You’re at your local garden centre. Sitting near the checkout is the world’s most advanced lawn mower. It’s ride-on, 200 horsepower, with an air-conditioned cabin and a built-in coffee machine. You don’t need to think twice. You buy it.
The issue? You only have about five square metres of grass in the back garden. So, while your mower looks the part, it’s not the best choice for the job you need it to do. It’s technically impressive but functionally useless.
That’s how some NetSuite setups end up performing. You may have invested in a powerful ERP system, but if the configuration doesn’t match your current business, it fails to deliver its full potential.
So, the question isn’t whether NetSuite is a great system. It is. The real question is: how well is your NetSuite setup performing for you and your business?
What’s slowing you down without you noticing?
Most users don’t spot a suboptimal NetSuite setup because they’ve adapted to it. Teams adjust processes around system limitations, and these issues become part of your daily routine. When you step back and notice this happening, that should be the first red flag.
One common sign is reporting frustration. Something’s wrong if your monthly reports require repeated exports to Excel or teams build workarounds outside the system. NetSuite has strong reporting tools, but only when configured to reflect your actual data structure and KPIs.
Also, keep an eye out for workflow bottlenecks. Delays in approvals or repetitive manual tasks point to workflow rules that no longer match how the business operates. This often results from legacy setups built for a different scale or process that simply don’t live up to what you need them to do now.
Then, there are integration challenges to consider. Businesses plug in new platforms (eCommerce, CRM, third-party logistics, HR, etc.), then forget to revisit their integration logic. Over time, connectors break or data duplicates without anyone noticing until it’s too late.
All of this (and much more besides) adds up to friction. Although you probably won’t yet see catastrophic system failure, there are all sorts of missed opportunities passing you by. The good news is that these symptoms are easily identified with the right approach.
What a NetSuite health check really looks at
Like that lawn mower, there’s much more going on than simply ‘having a good NetSuite setup’. A proper system health check doesn’t just look at whether NetSuite’s functioning or aesthetically neat – it’s more about how well it’s working for your business right now.
At SuiteSparkle, user access is one of the first things we look at in our NetSuite health check. Too many permissions slow down the system and increase security risk. On the other hand, having too few limits productivity. Review role structures to ensure each user has the access they need – nothing more and nothing less.
Custom fields tend to accumulate over time. A manager might request one for a report or process, but it’s often left in place long after it stops being useful. Sometimes, other teams add similar fields without knowing what’s already there.
We review how each field is used and determine whether it supports reporting, automation, or perhaps nothing at all. Removing unused or duplicate fields improves data accuracy and helps the system run more efficiently by reducing clutter.
We then review where you could automate manual tasks. Repetitive daily processes take up time and often lead to errors. We assess which of these processes could be handled more efficiently using NetSuite’s built-in tools, like SuiteFlow for workflow automation or SuiteScript for more complex custom logic. In many cases, implementing simple rule-based automation is enough to free up your resources and speed up operations.
We also analyse dashboard use. Dashboards should show relevant, real-time metrics to the right people. If users ignore them or rely on spreadsheets instead, the setup isn’t working. The data or design needs rethinking in those instances to support better decisions.
Underlying all this is one idea: your setup should reflect your business today. If it reflects your business from two years ago, you’re not getting full value from your ERP. It’s time for a rethink and a restructure.
Turning expert NetSuite insight into ROI
A NetSuite health check is not your everyday support ticket; it’s a comprehensive evaluation of your system’s performance. We assess how well your current setup serves your business needs and identify areas for improvement. The process is methodical and focused on delivering clear, actionable insights that offer the greatest return on investment.
Our approach involves a thorough review of several critical components: configurations, data structures, user roles, saved searches, integrations, and automation. We’ll engage directly with users to understand their experiences and test the workflows they use every day. For all of this, it’s vital that we meticulously document absolutely everything. Depending on the complexity of your system, a typical health check takes between two to four weeks.
At the end of the review, we provide a prioritised improvement plan, a risk summary, and a cost-benefit analysis for recommended changes. That will include those ‘quick wins’ – the minor adjustments that take minutes but might save hours every month in operational efficiency.
After a NetSuite health check, our clients report almost immediate benefits. These include faster reporting, fewer errors and reduced licensing costs through more effective role design. In the long term, the improvements lead to closer compliance with regulation and a better proactive position for scalability. And on top of that, you get clearer, more reliable insights for data-driven decision-making.
To make the most of a health check, come prepared. Share any known issues, system workarounds, and user feedback, and don’t be afraid of being embarrassed. We’ll always treat you with respect and straightforwardness. The more visibility we have from the start, the more tailored and impactful our recommendations will be.
If your NetSuite setup still reflects where your business was rather than where it’s going, or where you thought it would be rather than where it is, now’s the time to change that. The issues holding you back aren’t permanent. You just need a clear view of what’s working, what isn’t, and what comes next.
Book a NetSuite health check with SuiteSparkle today, and let us help ensure your ERP system is working as hard for your business as that mower should be – fit for purpose, efficient, and ready to deliver results.