filter on once the search has been run.
• The Audience and Roles subtabs, if available for your role, allow you to select who has access to the search if you’d like to limit the availability.
• The Email subtab, if available for your role, allows you to schedule the report to run at specific times and deliver to end users via email.

The user who runs the search must have access to the data sets it contains in order to see the results. Once you’ve defined your search criteria, you can Preview the NetSuite saved search to verify that it returns the results you are looking for prior to clicking Save. You can also select Save and Run to save the report and have it immediately run.

The Criteria Subtab

There are two sub-tabs within this section: Standard and Summary. The Summary subtab is only available if you have a summary field on the Results subtab.

• In the Standard subtab, under Filter select the field(s) you would like to filter the search on.
• A new window will pop up with the option for that filter, which vary based on field type. For example, a true/false field with return the options “both”, “yes”, or “no”. Choose the appropriate filter settings and click Set.
• Repeat these steps for as many filters as you need for the search.

But wait, there’s more! Select the Use Expressions checkbox on this tab to allow the use of formulas.

• NOT allows you to specify that you would like records that do not meet the criteria listed.
• AND/OR allows you to select AND or OR as your search condition for multiple filters with the use of Parens to enclose the conditions in parenthesis.

The Results Subtab

Data returned in the NetSuite saved search can be modified in the Results tab:

• Summary Type – Summarize the data based on Group, Count, Sum, Minimum, Maximum, or Average.
  • When this is used, the Summary subtab on the Criteria subtab becomes available for use.
• Function – Select a built-in NetSuite function to apply to the results, such as % of Total or Round to the Nearest Hundredth.
• Formula – When a formula field is selected as the field type, enter the formula to be calculated using NetSuite Tags. This can be as simple as basic arithmetic or as complex as a CASE statement, depending on your needs.
• Custom/Summary Label – A custom title can be given to any field in the search and is especially helpful for calculated fields.

Don’t forget to choose the Sort By order for your data – at least one field is necessary. The Output of the saved search can be changed to Report, Grid, or Graph, if desired.

The Highlighting Subtab

The Highlight If… and Highlight If… (Summary) tabs allow you to set the criteria for returned data within your NetSuite saved search.

• Click the Expand button on the right side of the Condition header to open a window to specify the criteria for the highlight. This window functions in the same way as the Criteria
• Choose an Image, Text Color, Background Color, or Bold for the results of the condition.

The Available Filters Subtab

• Select a Filter that you would like to appear on the screen when you have run the saved search.
• Check the box under Show in Filter Region for it to appear at the top of the report.
• If you’d like to be able to select multiple results from this filter, check the Show as Multi-Select

Overall Saved NetSuite Saved Search Management

To Edit a saved search, you must be an administrator or have permissions to publish search. The owner must also have given Allow Audience to Edit privileges, which will allow you to modify the search and keep the same name or save it with a different name.

To Delete a saved search, you must either be the owner of the search or an administrator. The delete button is only available when the correct permissions are in place.

Closing Thoughts on NetSuite Saved Searches

• NetSuite provides thorough documentation for working with saved searches in it’s official NetSuite Search Guide PDF documentation.
• For even more NetSuite saved search tips check out this video on NetSuite’s official YouTube channel.