NetSuite 2019.2 - The Ultimate Guide

NetSuite 2019.2 is here and it’s packed full of new features and improvements for many of its solutions, all aimed at creating a better user-experience and offering advanced functionality. 

In another blog, we ran you through the updates to NetSuite’s Warehouse Management Solution (WMS), which was one of the biggest upgrades in the newest release. 

Today we’re running you through additional upgrades for some other NetSuite solutions, including, SuiteAnalytics, SuitePeople, NetSuite Financials, NetSuite Inventory Management, Manufacturing, Wholesale Distribution and more. For more details, you can read the full NetSuite 2019.2 release notes here. 

There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started.

NetSuite 2019.2 Platform Enhancements 

NetSuite 2019.2 brings enhancements that will make any NetSuite developer happy.

SuiteCloud Platform enhancements in NetSuite 2019.2 include support for industry standards such as REST services for integration and OpenID Connect for federated authentication, enabling developers to further customize and extend NetSuite.

In general, NetSuite 2019.2 pushes the developer and administrator experience forward, making it easier to localize NetSuite applications, tighten security measures and harness the power of SuiteScript and NetSuite's software development framework.

NetSuite Translation Enhancements 

The Manage Translations (Beta) feature supports the management of translations into multiple
languages through Translation Collections. A Translation Collection is a customization object that stores translation terms.  

Key features for Manage Translations include :

• A UI page to help users manage translations.
• Translations can be grouped into multiple collections so they can be easily searchable. 
• Users can access translations in SuiteScript and FreeMarker.
• Enabled SDF support for Translation Collections. 
• Users have the ability to export translations to XLIFF format for easy distribution to translators. 

SuiteAnalytics Gets A Refresh

Yes, you read that correctly. One of NetSuite’s most-loved features gets a refresh. NetSuite 2019.2 brings a series of enhancements to its SuiteAnalytics feature that simplifies the user experience and streamlines the processes even further.

User Benefits to the improved SuiteAnalytics:

1. Simpler query building experience
2. Increased field and record discoverability:
   • Improvements in the display, and addition of record category.
   • The addition of a tree-like structure for browsing records and fields.
   • Increased insight on used fields in the data grid.
   • Improved record/field search
3. Extended pivot and chart capabilities
   • The ability to apply dimension-based filtering, and conditional filtering.
   • Cache-management features.
   • Value formatting in charts
4. Performance improvements
   • Data is now cached (session-based).
5. Improved NetSuite Dashboard experience
6. More out-of-the-box workbooks
   • A new addition is called Standard Workbooks.
7. New data source GA
   • More consistent data with Workbook and Query API
   • Role-based access
   • Correct custom fields mapping
8. Standard NetSuite phasing
   • Account-based
   • Testing possible with the release preview
9. Easier connection configuration
   • ODBC Bundle
   • NS Configuration > Bundle or Driver > Connection > Query Data
10. SuiteQL
    • New Query language introduced in 2019.2
    • Used in other channels as universal query language (ex. SuiteScript)
    • ODBC/ANSI and Oracle Syntaxes supported cannot be mixed in one query

NetSuite for Manufacturing

Many of NetSuite’s solutions were upgraded in this newest update, and the industry solutions were no exception. With features for companies in every industry, NetSuite is equipping its users with the best possible tools to streamline their business processes.

When it comes to manufacturing, NetSuite 2019.2 is loaded with a variety of new features.

1. Consumption of Units of Measure:
   • Users can now access different units, other than the base unit.
   • Users can apply different consumption units for the same component in different BOMs
   • BOM quantities have been rounded (i.e. 2.3in instead of 0.191666667ft)
   • Available to all Manufacturing customers with 19.2 release
2. Prolonged Item Name Fields
   • Customers will be able to reflect real item names.
   • Real names can be used within the web store, can be optimized for SEO.
3. Production Workbook
   • Access Insight into production utilizing new NetSuite Analytics
   • Ability to view all production trends in one single place (pivots, charts, grids, etc.)
   • With everything integrated into NetSuite, users no longer need to export to Excel to access advanced analytics.
   • Pre-existing template improves understanding of analytics concepts.
   • Administrators can grant access to certain roles.

Do you want these features for your manufacturing business? Want to hear how NetSuite helps scale-up manufacturing businesses? Learn how GURUS Solutions worked with Atlas Machine & Supply to ensure business growth through the successful implementation of NetSuite for manufacturing ERP software.

NetSuite for Project Management

In NetSuite 2019.2, even project managers get some new features to play around with. With enhancements directed towards streamlining and automating your project management processes, you’re sure to have complete control over your tasks.

Some new Project Management updates include:

1. New Project Work Back Schedule:
   You can now plan a project schedule backward from a set end date.
   • To do so, select Backward and enter a scheduled end date in the Scheduling Method field. NetSuite uses the defined task information and the scheduled end date to calculate the appropriate start date for the project.
2. Billing Rate Card Improvements:
   New customer records now include a Billing Rate Card field to define a default rate card for each customer
   • A Billing Rate Card field is now available on new charge-based billing projects.
   • A Related Records subtab lists all related projects to the rate card.
3. Project Resource Utilization Target:
   A new Target Utilization field is available.
   • To access, go to Lists > Employees > Employees > View Employee Record > Human Resources subtab (when an employee is marked as a project resource).
4. Project Resource Utilization Target:
   You can now select a project resource as the project manager on your project records.
   • The Project Manager field is available in the Primary Information section of the default project entry form.

