Workflow Actions

What are Actions?#

Actions are the tasks that workflows perform. They're the "do something" part of your workflow logic - sending emails, updating fields, creating records, and more.

Types of Actions#

Send Email Action#

Send automated email notifications to users, customers, or any email address.

Configuration:

Sender: From record field, specific employee, or generic email
Recipient: Specific users, roles, or from record
Subject: Text with field references
Body: Plain text or HTML with field references
Attachments: Include PDFs, files, or records

Example: Order Confirmation

Action: Send EmailSender: {salesrep.email}Recipient: {entity.email}Subject: Order Confirmation - {tranid}Body:  Dear {entity.firstname},    Thank you for your order #{tranid} placed on {trandate}.    Order Total: {total}  Expected Ship Date: {shipdate}    You can track your order at: {url}    Best regards,  {salesrep.firstname} {salesrep.lastname}

Advanced Options:

CC/BCC recipients
Reply-to address
Include transaction PDF
Use email templates
HTML formatting

Set Field Value Action#

Update field values on the current record or related records.

Target:

Current record (most common)
Related record (customer, vendor, etc.)
Parent/child records

Value Types:

Static value: "Approved"
Field reference: {amount}
Formula: {amount} * 1.1
Current date/time: {today}, {now}
Current user: {currentuser}

Examples:

Simple Field Update:

Action: Set Field ValueField: StatusValue: Pending Approval

Calculated Value:

Action: Set Field ValueField: custbody_discount_amountValue Formula: {amount} * 0.10

Date Stamp:

Action: Set Field ValueField: custbody_approval_dateValue: {today}

User Tracking:

Action: Set Field ValueField: custbody_approved_byValue: {currentuser}

Related Record Update:

Action: Set Field ValueTarget: Customer RecordField: custentity_last_order_dateValue: {trandate}

Create Record Action#

Generate new records automatically.

Record Types:

Custom records
Tasks
Calendar events
Support cases
Phone calls
Any standard NetSuite record

Configuration:

Record type
Field values (can reference current record)
Owner/assignee
Link to parent record

Example: Create Follow-up Task

Action: Create RecordRecord Type: TaskFields:  Title: Follow up on Order {tranid}  Assigned To: {salesrep}  Due Date: {trandate} + 3 days  Priority: Medium  Status: Not Started  Company: {entity}  Transaction: {current record}  Message:     Please follow up with customer regarding order {tranid}.    Order amount: {total}

Example: Create Custom Record Entry

Action: Create RecordRecord Type: Equipment Maintenance Log (custom)Fields:  custrecord_equipment: {custbody_equipment_id}  custrecord_maintenance_date: {today}  custrecord_maintenance_type: Scheduled Service  custrecord_performed_by: {currentuser}  custrecord_notes: Automatic service entry from workflow

Transform Record Action#

Convert one transaction type to another.

Common Transformations:

Sales Order → Item Fulfillment
Sales Order → Invoice
Item Fulfillment → Invoice
Purchase Order → Item Receipt
Purchase Order → Vendor Bill
Estimate → Sales Order

Configuration:

Source record type (automatic)
Target record type
Field mappings
Line item handling

Example: Auto-Invoice

Action: Transform RecordTransform Type: Sales Order to InvoiceTrigger: When Item Fulfillment completedCopy Fields:  - Terms  - Ship Date  - Memo  - All custom fields

Return User Error Action#

Stop workflow execution and display error message to user.

Use Cases:

Validation failures
Business rule violations
Missing required data
Insufficient permissions

Configuration:

Error message text
Can include field references
Prevents record save (Before Submit workflows)

Example: Credit Limit Check

Action: Return User ErrorCondition: {entity.creditlimit} < ({entity.balance} + {amount})Message:   Cannot save order. Customer credit limit exceeded.    Credit Limit: {entity.creditlimit}  Current Balance: {entity.balance}  Order Amount: {amount}    Please contact credit department for approval.

Example: Required Field Validation

Action: Return User ErrorCondition: {shipdate} is emptyMessage: Ship Date is required for all orders over $1,000.

Go To State Action#

Force transition to a specific state.

