How to Fetch and Store External ID of NetSuite Records
One of our clients in the field of self-service retail had a custom requirement in their NetSuite software. They wanted to set up external IDs inside their records.
This case study details how developers at Jobin & Jismi provided a solution to the client.
Overview
External IDs in NetSuite are generally used for integration or import/export purposes. By default, NetSuite does not allow External IDs to be set up inside records.
Here our client wanted these external IDs to be set up in the following records:
• Item records
• Supply chain
• Location
• Estore record (custom)
Requirements
The major requirement of our client was – whenever a required record is created or edited in NetSuite they need an external ID to be generated along with that record.
Our client had directed that these requirements should only be applied to selected records and users which they had mentioned.
Challenge
By default, NetSuite objects to the creation of a record with the same name but in the case of a custom record, this is not applicable.
Here a custom record called “Estore record” thus posed a challenge during the execution. Since this is a custom record – it does not fetch values from the name field and NetSuite does not intervene. Therefore chances of having a duplicate record with the same name was highly possible.
Solution
All the required records (Item records, Supply chain, Location, Estore record) have name fields and these name fields contain an internal ID. Using this internal ID, we can fetch the values in the name fields and use it to set-up external IDs for that record. Our developers used the script to get this value and thus the name field value is generated as an external ID automatically whenever the specified record is created or edited.
It is important to note that, once we try to create or edit any of the above-mentioned records with the name that already exists, the system will send an email to the creator of that record with a message of invalid / non-unique external ID set. Thus we can confirm that the external id is unique for each record.
Result
Our client was satisfied with the solution provided by us that allowed them to generate an External ID for their selected roles and records. Also, there was no doubt of a duplicate or non-unique external ID set as the user will be notified of such records instantly through the mail.
Contact Jobin & Jismi if you have similar custom requirements.
