1. NetSuite CPQ
  2. NetSuite CPQ Configurator
  3. NetSuite CPQ Configurator Products
  4. Creating Items Required by the Configuration

Creating Items Required by the Configuration

NetSuite CPQ Configurator can automatically create items required by the configuration using information from item creation records.

Item creation records store data for the potential new item to be created, such as the item name or number, the item type, and the rule that determines whether it will be created. With resolve expressions, you can use information from the product interface to set field values for the new item. For more information, see Obtaining Answer Data with Resolve Expressions.

With item creation records, you no longer need to manually create every possible item that may be required by a configuration— whether it's a material item, additional item (formerly called a breakout item), or base item (formerly called base generic product). NetSuite CPQ Configurator will create these items for you based on users' choices during the configuration process. Using resolve expressions, you can create a different item from the same item creation record every time users submit a configuration.

Additionally, item creation records reduce manual work by letting you copy information from existing items and set only the fields you want to change for the new items to be created. You can also update existing items with new information from item creation records.

If the item creation rule matches the answers users selected on the product interface, the new item is created after users submit the configuration. If the new items will be used as materials or additional items, the rule of the linked material or additional item must also match the answers selected by users. After submitting the configuration, users can monitor the items while they are being created by following a progress bar on the product interface.

To work with item creation records, see Working with Item Creation Records.

After saving an item creation record, you can assign it to a material, an additional item, or a product. In the configuration, these new items will become materials, additional items, or the base item, respectively. For more information, see Assigning Item Creation Records to Materials, Additional Items, or Products.

Note:

If your account has more than 300 items, new items are automatically added to transaction fields. If your account has fewer than 300 items and you send data directly to the transaction page, you need to follow specific steps to make the new items available for transactions. For more information, see Making New Items Available for Transaction Fields.

NetSuite CPQ Configurator can't create the following item types:

To work with assemblies on item creation records, see Working with Assemblies on Item Creation Records.

Note:

Install NetSuite CPQ Manufacturing to create assembly items automatically. For more information, see Installing NetSuite CPQ SuiteApps.

Making New Items Available for Transaction Fields

If your account has more than 300 items, new items created with item creation records are automatically added to transaction fields. However, if the account has fewer than 300 items and the Submit to transaction page box is checked on the options record, new items can't be added to transaction dropdown lists using item creation records. Instead, check the Add new resources to transaction fields box to ensure that new items will be available for transaction fields. You can find this field under the Submit subtab at CPQ > Configurator > Settings.

Note:

This option may be incompatible with custom scripts deployed on transactions.

However, the Add new resources to transaction fields option can't be applied if all these conditions exist:

  1. Users are assigned to the Customer Center role on the customer record.

  2. The Customer Center has fewer than 300 items.

  3. Products use item creation records to add the main configurable item and additional items to the transaction.

If you have such a setup, you'll need to replace item creation records with a standard base item and placeholder additional items. Then, you'll need to attach the item creation records to the product and the additional items with mapping records. For more information, see Assigning Base Items to Products and Setting Transaction Body and Line Fields Based on Configuration Data.

When users save the transaction, placeholder items will be replaced with the items created using item creation records based on the information from mapping records. After saving the transaction, users will see the replaced line items and the correct price amounts.

Note:

If you want users to see the correct price amounts for additional items on transactions after submitting the configuration, you should add prices to additional item records rather than sourcing them from item records.

To ensure that placeholder items are replaced with the correct items on transactions:

  1. On the product record:

    1. Clear the Base Item (Item Creation Record) field.

    2. In the Base Item field, select the placeholder you want to use as the base item.

  2. On additional item records:

    1. Clear the Item Creation Record field.

    2. In the Item field, select the placeholders for the additional items.

      Note:

      If the Consolidate additional item lines option is enabled on the product record, each additional item requires its own placeholder item.

  3. Create a hidden answer for each item creation record to store the internal ID of the newly created record.

  4. On each item creation record, select the answer that will store the new item internal ID in the Answer for Item ID field.

  5. Create a line field mapping record for each item creation record.

    1. Set required and optional fields as needed.

    2. In the Rule field, add the same rule as the related item creation record.

    3. Go to the Transaction Line Fields subtab.

    4. In the Field Name column, select the Item Replacement ID field (field ID: custcol_cpqc_item_repl_id).

    5. In the Value column, specify the answer where you stored the internal ID assigned to the new item. Enter question and answer codes as a resolve expression {Q/A}.

  6. Attach the corresponding mapping record to the product record. In the Line Field Mapping Records field on the product record, select the corresponding line field mapping record.

  7. Attach the corresponding mapping records to the additional items. In the Line Field Mapping Records field on the additional item record, select the corresponding line field mapping record.

Related Topics

General Notices