Display Default Shipping Address in a Custom Field
Problem
Recently, a user asked us if they could view the Default Shipping Address for a Customer Record as a field on the Main subtab. The issue they were reporting was the ADDRESS field on the Customer Record always shows the Default Billing Address.
The issue is illustrated in this screenshot of a Customer Record for “Frank’s Custom Stuff.” In this record There are different Default Billing and Default Shipping Addresses listed in the Address subtab. The Default Billing address is the one that is pulled into the ADDRESS field on the Main Subtab.
Solution
There is no native way to change the default ADDRESS field to source from a different address. The answer then is to create a custom field to hold this data
- Customization -> Lists, Records, Fields -> Entity Fields -> New
- Create a new field
- Type = Inline HTML
- Applies To | Customer = T
- Display | Subtab = Main
- Validation & Defaulting | Default Value = Code Block Below, Formula = F
<font color="grey">SHIPPING ADDRESS</font><br>
{companyname}<br>
{shipaddr1}, {shipaddr2}<br>
{shipcity}, {shipstate} {shipzip}<br>
{shipcountry}
<a onmouseout="window.status='';" onmouseover="window.status='Click to View Map'; return true;" onclick="openMapWindow('{shipaddressee}\n{shipaddr1}, {shipaddr2}\n{shipcity}, {shipstate} {shipzip}\n{shipcountry}', '{shipcountry}','google'); return false;" href="javascript:void('map')" class="smalltextul dottedlink">Map</a>
The code block uses HTML and JavaScript to Source the field data from the Default Shipping Address into the new field along with a “Map” link that will open Google Maps. This field will mimic the behavior of ADDRESS.
No Default Shipping???
If there is no Default Shipping specified in the Customer record Address subtab, the field will look like this:
You could always train your staff that this means the default shipping address is not setup or you could create another field to handle this.
- Customization -> Lists, Records, Fields -> Entity Fields -> New
- Create a new field
- Type = Inline HTML
- Applies To | Customer = T
- Display | Subtab = Main
- Validation & Defaulting | Default Value = Code Block Below, Formula = T
CASE WHEN {shipaddr1} IS NOT NULL THEN TO_CHAR({custentity_defaultshipping}) ELSE 'NO DEFAULT SHIPPING ADDRESS SPECIFIED' ENDThis code block contains a SQL formula that is looking to see if the first line of the default shipping address is empty or not. If not, it will source in the original field we created. If it is empty, it will display NO DEFAULT SHIPPING ADDRESS SPECIFIED
- On the Custom Entry form, hide the original Default Address Field
- On the Custom Entry form, add the new field in place of the original field
Pro Tip: Avoid some annoyance
When editing a Custom Entity Field that contains a Default Value, it seems like the FORMULA check box gets set to checked every time.
In this case, the first field we created contained HTML and will throw an error if FORMULA = T. If you are getting INVALID EXPRESSION, check to see if FORMULA = T and double check that it is FORMULA = F when saving.
The second field we created did contain a formula and should be marked as FORMULA = T.
Conclusion
This solution is a simple way to source in another default address into a custom field. It is also a good introduction to Inline HTML fields and power of styling individual custom fields. Inline HTML fields are a simple solution for adding styled text effects to custom forms to help call out data for users and increase form readability.
Multi-entity setups are also where segregation of duties gets hard, because the same person often ends up able to create and approve across subsidiaries. We cover where NetSuite's native controls hold and where they stop in segregation of duties in NetSuite.
Struggling with approval routing across entities or locations?
Custom fields solve display problems, but approval workflows need more. Greenlight Approvals handles multi-entity approval routing, delegation, and mobile sign-off natively in NetSuite.
Admin note. Custom fields like this one accumulate quietly over the years, and customization debt is one of the areas worth reviewing periodically. How to audit a NetSuite account covers that review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Address field on a NetSuite customer record show the billing address?
The ADDRESS field on the Main subtab always sources the default billing address. When a customer has different default billing and shipping addresses, the shipping one does not appear there, and no setting changes which address that field uses.
Can you change which address the NetSuite Address field sources?
Not natively. The field is fixed to the default billing address, so displaying the shipping address means adding a separate custom field rather than reconfiguring the standard one.
How do you display the default shipping address on a customer record?
Create a custom entity field of type Inline HTML, applied to Customer and displayed on the Main subtab, with a default value that references the shipping address fields. The field renders the address as formatted text alongside the standard one.
What field type displays formatted HTML on a NetSuite record?
Inline HTML. It renders markup rather than escaping it, which is what allows a custom field to present an address block, and optionally a map link, inside the record.
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By: Patrick Olson 01/15/2019
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