Project Structure

This guide explains every file and folder in an SDF project and their purposes.

Complete Project Structure

📁 my-netsuite-project/
│
├── 📄 suitecloud.config.js          # Project configuration
├── 📄 manifest.xml                  # Deployment manifest
├── 📄 deploy.xml                    # Deployment settings (optional)
├── 📄 package.json                  # Node.js dependencies
│
├── 📁 src/                          # Source files
│   │
│   ├── 📁 FileCabinet/              # Files deployed to File Cabinet
│   │   │
│   │   └── 📁 SuiteScripts/         # Script files
│   │       ├── 📁 Suitelets/        # Suitelet scripts
│   │       ├── 📁 UserEvents/       # User Event scripts
│   │       ├── 📁 ClientScripts/    # Client scripts
│   │       ├── 📁 ScheduledScripts/ # Scheduled scripts
│   │       ├── 📁 MapReduce/        # Map/Reduce scripts
│   │       ├── 📁 RESTlets/         # RESTlet scripts
│   │       ├── 📁 WorkflowActions/  # Workflow Action scripts
│   │       └── 📁 Libraries/        # Shared modules
│   │
│   ├── 📁 Objects/                  # Custom object definitions
│   │   ├── customrecord_*.xml       # Custom records
│   │   ├── customlist_*.xml         # Custom lists
│   │   ├── custworkflow_*.xml       # Workflows
│   │   ├── customsearch_*.xml       # Saved searches
│   │   ├── customscript_*.xml       # Script deployments
│   │   └── ...                      # Other objects
│   │
│   └── 📁 Templates/                # HTML templates
│       └── *.html                   # Template files
│
├── 📁 node_modules/                 # Dependencies (auto-generated)
│
└── 📁 .git/                         # Git version control

How Files Connect

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                      HOW SDF FILES CONNECT                                   │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                            manifest.xml                                      │
│                    (What features are required)                              │
└────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                                 │
                    ┌────────────┴────────────┐
                    │                         │
                    ▼                         ▼
┌─────────────────────────────┐   ┌─────────────────────────────┐
│    Script File (.js)        │   │    Object File (.xml)       │
│    my_suitelet.js           │   │    customscript_my_sl.xml   │
│    (Contains the code)      │   │    (Deployment settings)    │
└─────────────────────────────┘   └─────────────────────────────┘
                    │                         │
                    │         Links to        │
                    └────────────┬────────────┘
                                 │
                                 ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                         NetSuite Account                                     │
│     Script is deployed and accessible at configured URL/trigger             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Core Configuration Files

suitecloud.config.js

Project-level SDF configuration:

module.exports = {
    // Where source files are located
    defaultProjectFolder: 'src',

    // Custom command configurations (optional)
    commands: {
        // Command-specific settings
    }
};

manifest.xml

Defines project metadata and dependencies:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<manifest projecttype="ACCOUNTCUSTOMIZATION">
    <!-- Project name -->
    <projectname>my-netsuite-project</projectname>

    <!-- SDF framework version -->
    <frameworkversion>1.0</frameworkversion>

    <!-- Required NetSuite features -->
    <dependencies>
        <features>
            <feature required="true">CUSTOMRECORDS</feature>
            <feature required="true">SERVERSIDESCRIPTING</feature>
            <feature required="true">CLIENTSIDESCRIPTING</feature>
        </features>
    </dependencies>
</manifest>

Common Features

Feature	Purpose
CUSTOMRECORDS	Custom record types
SERVERSIDESCRIPTING	Server-side scripts
CLIENTSIDESCRIPTING	Client scripts
WORKFLOW	Workflow engine
ADVANCEDPRINTING	PDF generation

deploy.xml (Optional)

Controls which objects to deploy:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<deploy>
    <configuration>
        <path>~/Objects/*</path>
    </configuration>
    <files>
        <path>~/FileCabinet/SuiteScripts/*</path>
    </files>
    <objects>
        <path>~/Objects/customscript_*.xml</path>
        <path>~/Objects/customrecord_*.xml</path>
    </objects>
</deploy>

Script Files

Location

All scripts go under src/FileCabinet/SuiteScripts/:

