Creating a Workflow

When you create a workflow, you specify the basic workflow properties, event initiation, and workflow initiation properties. Follow the following steps to create a workflow based on an event. If you want to create a workflow to run on a schedule, see Scheduling a Workflow.

Important:

This procedure assumes you're already familiar with the elements of a workflow. For more information about each of the workflow elements, see Workflow Elements.

To create a workflow:

In NetSuite, go to Customization > Workflow > Workflows > New.

Under Basic Properties, set the following basic properties:

Property	Description
Name	Name for the workflow ( up to 40 characters). Any workflows on the Workflow list page or workflow instances on the Active Workflows and Workflow History subtabs for the record appear with this name.
ID	Optional script ID for the workflow definition. This value must be lowercase, can’t have spaces, and can’t be longer than 26 characters. Use Script IDs if you plan to use the SuiteBundler feature to bundle the workflow and deploy it into another NetSuite account. Script IDs reduce the risk of naming conflicts for workflows deployed into other accounts. NetSuite adds `customworkflow` to the beginning of this value when you save the workflow definition. You can change the script ID after you create the workflow. See Editing a Workflow Script ID.
Record Type	Record type on which you want instances of the workflow to run. This record type can be a standard NetSuite record type or a custom record type. You can only specify one base record type per workflow definition. If you select a Customer, Transaction, or Item base record type, you can also select a sub type. See Workflow Base Record.
Sub Type	Secondary record type for Customer, Transaction, or Item record types. Hold down the CTRL key to select multiple sub types.
Description	Optional text description.
Owner	User account that is the owner of the workflow and receives emails for errors that occur during scheduled workflow or scheduled workflow action execution. If the Release Status is set to Testing, only the workflow owner can initiate the workflow. See Release Status.
Execute As Admin	Indicates the workflow runs as a user with an administrator role and ignores the role of the user that initiates the workflow. Using this property might give users more access than you intended. For more information about this property and usage guidelines, see Execute As Admin.
Release Status	Release status of the workflow. You can select one of the following options: Testing. The workflow only initiates for the Owner of the workflow. This is the default Release Status setting for new workflows. Released. The workflow initiates for any user, according to the workflow initiation properties. Not Initiating. The workflow doesn't initiate, but is visible on the Workflow list page. Any existing workflow instances continue running. Suspended. No new instances of the workflow are created and no existing instances of the workflow are executed. If the workflow includes scheduled workflows, transitions, or actions, none of them will be executed. See Release Status.
Keep Instance and History	Indicates whether the history records for workflows are saved in the database as the workflows run and after they complete. Workflow history records appear in the form of execution and error log records. You can select one of the following options: Only When Testing. When you select this option, workflow history records are kept only when the Release Status of the workflow is set to Testing. Never. When you select this option, workflow history records are never kept. Always. When you select this option, workflow history records are always kept. By default, the Only When Testing is selected when you create new workflows. When you select the Never option, workflow instance and history records are viewable on the record’s Active Workflows and Workflow History subtabs while the workflow is running. When the workflow is finished running or is canceled, the history records related to the workflow instance’s execution are deleted from the database. History records are never deleted for workflows that transition to a state with the Do Not Exit Workflow box enabled.
Enable Logging	Indicates that NetSuite generates a workflow execution log for each state entered by the workflow during workflow execution. For workflows in testing mode, this property is enabled by default. For workflows in released mode, you must manually enable this property. For more information about the workflow execution log, see Workflow Execution Log.
Inactive	Indicates that no new workflow instances initiate for the workflow and the workflow does not appear by default on the Workflow list page.

Property

Description

Name

Name for the workflow ( up to 40 characters).

Any workflows on the Workflow list page or workflow instances on the Active Workflows and Workflow History subtabs for the record appear with this name.

Optional script ID for the workflow definition. This value must be lowercase, can’t have spaces, and can’t be longer than 26 characters.

Use Script IDs if you plan to use the SuiteBundler feature to bundle the workflow and deploy it into another NetSuite account. Script IDs reduce the risk of naming conflicts for workflows deployed into other accounts.

NetSuite adds customworkflow to the beginning of this value when you save the workflow definition.

You can change the script ID after you create the workflow. See Editing a Workflow Script ID.

Record Type

Record type on which you want instances of the workflow to run. This record type can be a standard NetSuite record type or a custom record type.

You can only specify one base record type per workflow definition. If you select a Customer, Transaction, or Item base record type, you can also select a sub type.

See Workflow Base Record.

Sub Type

Secondary record type for Customer, Transaction, or Item record types. Hold down the CTRL key to select multiple sub types.

Description

Optional text description.

Owner

User account that is the owner of the workflow and receives emails for errors that occur during scheduled workflow or scheduled workflow action execution.

If the Release Status is set to Testing, only the workflow owner can initiate the workflow. See Release Status.

Execute As Admin

Indicates the workflow runs as a user with an administrator role and ignores the role of the user that initiates the workflow.

Using this property might give users more access than you intended. For more information about this property and usage guidelines, see Execute As Admin.

Release Status

Release status of the workflow. You can select one of the following options:

Testing. The workflow only initiates for the Owner of the workflow. This is the default Release Status setting for new workflows.
Released. The workflow initiates for any user, according to the workflow initiation properties.
Not Initiating. The workflow doesn't initiate, but is visible on the Workflow list page. Any existing workflow instances continue running.
Suspended. No new instances of the workflow are created and no existing instances of the workflow are executed. If the workflow includes scheduled workflows, transitions, or actions, none of them will be executed.

