Top NetSuite modules: features, benefits, and pricing guide
NetSuite modules help manage all aspects of your business, from finance to customer relationships. My guide breaks down the top NetSuite modules, their key features, benefits and pricing so you can find the right one.
Understanding NetSuite Modules
NetSuite is not just another ERP but a powerful cloud-based platform. This means you can access your business data and processes from anywhere, at any time, with unparalleled flexibility and scalability. The cloud-based nature of NetSuite also ensures that your data is secure and always up-to-date.
At its heart, the NetSuite ERP system is a suite of modules, each with specific functionality, that create a business management system. This modular approach allows you to tailor your ERP solution to your business needs so you only pay for the features that matter to your operations.
These NetSuite ERP modules automate business processes and provide a single database for financial and operational data across the company.
Typical NetSuite modules support:
- Finance and accounting
- Procurement
- Manufacturing
- Inventory management
- Order management
- Customer relationship management
NetSuite makes better decisions, processes and cost savings by having these functions in one system.
One of the most significant benefits of NetSuite is the ease at which you can add new modules like a NetSuite module as your business grows and changes. For instance, if your business expands into new markets, you can add a new module to manage international sales. This flexibility means NetSuite can continuously adapt to your changing business needs, adding more features and functionality to the ERP platform.
How to select the right NetSuite Modules
Choosing the right NetSuite modules for you should start with analysing your business operations.
Documenting these processes will help you identify areas for improvement and pinpoint the specific challenges or pain points you want the NetSuite system to solve. I would insist on this upfront step before any NetSuite implementation begins.
Involve key stakeholders like department heads and team leaders in the selection process. Their feedback on requirements and pain points will give you valuable insights into which modules will be most beneficial.
This collaborative approach ensures that everyone’s needs and concerns are considered, making them feel valued and involved in decision-making.
Budget is another factor to consider.
Reviewing the costs of implementing and maintaining NetSuite modules, including licensing fees, customisation, and training, will help us decide which is right for your company.
Key Financial Management Modules in NetSuite
Financial management is the foundation of any business. NetSuite has a range of financial management modules to streamline finance processes and overall financial visibility. Key modules in this area are Advanced Financials, Revenue Management, and SuiteBilling, each with its own features and benefits for improving financials.
Advanced Financials
The Advanced Financials module in NetSuite has various features to help with budgeting, expense allocation and financial visibility. Some of these features are:
- Flexible billing schedules
- Real-time budget monitoring
- Customisable invoicing and billing options
- Ability to manage different customer needs and contract terms
These features allow you to tailor your financial processes to your needs more efficiently and accurately.
Beyond billing and budgeting, the Advanced Financials module has:
- Integrated planning, budgeting, and forecasting capabilities
- Dashboards for better visibility
- Additional functionalities, such as amortisation and statistical accounts
These will help you keep your financial records accurate and make informed decisions.
Revenue Management
NetSuite’s Revenue Management module automates revenue recognition to comply with ASC 606 and IFRS 15 accounting standards. This automates the revenue management process so you can provide an updated view of expected revenue for future periods.
Following industry standards will improve your financial reporting and reduce compliance risk.
The Service Resource Management module, which includes the Revenue Management module, offers:
- Detailed reporting on sales and revenue by different criteria
- Valuable insights into financial performance
- Help in tracking revenue more effectively
- Strategic decision-making based on accurate data
- Simplification of complex revenue processes
- Focus on growth and profitability
SuiteBilling
SuiteBilling is a complete solution that simplifies billing processes, supports multiple pricing models and gives real-time visibility into financial activity. It can handle different subscription models and one-time, recurring and usage-based charges.
Real-time metrics reporting helps you stay on top of your billing and financials.
NetSuite CRM and Sales Modules
Managing customer relationships and sales processes is critical to business success. NetSuite has a range of CRM and Sales modules to help you do that. Key modules are Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Incentive Compensation, and Contract Renewals, each with tools to manage customer interactions, sales commissions and contract renewals.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
NetSuite CRM has a complete solution for managing the entire customer lifecycle. It includes:
- Sales force automation
- Customer service management
- Marketing automation
- Partner relationship management
With these, you’ll get a single view of customer preferences and interactions across all channels. This single view means consistent and personalised customer experiences and higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
The CRM module gives you:
- Real-time access to customer and order records so your sales teams can perform better with accurate data
- Marketing automation to streamline campaigns across digital channels so your marketing is targeted and effective
- Automation of processes from order to renewal to improve sales performance and customer relationship management
NetSuite CRM helps you improve sales performance and customer relationship management.
Incentive Compensation
NetSuite’s incentive compensation tools simplify the design and management of sales commission plans. You can:
- Manage and calculate sales compensation based on different criteria, such as quota, quantity sold and product profitability.
- Make sure your sales teams are motivated and aligned with business objectives.
- Track salesperson performance and pay commissions earned
The module will drive sales success by motivating and aligning your sales teams to business objectives.
