(Originally posted to LinkedIn.com by VersiMarket’s Ahad Arain) (Updated Oct. 18, 2021) For many daily users, navigating the world of NetSuite can pose challenges. With biannual product releases and an array of new features, making customizations can seem like a job for seasoned professionals or consultants. Our objective at VersiMarket is to empower end-users (like you) to execute such tasks with simplicity and efficacy. This topic is one I have encountered frequently over the years, and I will outline how you can accomplish this effectively while implementing the same method on multiple records in NetSuite, optimizing time and enhancing efficiency over the long haul.
First, let’s clarify the distinction between a subtab and a sublist in NetSuite. A subtab refers to the different tabs you encounter across the system on records, irrespective of the record type. For instance, a Sales Order typically includes the following subtabs: items, shipping, billing, accounting, and more. Each subtab may feature its own unique set of sublists. In the image below, the Related Records subtab is selected, and Support Cases serves as an associated sublist.
It is essential to recognize that sublist data is primarily driven by saved searches. This functionality allows you to modify a group of existing subtabs to integrate multiple custom sublists, provided that the necessary details are available within an existing saved search. As the criteria or columns of the saved search are updated, the columns displayed in the sublist results will also adjust. This characteristic makes these tools quite powerful as they can effortlessly enable users to locate vital related information without opening multiple windows.
To create a list of items along with their associated cases, you will need to either develop or locate a saved search that contains the desired information.
- Ensure Available as List View = True (checked)
- Ensure Available as Sublist View = True (checked)
- Under Available Filters, confirm that Item is included in the list as illustrated below. This inclusion is critical since we aim to source cases for the specific selected item, rather than all items.
Believe it or not, the most challenging part is now finished. Next, we will assign this sublist to the item record. Note: you might require higher-level permissions or need to consult an Administrator to access customization features.
- Navigate to Customizations > Forms > Sublists: Here, you will be able to designate the saved search as a custom sublist for various record types.
- Select the saved search you created and assign it to the item record. You will need to provide a label and choose which tab to display it on; I opted to position this on the communication tab within the item record.
- Additionally, specify which individual item types you would like this displayed on. You can click each one individually in every column to apply it to all item types (pro tip: press tab/shift+tab to navigate columns and spacebar to check/uncheck the boxes on your keyboard). Once completed, click Save.
Now, when you go to the item record and communications tab, you will observe the “Related Cases” sublist we have just established. Feel free to create some custom cases to test the results and confirm they are functioning as intended. If you need to make adjustments, no additional customization is required. Simply edit the saved search criteria or change the results columns to modify the details in the sublist.
This technique can also be implemented for transactions and entity records employing the exact same process described above.
