Sandbox Management
Manage your test environment and refresh from production.
What is a Sandbox?
A Sandbox is a copy of your production account for testing:
SANDBOX VS PRODUCTION
===============================================================================
PRODUCTION SANDBOX
├── Real business data ├── Copy of production data
├── Real transactions ├── Test transactions
├── Affects your business ├── No business impact
├── Updates last ├── Updates first (weeks ahead)
└── Don't test here! └── TEST EVERYTHING HERE!
When to Use Sandbox
| Use Sandbox For | Don't Use Sandbox For |
|---|---|
| Testing new features | Real business transactions |
| Script development | Training with outdated data |
| Testing imports | Testing after data is stale |
| Release preparation | Nothing - always use it! |
| Integration testing | |
| User training (refresh first) |
Accessing Your Sandbox
HOW TO ACCESS SANDBOX
===============================================================================
Method 1: Role Switch
├── Log into NetSuite
├── Click your name (top right)
├── Click "Change Role"
├── Select a Sandbox role
└── You're now in Sandbox
Method 2: Direct URL
├── Your sandbox has a different URL
├── Usually: system.sandbox.netsuite.com
├── Or: [accountid]-sb1.app.netsuite.com
└── Bookmark it for easy access
Method 3: From Production
├── Setup > Company > Setup Tasks
├── Click "Access Your Sandbox"
Refreshing Your Sandbox
What is a Refresh?
A refresh copies recent production data to your sandbox:
REFRESH PROCESS
===============================================================================
BEFORE REFRESH AFTER REFRESH
Sandbox has old data Sandbox has recent production data
├── Customers from 6 months ago ├── Current customers
├── Old transactions ├── Recent transactions
├── Outdated customizations ├── Current customizations
└── Stale test data └── Fresh for testing
IMPORTANT: Refresh OVERWRITES everything in Sandbox!
When to Refresh
| Refresh When | Why |
|---|---|
| Before major testing | Need current data |
| Before release testing | Test with real scenarios |
| Data is very outdated | More realistic testing |
| After major production changes | Sync customizations |
| For user training | Current data for training |
Step-by-Step: Refresh Sandbox
HOW TO REFRESH SANDBOX
===============================================================================
Step 1: Plan the refresh
├── Notify anyone using Sandbox
├── Export any Sandbox-only customizations you want to keep
├── Choose refresh timing (takes several hours)
└── Production account remains unaffected
Step 2: Navigate to refresh
Setup > Company > Setup Tasks > Refresh Sandbox
Step 3: Select refresh options
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Sandbox Refresh Options │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ □ Include Transactions │
│ (Sales orders, invoices, etc.) │
│ │
│ □ Include File Cabinet │
│ (Uploaded files and documents) │
│ │
│ □ Truncate Transactions │
│ (Only recent X months of transactions) │
│ │
│ Truncation Period: [6 months ▼] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step 4: Confirm and start
├── Review what will be copied
├── Acknowledge data will be overwritten
├── Click "Start Refresh"
└── Wait for completion (hours, not minutes)
Step 5: Verify after refresh
├── Log into Sandbox
├── Check data looks current
├── Verify customizations copied
└── Test basic functions
Refresh Options Explained
| Option | What It Does | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Include Transactions | Copies orders, invoices, payments | ✓ Usually yes (for realistic testing) |
| Include File Cabinet | Copies uploaded files | Depends (can slow refresh) |
| Truncate Transactions | Only copy X months of data | ✓ Yes (faster, cleaner) |
Truncation Period
| Period | Best For |
|---|---|
| 3 months | Fast refresh, recent data only |
| 6 months | Good balance (recommended) |
| 12 months | More history, slower refresh |
| All | Everything, slowest refresh |
What Gets Refreshed
WHAT COPIES FROM PRODUCTION TO SANDBOX
===============================================================================
ALWAYS COPIED:
├── All records (customers, vendors, items, employees)
├── Customizations (fields, forms, records, scripts)
├── Roles and permissions
├── Saved searches
├── Workflows
├── User accounts
└── Company settings
OPTIONAL (based on settings):
├── Transactions (if selected)
├── File Cabinet (if selected)
└── Email history (usually not)
NEVER COPIED:
├── Sandbox-only customizations (overwritten!)
├── Sandbox-only test data
├── Email sending capability (blocked in sandbox)
└── Integration credentials (security)
Important Warnings
Before Refresh
⚠️ PRE-REFRESH CHECKLIST
===============================================================================
□ Export Sandbox-only customizations you want to keep
└── Use SuiteBundler to bundle them
□ Notify Sandbox users
└── Anyone testing will lose their work
□ Document any test data you need to recreate
└── Test transactions will be lost
□ Check no one is mid-test
└── Active work will be lost
□ Verify refresh timing
└── Don't start before a critical testing period
After Refresh
POST-REFRESH TASKS
===============================================================================
□ Verify key data is present
└── Spot-check customers, items, transactions
□ Check customizations work
└── Test critical scripts and workflows
□ Re-import Sandbox-only items
└── Restore any exported bundles
□ Reset test scenarios
└── Create any specific test data needed
□ Verify user access
└── Confirm test users can log in
Sandbox Limitations
| Limitation | Why |
|---|---|
| No real emails sent | Prevents test emails to real customers |
| No real payments | Prevents test charges |
| Data becomes stale | Need to refresh periodically |
| Integration creds reset | Security protection |
| Slower performance | Lower priority than production |
Multiple Sandboxes
Some accounts have multiple sandboxes:
MULTIPLE SANDBOX SCENARIOS
===============================================================================
Account Type Sandboxes Available
───────────────────────────────────────────
Standard 1 Sandbox
Premium 2+ Sandboxes
Use Cases:
├── Sandbox 1: Development (frequent refreshes)
├── Sandbox 2: UAT/Testing (stable for testing cycles)
└── Sandbox 3: Training (refresh before training sessions)
Quick Reference
| I want to... | Go to |
|---|---|
| Access Sandbox | Change Role > Select Sandbox role |
| Refresh Sandbox | Setup > Company > Setup Tasks > Refresh Sandbox |
| Check refresh status | Setup > Company > View Sandbox Status |
| Export customizations | Customization > SuiteBundler > Bundle Builder |
Best Practices
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Refresh before major testing | Test on stale data |
| Notify users before refresh | Refresh without warning |
| Export unique customizations | Lose Sandbox-only work |
| Truncate transactions | Copy all history (slow) |
| Verify after refresh | Assume everything copied |
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh takes too long | Too much data | Use truncation, skip files |
| Missing transactions | Truncation too aggressive | Increase truncation period |
| Scripts not working | Integration creds missing | Re-enter in Sandbox |
| Can't log in | User account issue | Check roles in Sandbox |
| Old data still showing | Refresh not complete | Wait, check status |
Key Takeaways
- Sandbox = safe testing environment
- Refresh copies production data to Sandbox
- Refresh OVERWRITES everything in Sandbox
- Export before refresh - save Sandbox-only work
- Use truncation for faster refreshes
- Verify after refresh - confirm data copied correctly
Related Topics
- Upgrade & Release Prep - Testing releases in Sandbox
- Data Migration - Testing imports in Sandbox
- Security Considerations - Sandbox security