The Custom Search Portlet is one of the most flexible dashboard components available in NetSuite. It allows users to display the results of a Saved Search directly on a dashboard, giving teams quick access to operational data, exceptions, reminders, and actionable records without navigating through menus.
Unlike KPI-focused portlets, the Custom Search Portlet can display detailed record-level data from a Saved Search. This makes it especially useful for monitoring transactions, approvals, inventory activity, customer records, support cases, and other day-to-day processes.
Common Business Use Cases
The Custom Search Portlet works well across many departments and industries because it shows real-time operational data directly on the dashboard.
Department | Example Use Case |
|---|
Finance | Bills pending approval |
Sales | Open opportunities closing this month |
Operations | Transfer orders awaiting fulfillment |
Warehouse | Orders ready to pick |
Customer Service | Cases assigned to current user |
Purchasing | Purchase orders past expected receipt date |
Saved Searches are a core NetSuite analytics feature and support filtering, highlighting, summaries, and audience-based visibility.
How to Add a Custom Search Portlet
1.) Go to your NetSuite dashboard.
2.) Click Personalize.
3.) Select Custom Search from the portlet list.
4.) On the Custom Search portlet, click the 3 dots on the upper right, then click Set Up.
5.) On the portlet setup window:
- Select the Saved Search
- Enter a Custom Portlet Title (optional)
- Define the number of rows to display
- Choose where to open drill down results
- Enable or disable Inline Editing
- Choose the Chart Theme and Background Type
1.) Go to your NetSuite dashboard.
2.) Click Personalize.
3.) Select Custom Search from the portlet list.
4.) On the Custom Search portlet, click the 3 dots on the upper right, then click Set Up.
5.) On the portlet setup window:
- Select the Saved Search
- Enter a Custom Portlet Title (optional)
- Define the number of rows to display
- Choose where to open drill down results
- Enable or disable Inline Editing
- Choose the Chart Theme and Background Type
6.) Click Save.
Tips and Best Practices
Large or overly complex Saved Searches can slow dashboard performance. Consider limiting:
- Result columns
- Formula usage
- Excessive joins
- Unnecessary summary calculations
Adding Available Filters to the Saved Search gives users more flexibility directly from the dashboard.
The best dashboard portlets help users immediately identify what requires attention. Good examples include:
- Overdue transactions
- Missing approvals
- Inventory shortages
- Failed integrations
- Open customer escalations
If users cannot see the portlet results, review:
- Saved Search audience settings
- Role permissions
- Record access restrictions
NetSuite also supports defining audiences and public visibility for Saved Searches.
The Custom Search Portlet is one of the most practical dashboard tools in NetSuite because it connects real-time Saved Search results directly to daily operations. When designed correctly, these portlets can improve visibility, reduce navigation time, and help users focus on actionable work immediately after login.
For admins and analytics users, mastering Custom Search Portlets is often the first step toward building more effective role-based dashboards.
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Stay tuned for our next article, where we’ll explore more about NetSuite Dashboard Portlets!
We encourage you to share your own tips, ask questions, and engage with fellow community members. Your experiences can help others on their journey to becoming NetSuite analytics experts!
