SuiteScript Best Practices

Question 1

When searching for a small amount of fields what module & function should we use instead of loading the record?

Answer 1

nSearch.lookupFields, instead of nRecord.load

Question 2

Consider the time zone your scripts must use. Which time zone will server side scripts use by default?

Answer 2

Server side scripts will use the time zone specified in your NetSuite account.

If necessary, be sure to convert your time zones before using them.

Question 3

For client scripts, what happens when using the Advanced Employee Permissions feature?

Answer 3

The search columns available to the user is dependent on the permissions assigned to their role.

Question 4

If using the Advanced Employee Permissions feature on a client script, how should we check if the role has access to that field before setting/getting data?

Answer 4

We should use .getFields().includes([FIELD ID]) to check if the role has access.

Question 5

For a map/reduce script what are the governance limits for each entry point?

Answer 5

map: 1,000
reduce: 5,000
getInputData: 10,000
summarize: 10,000

Question 6

For a map/reduce script, which 2 entry functions must be kept relatively lightweight?

Answer 6

The map and the reduce entry points, because their governance is limited more than the getInputData or summarize functions.

Question 7

An object returned from the getInputData function of a Map/Reduce script must be capable of being transformed into what format?

Answer 7

Key/Value pairs

Question 8

If using a search in the getInputData function of a Map/Reduce, what should we return and why?

Answer 8

We should return the nSearch.search object or a reference to the search, instead of the results.

This is because running the search and returning the results has a higher chance of the search timing out.

Question 9

A map/reduce script can be interrupted at any point by an application server disruption. Afterwards the script is restarted. What could this lead to?

Answer 9

Duplicate data

Question 10

What can we do to minimise the risk of duplicates being created if a map/reduce fails because of a server disruption?

Answer 10

Set the retryCount and exitOnError options in the script.

Check the context.isRestarted property in each entry point of the sccript then handle if true.

Question 11

Give an example of logic that we can use to avoid duplicates if a map/reduce fails because of a server disruption & the context.isRestarted property returned true?

Answer 11

Create a flag checkbox on records that will be processed via a map/reduce, so we can check if this record is already processed or not.

Ensure this checkbox flag is checked once processed.

Question 12

Why should we not change the buffer size field on a map/reduce script?

Answer 12

Because although this can increase the available processing time, but it has a higher chance to cause data duplication or loss.

Question 13

How long ideally should a map/reduce or scheduled script be designed to run?

Answer 13

No more than 5 minutes, if possible.

Question 14

Why should we schedule Scheduled Scripts to run between 2AM and 6AM PST?

Answer 14

This is the period of time that database activity will be at its lowest. Therefore scripts scheduled between 2AM and 6AM PST will run quicker.

Question 15

We should create twice as many non-scheduled deployments as the total number of simultaneous calls you anticipate for a scheduled script.

Answer 15

I don’t know why.

Question 16

When building a custom UI for Suitelets outside of the NetSuite UI, which API’s should we use to help users manage their credentials within the custom UI?

Answer 16

The User Credentials API

Question 17

What setting option for suitelets should be used only when absolutely necessary?

Answer 17

Available without login

Question 18

How long should suitelets optimally take at most to run?

Answer 18

10 seconds or under

Question 19

Regarding sensitive field values, what should we make sure not to do when developing user event scripts?

Answer 19

We should make sure the UE does not read a sensitive field value

Question 20

Rather than trying to execute a user event script from another user event script, what should we do?

Answer 20

Create a custom module containing common code between the two user events, and use the module across both scripts.

Question 21

What is the maximum amount of time it should ideally take a user event to complete?

Answer 21

5 seconds or less

Question 22

True or False

We should aim to minimise API calls that perform Load, Search, or Save record operations.

Answer 22

True.

We should avoid saving multiple records in an After Submit function, and avoid loading and submitting a record in a Before Submit function.

Question 23

We should avoid loading and submitting records in what entry point?

Answer 23

Any Before Record Submit entry point.

Question 24

We should avoid saving MULTIPLE records in what entry point?

Answer 24

Any After Record Submit entry point

Question 25

If we have multiple searches required in a script that are on the same record type, what should we do?

Answer 25

We should attempt combining those searches into a single larger search.

Question 26

What module should we use instead of N/search when searching for large data sets?

Answer 26

We should use N/task to search for larger data sets.