We all like customizing our software and tech to make things easier, reflect our personalities, or even keep our data more secure. Admit it: One of the first things you do when you get a new phone or laptop is customize the wallpaper and set it to dark mode. NetSuite is no different. We’ve gathered a few NetSuite tips below that can help you custom build your instance of NetSuite exactly how you need it to make your job easier. Let’s take a look. 

Visualize Workflow Automation

For the most part, we all really love automation. Whether it’s the ability to schedule a recurring payment, program your coffeemaker the night before, or send a chain of marketing emails based on someone’s actions on your website, automation is one of the easiest ways to improve efficiency. 

But sometimes setting up automation can be complicated. (Raise your hand if you ever had to program a VCR.) Fortunately, NetSuite realizes that not all of its users are going to be incredibly savvy when it comes to programming and scripting processes. For those who work a little more visually, there’s SuiteFlow. 

Using a point-and-click graphical user interface, SuiteFlow provides the ability to build workflow management without relying on SuiteScript. No more calling IT every time you need to create a business process; simply visually map out what happens in your workflow. SuiteFlow can be found under the Customization tab. Click Scripting and find the Workflows option. There are even a few basic templates you can leverage, including Journal Entry Basic Approval, Purchase Order Basic Approval, and Sales Order Basic Approval. 

Boost Data Security with NetSuite Roles

Any time you’re working with data, security is paramount. NetSuite backs this up, boosting data security through the ability to create and assign roles. How you do this should be discussed in conjunction with security and business processes prior to deploying the software. Since roles are a first level control for your data security, access to data and features is determined by who each individual is and what they do. 

If you’re not sure what permissions a role currently has, use these steps to determine: 

• Copy the URL from one role
• Sign in as another user and access the copied URL
• NetSuite will then provide an explanation as to what permissions are needed to access that particular URL 

Here’s a bonus to that NetSuite tip: There’s no need to create individual roles for each user. Rather, you can define groups of roles, or roles that pertain to groups of users (i.e., departments or teams). Have someone on your team who needs a little extra access? That’s an easy tweak through Global Permissions on top of the defined custom role. Or, depending on how needs may change, consider giving that individual a completely custom role—which can be modified over time—instead of a static standard role. 

Stay in the Know with RSS Feeds

You might be familiar with seeing an RSS (Rich Site Summary) feed on a website, reading a steady stream of a company’s social media posts as they update. But did you know you can add an RSS feed to your NetSuite dashboard, too? Believe it or not, you can get NetSuite information updates published social media-style that individuals, teams, and groups can subscribe to for increased collaboration. And these updates don’t have to only be NetSuite information; NetSuite includes built-in access to RSS feed subscriptions for services such as Yahoo Business news. External integrations can also help you scrape social media feeds or Google for particular keywords in order to monitor every time your company, product, or industry-specific information is mentioned. 

Convinced? We thought so. You can easily add RSS feeds to your NetSuite by clicking the Personalize option at the top right-hand corner of your dashboard. From the menu of portlets available, select RSS Feed and drag it to where you’d like it to appear. At the top of the new RSS feed portlet, select Setup and add the Feed URL, then click Save. Congratulations, you now have an RSS feed on your dashboard! 

Streamline NetSuite with Purpose-Built Integration

NetSuite comes with multiple options that help you tailor the program to work just the way you need it to. Perfecting the way you use NetSuite can streamline how you do your job, how decisions are made, and how the business moves forward. 

We’re all about helping you work with NetSuite the way you want to. That’s why at CloudExtend, we’ve not only shared NetSuite tips, but also built integrations that help you and your team access NetSuite from where you work most: spreadsheets and inboxes. Whether you want to improve CRM adoption or run more extensive analysis on ERP data, we’ve got you covered with industry-leading integrations to Excel, Outlook, and Google Workspace. See it in action on your data by trying our integrations FREE right now.