Use Cases:

Skip intermediate states
Jump to error handling state
Restart process
Emergency exits

Configuration:

Target state
Execution conditions

Example: Emergency Approval Override

Action: Go To StateTrigger: Button Press (Override Approval)Target State: ApprovedConditions: Current User Role = AdministratorPrior Actions:  - Log override in notes  - Send notification to audit team  - Set custom flag field

Execute Script Action#

Run custom SuiteScript for complex logic.

Script Types:

Workflow action scripts
Custom deployment parameters
Access to workflow context

Use Cases:

Complex calculations
External API calls
Advanced data manipulation
Integration with other systems

Configuration:

Select deployed script
Pass parameters
Handle return values

Example: Calculate Complex Pricing

Action: Execute ScriptScript: Custom Pricing CalculatorParameters:  customer_id: {entity.id}  order_amount: {amount}  product_category: {custbody_category}Returns:  calculated_price → Set in custbody_final_price field

Add Button Action#

Add custom buttons to record forms.

Configuration:

Button label
Button location
Conditions for display
Actions to execute on click

Example: Quick Approval Button

Action: Add ButtonLabel: Quick ApproveLocation: Transaction bodyDisplay When: {approvalstatus} = 'Pending Approval'On Click Actions:  1. Set Field: approvalstatus = 'Approved'  2. Set Field: custbody_approved_by = {currentuser}  3. Set Field: custbody_approval_date = {today}  4. Send Email to Requester  5. Go To State: Approved

Remove Button Action#

Hide standard buttons based on conditions.

Use Cases:

Restrict certain actions
Enforce process flow
Prevent user errors

Example:

Action: Remove ButtonButton: EditCondition: {approvalstatus} = 'Approved' AND Current User Role != Administrator

Create Task Record Action#

Simplified task creation (alternative to Create Record).

Configuration:

Task title
Assigned to user/role
Due date
Priority
Status
Company/contact

Example:

Action: Create Task RecordTitle: Review High Value Order - {tranid}Assigned To: Sales ManagerDue Date: {today} + 1 dayPriority: HighStatus: Not StartedCompany: {entity}Message:  Order amount: {total}  Customer: {entity.companyname}  Sales Rep: {salesrep.firstname} {salesrep.lastname}    Please review and approve.

Send Campaign Email Action#

Send marketing emails through NetSuite campaigns.

Requirements:

Campaign setup
Email template
Subscription management

Use Cases:

Welcome emails
Nurture campaigns
Post-purchase follow-up
Re-engagement

Send Notification Action#

Internal NetSuite notifications (not external email).

Configuration:

Recipients (users/roles)
Subject
Message
Link to record

Example:

Action: Send NotificationRecipients: Accounting Team RoleSubject: Large Invoice Created - {tranid}Message:  A large invoice has been created:    Customer: {entity}  Amount: {total}  Terms: {terms}    Click here to view: {url}

Initiate Workflow Action#

Trigger another workflow.

Use Cases:

Complex multi-step processes
Separate concerns
Modular workflow design

Configuration:

Target workflow
Context record
Parameter passing

Action Timing#

On Entry Actions#

Execute when entering a state.

Order of Execution:

State entry actions (in order)
Transition evaluation
Exit actions if transitioning immediately

Best For:

Initial setup
Sending notifications
Creating related records
Status updates

Example:

State: Order Received
On Entry Actions:  1. Set Field: custbody_received_date = {today}  2. Set Field: custbody_received_by = {currentuser}  3. Send Email: Order confirmation to customer  4. Create Task: Process order (assigned to fulfillment)

On Field Changed Actions#

Execute when specific field values change while in the current state.

Configuration:

Which fields to monitor
Conditions to check
Actions to take

Best For:

Reactive updates
User-driven transitions
Dynamic responses

Example:

State: Pending Approval
On Field Changed: Approval Status  If {approvalstatus} = 'Approved':    Actions:      1. Set Field: custbody_approved_date = {today}      2. Send Email: Approval notification      3. Go To State: Approved        If {approvalstatus} = 'Rejected':    Actions:      1. Set Field: custbody_rejected_date = {today}      2. Send Email: Rejection notification      3. Go To State: Rejected

On Exit Actions#

Execute when leaving a state.

