Optimizing NetSuite’s Saved Searches with the Scheduled Email Feature

For NetSuite users, having quick and accurate access to data is essential. However, many businesses don’t take full advantage of NetSuite’s capabilities, missing out on opportunities to enhance decision-making and streamline operations. This article will guide you through optimizing NetSuite’s Saved Searches with the Scheduled Email feature, using a practical scenario to highlight common challenges and solutions.

Scenario: Improving Accounts Receivable Management

Imagine a company struggling with its accounts receivable management. The finance team is bogged down by the manual process of tracking overdue invoices, leading to delays in follow-ups and subsequent cash flow problems. The lack of a reliable system to quickly identify overdue accounts results in missed payment deadlines, impacting the company’s financial health.

The primary issue here is clear: the company needs a system that automatically monitors overdue invoices and promptly notifies the finance team, allowing them to take swift action.

Solution: Leveraging NetSuite’s Saved Searches with the Scheduled Email Feature

To address this issue, the company can utilize NetSuite’s Saved Searches and Scheduled Email feature to automatically track overdue invoices and alert the finance team when action is needed.

Step 1: Create a Saved Search for Overdue Invoices

1. Navigate to Saved Searches: Go to Reports > Saved Searches > All Saved Searches > New.
2. Define Criteria: Set the search criteria to filter out overdue invoices. For instance, configure the criteria to include invoices where the due date is before today and the status remains open.
3. Customize Results: Select the fields most relevant to your team, such as customer name, invoice date, amount due, and days overdue. This ensures that the search results are comprehensive and actionable at a glance.

Step 2: Configure the Email Alerts

• Set up Email Preferences: In the Saved Search setup, go to the Email tab. Choose whether to send email alerts when records are created/updated or according to a set schedule.

To avoid overwhelming recipients with emails, you can specify that alerts are only sent when certain fields are updated by defining these fields in the ‘Updated Fields’ subtab. This is available when the “Send Email Alerts When Records are Created/Updated” option is selected.

• Define Specific Recipients: Determine who should receive these emails, whether it’s the entire finance team or specific members responsible for collections. 

Only entities (customers, vendors, or employees) existing in NetSuite can be selected.

• Schedule Email Delivery: Arrange for the email to be sent to the finance team on a daily basis, ensuring they are consistently informed about overdue accounts. 

In the “Customize Message” subtab, you can also customize the email message as well as choose to attach the results as a CSV, XLS, or PDF file or include a view record link for convenience.

Step 3: Test the Setup

After setting up the Saved Search and email preferences, the result will be: 

Additional Use Cases

NetSuite’s Saved Searches with the Scheduled Email Feature can be applied across multiple business functions. Here are a few examples:

1. Sales & Customer Service: Sales teams can monitor leads and opportunities by setting up Saved Searches to identify customers who haven’t made a purchase in the last 90 days, triggering automated emails to re-engage them with special offers.
2. Inventory Management: Operations teams can use Saved Searches to monitor inventory levels. When stock levels fall below a set threshold, an automated email can be sent to the procurement team to reorder items, preventing stockouts.
3. Project Management: Project managers can track project milestones with Saved Searches, using automated emails to alert team members when deadlines are approaching to keep projects on track.

Tips & Tricks

• Dynamic Date Filters: Use dynamic date filters like “Today” or “Last 7 Days” to ensure your Saved Searches remain relevant without requiring manual updates.
• Custom Email Templates: Personalize email templates to include specific messages or instructions, making the automated emails more actionable and engaging.
• Segment Alerts: If your company handles a large volume of transactions, consider segmenting your Saved Searches by customer segment or invoice size. This prevents overwhelming the team with too much data.
• Real-Time Alerts: For critical accounts, set up real-time alerts instead of scheduled emails to ensure immediate notification when the saved search is updated.

Summary

Utilizing NetSuite’s Saved Searches with the Scheduled Email feature can greatly improve your company’s ability to manage critical processes like accounts receivable. By automating the monitoring of overdue invoices and providing timely notifications, your team can act swiftly to maintain cash flow and financial stability. This feature can be customized to suit various business needs, ensuring that operations across finance, sales, and other departments run smoothly and efficiently.