NetSuite is a vital tool. It’s a powerful ERP platform designed to streamline your business operations.
Integrated functionality and limitless customisation options give you all the tools you need to gain a competitive advantage in your sector.
However, maintaining optimal NetSuite performance requires ongoing attention.
A NetSuite health check is central to this. It’s a thorough assessment of your system’s health and efficiency. This blog explores what a NetSuite health check involves, how regular you should have one and how to prepare.
Understanding a NetSuite health check
It’s crucial to know whether your ERP system is meeting your needs so you can adapt and change and drive time and cost efficiencies.
A NetSuite health check can help you achieve this. It involves a detailed review of several crucial aspect of your system, including:
- System configuration – assess the setup and configuration to ensure it meets best practices and current business needs.
- Performance – use your team to evaluate system speed and latency, identifying and addressing any efficiency issues.
- Customisations – review custom scripts, workflows and integrations. Check that they’re working correctly and aren’t overcomplicating your deployment.
- User adoption – gauge how effectively users have accepted your ERP system and whether they use it optimally. You may need to implement more training or culture changes.
Conducting regular NetSuite health checks – at least once every two years – is essential. They allow you to identify potential problems and opportunities for improvement long before you encounter any bottlenecks or data silos. In other words, regular health checks ensure your NetSuite system fully aligns with your business objectives, supporting rather than hindering them.
How often should you schedule a NetSuite health check?
Regular NetSuite health checks are vital. But how regularly should you carry them out? In our experience, the frequency of your health checks depends on a few factors.
Different organisations have NetSuite deployments of varying complexity. For example, some might have extensive customisations and complicated functionality integrations. These systems require more frequent health checks because the increased complexity can lead to issues that might not be immediately apparent to end users.
The more customised your ERP setup is, the more potential pathways there are for data to follow. This inevitably leads to more complications and a greater risk of inefficiencies. So, the more customisations you have in your NetSuite deployment, the more regularly you should review them via health checks.
Some businesses (or even sectors as a whole) undergo rapid changes, altering their processes or objectives much more regularly than others. For instance, you might often release new product lines or focus heavily on internal R&D to maintain a competitive edge. The faster these changes happen, the more frequent your NetSuite health checks should be.
For many organisations, a health check every two years strikes a good balance. However, an annual review might be more appropriate for rapidly developing businesses or those with substantial customisations.
Signs it’s time to book a NetSuite health check
Watch out for the tell-tale signs that you might need a NetSuite health check. Some are obvious – for instance, if you notice sluggish performance or frequent error messages, there are probably several issues simmering beneath the surface.
You might also receive more user complaints, officially or through workplace feedback. Both are valid reasons to look closely at your NetSuite deployment’s functionality and indicate that it may need immediate attention.
Performing a NetSuite health check is also critical if you make sudden significant changes in processes, organisational structure or workflows. Your ERP must keep up and align with your business needs and objectives.
To prepare for a health check (scheduled or unscheduled), consider the following steps:
- Review system use – first, document recent system use or functionality changes.
- Collect feedback – gather user feedback from your staff, contractors and other end users. This should include issues they’ve encountered, concerns and ideas for further streamlining.
- Check for updates – before beginning your health check, ensure you’ve installed all the most recent NetSuite updates and patches.
The health check itself thoroughly analyses your entire system to assess how well it meets your business objectives. At the end, you’ll receive a detailed report outlining findings and recommendations for further optimisation.
How can SuiteSparkle help?
Regular NetSuite health checks can help maintain and enhance your system’s performance. Making the most of these reviews helps ensure your NetSuite environment remains effective and aligned with your business goals.
For expert guidance and support, consider partnering with SuiteSparkle.
Our consultants provide the expertise to keep your NetSuite system in top condition.
Reach out to us today to schedule your next NetSuite health check. We’ll help ensure your ERP continues to deliver optimal performance and value.