ExtendSync for Outlook searches NetSuite using the same Global Search API you use in the NetSuite UI.
Results are then filtered based on the record types enabled in your ExtendSync settings.
If the records you expect do not appear, the issue is usually related to:
NetSuite search behavior
Record filtering configuration
Role permissions or environment selection
This guide explains why this happens and how to fix.
How ExtendSync Search Works
ExtendSync sends a Global Search request to NetSuite.
NetSuite returns matching results.
ExtendSync filters those results to show only the record types you’ve enabled.
If NetSuite does not return a record or your role cannot see it, ExtendSync cannot display it.
🧲 Common Question: Why Don’t Customer Records Return When a Contact Is Matched?
This is one of the most frequent questions from users and it has a simple technical explanation.
Why This Happens
NetSuite does not return parent records (such as Customers) when searching by a Contact’s email address.
You can confirm this directly in NetSuite:
Paste a contact’s email address into NetSuite Global Search
Only the Contact record appears not the Customer
ExtendSync mirrors this exact behavior.
The Good News
The good news is that anytime you save an email to a Contact and that Contact has a parent company associated with it (Customer, Prospect etc.) it will AUTOMATICALLY roll up to the parent level.
Example
You receive an email from justine.burdo@celigo.com and want to associate it with both the Contact and Customer records.
You click Suggest Related Records.
ExtendSync auto-fetches the Contact record but not the Customer record.
When you save the email to the Contact, ExtendSync automatically rolls it up to the Customer record.
✅ Result: No need to manually search for the Customer.
This is a major time saver! ⏰
Additional Troubleshooting Steps
If expected records still don’t appear, try the following.
🔵 Log Out and Log Back In
Go to Menu → Log Out, then sign back in.
When logging back in be sure to choose a role that has access to the records you are searching for.
Also cross-check that you are logging into the proper account (sandbox, production, etc.)
🔵 Verify Access in NetSuite
Before troubleshooting in ExtendSync, confirm your role can see the records directly in NetSuite:
Log in to NetSuite.
Use the Global Search bar (search by email address, transaction title, or document number).
If you can see the record there, you should be able to see it in ExtendSync as well.
If it’s missing in NetSuite, your role likely lacks access to that record type.
🔵 Check Your Auto-Fetch Configuration
ExtendSync filters global search results to show only the record types you’ve selected in your settings.
Go to Menu → Settings → Configure Records Filter, and confirm that the desired record types are checked.
🔵 Too Many Records Returned
There may be too many records being returned in the results to be efficiently passed back to ExtendSync.
If your search term is too broad (e.g., Smith), the global search may return too many results to efficiently process in ExtendSync.
Solution:
Enable the Search by Prefix feature to narrow results and improve performance.
🔵 “Show Individuals as Contacts” Setting
If your organization creates Customers, Contacts, or Partners as Individuals and has the setting Show Individuals as Contacts enabled in NetSuite (Home → General Preferences), ExtendSync will only display the Contact record in auto-search results.
The technical reason for this is that both records (the contact and the partner/vendor/customer) share the same internal ID and are really the same record.
Don't worry though, because the records are actually the same any emails saved to the contact will also appear on the other record as well.
🔵 Searching by Transaction Number
If you’re searching by a known NetSuite transaction number and no results are returned, check with your admin to see if the following feature is enabled:
When enabled, NetSuite limits searches so that only document numbers are valid search terms.
If you’re searching by anything else (e.g., name or subject), results will not appear.
Key Takeaways
ExtendSync search behavior mirrors NetSuite Global Search
Customers do not appear when searching by Contact email and that’s expected
Email roll-up ensures parent records still receive the email
Most issues are caused by role access or record filter settings
Need Help?
If records still don’t appear after completing these steps:
🔎 Search support.cloudextend.io
💬 Chat with Support (bottom-right widget)
📧 Email cloudextend-support@celigo.com
Include:
Record type you’re searching for
Search term used
Role and environment selected
We’re happy to help you fine-tune ExtendSync search behavior.