PDF Customization

Generate customized PDF documents for invoices, reports, and custom outputs.

PDF Generation Approaches

THREE APPROACHES TO PDF GENERATION
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1. ADVANCED PDF TEMPLATES (Built-in)
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| What: Template-based PDF customization                                      |
| How:  XML/FreeMarker templates in NetSuite UI                               |
| Best for: Transaction documents (invoices, POs, statements)                 |
| Requires: Template knowledge, XML/HTML                                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

2. SUITELET PDF GENERATION (Script-Driven)
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| What: Generate PDFs programmatically via SuiteScript                        |
| How:  N/render module creates PDFs from templates or HTML                   |
| Best for: Custom reports, user-triggered exports, dynamic documents         |
| Requires: SuiteScript knowledge                                             |
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3. BULK PDF (Map/Reduce)
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| What: High-volume batch PDF generation                                      |
| How:  Map/Reduce script processes thousands of records                      |
| Best for: Monthly statements, bulk invoices, mass document generation       |
| Requires: SuiteScript, Map/Reduce pattern                                   |
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Choosing the Right Approach

Scenario	Recommended Approach
Custom invoice layout	Advanced PDF Template
Custom packing slip	Advanced PDF Template
Sales order form	Advanced PDF Template
Custom report from Suitelet	Suitelet PDF Generation
User-triggered export	Suitelet PDF Generation
Print 1,000+ invoices	Bulk PDF (Map/Reduce)
Monthly statement batch	Bulk PDF (Map/Reduce)

Quick Comparison

FEATURE COMPARISON
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Feature                 | Advanced PDF    | Suitelet PDF    | Bulk PDF
------------------------+-----------------+-----------------+----------------
Template Location       | NetSuite UI     | File Cabinet    | File Cabinet
------------------------+-----------------+-----------------+----------------
Coding Required         | XML/HTML        | SuiteScript     | SuiteScript
------------------------+-----------------+-----------------+----------------
Volume                  | Single record   | Low-Medium      | High (1000+)
------------------------+-----------------+-----------------+----------------
Trigger                 | Print button    | Script/Suitelet | Scheduled
------------------------+-----------------+-----------------+----------------
Best Use Case           | Transactions    | Reports/Forms   | Bulk exports

Architecture Overview

PDF GENERATION FLOW
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADVANCED PDF TEMPLATE:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Transaction Record  -->  Template Engine  -->  PDF Output                   |
|     (Invoice)           (BFO/FreeMarker)      (Download/Email)              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

SUITELET PDF:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Suitelet Script  -->  N/render Module  -->  PDF File  -->  Response         |
|   (User Request)     (mergeEmail/xmlToPdf)  (File Cabinet)  (Download)      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

BULK PDF (MAP/REDUCE):
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Scheduled/On-Demand  -->  Map: Load Records  -->  Reduce: Create PDFs       |
|                           (Transaction List)      (Save to Cabinet/Email)    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Template Basics

All PDF approaches share common concepts:

1. Document Structure

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE pdf PUBLIC "-//big.faceless.org//report" "report-1.1.dtd">
<pdf>
    <head>
        <style type="text/css">
            /* CSS styles here */
        </style>
    </head>
    <body size="Letter">
        <!-- Content here -->
    </body>
</pdf>

2. Data Access

Accessing Record Data:
  ${record.field}           - Standard field
  ${record.custbody_xxx}    - Custom body field
  ${item.custcol_xxx}       - Custom column field (in loop)

Accessing Related Records:
  ${record.field@subfield}  - Field from linked record
  ${record.recmachfield}    - Child records (Record is Parent)

3. Output Options

OUTPUT OPTIONS
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DISPLAY IN BROWSER:
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| context.response.writeFile({                                                |
|     file: pdfFile,                                                          |
|     isInline: true  // Display in browser                                   |
| });                                                                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

FORCE DOWNLOAD:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| context.response.writeFile({                                                |
|     file: pdfFile,                                                          |
|     isInline: false  // Force download                                      |
| });                                                                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

SAVE TO FILE CABINET:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| var pdfFile = render.xmlToPdf({ xmlString: pdfContent });                   |
| pdfFile.folder = 123;  // File Cabinet folder ID                            |
| pdfFile.name = 'Invoice-' + invoiceId + '.pdf';                             |
| var fileId = pdfFile.save();                                                |
|                                                                             |
| // Optionally attach to record                                              |
| record.attach({                                                             |
|     record: {type: 'file', id: fileId},                                     |
|     to: {type: 'invoice', id: invoiceId}                                    |
| });                                                                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

EMAIL ATTACHMENT:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| email.send({                                                                |
|     author: employeeId,                                                     |
|     recipients: [customerId],                                               |
|     subject: 'Your Invoice',                                                |
|     body: 'Please find attached...',                                        |
|     attachments: [pdfFile]                                                  |
| });                                                                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

PDF Topics

Topic	Description
Advanced PDF Templates →	Built-in template customization with step-by-step tutorials
Suitelet PDF Generation →	Script-driven PDF creation
Bulk PDF Generation →	High-volume batch processing

Common Use Cases

ADVANCED PDF TEMPLATES:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| - Custom branded invoices                                                   |
| - Purchase orders with company logo                                         |
| - Packing slips with warehouse instructions                                 |
| - Statements with payment history                                           |
| - Sales orders with terms                                                   |
| - Return authorizations                                                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

SUITELET PDF:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| - Custom reports (sales summaries, inventory reports)                       |
| - Employee documents (offer letters, contracts)                             |
| - User-requested exports                                                    |
| - Dashboard PDF exports                                                     |
| - Certificate generation                                                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

BULK PDF (MAP/REDUCE):
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| - Monthly customer statements (1000+ customers)                             |
| - Mass invoice printing                                                     |
| - End-of-year tax documents                                                 |
| - Archival document generation                                              |
| - Scheduled report distribution                                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Getting Started Checklist

Step	Advanced PDF	Suitelet PDF	Bulk PDF
1	Navigate to Templates	Create Suitelet script	Create Map/Reduce script
2	Create new template	Define HTML/XML template	Query records in getInputData
3	Add XML/FreeMarker code	Use N/render module	Generate PDFs in map/reduce
4	Link to transaction form	Deploy Suitelet	Deploy script + schedule
5	Test with Print button	Test via URL	Monitor script execution

References

SuiteScript N/render Module - Official documentation
BFO Report Generator - Template engine documentation
FreeMarker Manual - Template language reference

PDF Generation Approaches​

Choosing the Right Approach​

Quick Comparison​

Architecture Overview​

Template Basics​

1. Document Structure​

2. Data Access​

3. Output Options​

PDF Topics​

Common Use Cases​

Getting Started Checklist​

References​

PDF Generation Approaches

Choosing the Right Approach

Quick Comparison

Architecture Overview

Template Basics

1. Document Structure

2. Data Access

3. Output Options

PDF Topics

Common Use Cases

Getting Started Checklist

References