๐ Why Performance Optimization Matters
NetSuite reports and saved searches are powerful, but poorly designed searches can:
- Take a long time to load.
- Cause governance errors.
- Slow down dashboards.
- Send too much data in scheduled emails.
Optimizing reports ensures faster performance, better user experience, and avoids system strain.
๐ง Common Performance Issues
- Saved Searches without filters โ scanning all records.
- Too many columns or summary types.
- Overuse of formulas in criteria/results.
- Large datasets scheduled for email delivery.
- Multiple searches powering dashboards with overlapping logic.
โ๏ธ Best Practices for Optimizing Reports
1. Use Filters Wisely
- Always filter by date range, status, or subsidiary.
- Example: Instead of searching โall transactions,โ filter by โThis Fiscal Year.โ
- Avoid blank criteria (e.g., โName is not emptyโ).
2. Limit Columns & Grouping
- Only display columns needed for analysis.
- Too many summary types (SUM, COUNT, AVG) slow searches.
- Create multiple smaller reports instead of one massive search.
3. Optimize Formulas
- Use formulas in the Results tab, not the Criteria tab, when possible.
- Pre-calculate values in custom fields instead of formulas in every search.
- Example: Create a custom field โDays Openโ instead of
{today}-{trandate}everywhere.
4. Use Summary Searches
- Instead of line-level detail, use grouped summaries for dashboards.
- Example: Group invoices by customer for totals instead of listing every invoice.
5. Schedule Smartly
- Schedule large searches to run off-peak hours.
- Avoid emailing massive result sets โ use filters or send only exceptions.
6. Leverage Indexing & Joins
- Use indexed fields like Internal ID, Type, Date for filtering.
- Be careful with joins across entities (e.g., Transaction + Item + Customer).
- Test execution time before deploying searches to dashboards.
โ Example: Optimized AR Aging Search
- Filters: Type = Invoice, Status = Open, Due Date within last 90 days.
- Results: Customer, Invoice #, Due Date, Days Overdue (formula).
- Highlighting: Only flag invoices overdue > 30 days.
- Dashboard KPI: โOverdue Invoicesโ count.
๐ Instead of pulling all invoices, this search only loads what matters, much faster.
๐ Tools for Monitoring Performance
- Execution Log โ Check search runtime.
- Script & Workflow Usage Logs โ Identify heavy searches feeding scripts.
- Performance Dashboard โ Monitor slow searches and user activity.
๐ก Pro Tips
- Clone existing searches instead of building from scratch โ reuse optimized logic.
- Archive or delete unused saved searches to reduce clutter.
- Document which searches are used in dashboards/workflows โ avoid duplication.
- For very large datasets, consider SuiteAnalytics Connect (ODBC/BI tools) instead of saved searches.
๐ Key Takeaways
- Always filter saved searches โ donโt pull unnecessary data.
- Limit columns, formulas, and joins for better speed.
- Schedule large reports during off-peak times.
- Use summary reports and KPIs instead of heavy detail-level searches on dashboards.
- Optimize early to avoid governance and performance issues later.
๐ Next Page: Best Practices for Reporting & Analytics
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