Have you reached a troubling conclusion?
Are you finding that your NetSuite system is suddenly what’s holding your business back?
What once seemed like the perfect solution could be showing signs of slowing things down.
Whether it’s the hours lost waiting for reports or the frustration of inefficient workflows, NetSuite, like any system, needs attention to stay at its best. In this post, we’ll highlight five key signs that your NetSuite system is dragging its feet and show you practical steps to get things moving again.
Issue 1 – customisations aren’t performing as expected
The signs to look for:
- Slow load times for custom-built features
- More downtime and increased frequency of system crashes
- Challenges in accessing custom fields or reports
The reason
Customisations are at the heart of what makes NetSuite so fantastic. And yet, poorly implemented customisations create major headaches. Slow load times, errors triggered during specific actions or workflows, or complex interfaces are all signs that customisations are making your system underperform. This often happens due to:
- Overcomplicated customisations – when custom solutions are too complex, they slow down the system. Excessive fields, scripts or unnecessary features can overload the system.
- Unoptimised code – custom scripts or workflows that aren’t efficiently written can drain system resources.
- Lack of scalability – some customisations may work fine initially but struggle to keep up as your business grows. They might not be designed to handle larger volumes of data or users.
What to do about it:
- Review and streamline your customisations, removing anything that’s no longer necessary. A NetSuite health check helps with this.
- Work with a NetSuite expert to ensure your custom solutions are scalable and future-proof.
- Regularly test custom workflows and integrations to avoid slowdowns. If your team identifies one, immediately begin a plan to overcome the problem.
Issue 2 – integrations are causing headaches
The signs to look for:
- Data discrepancies between systems leading to conflicting, inaccurate reports
- Delays in updating or receiving information across platforms
- Frequent syncing issues leading to inaccurate data
The reason
Any software might be the root cause of your problems. Issues with core module setup or third-party applications might result in data duplication and missing information. Sometimes, a slow workflow is the most apparent sign of this behind-the-scenes problem. Explore the following possibilities:
- Connectivity problems happen when network issues, slow internet or system outages disrupt communication between NetSuite and other systems. API rate limits or bandwidth issues exacerbate these problems. Watch out for a weak or intermittent connection. The issue isn’t always immediately obvious in these cases.
- Data synchronisation issues occur when the data between systems doesn’t match in real time. This may come down to different data formats or settings. You might see mismatched or missing information and errors, duplicates or confusion in reports.
- Authentication errors happen when systems can’t properly verify each other’s credentials. Outdated API keys or login details sometimes block data sharing, causing incomplete information or integration failures.
What to do about it:
- Audit all current integrations to ensure they’re working
- Work with integration specialists to ensure data flows smoothly between modules, SuiteApps and third-party integrations
- Set up automatic data reconciliation to fix discrepancies before they become problems
Issue 3 – users aren’t adopting the system as expected
The signs to look for:
- Employees still rely on spreadsheets or other tools instead of NetSuite
- Resistance to using the system due to confusion or frustration
- Increased number of support tickets or queries from users
The reason
You’ll probably find that many users struggle to navigate NetSuite and become frustrated or fear making a terrible mistake. Of course, even the most effective systems in the world fail without user engagement. Some of the causes of this issue include:
- Lack of training – without the proper training, your users may find it hard to use the system. They’ll feel overwhelmed and turn to outdated methods like spreadsheets.
- Complex user interfaces – if the system is too complicated or isn’t intuitive (challenging to make sense of at first glance), your users may resist using it. They might feel frustrated by long processes or complex navigation.
- Fear of change – employees always hesitate to switch from familiar tools and processes. If they’re not shown the clear benefits or given the time to adjust, they’ll prefer to stick to old habits instead.
What to do about it:
- Offer regular training and support to ensure all users feel comfortable using NetSuite. Remember that users might only need to know how to use a particular module and its features rather than the entire thing.
- Streamline user interfaces to reduce complexity. Just because your dashboards can show everything, it doesn’t mean they should.
- Get feedback from end-users to identify areas of frustration and address them. Ensure this feedback goes straight to your NetSuite administrative team so they can implement changes.
Issue 4 – transactions take too long to process
The signs to look for:
- Transactions taking longer than usual to go through the system
- Frequent errors or failed transactions due to system delays
- A backlog of transactions building up in queues
The reason
Efficiency is key in any business. Delays in transaction processing mean mistakes and customer or supplier dissatisfaction. Soe of the culprits include:
- Overloaded workflows – when workflows are too complex or involve too many steps, they create delays. Excessive approvals, manual interventions or redundant checks all add time to transaction processing.
- Unoptimised data processing – if the system processes too much data at once or uses outdated scripts, it causes significant delays.
- Integration issues – if NetSuite is integrated with other systems, problems with the connections can create slowdowns.
Bear in mind that, as businesses grow, what worked in the past may no longer be sufficient or appropriate.
What to do about it:
- Audit your workflows regularly to identify bottlenecks
- Simplify complex processes or break them into smaller, more manageable chunks
- Use NetSuite’s workflow automation tools to optimise and streamline processes
Issue 5 – NetSuite reports take forever to generate
The signs to look for:
- Long waiting times for reports to load
- Slow response times when filtering data
- Reports don’t update in real-time
The reason
NetSuite’s reporting capabilities are immensely powerful, but organisations must optimise it. You don’t need all the information all the time. You might also find that your data isn’t organised efficiently. This means reports take much longer to generate. Some of the causes include:
- Too much data – if your reports pull in excessive amounts of data or too many filters, it overwhelms the system.
- Inefficient saved searches – unoptimised saved searches make reports take longer to process. Unoptimised searches involve overly complex queries or poorly structured filters.
- Outdated customisations – custom scripts or reports that aren’t updated to match system changes cause delays.
All in all, this means a greater strain on your NetSuite deployment and slower decision-making.
What to do about it:
- Simplify your saved searches and ensure they’re well-structured. For example, consider avoiding ‘contains’ filters to make searches more specific.
- If plausible, regularly archive old data to reduce system load. Check out SuiteCloud.
- Use SuiteAnalytics for more advanced, real-time reporting capabilities
Speed your NetSuite deployment up with SuiteSparkle’s experts
With the right adjustments, your NetSuite system will be operating at peak performance in no time. At SuiteSparkle, we’re here to help make that a reality. We’re your strategic NetSuite partner, committed to tailoring NetSuite to your needs and goals. With a decade of helping organisations around the UK navigate this complex step in business expansion, we’re sure we can streamline NetSuite’s efficiency for you. Book a consultation today, and let us simplify your operations, enhance efficiency, and unlock the full potential of your business.