Deploying NetSuite is a significant undertaking that requires careful planning and execution. A well-planned NetSuite deployment can help you realise the platform’s full potential, streamline your business processes and achieve your goals. To assist you in this process, we’ve created a comprehensive NetSuite deployment checklist to provide you with a structured approach to your NetSuite deployment, ensuring you don’t overlook critical steps.

Pre-deployment planning

Before embarking on your NetSuite deployment, it’s crucial to define clear goals and objectives. Identify the key business processes that you want to improve with NetSuite. These could include areas such as financial management, inventory control, order processing or customer relationship management.

Set measurable targets and key performance indicators (KPIs) for each of these processes. For example, you may aim to reduce the time it takes to close your financial books by 50% or increase your inventory accuracy to 99%. These targets will help you track the success of your NetSuite deployment and make data-driven decisions.

Ensure that your NetSuite deployment goals align with your overall business strategy. Your NetSuite implementation should support your long-term business objectives and enable you to achieve your vision.

Assemble your NetSuite deployment team

A successful NetSuite deployment requires a dedicated and skilled team. Identify the key stakeholders and decision-makers involved in the project. These may include representatives from various departments such as finance, sales, operations and IT.

Assign clear roles and responsibilities to each team member. Determine who’ll be responsible for tasks such as data migration, system configuration, testing and training. Ensure that each team member understands their role and has the necessary skills and resources to fulfil their responsibilities.

Appoint a project manager to oversee the entire NetSuite deployment process. The project manager will be responsible for coordinating the team, setting timelines, monitoring progress and communicating with stakeholders. If you don’t have the in-house expertise, SuiteSparkle can help. We can act as an outsourced NetSuite project manager to oversee every element of your implementation to ensure it’s a success.

Assess your current systems and processes

Before implementing NetSuite, take the time to assess your current systems and processes. Identify pain points and areas for improvement. This will help you determine which processes can be streamlined or automated with NetSuite.

Determine which of your existing systems will be replaced by NetSuite and which ones will need to be integrated. This will help you plan your data migration and integration strategy.

Evaluate the quality and cleanliness of your existing data. Ensure that your data is accurate, complete and consistent. Clean and standardise your data before migrating it to NetSuite to avoid any issues during the deployment process.

Plan your NetSuite deployment timeline

Create a detailed plan for your NetSuite deployment timeline. Break down the deployment process into manageable phases, such as data migration, system configuration, customisation, testing and training.

Set realistic deadlines and milestones for each phase of the deployment. Consider factors such as the complexity of your business processes, the amount of data to be migrated and the availability of your team members.

Allow for contingencies and potential delays in your timeline. Unexpected issues may arise during the deployment process, so it’s essential to build some flexibility into your schedule.

Prepare your data for migration

Data migration is a critical step in your NetSuite deployment process. Start by cleaning and standardising your data. Ensure your data is accurate, complete and consistent across all your systems.

Map your data fields to NetSuite’s data structure. Determine how your existing data will fit into NetSuite’s fields and tables. Create a data migration plan that outlines which data will be migrated, how it will be mapped and who’ll be responsible for the migration.

Validate your data accuracy and completeness before migrating it to NetSuite. Conduct thorough testing to ensure that your data is migrated correctly and that there are no discrepancies between your old and new systems.

Integrate NetSuite with other systems

Identify any systems that need to be integrated with NetSuite, such as your CRM, e-commerce platform or third-party applications. Determine the best integration method for each system, such as using APIs, connectors or custom scripts.

Plan your integration strategy carefully to ensure that data flows seamlessly between NetSuite and your other systems. Define the data that needs to be synced, the frequency of synchronisation and the responsible parties for monitoring and maintaining the integrations.

Test your integrations thoroughly before going live with NetSuite. Ensure that data is being transferred accurately and in real-time between systems. Identify and resolve any issues or discrepancies before proceeding with the deployment.

