We all understand NetSuite constantly improves their user interface by adding new features on their bi-annual release updates. With these new updates there are new standard fields that users can see on their UI, but not in ExtendInsights.

See the video below or read on for details

ExtendInsights for Data Management NetSuite uses SOAP Web Services as the form of communication between Excel and NetSuite and NetSuite may not expose the fields via the API even though they are visible in the user interface.

Even though the new fields may not be available via the NetSuite API our team has come up with some pretty slick workaround leveraging standard NetSuite workflows.

In order to work with these standard fields complete the following 3 step workaround. This workaround will use the features of custom field, workflow, and workflow actions to map values from a custom field to the standard field.

To demonstrate this workaround, we are going to use Inventory Item as the record type and Vendor Return Variance Account as the missing standard field in ExtendInsights. This same concept can be applied to other NetSuite fields as well so use this as an example and substitute your own fields.

You'll need to create a new custom field that will temporarily be used to mimic the standard field not available via the API. In our example, we'll create a custom field for the Item record that stores the value of the standard Vendor Return Variance Account field.

Go to Customization > List, Records, & Fields > Item Fields > New

Fill the following fields on the Custom item field form:

1) Label field: Add any name you like. In this case, we named it Custom Vendor Variance Account

2) Type: List/Record (This will match the Vendor Return Variance Account field type, which is List/Record

3) List/Record: Account ( This will populate the Account list for the custom field)

4) Applies To: Inventory Item (Apply it to the relevant record type you are working on).

Save the Custom field

Now that your custom field has been created the next step is to create a NetSuite workflow that will map the values from the custom field to the standard "Vendor Return Variance Account field.

Step 1: Go to Customization > Workflow > Workflows > New.

Step 2: Fill in the following fields on the Workflow form:

1) Name: Add any name you like. In this case, we named it Item Vendor Variance Account Custom

2) Record Type: Select Item ( Choose the Record type you are working on).

3) Sub Types: Select Inventory Part

4) Initiation: Select Event Based (Select this initiation to tell when the workflow will run)

5) Event Definition: Select On Create and On View or Update

6) Trigger Type: Select Before Record Submit

7) Event Type: Select Create and Edit

8) Contexts: Select User Interface (if you want this to also work in the NetSuite UI) and SOAP Web Services. At a minimum SOAP must be selected if you want the workflow to run when ExtendInsights runs.

9) Release Status: Keep as Testing. Once you validate the workflow, you can change it to Released

Step 3: Save the workflow.

Once we create the workflow, we are going to add an Action to the workflow, so the value will map from the custom field to the standard "Vendor Return Variance Account field.

By default, the newly created workflow will have a State. We can double-click on the state to edit and give it a name.

Step 1: To add an Action to the workflow, Go and click on the New Action button at the bottom right-hand corner of the workflow and select the type as Set Field Value.

Step 2: Fill in the following fields on the Action form:

1) Trigger on: Select Before Record Submit

2) Event Types: Select Create and Edit

3) Contexts: Select User Interface (if you want this to also work in the NetSuite UI) and SOAP Web Services. At a minimum SOAP must be selected if you want the workflow to run when ExtendInsights runs.

4) Parameters: Field: Select field, in this case, we select Vendor Return Variance Account standard field

5) Select From Field: Record: Select Current Record

6) Select From Field: Field: Select field in this case we select Vendor Variance Account Custom

Step 3: Save the Action.

To confirm this custom field mapping works, go to ExtendInsights for Data Management Netsuite and the custom field to your template. Create the template and load it onto the Excel worksheet. Add a value to your custom field and then create your item. Once you create the record, go to the Item record in Netsuite UI to confirm the standard Vendor Return Variance Account field has set the value mapped over from the custom field using ExtendInsights.