Netsuite is a complete ERP system which helps all types of businesses from small to enterprsie to grow rapidly and secure their long-term financial health. If you have a SaaS application or are a system integrator, it is possible that your customers are already using Netsuite and would want your application integrates and syncs data with it. If this does not happen then your customers might choose a vendor who will integrate with their version of Netsuite.
- NetSuite won a Cloud Award 2018-2019 for the CRM Solution of the Year category. (Netsuite)
- NetSuite 2019 Release 2 addresses a wide array of problems for businesses across industries. (Netsuiteblogs)
- NetSuite ERP supports back office operations which includes financial, human resources, procurement, orders, inventory, shipping and billing. The product earned PC Magazine’s Editor’s Choice in 2013. (Pcmag.com)
Powerful software usually has a powerful API and this is true for Netsuite as well. It can be a daunting task to integrate Netsuite SOAP API. You will have to deal with the following items to successfully integrate to Netsuite.
SOAP API:
You will require good know-how of the SOAP API: SOAP protocol. In case you have standardized on HTTPS and REST in your application or services, you might require to write scriptlets (JavaScript exposed as REST) to convert Netsuite’s SOAP protocols to REST so that it supports HTTPS calls.
Authentication:
Both Token based and Basic (Username and Password) authentication is supported by Netsuite.
Concurrency Limitations:
Only one API call per user account at any given time is allowed by Netsuite. If an attempt is made to make more than one calls then all will fail. Find a solution to ensure “gating” of API calls for a particular user account.
Bulk Framework:
Netsuite has asynchronous APIs for moving data in bulk. This can help with moving a large number of data records depending on your use case. You will need to understand how Netsuite queries using SOAP API call.
Eventing:
Netsuite does not provide webhooks or other polling based built-in eventing framework. Therefore, another one needs to be built using their SOAP queries.
Versioning:
The two major versions 2016.1 and 2018.1 are in use right now. Check forward compatibility in case your customers switch to the latest version.
REST Conversion:
Writing Scriptlets (JS exposed as REST) might be needed as you standardize to REST while integrating to your customer’s Netsuite services. And you will have to risk loading it into your customer’s Netsuite sandbox.
If it seems complex, that is because it is.
How Integrated Software Solutions Improve Your Customers’ Experience
Customer acquisition and retention are extremely important for your business. If you want financial profitability and growth then you need to understand customers and customize products and services that cater to their needs. These goals can be achieved by using the latest business software designed for this purpose.
Companies meet their immediate needs by tactfully piecing together software solutions. Some simply use excel to manage inventory, order processing, etc. but it is better to use a system to help manage such tasks. Some companies need online shopping functionality or customer relationship management (CRM) system to handle their leads and prospects. However, a software hairball of unconnected systems can cause inefficiencies, and errors and lead to an increase in cost.
For instance, there is no way a salesperson can know when an order should be processed or delivered if CRM is not integrated with back office systems. Having information in separate silos can have a harmful impact on the business. You can lose chances to contact the customer, to cross-sell or upsell, or develop a relationship in general.
Customer response time lags as the employees keep looking for information across departments. The solution to this issue is to choose the right integrated system, which will be compatible and flexible enough to support your business.
Business Advantages of Netsuite Integration
There are numerous business advantages to NetSuite integration. It can help businesses realize a return on investment (ROI) earlier with the subsequent benefits:
- Process Automation including streamlining quote-to-cash, procure-to-pay, order management, and more
- Cross-functional employee collaboration and user adoption
- Quality of data
- Data Integration, which is the way how companies can maintain a single source of the truth
How long does a successful NetSuite integration take depends on many factors such as project complexity, the type of integration, number of resources, etc. Coding is an option for NetSuite integration but it is not a solution that you can rely on.
Lack of scalability and dependence on programmers can over time increase costs and create a huge pile of hand-coded scripts. However, you can get control, flexibility and monitoring tools that are essential to make each of your NetSuite integrations successful.
Conclusion
Understanding your customers gives you the power to provide them with what they want and improve your revenue. But if the information about them is in systems that are inaccessible or difficult to connect then you are depriving yourself of the power to appeal to customers which will ultimately affect your business. You can unleash the power of your company and benefit from the employees of your company if you use an integrated business software suite that aligns your accounting, inventory, CRM, as well as ecommerce systems.