1. NetSuite CPQ
  2. NetSuite CPQ Configurator
  3. NetSuite CPQ Configurator Products

NetSuite CPQ Configurator Products

NetSuite CPQ Configurator is based on products that represent complex configurable items. A product collects the business logic of the configurable item and is provided with a user interface where users can configure the item following the business logic constraints. For example, a furniture company may have a desk as a configurable item. This desk is available in various shapes, sizes, colors, and so on. Customers can combine various options and features according to their preferences but within allowed combinations.

Users with an administrator or a CPQ Product Builder role can create and maintain products. For more information about NetSuite CPQ custom roles, see Assigning NetSuite CPQ Custom Roles.

When setting up a product user interface, you can verify that everything works fine in the product preview. The product preview lets you access and work with the product user interface without launching it from a transaction every time. To access the product preview, click the Run Standalone button on the product record opened for editing.

You can also access a preview of the configurable item list displayed to users. To access the configurable item list preview, got to the Select Product page at CPQ > Configurator > Standalone. Users view the Select Product page by clicking the Configure button on a transaction.

A product is formed by several building blocks, such as questions, answers, and images. For more information, see Working with Product Building Blocks.

NetSuite CPQ Configurator requires assigning an item to the product. This base item (called the base generic product) is associated with the configuration and added to the transaction. If you only want to include additional items in the transaction, you do not need to use a base item. For more information about the base item, see Assigning Base Items to Products.

You can set transaction line fields for the base item when added as the main configured item to transactions by selecting mapping records in the Apply Column Mappings field on the product record. For more information about mapping records, see Setting Transaction Body and Line Fields Based on Configuration Data.

NetSuite CPQ Configurator also requires information about the product to launch when users edit a configured item. For more information, see Defining a Product to Edit Configured Items.

Products can be organized into categories. For more information, see Creating Product Categories. You can also export and import products. For more information, see Exporting Products and Importing Products.

To create a product:

  1. Go to CPQ > Configurator > Product Maintenance.

  2. Click New CPQC Product.

  3. Enter a descriptive name for the product.

    Users view this name on the Select Product page and the product user interface.

  4. In the Code field, enter a unique identifier for this product.

    The code must contain only uppercase letters, numbers, and underscore characters. You can use a shortened version of the name as the code.

  5. (Optional) In the Description field, enter a brief explanation of this product.

    The description is not displayed to users.

  6. In the Sequence field, enter a number to sort the product on the Select Product page.

    You can enter a negative or positive number, for example, -2 or 5. Products with a lower sequence number are displayed before those with a higher sequence number.

    To display the products by sequence number, also select the corresponding option in the Sort Products By field at CPQ > Configurator > Settings.

  7. To prevent displaying the product on the Select Product page until it is ready, check the Disable box.

    Clear this box to include the product on the Select Product page when you have completed the setup.

  8. To preview the product faster during the setup, check the Disable cache box. By checking this box, you avoid the cache being frequently deleted and created at every product launch due to the updates.

    Clear this box when the product is ready, and use the cache to load it faster.

  9. (Optional) In the Category field, select a product category. For more information, see Creating Product Categories.

  10. Assign a base item (called the base generic product) to the product. For more information, see Assigning Base Items to Products.

    If you want to add only additional items to the transaction, skip this step.

  11. To set transaction line fields for the base item when added as the main configured item to transactions, select the mapping records in the Apply Column Mapping field. For more information, see Setting Transaction Body and Line Fields Based on Configuration Data.

  12. On the Appearance subtab, select an image from the File Cabinet to represent the product in the Default Image field. This image is displayed on the Select Product page with the product name.

  13. Click Save.

Working with Product Building Blocks

NetSuite CPQ Configurator organizes products in building blocks, such as questions, answers, and images. Many building blocks are rule-based, and they are activated depending on certain conditions. For more information about rules, see Activating Building Blocks with Rules.

Create the user interface with the following building blocks:

If you install NetSuite CPQ Manufacturing, you can use the following building blocks to create work orders:

Other building blocks:

After creating a building block instance, you can copy or deleted it. By copying a building block instance, you can use already entered information and reduce manual work.

To copy a building block:

  1. On the building block subtab, click the name of the building block you want to copy.

  2. Select Make a Copy in the Actions dropdown menu.

  3. Edit the building block name, code, and sequence number if available.

  4. On the Rules or Rule subtab, edit the rules to match the requirements for this new building block.

  5. Apply changes to other fields and subtabs, and enter new data as needed.

  6. Click Save.

If you no longer need a building block instance, you can delete it permanently. Open the building block record for editing. In the Actions dropdown menu, select Delete and click OK to confirm that you want to delete the building block.

Assigning Base Items to Products

A base item (called the base generic product) is a NetSuite item used as a placeholder. After users submit the configuration, the base item is added to the transaction as the main configured item, regardless of the specific choices made in the configuration.