📁 SuiteScripts/
├── 📁 Suitelets/
│   └── invoice_report_sl.js
├── 📁 UserEvents/
│   └── sales_order_ue.js
├── 📁 ClientScripts/
│   └── customer_form_cs.js
└── 📁 Libraries/
    └── common_utils.js

Script File Structure

/**
 * @NApiVersion 2.1
 * @NScriptType Suitelet
 * @NModuleScope SameAccount
 */
define(['N/ui/serverWidget', 'N/search'],
    (serverWidget, search) => {

    /**
     * Main entry point
     * @param {Object} context
     */
    const onRequest = (context) => {
        // Script logic here
    };

    return { onRequest };
});

Script Type Headers

Script Type	@NScriptType Value
Suitelet	`Suitelet`
User Event	`UserEventScript`
Client Script	`ClientScript`
Scheduled	`ScheduledScript`
Map/Reduce	`MapReduceScript`
RESTlet	`Restlet`
Workflow Action	`WorkflowActionScript`

Object Files (XML)

Location

All objects go under src/Objects/:

📁 Objects/
├── customrecord_invoice_approval.xml    # Custom record
├── customlist_approval_status.xml       # Custom list
├── customscript_invoice_sl.xml          # Script deployment
├── customsearch_pending_invoices.xml    # Saved search
└── custworkflow_invoice_approval.xml    # Workflow

Script Deployment XML

Links a script file to NetSuite:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<customscript scriptid="customscript_invoice_sl">
    <name>Invoice Report Suitelet</name>
    <scripttype>SUITELET</scripttype>
    <scriptfile>[/SuiteScripts/Suitelets/invoice_report_sl.js]</scriptfile>
    <description>Invoice reporting suitelet</description>
    <isinactive>F</isinactive>
    <notifyowner>T</notifyowner>

    <!-- Deployment configuration -->
    <scriptdeployments>
        <scriptdeployment scriptid="customdeploy_invoice_sl">
            <status>RELEASED</status>
            <title>Invoice Report</title>
            <isdeployed>T</isdeployed>
            <loglevel>DEBUG</loglevel>
            <allroles>T</allroles>
        </scriptdeployment>
    </scriptdeployments>
</customscript>

Script Deployment Flow

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    SCRIPT DEPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP                            │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

┌─────────────────────────────┐
│    invoice_report_sl.js     │
│    (Script Code)            │
│                             │
│    • Business logic         │
│    • Form creation          │
│    • Data processing        │
└─────────────┬───────────────┘
              │
              │ Referenced by
              ▼
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│  customscript_invoice_sl    │
│  (Script Record)            │
│                             │
│  • Script type: SUITELET    │
│  • Script file path         │
│  • Owner, notifications     │
└─────────────┬───────────────┘
              │
              │ Contains
              ▼
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│  customdeploy_invoice_sl    │
│  (Script Deployment)        │
│                             │
│  • URL/trigger settings     │
│  • Role permissions         │
│  • Status (Testing/Release) │
│  • Log level                │
└─────────────────────────────┘

Custom Record XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<customrecordtype scriptid="customrecord_invoice_approval">
    <recordname>Invoice Approval</recordname>
    <includename>T</includename>
    <showid>T</showid>

    <customrecordcustomfields>
        <customrecordcustomfield scriptid="custrecord_ia_invoice">
            <label>Invoice</label>
            <fieldtype>SELECT</fieldtype>
            <selectrecordtype>-30</selectrecordtype>
        </customrecordcustomfield>

        <customrecordcustomfield scriptid="custrecord_ia_status">
            <label>Status</label>
            <fieldtype>SELECT</fieldtype>
            <selectrecordtype>[customlist_approval_status]</selectrecordtype>
        </customrecordcustomfield>

        <customrecordcustomfield scriptid="custrecord_ia_notes">
            <label>Approval Notes</label>
            <fieldtype>TEXTAREA</fieldtype>
        </customrecordcustomfield>
    </customrecordcustomfields>
</customrecordtype>

Custom List XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<customlist scriptid="customlist_approval_status">
    <name>Approval Status</name>

