Initiating a Workflow on a Schedule
When you configure a workflow to run on a schedule, the workflow executes on the results of a saved search. You can schedule the workflow to run one time, run every 30 minutes, or run at a certain time on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. When you choose to initiate workflows on a scheduled basis, you select a saved search and then define the schedule on which the workflow runs. For more information, see Scheduling a Workflow.
Before you define the schedule for the workflow, you must create the saved search. The saved search must run on the same record type as the base record type for the workflow. The saved search must also include at least one filter set on the Criteria subtab for the saved search. On the workflow definition page, select the Scheduled option, select the saved search, and set the schedule for the workflow.
When you create a saved search, make sure that you include enough filters on the Criteria subtab to limit the search results to only the records that you want to run the scheduled workflow on. If you do not include enough criteria to filter the search results by, the saved search will return too many results and the scheduled workflow will not execute as expected. For example, it may take longer for the workflow to execute than what you were expecting, which may impact the performance of other workflows.
At the scheduled time, NetSuite runs the saved search and initiates a workflow instance to run on each of the records in the search results. For example, if the saved search returns 10 records, NetSuite initiates 10 instances of the workflow. Scheduled workflows always run on all of the records in the search results, not only the records you can see on the main page (for summary type result) of the saved search.
NetSuite runs multiple workflows in parallel. Running in parallel benefits accounts that have multiple scheduled workflows that operate on large saved search result sets. Each workflow instance runs as an administrator and any system note displays “System” as the user name.
There is no inherent order in which scheduled workflows start and finish. For example, three scheduled workflows, A, B, and C, are all scheduled at the same time. NetSuite simultaneously runs each saved search and initiates workflows on the results. Depending on the workflow and the number of search results, any of the workflows may complete before the other two.
Only scheduled workflows with a release status of Released execute on a schedule. Also, you cannot set a condition for the scheduled workflow initiation. All workflow initiation criteria must be specified when you create the saved search.
The following screenshot shows a lead nurturing workflow scheduled to run against Customer Lead records on a daily basis:
For an example of how to create a saved search and use it in a scheduled workflow, see Welcome Email Sent to Customers Three Days After First Order Workflow.