Automating Work Orders in NetSuite Using Custom Suitelets
Manufacturing
By
OdeCloud Team
The Challenge: Manually Having to Input Inventory Data (SN and Lot #) in Work Orders
Automating work orders using a NetSuite Suitelet can do wonders for your business’ overall speed and efficiency. Unfortunately, not many companies have the time or expertise needed to develop custom Suitelets.
It would take far too much time finding a specific work order, only to force them to go through the hassle of having to manually fill in inventory details — just to create ONE assembly build.
About the Missouri Star Quilt Co
Location: Hamilton, Missouri Industry: Retail, Consumer Business Number of Users: 200+ Number of Subsidiaries: 2
The Solution: Automating Work Orders, SN and Lot # via Custom NetSuite Suitelets
OdeCloud assigned NetSuite expert Thierry Klesse to tackle MSQC’s problem concerning their work orders. Creating two custom Suitelets, Thierry was able to expedite their business processes exponentially.
Sticking to OdeCloud’s promise of making things fast and easy, Thierry’s Suitelets allowed MSQC to simply scan a work order, bringing up a summary of all necessary information regarding that order: the work order number, assembly item, product image, quantity to build, serial/lot number, bin, and more.
Furthermore, serial/lot numbers were programmed to autofill based on pre-established criteria, and the bin field utilized an algorithm to autofill based on the previously determined bin.
After submitting a work order, the page would automatically revert back to the original screen, allowing MSQC to easily scan work orders in rapid succession.
The Process of Automating Work Orders
Work Order Process Before Automation
1. Take time locating a specific work order in NetSuite
2. Click to open
3. Click ‘Create Build’ to open Assembly Build page
4. Manually fill inventory details
5. Click to save Assembly Build
6. Manually navigate back to Home screen
7. Repeat
Work Order Process After Automation
1. Scan Work Order
2. Review Information
3. Repeat
The Results from Automating Work Orders
After rolling out the solution and after they had used it for a few weeks I asked the main point of contact at the customer how things were going with the solution, if they had any problems.
He told me that there were no problems and furthermore the operations department had seen a measured time improvement in cutting fabrics. He was very happy to tell me that the time taken for the cutting fabrics process had improved by 75%.
As a developer/consultant, things can be very abstract and it is not always made clear that your solutions have such a large real world impact. For me, it is always great to hear that the solutions I implement have a concrete impact on my customers.
About the author, Thierry Senior NetSuite ERP Consultant, Solution Architect and Developer @OdeCloud
Thierry with Colin Emberley, NetSuite Administrator at Missouri Star Quilt. Thierry has over 15 years of experience with Enterprise Resource Systems (NetSuite, MS Dynamics SL, Movex Lawson), Database development (TSQL, DML, DDL), Javascript and .NET.
OdeCloud is proud to remain the Missouri Star Quilt Company’s favorite NetSuite service provider.
Click here for more information on hiring a NetSuite consultant on OdeCloud.
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Trek Travel Streamlines Travel Protection Integration with OdeCloud’s experts
Looking to streamline your operations with more automations? Keith shares an OdeCloud project.
#netsuite
#integrations
Project Outcomes
This new integration system transformed our travel protection service.
Efficiency Gains: Completely automated the process, eliminating the need for monthly roster reconciliation.
Enhanced Guest Experience: Guests benefited from a smoother booking process with transparent travel protection options tailored to their needs.
Accuracy in Pricing: The integration ensured precise calculations based on complex variables.
Scalability: The system can easily accommodate future growth and changes in travel protection offerings.
Background
Our company offers guests the option to protect their travel investments through a travel protection plan. This service is crucial, as it provides coverage in cases where guests need to cancel their trips due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness or emergencies. However, the process for managing this service was previously cumbersome and inefficient, requiring manual coordination and reconciliation with the travel protection partner.
Challenge
We needed a seamless integration within NetSuite to handle complex calculations for travel protection costs. The solution needed to account for multiple variables, including: Guest-specific factors such as age and location. Travel details like destination, total cost, and type of coverage (e.g., pre-trip hotels, post-trip hotels, flights). Dynamic pricing calculations based on these variables.
Before partnering with OdeCloud, the process was manual and error-prone, involving monthly exchanges of rosters between our team and the travel protection provider. This created inefficiencies and delayed customer service.
Solution
OdeCloud worked with us to design and implement a fully integrated travel protection solution within NetSuite. Key features of the solution included:
1. API Integration: OdeCloud enabled real-time communication with the travel protection partner’s API. This allowed us to dynamically calculate the cost of travel protection based on the guest’s specific details. 2. Seamless Booking Experience: The integration allowed the travel protection cost to be automatically added as a line item to guest bookings within NetSuite. 3. Flexible Adjustments: Guests could easily add or cancel travel protection directly through NetSuite without requiring interaction with third-party systems. 4. Eliminating Manual Processes: The previously manual reconciliation process was replaced with automated inline API transactions, eliminating errors and saving significant time.
Conclusion
This integration is one of the most impactful projects we’ve undertaken, and it holds a special place in our transformation journey. With OdeCloud’s expertise, we achieved a solution that not only streamlined operations but also elevated the guest experience. This project exemplifies the power of technology in solving complex business challenges and enhancing customer service.
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