See Release Status.

Keep Instance and History

Indicates whether the history records for workflows are saved in the database as the workflows run and after they complete. Workflow history records appear in the form of execution and error log records. You can select one of the following options:

Only When Testing. When you select this option, workflow history records are kept only when the Release Status of the workflow is set to Testing.
Never. When you select this option, workflow history records are never kept.
Always. When you select this option, workflow history records are always kept.

By default, the Only When Testing is selected when you create new workflows.

When you select the Never option, workflow instance and history records are viewable on the record’s Active Workflows and Workflow History subtabs while the workflow is running. When the workflow is finished running or is canceled, the history records related to the workflow instance’s execution are deleted from the database. History records are never deleted for workflows that transition to a state with the Do Not Exit Workflow box enabled.

Enable Logging

Indicates that NetSuite generates a workflow execution log for each state entered by the workflow during workflow execution.

For workflows in testing mode, this property is enabled by default. For workflows in released mode, you must manually enable this property.

For more information about the workflow execution log, see Workflow Execution Log.

Inactive

Indicates that no new workflow instances initiate for the workflow and the workflow does not appear by default on the Workflow list page.

Under Initiation, select Event Based.

Note:
To create a scheduled workflow, see Scheduling a Workflow.

Under Event Definition, set the following properties to define the workflow initiation:

Property	Description
On Create \| On Update	Specifies that NetSuite initiates a new workflow instance when a record of the base record type is created or updated: Created. A record of the base record type is created in NetSuite. Updated. A record of the base record type is opened for view or edit in NetSuite. This event can occur in the NetSuite UI or by one of the types of NetSuite functionality listed in the Context Type box. For more information, see Workflow Initiation and Execution Contexts and Workflows.
Trigger Type	The server trigger on which you want a workflow instance to initiate. The workflow instance initiates and the record enters the entry state on this trigger type. For more information, see Workflow Triggers and Workflow Initiation Triggers.
Event Types	The activity that resulted in the record being created, viewed, or updated. The workflow instance initiates only if the event occurred. For example, you can limit the workflow to initiate only if a record was copied. For more information, see Workflow Event Types and Event Types Reference.
Contexts	The NetSuite functionality or feature used to create, view, or update the record. The workflow instance initiates only if the context occurred. For example, you can limit the workflow instance initiation to only when the record for the workflow was created by a web service. For more information, see Execution Contexts and Execution Context Types.
Condition	Condition to limit the initiation of a workflow instance. A workflow instance for the base record type only initiates if this condition is met. Use the Condition Builder or the Formula Builder to create a condition or formula. For more information, see Defining a Condition with the Condition Builder or Defining a Condition with Formulas.
Saved Search	Saved search that returns records of the same type as the base record type for the workflow. NetSuite runs the saved search and initiates a workflow instance if the record meets the criteria in the saved search. The saved search must have at least one filter criteria set on the Criteria subtab of the saved search. Note: An error can occur if the Saved Search filter is not public and not shared with the user or role. Ensure that saved searches are available to the users and roles that execute the workflow

Property

Description

On Create | On Update

Specifies that NetSuite initiates a new workflow instance when a record of the base record type is created or updated:

Created. A record of the base record type is created in NetSuite.
Updated. A record of the base record type is opened for view or edit in NetSuite.

This event can occur in the NetSuite UI or by one of the types of NetSuite functionality listed in the Context Type box. For more information, see Workflow Initiation and Execution Contexts and Workflows.

Trigger Type

The server trigger on which you want a workflow instance to initiate. The workflow instance initiates and the record enters the entry state on this trigger type.

For more information, see Workflow Triggers and Workflow Initiation Triggers.

Event Types

The activity that resulted in the record being created, viewed, or updated. The workflow instance initiates only if the event occurred.

For example, you can limit the workflow to initiate only if a record was copied. For more information, see Workflow Event Types and Event Types Reference.

Contexts

The NetSuite functionality or feature used to create, view, or update the record. The workflow instance initiates only if the context occurred.

For example, you can limit the workflow instance initiation to only when the record for the workflow was created by a web service. For more information, see Execution Contexts and Execution Context Types.

Condition

Condition to limit the initiation of a workflow instance. A workflow instance for the base record type only initiates if this condition is met. Use the Condition Builder or the Formula Builder to create a condition or formula.

For more information, see Defining a Condition with the Condition Builder or Defining a Condition with Formulas.

Saved Search

Saved search that returns records of the same type as the base record type for the workflow. NetSuite runs the saved search and initiates a workflow instance if the record meets the criteria in the saved search.

The saved search must have at least one filter criteria set on the Criteria subtab of the saved search.

Note:

An error can occur if the Saved Search filter is not public and not shared with the user or role. Ensure that saved searches are available to the users and roles that execute the workflow

Optionally, if custom fields of type Workflow exist, set the field values under Custom.

The Custom section doesn't appear if there are no custom fields of type Workflow in the NetSuite account.
Click Save. NetSuite creates the workflow with an initial state and opens the workflow in the Workflow Manager.

You can continue to define the workflow by adding states. See Working with States.

Note:
If you don't want the workflow to run, set it to inactive or set the release status to Not Initiating or Suspended before you save it. See Inactivating a Workflow and Release Status.

To create a workflow:

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