Configure NetSuite to match your business processes

NetSuite is a highly configurable platform that you can tailor to match your unique business processes. Start by setting up your company-specific settings and preferences, such as your chart of accounts, tax codes and payment terms.

Define user roles and permissions within NetSuite. Determine which users will have access to which features and data. Set up role-based access controls to ensure that users only have access to the information and functionality they need to perform their jobs.

Customise NetSuite forms, fields and workflows to match your business requirements. Modify standard forms or create custom forms to capture the data you need. Add custom fields to track additional information specific to your business. Set up workflows to automate your business processes and ensure consistency across your organisation.

Develop and test customisations

Identify areas of NetSuite that require customisation to meet your unique business needs. This may include custom scripts, reports or dashboards.

Work with NetSuite experts or developers to build and test your customisations. Ensure that your customisations are properly coded, tested and documented.

Test your customisations thoroughly to ensure they meet your business requirements and don’t interfere with other NetSuite functionality. Conduct user acceptance testing to gather feedback and identify any issues or areas for improvement.

Plan your NetSuite training strategy

Training is essential to ensure your users can effectively use NetSuite and adopt the new system. Start by identifying the different user groups within your organisation, such as finance, sales and operations. Determine the specific training needs for each group based on their roles and responsibilities.

Develop training materials and resources tailored to each user group. This may include user guides, video tutorials and hands-on exercises. Ensure your training materials are comprehensive, easy to understand and accessible to all users.

Schedule training sessions and workshops that are convenient for your users. Consider offering a mix of in-person and online training to accommodate different learning styles and schedules.

Promote user adoption

User adoption is critical to your NetSuite deployment’s success. Start by communicating the benefits of NetSuite to your team. Explain how the new system will streamline processes, improve efficiency and provide better visibility into your business operations.

Involve your users in the deployment process from the beginning. Seek their input and feedback on system configuration, customisation and training. This will help build buy-in and ownership of the new system.

Provide ongoing support and resources to your users after the initial training. Establish a helpdesk or support channel where users can get assistance with any issues or questions. Encourage users to share their experiences and best practices with each other to foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

Go-live and post-deployment

Before going live with NetSuite, conduct thorough testing and quality assurance. Test all your business processes, customisations and integrations to ensure they’re working as expected. Identify and resolve any issues or bugs before the go-live date.

Develop a comprehensive go-live checklist that outlines all the tasks and activities to be completed before, during and after the go-live. Assign responsibilities and deadlines for each task to ensure nothing is overlooked.

Create a contingency plan that outlines how you’ll handle any issues or challenges that may arise during the go-live. Identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies to minimise disruptions to your business operations.

Communicate the go-live schedule and expectations to all stakeholders, including your employees, customers and partners. Ensure everyone is aware of the timeline, the potential impact on their work and how to access support if needed.

Monitor and optimise post-deployment

After the go-live, monitor your NetSuite system closely to ensure performs as expected. Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as system uptime, response time and user adoption. Identify any issues or areas for improvement and address them promptly.

Gather feedback from your users on their experience with NetSuite. Conduct surveys, focus groups or one-on-one interviews to understand what’s working well and what needs improvement. Use this feedback to continuously optimise your NetSuite system and processes.

Provide ongoing training and support to your users to ensure they’re using NetSuite effectively and efficiently. Offer refresher courses, update your training materials and share best practices and tips to help your users get the most out of the system.

How can SuiteSparkle help?

Deploying NetSuite is a complex process that requires careful planning and execution. Following a comprehensive NetSuite deployment checklist will help streamline your implementation process and avoid critical oversights.

Remember to customise the list to your specific business needs and requirements. Every organisation is unique, so it’s essential to tailor your deployment approach to your situation. If you need assistance with your NetSuite deployment, SuiteSparkle can help.

Our team of NetSuite certified consultants can help guide you through the implementation process, provide expert advice and best practices and ensure your deployment is a success.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you streamline your NetSuite implementation.