NetSuite CRM, Analytics, and Reporting
CRM in NetSuite shares the same records as ERP: a customer is both an ERP entity and a CRM record. The CRM chain is lead → prospect → customer, driven by status and stage fields on the entity and on opportunities. Opportunities track pipeline with a projected amount, probability, and close date; activities (tasks, events, calls) attach to entities and opportunities. The trap is confusing lead status (a CRM stage) with customer status (a financial/relationship status)-they are separate lists.
Reporting is where many candidates lose points. NetSuite offers standard reports, report customization (filters, columns, sorting), saved searches, and SuiteAnalytics workbooks/datasets. Know the difference: a saved search returns record-level rows and can be used for lists, reminders, and mass updates; a report is formatted for presentation and often aggregates. SuiteAnalytics Workbook uses datasets and pivots for ad hoc analysis.
Key traps: summary vs. detail searches-a summary search groups rows and cannot be used for mass update. Formula fields in searches compute at run time. Filters use AND/OR logic and joined fields (e.g., customer subsidiary). A common scenario asks why a saved search returns fewer rows than expected: usually a filter on a joined field or a role-based restriction.
Worked example: to find all open opportunities over $10,000 by sales rep, build a saved search on Opportunity, filter status = Open and projected amount > 10,000, group by sales rep, and set results to summary. Rule of thumb: if you need row-level actions (mass update, list), use a detail search; if you need grouped totals, use summary or a report.