Global Search on a Custom Field

Note:  For the purpose of this article we will demonstrate how to add a custom field that replicates a Legacy Account number (from a discontinued business database) that has been imported and added to the Accountfield on the Financial subtab on the Customer Record.  This Account field is not searchable via the Global Search, and the purpose of this scenario is to demonstrate how to create a custom field that will allow it to be found when searching via the Global Search function.

 Summary of steps:

1. Creation of a new Custom field
2. Re-positioning the Custom field to be in the same location as the Account field
3. Exporting your Customer Records
4. Importing your Customer Records to allow for the population of legacy customer account number into the new Custom field (and therefore enabling the value to be searched within the Global Search function)
5. Hiding the new Custom field

 

Creation of a new custom field:

1. Go to Customisation
2. Navigate to Lists, Records, & Fields
3. Move to Entity Fields
4. Select New

 

 

1.  Create a Label for your custom field (we suggest calling this something different from Account so you are easily able to distinguish the two fields apart)
2. In the Type field select Free-Form Text
3. Uncheck Store Value, and then re-check Store Value (this will allow the next step)
4. Check the Global Search checkbox
5. On the Applies To subtab, check the checkbox that corresponds to Customer

 

1. Navigate to the Display subtab
2. In the Subtab field select Financial

 

1. Navigate to the Validation & Defaulting subtab
2. Check the Formula checkbox
3. Click the List icon
4. In the Field drop-down select Account (the account number formula will appear on the Formulabox)
5. Click Set
6. Click Save

 

Re-position the new field to be in the same area as the Account field:

1. Go to Customisation
2. Navigate to Forms
3. Select Entry Forms

 

 

1. Locate the Customer Form that is set to default and click either the Customise or Edit hyperlink

Note: If  you are using a form that is considered Standard or Customise, you will need to re-name the record and set this as your new Customer Record default.  More instructions on how to do this below.

 

1. Re-name your Customer Record (for this example we’ve re-named the Customer Record, Customer Record Legacy)
2. Go to the Fields subtab
3. Navigate to the Financial tab
4. Locate your custom field – Legacy Account
5. Move across the line to the Field Group column and select Account Information
6. Then, highlight it’s line and drag it under the Account field
7. Click the Form is Preferred checkbox to ensure this new form becomes the default Customer Record form
8. Click Save

 

1. Now when loading any Customer Record you will see both the Account and the Legacy Accountfields

 

Exporting your customer data:

1. Go to Reports
2. Navigate to New Search

 

1. Select Customer

 

1. On the Customer Search form go to the Results subtab
2. Remove all result fields with the exception of Name

 

1. Next, add two new result fields – Internal ID and Account and click Submit
   

 

1. On the Customer Search:Results screen
2. Check that Name, Internal ID and Account have been pulled into the search
3. Click Export – CSV
4. Save your file to your desktop taking note of it’s name

 Importing customer data and populating your custom field with the same value:

1. Go to Setup
2. Navigate to Import/Export
3. Select Import CSV Records

 

1. Select Relationships from the Import Type drop-down
2. Select Customers Only from the Record Type drop-down
3. Select One File to Upload
4. Click the Select button
5. Click Next

 

1. Click Update
2. Click Next

1.  Click on the Account line
2. Move across to NetSuite Fields and select your custom field name – in this case we’ve called it Legacy Account

 

1. Insert an Import Map Name
2. Go to Save & Run and select Run

 

Now when referencing a customer record you should see the Legacy Account number for your customers in two fields on the Financial tab, the Account and Legacy Account fields.

To hide the customer Legacy Account field:

1. Go to Customisation
2. Navigate to Lists, Records, & Fields
3. Select Entity Fields

 

 

1.  Locate and click on your new custom field Legacy Account

 

1. Go to the Display subtab
2. Go to the Display Type field and select Hidden
3. Click Save

 

You will now see, when loading a customer record, that the original Account field is still visible and the customer Legacy Account field is hidden.  When putting the legacy account number into the Global Searchthe customer record will be found.