Netsuite Setup: How to install NetSuite bundles | SuiteBundler Installations
In this article, I’ll show you how to install add-on bundles on your NetSuite ERP account.
This article is part of my NetSuite series Unboxing A New NetSuite Account, where I show you how to fully configure a new NetSuite account. If you prefer to watch my video instead, click here.
In the previous article, I showed you how to enable features on your new NetSuite account. This is one of the most important steps after setting up your authentication. Today’s article is about installing bundles.
What are NetSuite Bundles?
NetSuite bundles are pieces of software modules that can be installed on NetSuite to extend its functionality. The NetSuite ERP platform is built with a modular architecture that allows new modules to be installed to meet a business’s needs.
SuiteBundler is a module development platform for NetSuite that allows exports to share their knowledge by creating applications that can be installed by NetSuite users. This tool is one we use to install bundles.
How to install NetSuite bundles with SuiteBundler
On the main menu, hover your mouse on Customization > SuiteBundler > Search & Install Bundles > list and click. You’ll be taken to the page shown below, where you can see the list of installed bundles as well as install new ones.
This list has several columns that are worth getting familiar with, and I have given a brief explanation about each here:
- Action – enables you to enable or disable a bundle
- Name – the bundle’s name
- Bundle ID – you can use this ID to find the bundle’s files in the file cabinet
- Version – the installed version of the bundle. An exclamation mark next to the version means that there is a new updated version of the bundle.
- Abstract – a short description of what the bundle is and what it does
- Admin Documentation – documentation for configuring the bundle in the admin dashboard
- Status – a green tick here shows it is installed
- Owner – the source of the bundle, which could be a third party
- Publisher – the id of the publisher
- Installed By – shows the user who installed the bundle
- Installed On – shows the date of installation
- Last Update – when the bundle was last updated in your account
In this tutorial, we’re going to install the following bundles:
- Last Sales Activity
- Electronic Bank Payments
- Payment Gateway
- File Drag & Drop
- NetSuit Support Assistant
When you click on the blue New button for the first time, you’ll be prompted to accept the terms and conditions of using the SuiteBundler application to install bundles. After you’ve read it, click the Agree button to continue. You’ll be redirected to the Search & Install Bundles page.
If you don’t enter anything in the search box and hit the Search button, NetSuite will list the most popular SuiteApps. You can use the basic search where you just enter the name of a bundle, or you can use the advanced search which gives you finer control on the search results.
Enter “last sales” in the search box and hit the Search button. Click on Last Sales Activity in the search results to view the bundle’s details. In the hero section of the details page, you’re provided with details about the bundle, such as how many people are using it, any vertical products it’s based on, available languages and other information.
Pro Tip:
If you find more than one bundle with the same name in the search results, they are probably developed by different companies. As a rule of thumb, I prefer installing bundles that have been installed by the highest number of users in the NO. INSTALLS column.
Click on the Install button and then click Okay in the browser pop up dialog that shows, and this will take you to the Preview Bundle Install page. This page shows you the configuration of the bundle you are about to install, such as the files and directories it creates among other details. You can click Cancel to do just that, or click the Install button to begin the installation.
Once you begin the installation, it may take some time depending on the size of the bundle, and if you go back to the bundles list, the status column will show “Pending” in red font, and you may have to refresh the page for it to put the green tick that shows a bundle has been installed.
Repeat this process and install all the bundles we set out to install. This exercise will ensure that you master the process, and the bundles themselves are really important for day-to-day use. They are also quite popular, and will really make your life easy on NetSuite.
How to uninstall NetSuite bundles using the Bundle Audit Trail
If for some reason you want to uninstall a bundle, say for example you got the wrong one or you no longer need it, you can uninstall it with relative ease using the Action column of the bundles’ list. Click on the green drop-down arrow and select uninstall.
NOTE: You can only uninstall a Customization Bundle, NOT a Configuration bundle.
Uninstallation should take much less time than installation, but it could take a minute or two, and you may have to Refresh the list to see it gone.
If you want to really confirm that the bundle has been removed, head over to Customization > SuiteBundler > Bundle Audit Trail, which keeps a record of every installation and uninstallation. You can quickly press Ctrl + F on your keyboard and type the name of the bundle you uninstalled and confirm that the uninstallation is in the bundle audit trail.
Conclusion
NetSuite is an extensible modular suite of apps that allows third party developers and experts to create applications that can be added to an account to enhance it. This enables users to install utilities that make their work easier, such as the popular and must-have File Drag & Drop that’s really useful. If you need a certain capability, just search to see if a bundle exists that does what you want.
What’s Next?
This is a series of tutorials that shows you how to unbox your new NetSuite account, complete with video tutorials. We are constantly adding more NetSuite tutorials, so bookmark this page for quick access. Check out our other NetSuite and visit our YouTube channel for more.