The item used as a base item requires only the basic information needed to save the item. The rest of the information belongs to the configuration.

Note:

The base item must be an active item. An item is active when the Inactive box is not checked. This option under the System Information subtab on the item record.

To assign a base item to a product, go to CPQ > Configurator > Product Maintenance. Edit the product that requires a base item. To choose the base item, two options are available:

When you are finished, save the product record.

On the Custom or CPQ subtab of the item used as a base item, define the product used to edit configured items. For more information, see Defining a Product to Edit Configured Items.

You can use the following item types as base items:

  • inventory items

  • assemblies

  • kit/packages

  • non-inventory items

  • subscription plans

To create work orders for configured items, select an assembly as a base item. For more information, see Creating Work Orders for Configured Items.

Defining a Product to Edit Configured Items

NetSuite CPQ Configurator requires information about the product to use when users want to edit a configured item from a transaction.

You can define a default product to edit all configured items. To define a default product, go to CPQ > Configurator > Settings and select a product in the Default Configurator field.

If you use a default product, also go to the Custom or CPQ subtab of the item used as a base item. Then, check the Is configurable box. By setting this option, you can edit the configured items associated with the base item using the default product. For more information about base items, see Assigning Base Items to Products.

If you want to edit the configured item using a specific product, assign a product to the item used as a base item. To assign a product to the base item, go to the Custom or CPQ subtab of the item record. Then, select a specific product in the CPQC-Product Configurator field. If you set both the default product and a specific product by mistake, the specific product will be used to edit the associated configured item.

Creating Product Categories

With NetSuite CPQ Configurator, you can create product categories to group, classify, and organize products based on their features and functionality. For example, a furniture company can have a product category for office desks and another for home desks.

With product categories, users can launch a filtered version of the Select Product page from eligible transactions. The page will show only the products belonging to that category. To view only the configurable items associated with a product category, users can click the arrow next to the Configure button on transactions and select their preferred category. If only one product is assigned to a product category, users directly access the product interface without going through the Select Product page.

Additionally, users can filter products by categories directly on the Select Product page and quickly find the product that best suits their needs.

To create product categories, go to CPQ > Configurator > Product Categories and click New CPQC Product Category. Provide a descriptive name for the product category and save it. After creating the category, use the Category field on the product record to assign a product category to a product.

You can also use product categories to place additional launch buttons on eligible transactions by checking the Display on SO box on the product category record. When users click a product category button, only the products assigned to that category are displayed on the Select Product page.

To modify a product category, click Edit on the product category list. If you want to duplicate the product category, click Make a copy in the Actions menu with the record in view mode. If you no longer need a product category, click Delete in the Actions menu with the record opened for editing.

Exporting Products

You can export products at CPQ > Configurator > Settings. Combine export and import options to move products from your sandbox account to your production account after testing. Additionally, you can create duplicate products within your current account and use them as a base for new products.

To export a product, select one in the Export Product field and click the Export button. The product is saved as a ZIP file on your computer.

In the exported file, you can include additional resources, such as images, CSV tables, and CSS styles. If these resources are missing from the target account, you must check the Export product resources box before exporting the product. However, if you export the product for testing purposes and do not need these resources, leave the box unchecked.

Importing Products

Note:

Keep the options page open until all product import processes are either pending or in progress. Closing the page will cancel any product import processes in the Initializing status.

After exporting a product, you can import it back to the same or different accounts at CPQ > Configurator > Settings. You can select and import multiple products at the same time. The import processes will run in parallel. When selecting products, you should group those that will be imported using the same options.

You can monitor the import progress in the product import summary. Import information remains available for 7 days. To remove it earlier, use the Clear button next to the corresponding import line. If the product import summary exceeds 50 lines, clear finished imports before starting new ones.

When importing a product, choose how to handle references to records. For more information, see Importing References to Records.

You can also choose to import a new product version into an existing product—called target product. For more information, see Importing a New Version into an Existing Product.

To import a product:

  1. In NetSuite, go to CPQ > Configurator > Settings.

  2. In the Import Product field, select one or multiple ZIP files containing the products.

  3. In the NS Links Import Options field, select how to handle references to records when importing your product. For more information, see Importing References to Records.

  4. To automatically create placeholder items for referenced item records missing in the target account, check the Auto-create missing items box.

    Note:

    In the NS links import options field, the Import links using search by name option must be selected to create missing items automatically.

  5. Click Import.

Importing References to Records

Imported products may include references to item records—also called links. These referenced item records may need to be retrieved in the target account. For example, a reference to an item record is when you select an item from NetSuite as a material. Before importing a product, choose how to handle item record references in the NS Links Import Options field:

  • Don't import links – Leaves blank all fields containing a reference to a record.

    Choose this option when importing products into a sandbox account for testing purposes.

  • Import links using same IDs – Assigns references to records based on the internal ID of the item. This is the default option.

    Choose this option when importing products within the same account to optimize the import process.

