Introduction

Saved Searches in NetSuite are one of the most powerful tools for extracting, analyzing, and monitoring data. This guide covers both basic and advanced use cases, from creating your first search to applying formulas, summaries, and scheduled alerts.

If you’re looking to take this even further, explore our ERP consulting and integration services to optimize your NetSuite setup end-to-end. You can also check out our other resources on best practices to maximize your ERP’s performance and unlock the full potential of your system.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• How to create your first Saved Search.

• How to apply filters, joins, and formulas.

• How to customize, export, and share results.

• How to schedule automated reports.

Creating a Saved Search

1. Go to Lists > Search > Saved Searches > New

2. Choose the record type.

3. Name your search and set an ID.

4. Optional: Check Public to make it visible to all users.

💡 Tip: Sales Orders, Invoices, Cash Sales, are listed under “Transaction”.

General concepts

• Filters control which records appear.

• Field type (text, numeric, list) determines available operators.

• On transaction searches, you can use the set Main Line filter to "yes" to see one result per transaction. By default, transaction searches will display one result per line item.

Filters in NetSuite

Basic Filters

• Select the field from the record you’re searching.

• Choose the right operator based on field type:

  • Lists: any of, none of

  • Numeric: equal to, greater than, etc.

  • Text: contains, starts with, is empty, is not empty, does not contain, does not start with

• Enter the value and click Set.

Transaction filters

By default, each transaction line returns as a separate row (including tax and shipping).

• Main Line = Yes → One row per transaction.

• Filter by transaction type to narrow results (e.g., only Sales Orders).

Filters with joins

You can filter based on a related record. On the dropdown list, you will see all of the current record fields, and at the bottom you can find Joins, that can be identified with a "Fields..." suffix.

Example: Sales Orders where Customer Name starts with “A”:

1. Select Customer (Main Line) Fields…

2. Choose First Name → Operator: starts with → Value: a.

3. Add Main Line = Yes to avoid line duplication.

Advanced filters

Enable Use Expressions to combine conditions with AND, OR, and parentheses.

Example:
(Type is Sales Order OR Customer First Name starts with “a”) AND Main Line = Yes

Formula filters

Use SQL functions for advanced filtering. View the full list of available functions here.

Example:

concat({internalid}, {tranid}) = '2530253'

• Formula type: Formula (Text)

• Curly braces {} reference field values.

Customizing results

Common transaction fields

• Customer → Name

• Number → Document Number

• Total → Amount (Transaction Total)

• Status → Status

• Date → Date

Formulas in results

• Same syntax as in filters.

• Useful for calculated columns.

Grouping & summaries

Group by Customer → Count orders → Find largest amount:

• Set Summary Type (Group, Count, Maximum, etc.).

Sorting data

The order of the search results can be customized using the "Sort by" field. This allows you to arrange the results based on one or more fields.

Available filters

With available filters, you can pick filters that you can change while you're looking at your results. This is especially helpful for adjusting things like date ranges on the fly.

Exporting results

Results can be exported into any of these three formats: CSV, Excel and PDF. You can also print the results, send them via email, inline or as an attachment.

Highlighting results

This allows you to highlight rows that match with a condition of your choice.

Permissions & Access control

Control who can access and make changes over your saved search. Use the "Public" checkbox to allow everyone to run your search. This will still apply role restrictions based on the search type. On the Audience tab you set specific permissions for roles, employees, subsidiaries and groups. The Roles tab lets you set this search as the default view for the roles you select.

Scheduling alerts

This section allows you to configure email alerts based on your search results. You can send emails when new records are created, or on a scheduled (daily/weekly/monthly). You can also configure the recipients, the subject and the format the results are displayed between PDF, CSV, Excel, or within the message itself.

Common mistakes & troubleshooting

❌ The results are duplicate = Forgot adding a "Mainline = Yes" filter

❌ A field is not listed = It is part of another record, and needs a Join

❌ I shared the search but they can't access it = Check the "Public" checkbox.

❌ A transaction does not appear in a filter = Add the transaction type as a prefix, before the document number (ie: Sales Order #12345 instead of 12345)

Conclusion

By mastering Saved Searches in NetSuite, you can transform raw data into actionable insights. Use filters, joins, formulas, and alerts to build a reporting system that works for you, not the other way around.

Ready to take your NetSuite reporting to the next level?

Start building smarter Saved Searches today and unlock the full potential of your data. If you need expert help designing, optimizing, or automating your searches, get in touch with our team, let’s make your NetSuite work harder for you.