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Suitelet PDF Generation

Create custom PDF documents programmatically using SuiteScript.

Overview​

SUITELET PDF GENERATION
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ What It Is:                                                                  │
│ • Script-driven PDF generation using N/render module                        │
│ • Full control over data sources and layout                                 │
│ • Can pull data from searches, records, or external sources                │
│ • User-triggered or automated generation                                    │
│                                                                              │
│ Best For:                                                                    │
│ • Custom reports not tied to single record                                  │
│ • Dynamic data exports                                                      │
│ • PDF download buttons on forms                                            │
│ • Multi-record summaries                                                    │
│ • Complex data transformations                                              │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Basic PDF Suitelet​

Simple PDF Generation​

/**
 * @NApiVersion 2.1
 * @NScriptType Suitelet
 */
define(['N/render', 'N/file'], function(render, file) {

    function onRequest(context) {
        if (context.request.method === 'GET') {

            // Create simple PDF from XML
            var xmlContent = `<?xml version="1.0"?>
                <!DOCTYPE pdf PUBLIC "-//big.faceless.org//report" "report-1.1.dtd">
                <pdf>
                    <head>
                        <style>
                            body { font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; }
                            h1 { color: #2c3e50; }
                        </style>
                    </head>
                    <body>
                        <h1>Hello World PDF</h1>
                        <p>Generated: ${new Date().toLocaleDateString()}</p>
                    </body>
                </pdf>`;

            // Generate PDF from XML
            var pdfFile = render.xmlToPdf({
                xmlString: xmlContent
            });

            // Return PDF to browser
            context.response.writeFile({
                file: pdfFile,
                isInline: true  // Display in browser (false = download)
            });
        }
    }

    return { onRequest: onRequest };
});

Rendering Transactions​

Render Existing Record as PDF​

/**
 * @NApiVersion 2.1
 * @NScriptType Suitelet
 */
define(['N/render', 'N/record'], function(render, record) {

    function onRequest(context) {
        var recordId = context.request.parameters.id;
        var recordType = context.request.parameters.type || 'invoice';

        // Render transaction to PDF using default template
        var pdfFile = render.transaction({
            entityId: parseInt(recordId),
            printMode: render.PrintMode.PDF
        });

        // Optional: Rename the file
        pdfFile.name = recordType.toUpperCase() + '_' + recordId + '.pdf';

        context.response.writeFile({
            file: pdfFile,
            isInline: true
        });
    }

    return { onRequest: onRequest };
});

Custom Report PDF​

Search-Based Report​

/**
 * @NApiVersion 2.1
 * @NScriptType Suitelet
 * @description Generate sales report PDF from search results
 */
define(['N/render', 'N/search', 'N/format'], function(render, search, format) {

    function onRequest(context) {
        if (context.request.method === 'GET') {

            // Get date range from parameters
            var startDate = context.request.parameters.startDate || getFirstDayOfMonth();
            var endDate = context.request.parameters.endDate || getTodayDate();

            // Run sales search
            var salesData = getSalesData(startDate, endDate);

            // Build PDF XML
            var xmlContent = buildReportXml(salesData, startDate, endDate);

            // Generate PDF
            var pdfFile = render.xmlToPdf({
                xmlString: xmlContent
            });

            pdfFile.name = 'Sales_Report_' + startDate + '_to_' + endDate + '.pdf';

            context.response.writeFile({
                file: pdfFile,
                isInline: true
            });
        }
    }

    function getSalesData(startDate, endDate) {
        var results = [];

        var salesSearch = search.create({
            type: search.Type.TRANSACTION,
            filters: [
                ['type', 'anyof', 'CustInvc'],
                'AND',
                ['trandate', 'within', startDate, endDate],
                'AND',
                ['mainline', 'is', 'T']
            ],
            columns: [
                search.createColumn({ name: 'tranid' }),
                search.createColumn({ name: 'trandate', sort: search.Sort.ASC }),
                search.createColumn({ name: 'entity' }),
                search.createColumn({ name: 'total' }),
                search.createColumn({ name: 'status' })
            ]
        });

        salesSearch.run().each(function(result) {
            results.push({
                tranid: result.getValue('tranid'),
                date: result.getValue('trandate'),
                customer: result.getText('entity'),
                total: parseFloat(result.getValue('total')) || 0,
                status: result.getText('status')
            });
            return true;
        });

        return results;
    }

    function buildReportXml(data, startDate, endDate) {
        // Calculate totals
        var grandTotal = data.reduce(function(sum, row) {
            return sum + row.total;
        }, 0);