  • Import links using search by name – Looks for the item name to find its internal ID and place it in the link field.

    Because items with the same name can have different internal IDs, choose this option when importing products across different accounts.

    When importing record references by name, NetSuite CPQ can automatically create placeholder items to replace materials or additional items (called breakout items) that are linked to the product but do not exist in the target account. Placeholder items have the same ID and item name or number as the original item, and a fixed price of 10 USD. To enable this option when importing products for testing purposes, check the Auto-create missing item box.

Importing a New Version into an Existing Product

You can update a product by importing a new product version into an existing one—called target product. The updated product maintains the ID of the original product. The rest of the data is replaced with information from the new product.

Note:

When working with a target product, each import process must be started separately.

To use this option, select the product you want to import in the Import Product field. Then, select the product where you want to import data in the Target Product field and click the Import button.

When working with a target product, you can continue using the NS Links Import Options and Auto-create missing items fields.

Favorites configurations may no longer work with the new imported version. If this is the case, check the Unlink favorites from target product box before importing the product. By enabling this option, favorites configurations will no longer be associated with the target product but they will remain in the account.

Deleting Products

If you no longer need a product, you can delete it from your account. Deleted products do not appear on the product selection page and cannot be configured on new transactions. Previous transactions maintain a reference to the deleted product, but you will not be able to view or open the configuration for the product.

Before deleting a product, take the following important points into account:

  • Deleted products are permanently deleted from your NetSuite account and cannot be restored. All subrecords (such as questions, answers, or tabs) are also deleted.

  • Check for unfinished transactions that have a saved configuration for the product. After you delete the product, you will not be able to edit the configuration of the product from the transaction unless you specify a replacement product.

  • If you think you might need to use the product again at a future date, you should export a copy of the product before deleting it. See Exporting Products for more information.

Note:

Instead of deleting a product, you might want to make it inactive – see Inactivating Products.

After you delete a product, you can specify a replacement product – see Replacing Deleted or Inactive Products.

To delete a product:

  1. Go to CPQ > Configurator > Product Maintenance and select Edit next to a product.

  2. Click Delete.

    Warning:

    In the next step, you will confirm the deletion. You will not be able to undo this action. The product record and all its subrecords will be deleted from your NetSuite account.

  3. Type DELETE and click Confirm to confirm the operation.

Inactivating Products

If you want to make a product unavailable temporarily or you no longer sell a product, you can make it inactive. Similar to deleted products, inactive products do not appear on the product selection page and cannot be configured on new transactions. If there are unfinished transactions with a configuration for an inactive product, a user can still view or update the configuration from a transaction line. You can override the default behavior, however, to prevent users editing the configuration of an inactive product.

To inactivate a product:

  1. Go to CPQ > Configurator > Product Maintenance and select Edit next to a product.

  2. Check the Inactive box.

  3. If you want to prevent users editing the configuration from a transaction line, check the Disallow edits on existing configurations box.

  4. Click Save.

Note:

You can make a product active again at any time by clearing the Inactive box.

After you inactivate a product, you can specify a replacement product – see Replacing Deleted or Inactive Products. If you want to permanently remove a product from your account, you can delete it instead of making it inactive – see Deleting Products.

Replacing Deleted or Inactive Products

When you delete or inactivate a product, you can choose a different product to replace the inactive or deleted product. Specifying a replacement product can make it easier for users to view or edit a configuration from a transaction line on an existing transaction. Provided that the replacement product has the same configuration properties as the original product, users can continue to configure a product even though the original product is no longer available.

Note:

Users can only edit configurations on transactions that are still in progress and have not been processed.

Replacement products should have the same or similar configuration properties as the original product. If there are differences in properties between the original product and the replacement product, some information will be lost. For example, if the replacement product is missing some configuration properties from the original product, those properties will not appear on the configurator page. On the contrary, if the replacement product contains additional properties, they will appear on the configurator page, but they will typically be blank or unpopulated.

You can use the same replacement product for multiple inactive or deleted products, but an inactive or deleted product can have one replacement product only.

When a user edits a configured product from a transaction line and then saves the configuration, the transaction is updated with the information entered on the configuration of the replacement product.

Example

A product configuration for a bicycle includes three questions: frame size, frame color, and wheel type. An administrator makes the product inactive and specifies a replacement product that includes the questions: frame size, frame color, and handlebars type. Because the question for wheel type is not in the replacement product, the question is not displayed on the replacement product configuration page. The question for handlebars type is displayed on the configuration page, but its value is not populated because it did not exist in the original product.

To specify a replacement product:

  1. Go to CPQ > Configurator > Settings and select the Product Replacements subtab.

    The Status column indicates whether the original product was made inactive or was deleted.

  2. In the row of the product you want to replace, choose a replacement product in the Replace With column. You can only choose products that are active.

  3. Click OK and then click Save.

Related Topics

General Notices