NetSuite delivers half-yearly updates to its business management suite, addressing a broad spectrum of needs – from its customer base, down to the needs of roles in specific industries. To ensure a seamless transition and avoid unexpected production environment hiccups, preparation is key. It is well known that NetSuite provisions its users with a Release Preview account to test features in an upcoming release. Here, existing business workflows can be verified to ensure that they function as expected before upgrading the production account to the new NetSuite release. To opt-in for a Release Preview account for 2021.2:
- Navigate to Setup > Company > Release Preview from your production account
- Click Request Release Preview
- Your account should be available within 3-5 days
You can also rely on the Tvarana team to help your business transition smoothly into the new release. Set up a call with us today to learn more.
Read on for our top picks from NetSuite’s latest upgrade of 2021.
SuiteCloud Platform – SuiteScript updates
- Workbook API is now generally available: The Workbook API is an extension to the SuiteAnalytics and is now available to everyone from 2021.2 release. It enables developers to build SuiteAnalytics datasets and workbooks using SuiteScript. The N/dataset and N/workbook modules also makes it possible to create datasets, workbooks and pivot tables to analyze data. Additionally, it comes with handy features like dataset saving, dataset linking and conditional formatting
- MD5 and SHA1 Hash Algorithms are no longer valid: Support for the MD5 and SHA1 hash algorithms in SuiteScript 1.0 and SuiteScript 2.x are no longer valid. Scripts that use MD5 or SHA1 as the hash algorithm must be updated to use a different hash algorithm, such as SHA256 or SHA512, to ensure these scripts continue to work as expected after the upgrade to 2021.2
- Changes to nlapiEncrypt, CurrentRecord.getValue, and Record.getValue for Custom Password Fields: The use of the SuiteScript 1.0 nlapiEncrypt function for custom password fields is no longer supported. SuiteScript 2.x CurrentRecord.getValue and Record.getValue methods should not be used for custom password fields. Instead, use nlapiCheckPasswordField for custom password fields in SuiteScript 1.0 and crypto.checkPasswordField for SuiteScript 2.x custom password fields
SuiteTalk Web Services Integration updates:
- REST Query Service is generally available: All the features that belong to the REST Query Service are now made available from the 2021.2 release. Previously, users had to enable the REST Query Service Beta feature to work with dataset related features. Now the functionality can be enabled at Setup > Company > Setup Tasks > Enable Features in the SuiteTalk (Webservices) section on the SuiteCloud sub-tab.
- Araxis Merge Diff File for the 2021.2 endpoint: The Araxis Merge Diff file highlights the schema changes between the 2021.1 and 2021.2 endpoints. It is still not available and should be made available by NetSuite.
SuiteCloud Development Framework updates:
- Installation Preferences Configuration updates: Installation preferences for custom record types and custom lists can now be configured in addition to script deployments. When a SDF SuiteApp is installed, users can choose to preserve some or all of the existing data in the target account for custom record types and custom lists along with script deployments (which was made available as part of the 2021.1 release). Preserving data can be useful when overwriting values SuiteApp users have modified in the target account is not desired. For both custom records and custom lists, the defaultAction attribute can be set to OVERWRITE or PRESERVE. This setting is applied by default to all custom record instances and all custom list values. The action attribute can also be set to OVERWRITE or PRESERVE which applies the setting an individual custom record or custom list value.
- Enhanced feature dependencies updates: Enhanced feature dependencies now support OneWorld components. Users can install a SDF SuiteApp that contains a subset of OneWorld components to accounts that do not have OneWorld functionality. Users can install such SDF SuiteApps without encountering warnings of errors about missing features. Note that when you install an SDF SuiteApp containing the “customrecordcustomfield” object with a Subsidiary field, those record fields will only appear in OneWorld accounts
New rate provider for Currency Exchange Rate integration:
As an enhancement to the Currency Exchange Rate Integration feature, HSBC is now a currency exchange rate provider. HSBC is a global bank with expertise in multiple currencies. NetSuite offers the same methods, such as triangulation, for obtaining exchange rates from HSBC as from other rate providers. When the Currency Exchange Rate Integration feature is enabled for the first time, HSBC is the default rate provider. You can choose a different rate provider if you want to.
Advanced Numbering Duplicate detection for imported transactions:
NetSuite now supports duplicate document number detection for advanced numbering. When a transaction is improted, NetSuite determines which numbering rule applies to it using predefined rules criteria. Then, NetSuite checks if a transaction with the same document numbers already exists for the rule.
If NetSuite detects a duplicate it takes one of the following actions, based on the user’s Duplicate Number Warnings setting:
■ No Warnings – NetSuite does not warn the user when imported transactions use duplicate document numbers and imports all transactions.
■ Warn (UI Only) – NetSuite warns the user when imported transactions create duplicate document numbers and imports all transactions.
■ Warn and Block – NetSuite warns the user when imported transactions create duplicate document numbers, and does not import these transactions.
The behavior of these options when saving transactions in the UI is unchanged from previous releases. To set up duplicate detection for imported transactions, go to Setup > Accounting > Preferences > Accounting Preferences > Items/Transactions > Other Transaction Preferences, and set the Duplicate Number Warnings preference
New Sandbox Refresh options:
Sandbox accounts can now be refreshed from either the production account or another sandbox account. The account where the data is copied from is referred to as the source account. Refreshing a sandbox account copies all configurations, data, user passwords, and customizations from the source account into the sandbox account. Data cannot be copied from the following types of accounts:
- The sandbox account that is to be refreshed
- Sandbox accounts not associated with your production account
- Sandbox accounts with expired licenses
- Sandbox accounts that are inactive
Purchase to Project now available:
Purchase to Project version 1.00.0 is now available for installation from the SuiteApp Marketplace as a public and managed SuiteApp. This SuiteApp lets project managers create and manage purchase transactions related to projects and project tasks. It provides a unified project purchasing experience with insight into project purchases and single-click creation of purchase orders from the project or project task. Project managers can perform the following tasks using this SuiteApp:
- View purchase orders and vendor bills entered for a project or project task.
- Initiate purchase orders from a project or project task.
- Allow or prevent creation of purchase orders and vendor bills for a project or project task.
- Designate approved project vendors for project-related purchase orders.
- View the total invoiced amount from billable items and expenses for a project.
NetSuite · Vendors, Purchasing, and Receiving
- Cross-Subsidiary Requisitions: As of NetSuite 2021.2, the Centralized Purchasing and Billing feature enables users to consolidate requisitions entered from any subsidiary into a single centralized purchase order. Regardless of which subsidiary places the requisition or purchase order, Centralized Purchasing and Billing enables purchased goods and services to be received in any subsidiary and location in your company. When a purchase order is received and paid for in a different subsidiary, automatic cross-charges balance the ledger and intercompany accounts. Each target subsidiary receives their part of the centralized purchase order in the set target location and generates their own receipt. To enable cross-subsidiary requisitions, both the Centralized Purchasing and Billing feature and the Requisitions feature must be enabled. For more information, see the following help topics:
- Centralized Purchasing and Billing
- Cross-Subsidiary Requisitions
- Requisitions