Contract Renewals
The NetSuite Contract Renewals module gives you:
- Automates the entire contract renewal process
- Reduces administrative overhead
- Improves customer retention
- Alerts sales teams and manages customer interactions
- Ensures timely renewals
- Reduces subscriber churn
Integration with other NetSuite modules provides a seamless renewal workflow and overall efficiency.
Inventory and Order Management Modules
Inventory and order management are vital to any business. NetSuite has modules like Advanced Inventory, Advanced Order Management and Warehouse Management System (WMS) to help you manage these processes. With NetSuite Inventory, you can maintain optimal inventory levels, streamline order processing and optimise warehouse operations.
Advanced Inventory
The NetSuite Inventory Management Module or Advanced Inventory module helps you manage inventory levels, track multiple locations and monitor lot and serial numbers. With real-time tracking and reporting through intuitive dashboards and analytics, you’ll have visibility into your inventory at all times. The Smart Count feature allows you to log inventory cycle counts without freezing transactions, allowing you to manage your inventory efficiently.
The Advanced Inventory module optimises inventory levels and gives you real-time insights. It prevents stockouts and overstock situations and controls overall inventory. This module is key to boosting your inventory management and operations.
Advanced Order Management
NetSuite’s Advanced Order Management module gives you:
- Automates the order-to-cash process
- Optimises cash flow
- Ensures efficient order processing
- Supports rules for returns from all channels
- Facilitates exchanges
- Manages credit efficiently
By automating these processes, businesses can improve order accuracy and customer satisfaction.
Warehouse Management System (WMS)
The Warehouse Management System (WMS) module in NetSuite or warehouse management module improves warehouse operations by optimising receiving, putaway and picking. Real-time inventory tracking tools give you accuracy and reduce handling costs so you can manage your warehouse efficiently.
The NetSuite Ship Central mobile app will speed up customer deliveries for you.
Supply Chain and Manufacturing Modules
NetSuite’s supply chain and manufacturing modules help you manage supply chain and manufacturing processes. Here are some of the modules:
- Procurement: offers tools to streamline procurement processes
- Advanced Manufacturing: provides tools to manage and optimise manufacturing operations
- Demand Planning: helps with demand forecasting and planning
These modules will help you streamline your supply chain and manufacturing for better efficiency and productivity.
Procurement
The Procurement module in NetSuite helps businesses with:
- Securing materials and products
- Automating order requests
- Tracking purchase orders from quotation to delivery
- Detailed analytics and tracking for effective vendor relationship management
- Updating records automatically once product orders are completed or delivered
- Streamlining the source-to-pay process
The Procurement module helps you maintain optimal inventory levels and reduce procurement costs by automating procurement and giving you real-time insights. This module is key to improving procurement and getting materials on time.
Advanced Manufacturing
NetSuite’s Advanced Manufacturing provides integrated solutions to reduce operating costs and manage Manufacturing. With infinite capacity scheduling and a drag-and-drop Gantt scheduler, you can plan production around available capacity without resource constraints, use resources efficiently and meet production deadlines.
The WIP and Routings feature gives you more control over resources and costs by defining the routing of the manufacturing process.
Demand Planning
The Demand Planning module in NetSuite helps manage inventory efficiently by:
- Predicting demand based on historical data and sales forecasts
- Automating the demand planning process
- Reducing manual effort
- Creating more accurate capacity plans.
This module is vital to improve inventory management and ensure you can meet customer demand without overstocking.
Project Management and Professional Services Automation (PSA)
NetSuite has SuiteProjects, OpenAir and NetSuite OneWorld for project management and PSA. These modules will help you streamline service-based business with project-based reporting, resource assignment and full-service operation management.
SuiteProjects
SuiteProjects is a Professional Services Automation (PSA) solution built on NetSuite. It’s a single platform to run a service-based business, with project-based reporting, resource assignment and real-time visibility into project performance.
With SuiteProjects, you can set up projects, create tasks, assign staff so the right resources are assigned to the proper functions, minimise non-billable time, and optimise productivity.
The module also has advanced billing functionality to support various billing scenarios, such as recurring contracts, time and materials agreements and fixed-fee business. The project dashboard shows billable hours and percentages, complete with a drill-down to task details. This level of detail will give you accurate billing and time and expense management so you can improve project profitability and client satisfaction.
OpenAir
OpenAir has tools to manage service operations, including resource assignments, timesheets and expense reports. Combining financial visibility with service operation management, OpenAir will enhance project management and give you better project outcomes and more efficiency.
This will allow you to track and monitor project expenses, profitability and budget in real-time, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
Human Resources and Workforce Management Modules
NetSuite’s SuitePeople HR and SuitePeople Payroll, the HR modules, have all the solutions for workforce data management and HR service delivery. These modules will help you manage employee data, track performance and streamline payroll processing so you can improve overall HR efficiency and effectiveness.
