top of page

Drilldown in NSAW (and How to Use It)

Writer's picture: Liam De SeveLiam De Seve

NetSuite Analytics Warehouse (NSAW) is a powerful tool for data analysis, providing comprehensive insights into your business operations. One of the key features that make NSAW so effective is its drilldown capability.






What is a Drilldown?


Think of a drilldown as a way to zoom in on your data. Imagine you have a summary report that shows overall sales for the month. With a drilldown, you can click on the total sales figure and see all the individual sales transactions that make up that total. 



Why Use Drilldown?


Clearer Insights


Drilldown lets you see the details behind the numbers, helping you understand what’s really happening in your business. 



Spot Problems Quickly


If something doesn’t look right in your summary, you can drill down to find the exact transactions causing the issue. 



Make Better Decisions


With detailed information at your fingertips, you can make more informed decisions and spot opportunities for improvement. 



How to Use Drilldown in NSAW


Let's take a practical example to understand how to use the drilldown feature in NetSuite SuiteAnalytics Warehouse (NSAW). Consider the summary report shown in the image, which displays various account types, account names, and their respective credits and debits across different years. 


Objective


We want to drill down into the credit and debit amount and see the specific invoices related to this figure and then be able to access the NetSuite related records.



Step 1 - Create the Detailed Report


  • Create a New Canvas

    • Navigate to the reporting section and create a new canvas

    • This canvas will be used to display detailed data (e.g. invoices)

  • Add Fields to the Detailed Report

    • Include fields like Invoice Number, Invoice Date, Customer Name, Invoice Amount, etc.

  • Save the Detailed Report

    • Save the canvas with a relevant name, such as "Invoice Breakdown"



Step 2 - Set Up Data Actions on the Main Canvas


  • Open the Main Canvas

    • Go to the main canvas that contains the summary report

  • Access Data Actions

    • Click the three dots in the top right corner of the main canvas to open the menu

    • Select "Data Actions"

  • Create Data Action

    • Click the plus (+) icon to add a new data action

    • Set up the data action as follows: 

      • Name: Give it a meaningful name, such as "Drill Down Revenue - Invoice." 

      • Type: Select "Analytics Link." 

      • Anchor To: Choose the field you want to drill down from, e.g., "Customer Company Name."

      • Target: Select "This Workbook." 

      • Canvas Link: Choose the canvas you created for the detailed report, e.g., "Invoice Breakdown." 

      • Pass Values: Select the relevant fields to pass values between reports, such as Customer Name, Year, and Month. 





























  • Enable Multi-Selection (Optional)

    • If you want to allow multiple selections, toggle "Supports Multiple Selection" to "On"

  • Save the Data Action

    • Save your settings



Step 3 - Create the Third Layer to Access NetSuite Invoice Records


To enable the final drilldown that opens the NetSuite invoice record, follow these steps:


  • Open the Data Actions Menu

    • On your main canvas, click the three dots in the top right corner and select "Data Actions"

  • Create a New Data Action

    • Click the plus (+) icon to add a new data action

    • Set up the data action as follows:

      • Name: Enter a meaningful name, such as "Access NetSuite Invoice"

      • Type: Select "URL Navigation"

      • Anchor To: Choose the field that contains the unique identifier for the invoice, such as "Customer Invoice Internal Number"

      • URL: Enter the NetSuite URL for accessing the invoice record, including the dynamic parameter. Use the following format:






























Replace the account with your actual NetSuite account ID


  • Configure Additional Settings

    • Supports Multiple Selection: Typically, this should be set to "Off" unless you need to open multiple records at once

    • Open In: Choose "Auto" or specify if you want the link to open in a new window or tab

  • Save the Data Action

    • Click "OK" to save your new data action



Final Step - Test the Drilldown Feature


After setting up the drilldown and URL navigation actions, it's crucial to test the functionality to ensure everything works correctly. Follow these steps: 


  • Open the Summary Report

    • Navigate to the main canvas with your summary report. 

  • Select the Cell to Drill Down

    • Find the summary figure you want to drill down into. For example, the "Accounts Receivable: Trade Receivables" credit for 2023. 

  • Right-Click or Use the Context Menu

    • Right-click on the cell or click the three dots in the top right corner of the cell to open the context menu. 

  • Choose the Drilldown Option

    • From the context menu, select the drilldown action you named earlier (e.g., "Drill Down Revenue - Invoice")

  • Verify the Detailed Report

    • Ensure that the detailed report opens, showing the specific records related to the summary figure. 

  • Test URL Navigation

    • In the detailed report, find the field linked to the URL navigation (e.g., the invoice ID). 

    • Click on the field to test if it opens the corresponding NetSuite record. 

54 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page