Best For:

Cleanup
Final updates
Logging
Transition preparation

Example:

State: In Review
On Exit Actions:  1. Set Field: custbody_review_completed_date = {today}  2. Set Field: custbody_time_in_review =        {today} - {custbody_review_started_date}  3. Update related records  4. Archive documents

Before Record Submit Actions#

Execute before record saves (Before Submit workflows only).

Best For:

Validation
Required field checks
Calculated field updates
Preventing save with errors

Special Characteristics:

Can prevent record save
Access to old and new values
Must complete quickly

After Record Submit Actions#

Execute after record saves (After Submit workflows).

Best For:

External communications
Creating other records
Triggering integrations
Updates requiring saved record

Special Characteristics:

Record already saved
Has internal ID
Can safely send emails
More processing time available

Action Conditions#

Control when actions execute within a state.

Execution Context#

Always Execute

No condition
Runs every time

If Workflow Condition is True

Uses workflow-level condition
Most common approach

If Custom Condition is True

Action-specific condition
More granular control

Example: Conditional Email

State: Order Processing
Action: Send Email to Premium Customers  Execution Context: If Custom Condition is True  Condition: {entity.custentity_customer_tier} = 'Premium'  Email: Premium customer order processing notification  Action: Send Email to Standard Customers  Execution Context: If Custom Condition is True  Condition: {entity.custentity_customer_tier} != 'Premium'  Email: Standard order processing notification

Complex Action Sequences#

Multiple Actions in Sequence#

Actions execute in order listed:

State: Approve Order
On Entry Actions:  1. Set Field: Status = Approved ✓  2. Set Field: Approved By = {currentuser} ✓  3. Set Field: Approved Date = {today} ✓  4. Send Email: Notify customer ✓  5. Send Email: Notify fulfillment ✓  6. Create Task: Process order ✓  7. Update Customer: Last order date ✓  8. Go To State: Ready for Fulfillment ✓

Conditional Action Chains#

Different action sets based on conditions:

State: Process Payment
Action Set 1: For Credit Card  Condition: {paymentmethod} = 'Credit Card'  Actions:    1. Execute Script: Process credit card    2. Set Field: Payment Status = 'Paid'    3. Send Email: Payment receipt    4. Create Invoice    Action Set 2: For Net Terms  Condition: {paymentmethod} = 'Terms'  Actions:    1. Set Field: Payment Status = 'Terms'    2. Set Field: Due Date = {trandate} + {terms}    3. Send Email: Invoice with terms    4. Create Task: Follow up on payment    Action Set 3: For Wire Transfer  Condition: {paymentmethod} = 'Wire Transfer'  Actions:    1. Set Field: Payment Status = 'Awaiting Wire'    2. Send Email: Wire instructions    3. Create Task: Verify wire receipt

Action Best Practices#

Email Actions#

Clear Subject Lines

Good:  - "Order {tranid} Confirmation"  - "Action Required: Approve {tranid}"  - "Invoice {tranid} Payment Due"
Avoid:  - "Notification"  - "Update"  - "FYI"

Professional Content

Good Email Body:  - Clear purpose  - Relevant details  - Call to action  - Professional tone  - Link to record  - Contact information
Avoid:  - Too much information  - Unclear purpose  - No action items  - Informal language

Test Email Recipients

Use test accounts initially
Verify email addresses
Check spam filters
Test with different email clients

Field Updates#

Atomic Updates

Good:  Set Field: Status = 'Approved'  Avoid:  Set Field: Status = {field1} + {field2} + complex calculation  (Use formula fields or scripts for complex logic)

Track Changes

Always update tracking fields:  - Date of change  - User who made change  - Previous value (if needed)  - Reason for change

Avoid Circular Updates

Bad Pattern:  Workflow 1: Field A changes → Update Field B  Workflow 2: Field B changes → Update Field A  (Creates infinite loop!)  Good Pattern:  Workflow: Field A changes → Update Field B  Use conditions to prevent loops

Record Creation#

Link Records Properly

When creating task:  - Set Company field  - Set Transaction field  - Set Contact field  - Provides context  - Enables reporting

Set All Required Fields

Don't rely on defaults
Explicitly set key fields
Validate before creation

Consider Volume

Each created record uses resources
Batch operations in scheduled workflows
Monitor governance limits