SuitePeople HR
SuitePeople HR is a single platform that manages employee data. It connects HR data to financial, planning and budgeting processes. This integration will improve data accuracy and decision-making across the organisation. The module has:
- HR administration
- Performance management
- Workforce engagement
- Analytics
You have a single platform to manage HR and financial data. Employees and managers can securely perform everyday HR tasks like changing addresses, viewing time-off balances, and reducing HR administrative costs.
The Performance Management Add-on Module will help you track employee goals and recognition tools to boost employee engagement. SuitePeople HR has access controls and effective dating, so you have data security and an audit trail for HR inquiries.
SuitePeople Payroll
SuitePeople Payroll is a full-service payroll solution that integrates with NetSuite. It offers the following features:
- Eliminates the need for third-party integrations
- Enhances payroll accuracy
- Streamlines payroll processing
- Monitors timesheets
- Accounts for deductions
With SuitePeople Payroll, you can manage payroll efficiently and accurately.
Employee self-service allows employees to update their addresses, add bank accounts and view paychecks, making payroll more efficient.
Analytics and Reporting Modules
NetSuite’s SuiteAnalytics and Analytics Warehouse has:
- Real-time financial and operational performance insights
- Customisable reports, dashboards and KPIs
- Actionable insights and data-driven decisions
These modules will help you analyse and improve your performance.
SuiteAnalytics
SuiteAnalytics is built into NetSuite so you can access financial and operational data faster. As part of the NetSuite solution, it has:
- Real-time visibility into company performance
- Flexible querying to analyse data from multiple sources
- A library of reports based on a single source of financial and operational data
It simplifies reporting so you have accuracy and consistency.
SuiteAnalytics has:
- Role-based dashboards
- KPIs for specific business roles
- Real-time access to reports and performance data
- Prebuilt and customisable reports
These will help you monitor key metrics and make informed decisions, giving you the insights you need to grow and be profitable.
Analytics Warehouse
NetSuite Analytics Warehouse has:
- Consolidates data from NetSuite and non-NetSuite sources for complete visibility
- Breaks down data silos and gives you a 360-degree view of your business
- It helps you identify issues, trends and opportunities
- Drives better decision-making and planning
Commerce Modules
NetSuite’s SuiteCommerce and SuiteCommerce InStore, the commerce modules, will enhance the online and in-store retail experience. These modules:
- integrate ecommerce with core operational business systems
- provide a unified view of customers, orders, and inventory
- support omnichannel retail strategies.
SuiteCommerce
SuiteCommerce is an optimised ecommerce platform that integrates with NetSuite financials, order and inventory management and CRM. This integration will process online orders quickly and accurately, improving customer satisfaction.
SuiteCommerce allows you to create responsive designs that will automatically adjust site capabilities for different devices so you have a seamless shopping experience across all platforms.
The module has drag-and-drop site management tools so business users can launch promotions, create landing pages and publish content without IT. SuiteCommerce Advanced has complete control for developers and designers so that you can customise and integrate with other NetSuite modules. SuiteCommerce will help you deliver a unique and engaging online customer experience with these features.
SuiteCommerce InStore
SuiteCommerce InStore supports omnichannel retail by integrating physical and digital retail environments. This module has:
- Complete featured mobile point-of-sale (POS)
- Access to inventory and customer information
- So customers have a seamless shopping experience whether they shop online or in-store.
By integrating physical and digital shopping experiences, SuiteCommerce InStore will help you increase customer satisfaction and drive sales.
Pricing of NetSuite Modules
NetSuite module pricing varies depending on company size, required modules and number of users. NetSuite has different editions for different business sizes and needs.
For example, Standard Edition is for companies with up to 30 users and multiple legal entities, while Premium Edition is for larger companies with over 1,000 users. Pricing is based on the modules you choose, company size and number of users, so you only pay for what you need.
NetSuite also has service tiers based on the maximum number of users, file storage and monthly transaction lines. Full-user licenses are for users who perform daily transactions, and self-service user licenses are for users who perform limited tasks like entering time and expenses.
NetSuite Sandbox accounts are available for development and testing without affecting operational data, so you have a safe environment to customise and test at an additional cost.
Overall, NetSuite implementations can cost from under €30,000 to over €250,000, depending on the complexity and scope of the deployment.
My final thoughts
As someone who has studied NetSuite’s business modules, I can say it’s unbeatable in terms of flexibility and scalability for businesses, startups, and enterprises.
Whether focused on financial management, CRM, inventory control, supply chain management, project management, HR or analytics, NetSuite has the tools to streamline your operations and drive growth.
By choosing the correct modules and leveraging NetSuite’s power, you can be more efficient, make better decisions and stay ahead in the fast-paced market. If you are thinking of implementing or upgrading your ERP system, speak to me, a NetSuite consultant, to discuss your migration and see how NetSuite is the option for you.
Originally published at https://jacopo.ee on July 1, 2024.