Storing Answer Options in Tables

With NetSuite CPQ, you can store data in tables to provide answers to questions when you have long lists of related options. Tables reduce the amount of answer records you would have to create and help save time when adding or removing options. The following answer types can access product tables:

• Input box popup tables (called picklists)

• Input box popup lists (called picklist dropboxes)

• QTable popup lists (called picklist dropboxes)

For more information about how to create popup tables and popup lists, see Working with Popup Table and Popup List Answers.

The following types of tables are available:

• Static tables – Let you manually create a table or import data from a CSV file stored in the File Cabinet. Static tables store data in the table record. These tables are useful when you expect the table to contain a limited amount of data that requires occasional updates.

• CSV tables – Let you access data from CSV files stored in the File Cabinet. CSV tables do not store data in the table record and are helpful when you expect the table to contain a significant amount of data that requires occasional updates. For more information about uploading a CSV file to the File Cabinet, see Uploading Files to the File Cabinet.

• Dynamic tables – Let you create tables with data from any record type available to your account. NetSuite CPQ automatically updates the table content following the changes in your account. This table type is useful when using internal data, and the table requires occasional access.

All table types share some basic steps that you must follow to create them.

To create a table:

1. In NetSuite, go to CPQ > Configurator > Product Maintenance.

2. Click Edit next to the product you want to modify.

3. On the Tables subtab, click New CPQC Table.

4. Enter a descriptive name for the table.

   The name is used for internal reference only.

5. In the Code field, enter a unique identifier for the table.

   The code can contain only uppercase letters, numbers, and underscore characters. You can enter a shortened version of the name as code to identify the table in actions.

6. Select a table type.

7. Click Save.

After saving a table, you can open it for editing from the Tables subtab and modify its information or add new data. To copy or delete tables, see Working with Product Building Blocks.

For more information about working with tables and the specific steps to create each table type, see the following help topics:

• Creating Static Tables

• Creating CSV Tables

• Creating Dynamic Tables

Creating Static Tables

Static tables let you manually create and maintain a table inside the table record. You can also enter JSON data in the Raw Data subtab and NetSuite CPQ Configurator automatically displays the table for you in the table editor. The table editor and the JSON subtab are synchronized. When you apply changes to one subtab, the other one is updated as well.

Note:

Static tables have a one million character limit. To create large tables, use the CSV table type.

You can also create a static table by importing data from a CSV file. For more information, see Importing Data Into Static Tables from CSV files.

To create a static table:

1. On the Tables subtab, click New CPQC Table.

2. In the Table Type field, select Static.

3. To enter data for the table, two options are available:

   • In the Table Data subtab, click a row and enter text.

     Use Add Row, Add Column, and Remove Column buttons to change the table structure.

   • In the Raw Data subtab, paste data in JSON format.

     For example, a table with two columns and three rows would have the following structure:

                           [{"ColumnName":"Value","ColumnName":"Value"},{"ColumnName":"Value","ColumnName":"Value"},{"ColumnName":"Value","ColumnName":"Value"}] 
     
                         

4. Click Save.

Importing Data Into Static Tables from CSV files

Instead of entering data manually, you can import data for a static table from a CSV file stored in the File Cabinet. NetSuite CPQ Configurator saves the data in the table record.

Before completing the specific steps for this table type, follow the basic steps to create a table.

To create a static table from a CSV file:

1. On the Tables subtab, click New CPQC Table.

2. In the Table Type field, select Static.

3. In the Document field, select the CSV file to load the data for the static table.

4. In the Delimiter field, select the symbol that separates the columns of the CSV file.

5. In the Escape Character field, select the character used to indicate that the following character is used with its literal meaning or to enclose sequences of characters containing special characters used with their literal meaning.

6. Click Save.

7. On the Tables subtab, reopen for editing the table you created to continue the setup.

8. To unlink the CSV file after loading its data, check the Use custom table data box.

   The static table is no longer associated with the CSV file. After unlinking the static table from the CSV file, NetSuite CPQ Configurator can save the changes applied to the static table.

   If you clear this box, NetSuite CPQ Configurator does not consider your changes to the imported table.

   Note:

   Alternatively, you can unlink the static table from the CSV file by clearing the Document field after loading the file data. You can use this option if you do not need to keep track of the CSV file name.

9. Click Save.

Creating CSV Tables

CSV tables retrieve data from CSV files stored in the File Cabinet. Because CSV tables do not store data in the table record, use them for large tables to avoid the one-million character limit of the static tables. You can update CSV tables by uploading a CSV file with the same name in the File Cabinet.

Before completing the specific steps to create a CSV table, you must follow the basic steps to create a table.

To create a CSV table:

1. On the Tables subtab, click New CPQC Table.

2. In the Table Type field, select CSV.

3. In the Document field, select the CSV file to load the data for the static table.

4. In the Delimiter field, select the symbol that separates the columns of the CSV file.

5. In the Escape Character field, select the character used to indicate that the following character is used with its literal meaning or to enclose sequences of characters containing special characters used with their literal meaning.

6. Click Save.

Creating Dynamic Tables

Dynamic tables retrieve their data from the records belonging to the specified record type. You can choose one record type among all record types available in your account and the table will be automatically updated when records change. NetSuite CPQ dynamically loads data into the table when users click the associated popup table or list button.

To add content to the dynamic table, specify the record fields you want to include. Each record field becomes a table column. If you do not specify any record field, the dynamic table remains empty. After defining the table content, you can filter the dynamic table by field value to narrow the results and show only information that matches the filter in popup tables or lists.

Note:

Record fields from sublists are unavailable.

You can preview the content of the dynamic table by clicking the Test Table button.

Follow the basic steps to create a table before completing the specific steps required by dynamic tables.

To create a dynamic table:

1. On the Tables subtab, click New CPQC Table.

2. In the Table Type field, select Dynamic.

3. Select the record type from which you want to retrieve the data.

4. To specify which record fields to include in the table, click the plus icon next to the Record Fields field and select the required fields.

5. To narrow the table results and retrieve a subset of records, click the open icon next to the Search Filter field.

   In the popup wizard:

   • Select the record field by which to filter.

   • Select an operator.

     The list of operators depends on the field selected.

   • Enter the filter text.

   • Click OK.

6. To add multiple filters and retrieve a more specific subset of records, click the open icon next to the Search Filter field and repeat step 5.

   When adding another filter, you must select a logical operator (AND or OR) to indicate how the filters are combined. AND produces a more restrictive condition, whereas OR results in a less restrictive condition.

   NetSuite CPQ Configurator automatically copies the filter to the Search Filter field in JSON format. The syntax used is the following:

                     [["fieldID","operator","value"],"and",["fieldID","operator","value"]] 
   
                   

7. To preview the dynamic table content, click the Test Table button.

8. Click Save.

Related Topics

NetSuite CPQ

NetSuite CPQ Overview

Installing NetSuite CPQ SuiteApps

Migrating to NetSuite CPQ SuiteApps

NetSuite CPQ Configurator

Obtaining Answer Data with Resolve Expressions

Activating Building Blocks with Rules

Customizing Products with Scripts Using Action Records and Functions

General Notices