Custom Forms

What are Custom Forms?#

Custom forms control the layout and appearance of data entry screens and printed documents in NetSuite. They determine which fields appear, how they're organized, and which elements are visible to different users.

Types of Custom Forms#

Entry Forms#

Control the interface users see when creating or editing records:

Transaction forms (Sales Order, Invoice, etc.)
Entity forms (Customer, Vendor, Employee)
Custom record entry forms

Transaction Forms#

Specialized for business transactions, supporting:

PDF layout design
Email templates
Advanced printing features

Preference Forms#

Customize the appearance of specific record types based on preferences.

Why Customize Forms?#

Simplify User Experience#

Hide irrelevant fields
Show only what users need
Reduce clutter and confusion

Enforce Business Rules#

Make fields mandatory or read-only
Control field visibility by role
Guide users through processes

Match Business Processes#

Organize fields logically for your workflow
Add custom fields in appropriate locations
Create role-specific views

Professional Documents#

Design invoices matching your brand
Customize printed forms for customers
Create professional-looking PDFs

Creating a Custom Entry Form#

Step-by-Step Process#

Navigate to Forms
- Customization > Forms > Entry Forms or Transaction Forms
- Click New
Select Base Form
- Choose the standard form to customize
- Name your custom form clearly
Configure Screen Layout
- Add or remove fields
- Organize into field groups
- Create custom tabs and subtabs
- Set field properties
Set Field Properties
- Display type (Normal, Inline, Hidden)
- Default values
- Mandatory requirements
- Display order
Configure Roles
- Assign form to specific roles
- Set as preferred or restricted form

Example: Custom Sales Order Form#

Scenario: Create a simplified sales order form for sales reps

Configuration:

Form Name: Sales Rep - Sales OrderBase Form: Standard Sales Order Form
Main Tab:  Primary Information:    - Customer (Mandatory)    - Date    - Sales Rep    - Terms    Items Subtab:    - Item    - Description    - Quantity    - Rate    - Amount    Custom Tab - Shipping:  - Ship Date  - Shipping Method  - Shipping Address  - Tracking Number (Custom Field)  Hidden Fields:  - Promo Code  - Partner  - Lead Source  Assigned Roles:  - Sales Representative  - Sales Manager

Field Groups and Organization#

Creating Field Groups#

Group related fields together with visual separators:

Contact Information Group:

Email
Phone
Mobile
Fax

Address Information Group:

Address Line 1
Address Line 2
City
State
Zip Code

Best Practices for Organization#

Logical Flow Arrange fields in the order users typically complete them:

Key identifiers first (Customer, Date)
Classification fields (Type, Status)
Detail fields
Financial information
Notes and attachments

Visual Hierarchy

Most important fields at the top
Group related fields together
Use clear group labels
Maintain consistent spacing

Field Display Types#

Normal#

Standard field display with label and input

Inline Text#

Shows field value as read-only text, good for calculated fields

Inline Editor#

Allows quick editing directly in line

Hidden#

Field exists on record but isn't visible on form (useful for defaults and scripts)

Display Only#

Shows value but prevents editing

Tabs and Subtabs#

Creating Custom Tabs#

Organize forms with multiple tabs for complex records:

Customer Form Example:

Main tab: Basic customer information
Financial tab: Credit limit, payment terms, pricing
Relationships tab: Contacts, partners
Marketing tab: Campaign responses, preferences
Custom tab: Industry-specific fields

Subtabs for Child Records#

Display related child records as subtabs:

Contacts subtab on Customer
Items subtab on Sales Order
Transaction History subtab

Role-Based Forms#

Assigning Forms to Roles#

Different roles can see different forms for the same record type:

Example: Customer Forms by Role

Sales Rep:

Basic contact information
Communication history
Sales opportunities
Hides financial details

Credit Manager:

Full financial information
Credit limit and terms
Payment history
Hides marketing data

Administrator:

All fields visible
System fields shown
Advanced options available

Setting Preferred Forms#

Mark a form as preferred for a role - it becomes the default for that role.

Restricting Forms#

Prevent specific roles from using certain forms.

Custom Transaction Forms (Advanced)#

PDF Layout Design#

Design how transactions appear when printed or emailed:

Elements to Customize:

Company logo and branding
Field positions and labels
Headers and footers
Line item layouts
Totals section
Custom messages

Template Structure#

Header Section:

Company information
Logo
Transaction type and number
Date

Body Section:

Bill To / Ship To addresses
Transaction details
Line items table

Footer Section:

Totals
Notes
Terms and conditions
Payment instructions

Advanced PDF Features#

Conditional Display: Show elements based on conditions:

Show "Thank You" only if Amount > $1,000Display rush shipping message if Ship Date < 2 days

Custom Footers: Add personalized messages, legal disclaimers, or payment instructions.

Multi-Language Support: Display different languages based on customer preference.

Form Scripting#

Enhance forms with client scripts:

Common Script Uses#

Field Validation:

// Validate phone formatfunction validatePhone(type) {  var phone = nlapiGetFieldValue('phone');  if (phone && !phone.match(/^\d{3}-\d{3}-\d{4}$/)) {    alert('Phone must be in format: XXX-XXX-XXXX');    return false;  }  return true;}

Field Dependencies:

// Show field based on selectionfunction fieldChanged(type, name) {  if (name == 'custbody_order_type') {    var orderType = nlapiGetFieldValue('custbody_order_type');    if (orderType == 'rush') {      nlapiSetFieldDisplay('custbody_rush_reason', true);    }  }}

Auto-Population:

// Auto-fill fields based on selectionfunction fieldChanged(type, name) {  if (name == 'customer') {    var customer = nlapiGetFieldValue('customer');    var terms = nlapiLookupField('customer', customer, 'terms');    nlapiSetFieldValue('terms', terms);  }}

Testing Custom Forms#

Test Checklist#

User Acceptance Testing#

Involve actual users to:

Verify field placement makes sense
Confirm all needed data is accessible
Check that form supports their workflow
Identify any usability issues

Best Practices#

Design Principles#

Simplicity

Only include necessary fields
Remove unused standard fields
Keep forms as simple as possible

Consistency

Use similar layouts across related forms
Maintain consistent field naming
Apply uniform styling

User-Centric

Design for most common use cases
Put frequently used fields prominently
Provide helpful field labels and help text

Performance Considerations#

Limit the number of fields on a form
Avoid too many sublists
Be cautious with complex scripts
Test with realistic data volumes

Documentation#

Document your forms:

Purpose and use cases
Target roles
Custom fields included
Any special logic or scripts
Change history

Maintenance#

Review forms quarterly with users
Remove obsolete fields
Update based on feedback
Keep documentation current
Archive unused forms

Troubleshooting Common Issues#

Form Not Appearing#

Check role assignments
Verify form is not restricted
Ensure feature dependencies are enabled

Fields Not Saving#

Verify field permissions
Check for script errors
Ensure field isn't read-only unintentionally

PDF Layout Issues#

Test with different data scenarios
Check for overlapping elements
Verify conditional logic

Performance Problems#

Reduce number of fields
Optimize scripts
Consider splitting into multiple forms