Joaquin Vigna
Beyond saved searches
Saved searches are the workhorse of NetSuite reporting. Most NetSuite users learn them first, use them daily, and build their reporting around them. But saved searches have limits: no true pivot tables, limited cross-record analysis, no visual data exploration, and a learning curve that keeps non-technical users dependent on admins.
TL;DR: SuiteAnalytics includes two tools -- Workbook for interactive pivot tables, charts, and cross-record analysis inside NetSuite, and Connect (ODBC/JDBC) for plugging Tableau, Power BI, or Excel directly into your NetSuite data. Use saved searches for daily operations, Workbooks for management analysis with drag-and-drop pivot tables, and Connect for executive dashboards that blend NetSuite data with external sources.
SuiteAnalytics is NetSuite's answer to these limitations. It provides two main tools: SuiteAnalytics Workbook for visual, interactive reporting within NetSuite, and SuiteAnalytics Connect (ODBC/JDBC) for connecting external BI tools directly to your NetSuite data.
Together, they give you reporting capabilities that saved searches can't match — without exporting data to spreadsheets or maintaining separate reporting databases.
SuiteAnalytics Workbook
Workbooks are the visual reporting tool inside NetSuite. Think of them as a middle ground between saved searches and a BI tool like Tableau or Power BI.
Datasets
Every workbook starts with a dataset — the data source that defines what records and fields are available. Datasets are similar to saved search definitions: you choose a record type, select fields, and apply filters. But datasets support features that saved searches don't:
- Multiple record types joined together. A single dataset can pull data from transactions, customers, items, and custom records simultaneously.
- Calculated fields using formulas. Revenue minus cost, year-over-year comparisons, running totals.
- SuiteQL expressions for complex calculations that go beyond formula fields.
Datasets are reusable. Build a dataset once, and multiple workbooks can reference it. This promotes consistency — everyone reporting on sales data uses the same dataset with the same definitions.
Pivot tables
This is the feature that saved search users have wanted forever. Workbook pivot tables let you drag fields into rows, columns, values, and filters to create interactive cross-tabulations.
Revenue by product category and month. Put product category in rows, months in columns, and revenue in values. You have a pivot table that shows how each category performed over time — something that requires multiple saved searches or Excel manipulation otherwise.
Customer analysis by segment and sales rep. Rows by customer segment, columns by sales rep, values showing order count and revenue. Instantly see which reps are strongest in which segments.
Pivot tables update dynamically. Change the row or column dimension, and the table recalculates immediately. Filter by date range, subsidiary, or any other field, and the pivot adjusts. This interactive exploration is the core value of workbooks over saved searches.
Charts and visualizations
Workbooks support bar charts, line charts, pie charts, area charts, and other standard visualizations built from your dataset or pivot table. Charts are interactive — click on a bar to drill into the underlying data.
The visualization options are functional but not as sophisticated as dedicated BI tools. If you need advanced visualization (geographic heat maps, scatter plots with regression lines, complex dashboards with many interactive components), you'll eventually want a dedicated BI tool connected via SuiteAnalytics Connect.
For standard business reporting — revenue trends, top customer analysis, product performance, AR aging visualizations — workbook charts handle it well and have the advantage of living inside NetSuite, accessible to anyone with the right role.
Sharing and permissions
Workbooks respect NetSuite's role-based permissions. A workbook showing customer revenue data only displays customers that the user has permission to see. This means you can share a workbook with the entire sales team, and each rep sees only their own customers.
Workbooks can be published to NetSuite dashboards, making them available as portlets on role-specific home pages. The CFO's dashboard might show a revenue trend workbook, while the sales VP sees a pipeline workbook.
SuiteAnalytics Connect
SuiteAnalytics Connect provides ODBC and JDBC drivers that let external tools query your NetSuite data directly. This is how you connect Tableau, Power BI, Excel, or any other BI tool to NetSuite without building an integration.
