Saved searches, not reports
The NetSuite integration connects specifically to saved searches — not reports. If you’ve built a report in NetSuite that shows the data you need, you’ll need to recreate that as a saved search before you can pull it into Parabola. In a saved search:- Criteria = filters that limit which records are returned
- Results = the columns that get returned (what you’ll see in Parabola)
Making a saved search public
Parabola can only access public saved searches. A search is private by default — you’ll need to make it public before it appears in the step. To make a saved search public:- Open the saved search in NetSuite
- Check the Public checkbox in the search settings
- Save the record
You can create the search under your own profile and then make it public — Parabola just needs the search to be publicly accessible. If a search isn’t showing up in Parabola, the most likely explanation is that it’s still set to private, or there’s a visibility or ownership issue on the search.
Adding joined / related fields
This is the most important concept in this lesson. By default, NetSuite’s API only returns the data that lives directly on the record you’re searching. For any field that references a related table — like Class, Department, Location, Vendor, or Customer — NetSuite returns just the internal ID of that related record. A raw ID like14 doesn’t mean anything on its own.
To get human-readable values, you need to add joined fields (also called related fields) to your saved search results.
Example: When pulling a Transactions search, the “Location” field on its own returns 14. But if you add “Location : Name” as a joined field, you get Warehouse - Chicago instead.
How to add joined fields in NetSuite
- Open your saved search and go to the Results tab
- In the Field column dropdown, you’ll see a list of available fields to add to your search. Scroll to the bottom of the list to find fields ending in ”…” — like Item Fields…, Location Fields…, or Vendor Fields…. These are related record types that contain subfields.
- Select the parent object first (e.g., “Item Fields…”)
- A second dropdown will appear where you can select the specific subfield you want (e.g., “Name”)
- The joined field will be added to your results as “Item : Name”
- Save the search and re-run it in Parabola
The “Return only columns in search” checkbox
In the Parabola step settings, you’ll see a Return only columns specified in the search checkbox.- Checked (recommended): Parabola returns only the columns you explicitly added to the Results tab of your saved search. This keeps your dataset clean and predictable.
- Unchecked: Parabola returns all available columns from the underlying record type — which can be a large, messy dataset with many columns you don’t need.
Formula fields
A note on complexity
Good saved searches take time to build. Teams new to NetSuite often underestimate how much iteration is involved — choosing the right search type, adding the right joined fields, narrowing criteria so the search runs fast, and verifying the results match expectations. If you’re starting from scratch, expect to spend real time getting a search right. The payoff is that once the search is well-constructed, Parabola can run it automatically on any schedule with no manual effort.What’s next
In the next lesson, we’ll cover what to do when data comes back wrong — custom fields that return IDs instead of labels, summary searches that fail to load, and large searches that time out. You’ll also inspect the saved search you built here for any of those issues.FAQs
Why isn't my saved search showing up in the Parabola step?
Why isn't my saved search showing up in the Parabola step?
The most common reasons:
- It’s not public — check the search in NetSuite and make sure the Public checkbox is checked
- It’s the wrong search type — the search type you select in the Parabola step must match the type the saved search was created under (e.g., if you created a Transaction search, you need to select “Transaction” in the step)
- Permissions — the role used to authorize the connection may not have access to the search’s underlying record type. Double-check the role permissions from Lesson 2.
Can I pull a NetSuite report instead of a saved search?
Can I pull a NetSuite report instead of a saved search?
No — the Pull from NetSuite step only supports saved searches. NetSuite reports use a different API that isn’t accessible from Parabola. If you have a report with the data you need, you’ll need to recreate the equivalent logic as a saved search.
Which search type should I use?
Which search type should I use?
Match the search type to the record you’re querying. Common mappings:
When in doubt, create a saved search in NetSuite and check which type it was saved under.
| What you need | Search type |
|---|---|
| Orders, invoices, bills | Transaction |
| Products, SKUs | Item |
| Customers, accounts | Customer |
| Vendors, suppliers | Vendor |
| Employees | Employee |
Some columns I added to my search are missing in Parabola — why?
Some columns I added to my search are missing in Parabola — why?
Two likely causes:
- “Return only columns in search” is unchecked — the step is returning all available columns from the record type, which may not include the ones you added. Check the step settings.
- Permissions on the joined table — if you added a joined field (e.g., Vendor : Name) and the role doesn’t have access to the Vendor record type, that column will be dropped. Add the appropriate List or Transaction permission to the role.
Building challenge
Build a saved search for your use case and pull it into Parabola. Start with whatever data is most relevant to your business — you know your data best. If you don’t have a specific use case in mind yet, an open PO report is a great place to start.You’re done when: Your Parabola step returns rows with human-readable values in the key columns — not raw internal IDs.
Create a new saved search in NetSuite
Go to Reports > Saved Searches > All Saved Searches > New. Select the search type that matches the records you want to pull — for example, Transaction for orders or invoices, Item for products, Vendor for suppliers.
Set your criteria
Under the Criteria tab, add filters to narrow to the records you care about. Keep the result set small during testing — add a date range or status filter if needed. For example, if you’re building an open PO report: Type = Purchase Order, Status = Pending Receipt.
Add result columns, including any joined fields you need
Under the Results tab, add the fields that matter for your use case. For any column that references a related record — a vendor, customer, location, class — add the joined Name subfield instead of the raw field, so you get readable values instead of internal IDs. For the PO example: Document Number, Date, Amount, Status, and a joined Vendor : Name field.