Error Handling#

Graceful Failures

Action: Execute ScriptOn Error:  - Log error details  - Send notification to admin  - Set error flag on record  - Don't leave record in broken state

User-Friendly Messages

Good Error Message:  "Unable to process order. Ship date must be at least 2 days    from order date. Please update and try again."
Bad Error Message:  "Error: Validation failed"

Performance Considerations#

Action Count Limits#

Workflow Governance:

Limit actions per execution
Each action consumes units
Monitor usage

Best Practices:

Combine related updates
Use conditions to limit execution
Consider scheduled workflows for bulk

Expensive Actions#

High Cost:

External scripts
Record transformations
Complex searches
Multiple record creations

Lower Cost:

Field updates
Simple emails
Basic conditions

Optimization Tips#

Batch Field Updates

Instead of:  Action 1: Set Field A  Action 2: Set Field B  Action 3: Set Field C
Consider:  Single script that updates A, B, and C together

Conditional Execution

Add conditions to expensive actions:  Action: Execute Complex Script  Condition: Only when {amount} > 10000  (Saves resources on smaller transactions)

Testing Actions#

Test Checklist#

Email Actions:

Field Updates:

Record Creation:

Scripts:

Testing Scenarios#

Happy Path

Normal workflow execution
All conditions met
Expected results

Edge Cases

Missing optional data
Minimum/maximum values
Unusual combinations

Error Conditions

Invalid data
Missing required fields
Permission issues
System errors

Load Testing

Multiple concurrent executions
Large data volumes
Complex conditions

Troubleshooting Actions#

Common Issues#

Emails Not Sending:

Check recipient email address
Verify sender permissions
Check for email template errors
Review execution log
Verify workflow has email permission

Fields Not Updating:

Check field permissions
Verify field is not read-only
Check execution conditions
Review field dependencies
Look for conflicting workflows

Records Not Creating:

Verify all required fields set
Check user permissions
Review field values
Check for validation errors
Monitor governance limits

Scripts Failing:

Check script deployment
Verify parameters
Review error logs
Check script permissions
Test script independently

Debug Mode#

Enable Workflow Logging:

System > Diagnostics > Workflow Execution Log
Shows every action attempted
Displays errors and results
Critical for troubleshooting

Add Logging Actions:

Action: Set Field (for debugging)Field: custbody_debug_logValue: Reached state X at {now}, amount={amount}

Action Examples by Use Case#

Approval Process#

State: Pending Approval
On Entry:  1. Set Field: Status = 'Pending Approval'  2. Create Task: Review and approve     Assigned To: {approver}     Due: {today} + 2 days  3. Send Email: Approval request     To: {approver}     Subject: Approval Needed - {tranid}
On Field Changed: Approval Status = 'Approved'  1. Set Field: Approved By = {currentuser}  2. Set Field: Approved Date = {today}  3. Send Email: Approval confirmation  4. Go To State: Approved
On Field Changed: Approval Status = 'Rejected'  1. Set Field: Rejected By = {currentuser}  2. Set Field: Rejected Date = {today}  3. Send Email: Rejection notice with reason  4. Go To State: Rejected

Order Fulfillment#

State: Ready to Ship
On Entry:  1. Create Record: Item Fulfillment     From: {current sales order}     Ship Date: {shipdate}  2. Set Field: Fulfillment Status = 'In Progress'  3. Send Email: Shipping notification     To: {entity.email}     Include: Tracking information  4. Create Task: Prepare shipment     Assigned To: Warehouse Team
On Item Fulfillment Complete:  1. Transform Record: Create Invoice  2. Send Email: Invoice to customer  3. Set Field: Order Status = 'Billed'  4. Go To State: Completed

Customer Onboarding#

State: New Customer
On Entry:  1. Send Email: Welcome email to customer  2. Create Task: Schedule kickoff meeting     Assigned To: {salesrep}     Due: {today} + 3 days  3. Create Task: Request W-9     Assigned To: Accounting     Due: {today} + 5 days  4. Create Custom Record: Onboarding Checklist  5. Set Field: custentity_onboarding_status = 'In Progress'  6. Send Notification: New customer alert to team  7. Go To State: Onboarding In Progress

Next Steps#

Continue to:

Workflow Conditions: Master conditional logic
Workflow Examples: Complete real-world workflows