How it works
You install the ODBC or JDBC driver on the machine running your BI tool. The driver connects to NetSuite's data warehouse (a read-only replica of your account data) and exposes NetSuite records as tables that the BI tool can query.
The external tool sees NetSuite data as if it were a regular database. You write SQL queries (or use the BI tool's visual query builder) against NetSuite tables. The queries run against the read-only replica, so there's no performance impact on your production NetSuite account.
Use cases
Advanced BI dashboards. When workbook visualizations aren't enough, connect Tableau or Power BI to build sophisticated dashboards with advanced chart types, geographic visualizations, and cross-source data analysis.
Data blending. Combine NetSuite data with data from other sources. Join your NetSuite sales data with marketing data from HubSpot, product data from your warehouse system, or budget data from a planning tool. The BI tool handles the join across sources.
Excel-based reporting. Some finance teams want NetSuite data in Excel for their own analysis. SuiteAnalytics Connect lets Excel pull data directly from NetSuite — no more CSV exports.
Scheduled report distribution. BI tools can schedule queries to run and distribute reports automatically. Daily revenue emails, weekly pipeline reports, monthly board packages — all pulled from live NetSuite data.
Limitations
Data freshness. SuiteAnalytics Connect queries a data warehouse replica, not the live transactional database. The replica typically updates every 15-60 minutes. If you need real-time data, use saved searches or workbooks instead.
Query complexity. The available tables and joins are predefined by NetSuite. Some cross-record relationships that are easy in saved searches may require creative SQL in Connect. Custom records are available but require understanding the table naming conventions.
Licensing. SuiteAnalytics Connect is an add-on with additional licensing costs. Check with your NetSuite account manager for current pricing.
When to use what
| Reporting Need | Best Tool |
|---|---|
| Quick ad-hoc queries | Saved Search |
| Dashboard portlets and KPIs | Saved Search |
| Cross-record pivot tables | Workbook |
| Interactive data exploration | Workbook |
| Advanced BI dashboards | SuiteAnalytics Connect + Tableau/Power BI |
| Data blending with external sources | SuiteAnalytics Connect |
| Scheduled external reports | SuiteAnalytics Connect |
| Developer data queries | SuiteQL |
Most companies use a combination. Saved searches for operational day-to-day reporting, workbooks for management analysis, and Connect for executive and board-level reporting where presentation quality matters.
Getting started with workbooks
- Start with a use case, not the tool. What question does your team need answered that saved searches can't handle easily?
- Build the dataset first. Get the data right before worrying about visualization. Test that your dataset returns the correct records and calculated values.
- Build a pivot table. Drag fields around to explore the data. This is the fastest path to insight in workbooks.
- Add a chart. Visualize the pivot table as a chart for dashboard consumption.
- Publish to dashboards. Share the workbook as a dashboard portlet for the relevant roles.
The learning curve from saved searches to workbooks is manageable — the concepts are similar, and the interface is more intuitive than saved search configuration for many people. Budget a half-day of hands-on exploration to get comfortable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Joaquin Vigna
Co-Founder & CTO
Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at BrokenRubik with 12+ years of experience in software architecture and NetSuite development. Leads technical strategy, innovation initiatives, and ensures delivery excellence across all projects.
Get More Insights Like This
Join our newsletter for weekly tips, tutorials, and exclusive content delivered to your inbox.
Related Articles
Contract CFO Services: Fractional CFO for Business
Guide to contract and fractional CFO services. When to hire, what they do, cost expectations, and how a contract CFO works with NetSuite to run your finance function.
NetSuite Accounts Payable: AP Automation & Workflows
Guide to NetSuite accounts payable automation. Automate AP workflows, vendor bill approval routing, three-way matching, and payment processing. Reduce manual touches by 70%.
NetSuite SuiteBilling: Complete Subscription Billing Guide
Complete guide to NetSuite SuiteBilling for subscription billing, usage-based pricing, and hybrid models. Setup, ARM integration, pricing, and when to use alternatives.