Want to get the full scoop about NetSuite for Project Management? You can check out our full article here.

NetSuite Inventory Management 

NetSuite inventory management software offers a complete set of inventory management, manufacturing, and purchasing capabilities that will provide you with integrated supply chain management and control across your entire organization.

NetSuite 2019.2 is giving this solution a bit of a facelift. 

Some of the enhancements include: 

1. Advanced Order Management:
   • With NetSuite 2019.2, Advanced Order Management is not an out of the box option.
   • It includes Automatic Location Assignment, Fulfillment Request, and Store Pickup Fulfillment.
   • NetSuite uses the defined task information and the scheduled end date to calculate the appropriate start date for the project.
2. Automatic Location Assignment Macro
   • Users can now trigger Automatic Location Assignment via SuiteScript 2.0.
   • NetSuite now offers more flexibility to fix this feature into more complex business processes.
3. Automatic Location Assignment + Supply Allocation
   • Both features have been updated to ensure that they work together more smoothly than ever before. 

NetSuite for HR (SuitePeople)

NetSuite 2019.2 brings forth refined human capital management processes to SuitePeople. A much-appreciated update to NetSuite’s HR software offers a variety of benefits that enable HR decision-makers to:

• Better understand employee tenure and employment history by quickly viewing key milestones and timelines.
• Gain more flexibility in managing hourly time-off accruals, including audit trails for how accruals are earned.
• Get an accurate view of their HR landscapes with improved dashboard components.

These benefits appear through some new SuitePeople features, including:

1. Supporting Warehouse/Distribution and Manufacturing Verticals:
   • Hourly time-off accruals enhancements are available for all hourly employees.
     • This feature is available without the payroll module.
     • Accruals will also be generated for all hourly time entries that are approved automatically.
   • Time-off analysis workbook (e.g. balance details & change activity w/pivot table capability).
     • Each record will now include the hourly accrual rate effective on the accrual day.
       
2. More Control and Flexibility with US Payroll
   • Pay stubs are now available on or before the check date.
     • This feature defines when the employees can view their pay statement
   • Paycheck summary descriptions are not available.
     • Users have the Ability to add a description to the paycheck using different item codes.
   • Forward and backward navigation arrows can be accesses on pay stub records.
   • Employee tax jurisdictions workbook is available through NetSuite Analytics.
     
3. HR Foundation: CoreHR & Payroll
   • Employee timeline is now available.
     • Ability to visualize key employee milestone and career change with historical context
   • Enhanced user roles and permission.
     • Enhancement of the Advanced Employee Permissions (AEP) feature (e.g. have more granular control for accessing data on the employee record).
   • Pre-build HR dashboard components include:
     • Demographics portlet
     • KPI scorecard portlet
       

NetSuite for Transactions 

1. Transaction Email Templates

In order to save time and automate the transaction process through email, NetSuite 2019.2 offers email message templates that users can easily apply and send. No need to craft a new email every time!

Main features include:

• The ability to customize the email message template used when sending transactional emails with PDF attachments.
• The freedom to use different templates for each transaction form, which support emailing capabilities. 
• The legacy “hard-coded” email template is still available and can be used.

2. GL Impact Printing

From the GL Impact page, a “print” button will now be easily available, allowing users to:

1. Print the GL Impact 
2. Customize the printing layout (Advanced PDF)

3. Electronic Payment Enhancements

As of 2019.2, vendor bills with installment terms can now be paid via Electronic Bank Payments.

Users can pay vendor bill in installments using : 

• Bill Payment Processing 
• Automated Batch Processing 
• Custom Bill Payment Processing using EBP (API) 

4. Memorized Transactions

NetSuite’s Memorized Transactions Feature gets a refresh!

Updates include:

1. The ability to support custom transactions.
2. A new simple setup option.
3. The ability to migrate all existing records into a new form.

Are You Ready for NetSuite 2019.2

To ensure that your business and system is ready for NetSuite’s new update, it’s important to ask yourself a few questions:

• What can I do to prepare for NetSuite 2019.2?
• Should I test in NetSuite 20192 in my Sandbox environment? 
• Are all my current processes successful in my Sandbox environment account before the new release is pushed to my Production account?
• Do I have any customizations, scripts, workflows, and/or integrations that need to be tested to ensure they won’t break in the new environment?

GURUS Solutions comes equipped with: 

• A specialized process for optimizing your daily operations with reduced risk.
• 14+ years of experience working with NetSuite and the Cloud.
• 5-Star NetSuite Partner for 8 years in a row.
• A unique & collaborative approach to any project.
• Experience with a vast number of industries.
• Over 2100 successful projects completed.
• Resources across all of North America. 

More Posts About NetSuite Releases, Check Out: 

• Your User Guide to NetSuite 2019.1
• NetSuite 2019.1 Update: The New & Improved Dashboard
• NetSuite 2019.1: Secure Log-in Requirements

"GURUS Solutions has been featured as one of the Top United States Developers  – check out the full article."