        // Build rows HTML
        var rowsHtml = data.map(function(row, index) {
            return `<tr class="${index % 2 === 0 ? 'even' : 'odd'}">
                <td>${row.tranid}</td>
                <td>${row.date}</td>
                <td>${row.customer}</td>
                <td class="right">$${row.total.toFixed(2)}</td>
                <td>${row.status}</td>
            </tr>`;
        }).join('');

        return `<?xml version="1.0"?>
            <!DOCTYPE pdf PUBLIC "-//big.faceless.org//report" "report-1.1.dtd">
            <pdf>
                <head>
                    <style>
                        body {
                            font-family: sans-serif;
                            font-size: 10pt;
                            padding: 20px;
                        }
                        h1 {
                            color: #2c3e50;
                            border-bottom: 2px solid #3498db;
                            padding-bottom: 10px;
                        }
                        .report-info {
                            background: #f8f9fa;
                            padding: 10px;
                            margin-bottom: 20px;
                        }
                        table {
                            width: 100%;
                            border-collapse: collapse;
                        }
                        th {
                            background: #2c3e50;
                            color: white;
                            padding: 8px;
                            text-align: left;
                        }
                        td {
                            padding: 8px;
                            border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;
                        }
                        .even { background: #f8f9fa; }
                        .right { text-align: right; }
                        .total-row {
                            font-weight: bold;
                            background: #ecf0f1;
                        }
                        .footer {
                            margin-top: 20px;
                            text-align: center;
                            font-size: 9pt;
                            color: #666;
                        }
                    </style>
                </head>
                <body size="Letter">
                    <h1>Sales Report</h1>

                    <div class="report-info">
                        <strong>Period:</strong> ${startDate} to ${endDate}<br/>
                        <strong>Generated:</strong> ${new Date().toLocaleString()}<br/>
                        <strong>Total Transactions:</strong> ${data.length}
                    </div>

                    <table>
                        <thead>
                            <tr>
                                <th>Invoice #</th>
                                <th>Date</th>
                                <th>Customer</th>
                                <th class="right">Amount</th>
                                <th>Status</th>
                            </tr>
                        </thead>
                        <tbody>
                            ${rowsHtml}
                            <tr class="total-row">
                                <td colspan="3">Grand Total</td>
                                <td class="right">$${grandTotal.toFixed(2)}</td>
                                <td></td>
                            </tr>
                        </tbody>
                    </table>

                    <div class="footer">
                        Confidential - Internal Use Only
                    </div>
                </body>
            </pdf>`;
    }

    function getFirstDayOfMonth() {
        var date = new Date();
        return format.format({
            value: new Date(date.getFullYear(), date.getMonth(), 1),
            type: format.Type.DATE
        });
    }

    function getTodayDate() {
        return format.format({
            value: new Date(),
            type: format.Type.DATE
        });
    }

    return { onRequest: onRequest };
});

Template-Based PDF​

Using File Cabinet Template​

/**
 * @NApiVersion 2.1
 * @NScriptType Suitelet
 */
define(['N/render', 'N/file', 'N/record', 'N/search'],
    function(render, file, record, search) {

    function onRequest(context) {
        var recordId = context.request.parameters.id;

        // Load template from File Cabinet
        var templateFile = file.load({
            id: 'SuiteScripts/templates/custom_report.xml'
        });

        // Load record data
        var invoiceRecord = record.load({
            type: record.Type.INVOICE,
            id: recordId
        });

        // Create renderer
        var renderer = render.create();

        // Set template content
        renderer.templateContent = templateFile.getContents();

