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Introduction

NetSuite is a powerful and intricate platform, which means that learning to navigate its capabilities can often present a bit of a learning curve. A great way to speed up the learning process, however, is to use ChatGPT plugins. 

As modular extensions that enhance the capabilities of the ChatGPT model, plugins allow for the integration of custom functionalities, such as reading PDF documents and answering questions based on them. This technology can help users explore NetSuite user guides and documentation more quickly, giving them faster access to the relevant information from NetSuite’s knowledge base.

In this article, I’ll show you practical examples of how you can use ChatGPT in your NetSuite journey. Specifically, we’ll look at the ways ChatGPT PDF plugins can help you better comprehend system manuals and customize objects based on documentation with just a few prompts. The examples in this article used the “AI PDF” plugin for ChatGPT and a GitHub repository to share the user manuals with ChatGPT.

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Unleashing the Full Potential of NetSuite's Knowledge Base

NetSuite's extensive knowledge base contains a wealth of information on best practices, troubleshooting tips, and advanced features. However, accessing and extracting the most accurate information can be a challenge. By employing ChatGPT, users can effortlessly search through NetSuite's documentation, retrieving precise and up-to-date answers to their queries. This significantly enhances the efficiency of problem-solving, saving valuable time and effort.

In the following example, the SuiteScript 2.0 API User Guide was introduced to ChatGPT via the AI PDF plugin. First, to make sure we were on the same page, I asked ChatGPT what the topic of the document was.

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This is a nice summary of the document, but it’s lacking a lot of information. The SuiteScript API is built upon many modules that allow access to different parts of the NetSuite system. In order to better understand the document, I asked ChatGPT to list all the SuiteScript modules in the document alongside their descriptions, so we can quickly examine what possibilities there are.

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Although the screenshot only captures part of the answer, you can already see we now have a wider picture. Now, instead of reading the whole 1500-page manual, you can drill down into each method to find what methods each module includes and how you can use them. You can also ask ChatGPT for a code sample to clarify the idea.

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This is a good summary of the module from 20,000 ft, describing all the methods and providing the page numbers you can find them at. Now, let’s dig deeper with a code sample that will show how the module actually works:

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This is not all the way there yet, but you can get the idea of how it works. With a few more iterations of ChatGPT prompts, you can tweak it into a working sample that you can use as part of a bigger experiment.

Here’s another example from the SuiteScript 2.0 Manual. I’ve asked ChatGPT to describe the term “SuiteCloud Processors” according to the document.

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The result is pretty impressive! The term “SuiteCloud Processor” is explained along with its attributes, which is definitely more convenient than having to read several pages from the documentation.

Another example is to give ChatGPT a specific use case and ask it for a best practice sample. For example, here I’ve asked ChatGPT to convert Saved Search into a CSV file in the most efficient way the API allows.

Now, trying something different, I asked ChatGPT to write the most efficient code sample for a specific scenario of exporting a Saved Search into a CSV file.

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As you can see, ChatGPT found the N/task module and wrote a SuiteScript using the Search task type to convert a search immediately into a CSV file. Again, this sample will not work as is, but you can quickly see the idea.

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Customizing Objects with Confidence

NetSuite's customizability is one of its most powerful features, so it's important that users really understand how they can get the most out of it. With ChatGPT PDF plugins, users can gain a deep understanding of how to tailor objects to their specific business needs. By extracting relevant information from system manuals and documentation, users can make informed decisions when customizing objects, resulting in a more efficient and tailored NetSuite implementation.

Let’s take a common use case for building a simple approval workflow:

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This is pretty impressive. Not all the instructions are completely accurate (for example, I would expect it to recognize the native “Approval Status” field) but it’s a thorough manual for creating a workflow—which can be a tedious task, especially if you are not 100% familiar with all the SuiteFlow components and attributes.

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Understanding System Manuals Made Easy

NetSuite's system manuals contain an abundance of valuable information, but deciphering the technical jargon and navigating through the documentation can be time consuming. Using ChatGPT PDF plugins, users can pose questions in plain language and receive precise responses, enabling them to quickly comprehend the system without the need for extensive manual reading.

In this example, I let ChatGPT explain the Advanced Revenue Management module by introducing both the Legacy Rev Rec and the Advanced Revenue Management User Guides, starting by explaining all the moving parts in the ARM mechanism. It is worth mentioning that the answer is not the full picture; rather, it gives a general understanding.

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This is indeed a summary of all records that are taking part in the ARM process, but it lacks the shadow records that are part of the ARM setup, like Revenue Recognition Event, Fair Value Price, etc. It is possible that perhaps the prompt wasn’t clear in that respect.

Now, have ChatGPT explain how to use a feature of this module.

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ChatGPT indeed lists all the actions required to perform ARM revenue merge. It might not mention the fields that should be populated or recommend that you preview the merge first, but again, it gives a general idea of how the process should work.

Let’s drill down just a bit to see whether ChatGPT was able to successfully comprehend the smaller details.

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This is a short explanation about the difference between the Prospective and Retrospective merges.

We can also ask about the main differences between legacy and current modules, along with their advantages.

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Conclusion

ChatGPT PDF plugins provide a powerful toolset that enables NetSuite users to bridge the gap between the complexity of the system and their own understanding. By utilizing this technology, users can decrease the learning curve associated with NetSuite, gain accurate results from system manuals, and effectively customize objects based on documentation. As you might want to double check the results you get from ChatGPT, you can ask it to also provide page numbers as a reference for its response. 

‍Disclaimer: It is important to note that while ChatGPT can be a valuable resource for NetSuite users, there are inherent risks associated with sharing private financial data with AI-powered systems. Users should exercise caution and refrain from transmitting sensitive information through these plugins and ChatGPT.