Everyone knows NetSuite OpenAir has many features that bring flexibility to professional services automation software. The level of functionality and customization options are so diverse, that users often fail to explore everything the platform has to offer. It is possible for them to miss out on important native features which could improve their company efficiency and boost productivity.
There is no reason for users to resort to custom integrations or the implementation of complex scripts to get the most out of their project management tool. There are a number of built-in features that teams might not be taking advantage of as they should. We have a breakdown of the five most underrated features on the platform according to NetSuite OpenAir reviews. Every user should know more about them so they can utilize them for what they were intended.
Conditional Fields with Dropdown Menus
Creating forms with a drop-down menu allows users to input content based on their selection and it is a useful tool that saves time and effort. Many companies already use form permissions to distribute the responses but that solution is not entirely scalable. The higher the number of form permission requests, the more time is required for maintaining them.
Users can choose advanced custom fields to create conditional dropdown menus. There is an option to enable this conditional association for separate custom fields. Although users need to contact NetSuite OpenAir support to access this feature. Once it has been enabled they can drag and drop the dropdown menus and create functionality without having to deal with permissions management.
Allocation Grids
There are many situations where it is helpful for users to see the percentage value for each field. A sales team that is calculating revenue credit for each employee or region might need to compute all the information and convert it into percentages. This can be accomplished with an Allocation Grid that distributes all the information with custom field options.
With the Allocation Grid, users no longer have to perform long custom calculations that could lead to inaccuracy in reporting. This is standard functionality that is included in the new NetSuite OpenAir versions and older systems can have it enabled with the custom field switch for allocation grids. There will no longer be any challenges in reporting but one drawback with this function is that the data has to be entered into the grid manually. It is not possible to upload any data with the integration tool or programming.
Timesheet Approvals
Timesheets are mandatory for a professional services firm but they can lead to several operational challenges. There is always one error or another in the timesheet or instances of employees forgetting to clock in or out. To avoid miscoding there is a NetSuite OpenAir feature many do not know about. There is no longer a need for phone calls, emails, or trips to the office to request approval or rejection of a particular timesheet in order for corrections to be made.
The approving authorities do not have to deal with the frustration of rejecting a timesheet only because of a few error items. The rejection can lead to unexpected delays in the billing or scheduling. NetSuite OpenAir demo has a feature that can rectify both situations. It allows user to reject their own timesheets before the approving authority has seen them so they can correct the fields and minimize issues.
These timesheet rejections are useful for line items and they enable users to carry out bulk actions on multiple lines with a single click. The approver can also send back specific lines with issues instead of rejecting the entire timesheet.
Booking Creation from Task Assignments
Businesses can streamline their initial booking and scheduling process with NetSuite OpenAir. The program uses task assignments and resource assignments to make it easier for users to create project tasks. The structure is defined from the beginning along with starting and ending dates that are communicated to the assigned users. OpenAir lets managers turn tasks into bookings.
Once a booking is created it is very easy to manage them using the dedicated module. The users need to enable their booking automation feature. They can set a single approver using the “Submitter” option. There is also an auto-approval process where timesheets can get the go-ahead without delay.
Cost Adjustment
An employee’s salary is calculated based on specific assumptions related to their utilization and the number of hours spent working. However, those who have exceeded the allotted time can lead to higher project costs. An employee that has worked overtime can impact the invoicing and requires the client to approve additional credits.
Correcting the invoices requires custom calculations but NetSuite OpenAir makes the process even easier. It has a built-in reporting tool that adjusts costs based on utilization. There are advanced options that normalize costs based on what percentage of the resource was utilized for a given time period. It generates reports that are more accurate and account for any labor or wage caps when calculating salaries.
There are filters that can help sort the report to display only those team members that require cost adjustments. Those who have exceeded 100% in utilization or near that number can be approached. Users do not need to enable a switch to access this feature but it is only available when the Report Management Interface is enabled. It is possible to load up costs for three resources and cost adjustment is available for primary employees only.
Conclusion
This article must have educated users on NetSuite OpenAir demo features they were not familiar with and those that can help them increase the efficiency of their operations. There are online guides available to help users learn how to customize the software for their organization. There is an extensive library as well and users can connect with the technical support team to customize their platform. NetSuite has created a tool that will add utility and provide value to all service providers without compromising on flexibility.
