NetSuite’s SuiteFlow (Workflow) Primer

Introduction

NetSuite SuiteFlow is an out-of-the-box custom buildable workflow solution. With point and click capabilities users can build custom business processes against a standard or custom record within NetSuite. A workflow solution can be as simple as a trigger to automatically send an email when a predefined condition is met or as complex as an approval matrix against a purchase order record.

Prerequisites

To create workflows, the feature must be enabled in NS and the NS User’s role that’s being used to create workflows must also have the Setup Workflow Permission. 

To enable this feature, go to Setup > Company > Enable Features under SuiteCloud tab, check SuiteFlow box and save. Note, your NS role must have Setup Enable Features permissions to enable features within your NS instance.

Workflow Design

Many may think the start of creating a workflow is to create a workflow record within NS, however, to the contrary, the start is in the planning\design of the desired workflow functionality. 

A simple workflow is a series of linear steps with predefined conditions. Each step is taken after the predefined condition(s) is\are met. 

A complex workflow can be a series of linear steps, steps that may revert to a previous step or a combination of both. The result is a permutation of paths within the entire workflow which requires careful attention to detail within in the design of the workflow.

Take the following example of a simple workflow of triggering the sending of an email.  

Step 1: WF Trigger met against record --> Step 2: Send Email Conditions Met within record --> Step 3: Update Record Email was Sent --> Step 4: Exit Workflow.

In comparison, the following example of a complex workflow such as a PO Approval.

Step 1: WF Trigger met against record --> Step 2: Determine Next Approver 

--> 2.1: Next Approver Found --> Go to Step 3

--> 2.2: Next Approver Not Found --> Go to Step 9

Step 3: Send Notice to Approver --> Step 4: Is Record Viewed by Approver? 

--> 4.1: Yes, Display Approve or Reject Buttons 

  --> 4.1.1: Approver clicks Approve Button --> Log Last Approver --> Go to Step 5

  --> 4.1.2: Approver clicks Reject Button --> Log Rejected By --> Go to Step 6

--> 4.2: No, don’t display Approve or Reject Button

Step 5: Current Approver Approval Limit Exceeds PO Total

  --> 5.1 Yes, Go to Step 8.

  --> 5.2 No, Go to Step 2.

Step 6: Send Reject Notification to Created By.

Step 7: Display Resubmit For Approval Button

Step 8: Set PO To Approved and Notify Created By PO is Approved.

Step 9: Send Notification to Created By and System Administrator of a finding Next Approver Error.

Based on the number of defined steps for either a simple workflow or a complex workflow it’s important to design your workflow prior to creating the workflow inside of NetSuite. Designing a workflow is very similar to a process flow diagram. After defining your process flow you can then relate it to the elements of a NS Workflow as explained below.

Elements of a NS Workflow

Workflow Configuration

The workflow configuration is the start of the creation of a workflow, it includes the name of the workflow, the record type it is to execute against, the workflow release status, the Initiation setting and the event setting. 

The initiation setting serves as the context of how the workflow is to be triggered i.e. event-based vs scheduled. An initiation setting of Scheduled will trigger the workflow to execute against each record that is returned from a saved search result. The triggering will occur based on the scheduled frequency settings i.e. every 30 minutes, once daily, once monthly, etc. An initiation setting of “Event Based” is based on when a user interacts with a record within NS and whether the condition of the record is met as set within the event definition section.

The event definition is the configuration of the conditions to trigger the initiation of the workflow i.e. during record creation, editing of the record or viewing of the record.

Workflow States

Every workflow requires at least 1 workflow state, without it a workflow will not trigger. A state serves as the foundation of the workflow as it represents a stage or step within your process flow. The initiation of a workflow upon meeting the event definition settings of the workflow configuration will start within the defined starting workflow state. Within the state are user defined actions. These actions are executed sequentially based on conditions of the actions upon entering the workflow state. 

To create a workflow state while in Edit mode of a workflow, click on the “New State” button, NS will create a State object box within the Workspace section of the screen and by default NetSuite will name it as State 1 unless State 1 already exists then the number will be incremented accordingly.

Workflow Fields

Workflow fields are custom fields that reside only within the Workflow. They are used to store data that can then be used as conditions within a workflow action. Workflow fields can be added to the entire workflow or within a specific workflow state.

To Create a workflow field for the entire workflow on the right corner of the screen click on “Workflow” then click edit, this will take you into the Workflow Configuration settings page. Scroll to the bottom and under the “Fields” sublist click the New Field button. Give the field a name by populating the Label field and select the proper field data type within the “Type” field.

To Create a workflow field within a workflow state, double click on a state, scroll down until you see the “Fields” sublist. Click on the “Fields” sublist and click the New Field button.

Workflow Transitions

Workflow Transitions are like bridges, they connect a state to another state. You can have many transitions from one state to another state or many transitions from one state to many other states, but their conditions should all be unique. If your workflow design is using a state as a stage, then the process flow doesn’t move to the next stage until the transition conditions are met. 

To create a workflow transition, place your mouse over a workflow state, upon doing this at the bottom of the state will display a half circle. Click on the half circle and drag it to another state; a line will be made to connect the two states together. Click on the line and then click the pencil icon to edit the transition configuration settings.

Workflow Actions

Workflow Actions are created within a state and are what is being performed against the record directly or indirectly. For example, populating a value within a field, setting the field to be mandatory or not, hiding a button or displaying a button. Sending an email and displaying a message are also other types of actions that can be performed. The action’s configuration setting of the execution context will determine the order in which the action is performed and in addition to any conditions that are set within the action. Examples of execution contexts are before the record is loaded vs after the record was saved vs viewing of the record. Actions will be grouped/organized within these different execution contexts. If there are 3 actions that were automatically grouped within an execution context of on Entry then each action will be evaluated upon the workflow entering the workflow state. For each action, the evaluation consists of the conditions that are set individually i.e. if a certain field value = something is true or is met then the action is executed. The action will be only one of populate another field value, display a button, etc.

To create a workflow action, click on state then within the state click on “New Action”, select the different action types and populate the appropriate field settings.

Summary

NetSuite’s Suiteflow is a builtin workflow automation tool that allows users to create automated functions against a record within NS. It can be used to streamline and control processes to ensure data consistency and minimize human tasks. The creation of a workflow starts off by designing outside of NS to define your desired process, this will help better prepare you for when you create the workflow within NS by being able to associate each step within your design to workflow actions within a state and whether additional states are needed and their corresponding transitions. 

The creation of a NS workflow is to first define a workflow record followed by adding a workflow action within the default workflow state. Additional states can be added with transitions to connect states together. Optionally, workflow fields can be defined to be used only within the workflow or within a specific workflow state.

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