Conditional Logic in Advanced PDF

Conditional logic lets you control what appears on your NetSuite Advanced PDF templates. Using FreeMarker tags like <#if>, <#elseif>, and <#switch>, you can show or hide fields, format values differently, or display alternate text depending on the record data.

This is powerful for handling multi-subsidiary, multi-currency, or client-specific layouts.

🔹 Basic <#if> Condition

<#if record.status == "Paid">
   <p><b>Thank you for your payment!</b></p>
</#if>

✔️ Shows the message only if the transaction is paid.

🔹 <#if> / <#else> Example

<#if record.terms?has_content>
   <p>Payment Terms: ${record.terms}</p>
<#else>
   <p>No Payment Terms Assigned</p>
</#if>

✔️ Prevents empty sections when no value exists.

🔹 Checking Numeric Values

<#if record.total > 1000>
   <p><b>High Value Transaction</b></p>
</#if>

✔️ Only triggers if invoice total is greater than 1000.

🔹 Using <#elseif> for Multiple Cases

<#if record.subsidiary == "1">
   <p>Bank: HSBC London</p>
<#elseif record.subsidiary == "2">
   <p>Bank: RBC Toronto</p>
<#else>
   <p>Bank: Default Account</p>
</#if>

✔️ Useful for multi-subsidiary bank accounts.

🔹 Checking if a Field Has Value

<#if record.custbody_project_code?has_content>
   <p>Project Code: ${record.custbody_project_code}</p>
</#if>

✔️ ?has_content ensures the field is not blank before displaying.

🔹 Using <#switch> for Cleaner Logic

<#switch record.currency>
   <#case "USD">
      <p>Currency: US Dollar</p>
      <#break>
   <#case "CAD">
      <p>Currency: Canadian Dollar</p>
      <#break>
   <#default>
      <p>Currency: ${record.currency}</p>
</#switch>

✔️ Best when handling multiple options (like currencies or shipping methods).

🔹 Conditional Logic in Line Items

<#list record.item as i>
   <tr>
      <td>${i.item}</td>
      <td>
         <#if i.quantity > 10>
            Bulk Order
         <#else>
            Standard Order
         </#if>
      </td>
   </tr>
</#list>

✔️ Dynamically labels orders based on quantity.

🔹 Example: EU VAT Display

<#if record.shipcountry == "DE" || record.shipcountry == "FR" || record.shipcountry == "IT">
   <p>VAT Number: ${record.custbody_vatnumber!"N/A"}</p>
</#if>

✔️ Shows VAT only for EU shipping countries.

✅ Best Practices

• Always use ?has_content to avoid printing blank values.
• For multi-subsidiary setups, use <#switch> to manage cleaner logic.
• Combine logic with CSS for conditional formatting (like highlighting overdue invoices).
• Test with multiple records to confirm correct behavior.

✅ Summary — What You Learned

By the end of this section, you now know:

• ✅ How to use <#if>, <#else>, and <#elseif> for conditions.
• ✅ How to check numeric and text field values.
• ✅ How to use <#switch> for multi-option handling.
• ✅ How to apply conditional logic inside line items.
• ✅ Practical business cases (multi-subsidiary bank accounts, EU VAT, bulk orders).

This builds the foundation for the next topic: Tables & Line Item Formatting, where you’ll learn to style, group, and subtotal line items.

📖 Official Resource: Learn more in the NetSuite Advanced PDF/HTML Templates Guide on Oracle Docs.