    <customvalues>
        <customvalue scriptid="val_pending">
            <value>Pending</value>
        </customvalue>
        <customvalue scriptid="val_approved">
            <value>Approved</value>
        </customvalue>
        <customvalue scriptid="val_rejected">
            <value>Rejected</value>
        </customvalue>
    </customvalues>
</customlist>

Saved Search XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<customsearch scriptid="customsearch_pending_invoices">
    <definition>
        <searchtype>Transaction</searchtype>
        <searchcolumns>
            <column>
                <name>tranid</name>
            </column>
            <column>
                <name>entity</name>
            </column>
            <column>
                <name>amount</name>
            </column>
        </searchcolumns>
        <searchfilters>
            <filter>
                <name>type</name>
                <operator>is</operator>
                <values>VendBill</values>
            </filter>
            <filter>
                <name>status</name>
                <operator>is</operator>
                <values>open</values>
            </filter>
        </searchfilters>
    </definition>
</customsearch>

Templates Folder

HTML Templates

For Suitelets with custom HTML:

📁 Templates/
├── invoice_report.html
└── email_template.html

Loading Templates in Script

const file = require('N/file');

const template = file.load({
    id: './Templates/invoice_report.html'
}).getContents();

File Naming Conventions

Type	Convention	Example
Suitelet	`{name}_sl.js`	`invoice_report_sl.js`
User Event	`{name}_ue.js`	`sales_order_ue.js`
Client Script	`{name}_cs.js`	`customer_cs.js`
Scheduled	`{name}_ss.js`	`daily_report_ss.js`
Map/Reduce	`{name}_mr.js`	`data_import_mr.js`
RESTlet	`{name}_rl.js`	`customer_api_rl.js`
Library	`{name}_lib.js`	`common_utils_lib.js`
Custom Record	`customrecord_{name}.xml`	`customrecord_approval.xml`
Custom List	`customlist_{name}.xml`	`customlist_status.xml`
Script Deploy	`customscript_{name}.xml`	`customscript_report_sl.xml`

Best Practices

Folder Organization

📁 SuiteScripts/
├── 📁 Suitelets/
│   ├── 📁 Reports/          # Group by function
│   │   ├── sales_report_sl.js
│   │   └── inventory_report_sl.js
│   └── 📁 Forms/
│       └── data_entry_sl.js
├── 📁 UserEvents/
│   ├── 📁 SalesOrder/       # Group by record type
│   │   └── so_validation_ue.js
│   └── 📁 Invoice/
│       └── inv_automation_ue.js
└── 📁 Libraries/
    ├── error_handler_lib.js  # Shared utilities
    ├── format_lib.js
    └── search_lib.js

Object Naming

Use lowercase with underscores
Include type indicator: customrecord_, customlist_, etc.
Be descriptive: customrecord_invoice_approval not customrecord_ia

Import Existing Objects

To import existing objects from NetSuite:

Ctrl+Shift+P → SuiteCloud: Import Objects

Or via terminal:

suitecloud object:import --type customrecord
suitecloud object:import --type savedsearch
suitecloud object:import --type workflow

Next Steps

Suitelet Development - Create your first script
Custom Records - Define data structures
Deploy to Sandbox - Test your project

Complete Project Structure​

How Files Connect​

Core Configuration Files​

suitecloud.config.js​

manifest.xml​

Common Features​

deploy.xml (Optional)​

Script Files​

Location​

Script File Structure​

Script Type Headers​

Object Files (XML)​

Location​

Script Deployment XML​

Script Deployment Flow​

Custom Record XML​

Custom List XML​

Saved Search XML​

Templates Folder​

HTML Templates​

Loading Templates in Script​

File Naming Conventions​

Best Practices​

Folder Organization​

Object Naming​

Import Existing Objects​

Next Steps​

Complete Project Structure

How Files Connect

Core Configuration Files

suitecloud.config.js

manifest.xml

Common Features

deploy.xml (Optional)

Script Files

Location

Script File Structure

Script Type Headers

Object Files (XML)

Location

Script Deployment XML

Script Deployment Flow

Custom Record XML

Custom List XML

Saved Search XML

Templates Folder

HTML Templates

Loading Templates in Script

File Naming Conventions

Best Practices

Folder Organization

Object Naming

Import Existing Objects

Next Steps