        // Add data sources
        renderer.addRecord({
            templateName: 'record',
            record: invoiceRecord
        });

        // Add custom data
        renderer.addCustomDataSource({
            format: render.DataSource.OBJECT,
            alias: 'custom',
            data: {
                generatedDate: new Date().toLocaleDateString(),
                reportTitle: 'Custom Invoice Report',
                companyNote: 'Thank you for your business!'
            }
        });

        // Render PDF
        var pdfFile = renderer.renderAsPdf();
        pdfFile.name = 'Invoice_' + recordId + '.pdf';

        context.response.writeFile({
            file: pdfFile,
            isInline: true
        });
    }

    return { onRequest: onRequest };
});

Template File (custom_report.xml)​

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE pdf PUBLIC "-//big.faceless.org//report" "report-1.1.dtd">
<pdf>
    <head>
        <style>
            body { font-family: sans-serif; }
            .title { font-size: 18pt; color: #2c3e50; }
        </style>
    </head>
    <body>
        <h1 class="title">${custom.reportTitle}</h1>

        <p>Invoice: ${record.tranid}</p>
        <p>Customer: ${record.entity}</p>
        <p>Total: ${record.total}</p>

        <p>Generated: ${custom.generatedDate}</p>
        <p>${custom.companyNote}</p>
    </body>
</pdf>

PDF with Form Input​

User Parameter Form​

/**
 * @NApiVersion 2.1
 * @NScriptType Suitelet
 */
define(['N/ui/serverWidget', 'N/render', 'N/search', 'N/format'],
    function(serverWidget, render, search, format) {

    function onRequest(context) {
        if (context.request.method === 'GET') {
            // Show form
            var form = serverWidget.createForm({
                title: 'Generate Sales Report'
            });

            form.addField({
                id: 'custpage_startdate',
                type: serverWidget.FieldType.DATE,
                label: 'Start Date'
            }).isMandatory = true;

            form.addField({
                id: 'custpage_enddate',
                type: serverWidget.FieldType.DATE,
                label: 'End Date'
            }).isMandatory = true;

            form.addField({
                id: 'custpage_subsidiary',
                type: serverWidget.FieldType.SELECT,
                label: 'Subsidiary',
                source: 'subsidiary'
            });

            form.addSubmitButton({ label: 'Generate PDF' });

            context.response.writePage(form);

        } else {
            // Generate PDF
            var startDate = context.request.parameters.custpage_startdate;
            var endDate = context.request.parameters.custpage_enddate;
            var subsidiary = context.request.parameters.custpage_subsidiary;

            var reportData = getReportData(startDate, endDate, subsidiary);
            var pdfFile = generatePdf(reportData, startDate, endDate);

            context.response.writeFile({
                file: pdfFile,
                isInline: false  // Force download
            });
        }
    }

    function getReportData(startDate, endDate, subsidiary) {
        var filters = [
            ['type', 'anyof', 'CustInvc'],
            'AND',
            ['trandate', 'within', startDate, endDate],
            'AND',
            ['mainline', 'is', 'T']
        ];

        if (subsidiary) {
            filters.push('AND', ['subsidiary', 'anyof', subsidiary]);
        }

        var results = [];
        search.create({
            type: search.Type.TRANSACTION,
            filters: filters,
            columns: ['tranid', 'trandate', 'entity', 'total']
        }).run().each(function(result) {
            results.push({
                tranid: result.getValue('tranid'),
                date: result.getValue('trandate'),
                customer: result.getText('entity'),
                total: parseFloat(result.getValue('total')) || 0
            });
            return true;
        });

        return results;
    }

    function generatePdf(data, startDate, endDate) {
        // Build XML (similar to previous example)
        var xml = buildReportXml(data, startDate, endDate);

        var pdfFile = render.xmlToPdf({ xmlString: xml });
        pdfFile.name = 'Sales_Report_' + startDate.replace(/\//g, '-') + '.pdf';

        return pdfFile;
    }

    function buildReportXml(data, startDate, endDate) {
        // ... (similar to previous example)
        return `<?xml version="1.0"?>...`;
    }

    return { onRequest: onRequest };
});

Save PDF to File Cabinet​

/**
 * Generate PDF and save to File Cabinet
 */
function generateAndSavePdf(recordId) {
    var render = require('N/render');
    var file = require('N/file');
    var record = require('N/record');

    // Generate PDF
    var pdfFile = render.transaction({
        entityId: recordId,
        printMode: render.PrintMode.PDF
    });

    // Configure for File Cabinet
    pdfFile.folder = 123;  // Target folder ID
    pdfFile.name = 'Invoice_' + recordId + '.pdf';
    pdfFile.isOnline = true;  // Available without login

    // Save to File Cabinet
    var fileId = pdfFile.save();

    // Optionally attach to record
    record.attach({
        record: { type: 'file', id: fileId },
        to: { type: 'invoice', id: recordId }
    });

    return fileId;
}

Email PDF Attachment​

/**
 * Generate and email PDF
 */
function emailPdfReport(recipientEmail, reportData) {
    var render = require('N/render');
    var email = require('N/email');

    // Generate PDF
    var pdfFile = render.xmlToPdf({
        xmlString: buildReportXml(reportData)
    });
    pdfFile.name = 'Report.pdf';

    // Send email with attachment
    email.send({
        author: -5,  // Current user or employee ID
        recipients: recipientEmail,
        subject: 'Your Report is Ready',
        body: 'Please find the attached report.',
        attachments: [pdfFile]
    });
}

Error Handling​

/**
 * @NApiVersion 2.1
 * @NScriptType Suitelet
 */
define(['N/render', 'N/log', 'N/error'], function(render, log, error) {

    function onRequest(context) {
        try {
            var recordId = context.request.parameters.id;

            if (!recordId) {
                throw error.create({
                    name: 'MISSING_PARAMETER',
                    message: 'Record ID is required'
                });
            }

            var pdfFile = render.transaction({
                entityId: parseInt(recordId),
                printMode: render.PrintMode.PDF
            });

            context.response.writeFile({
                file: pdfFile,
                isInline: true
            });

        } catch (e) {
            log.error({
                title: 'PDF Generation Error',
                details: e.message
            });

            // Return error page
            context.response.write({
                output: `<html>
                    <body>
                        <h1>Error Generating PDF</h1>
                        <p>${e.message}</p>
                        <a href="javascript:history.back()">Go Back</a>
                    </body>
                </html>`
            });
        }
    }

    return { onRequest: onRequest };
});

Deployment​

<!-- custscript_pdf_report.xml -->
<scriptdeployment scriptid="customdeploy_pdf_report">
    <status>RELEASED</status>
    <title>PDF Report Generator</title>
    <isdeployed>T</isdeployed>
    <isonline>F</isonline>
    <loglevel>DEBUG</loglevel>
    <allroles>F</allroles>
    <runasrole>ADMINISTRATOR</runasrole>
    <custscriptroles>
        <role>ADMINISTRATOR</role>
        <role>ACCOUNTANT</role>
    </custscriptroles>
</scriptdeployment>

Best Practices​

SUITELET PDF BEST PRACTICES
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

PERFORMANCE:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ✓ Limit search results (use page size)                                     │
│ ✓ Cache templates in File Cabinet                                          │
│ ✓ Avoid loading full records when only IDs needed                          │
│ ✓ Use efficient XML (minimize inline styles)                               │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

ERROR HANDLING:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ✓ Always wrap in try-catch                                                  │
│ ✓ Validate parameters before processing                                    │
│ ✓ Log errors for debugging                                                 │
│ ✓ Provide user-friendly error messages                                      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

SECURITY:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ✓ Restrict deployment to appropriate roles                                 │
│ ✓ Validate user has access to requested records                            │
│ ✓ Don't expose sensitive data in URLs                                      │
│ ✓ Use isOnline: false for internal PDFs                                    │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Next Steps​

GoalGo To
Generate bulk PDFsBulk PDF Generation →
Advanced PDF templatesAdvanced PDF Templates →
Return to PDF overviewPDF Customization →