Exporting the NetSuite tax tables in a magento-friendly format

Did you know you can export the NetSuite tax tales in magento format? NO? READ ON!

In order to accomplish this task, you need to create a server-side script in NetSuite and ‘deploy’ it to its own url. The server-side NetSuite script will have access to Netsuite’s back-end, thus enabling you to access the tax information.

But first, a note on server side Javascript: If you have always relied heavily on console.log() or (when feeling dramatic) alert(), you’ll have to re-adjust.  Those arrows ain’t in your quiver when in server-side land. In this particular example , we are generating HTML, so testing and seeing errors isn’t hard. But if you are dealing with other suitescript scripts, ones that don’t generate page content, I recommend you keep an eye on nlapiLogExecution. It is extremely handy. You can also use the SuiteScript Debugger.

Netsuite Configuration

Before you start the code, which is the main part of this blog post you need to set up a new customized script and deploy it. I’m assuming that most people reading this know how to do that, but just in case you don’t, I’ll short-hand it:

Create a new server-side script:

Start by saving a .js file (call it “tax_export.js”) somewhere on your hard drive.

Log into NetSuite, then go to: customization->scripting->scripts. Click “New Script”, under “Select Type”, click ‘suitelet’.

Once there, name the script “tax_export”, click the dropdown arrow in the ‘script file’ input window and click “new” (this can also be accomplished by clicking the plus sign that appears when hovering over the “script file” input window). A pop up will appear. Click ‘Choose File” from the “Select File” input panel and navigate to the .js file you made earler (we called it “tax_export.js”).

Once done, click the “save” button on the pop up panel. The pop up should go away.

Back in the main window, type the word “suitelet” in the function input window. The value of this input window needs to match the function name on the .js you uploaded.  Make sure that if you change the function name in tax_export.js (which we haven’t added yet), you also change the function name in this input text field.

Deploy the NetSuite script:

Just in case you’re somewhere else in NetSuite, follow this chain again: customization->scripting->scripts. You should see your script in the list on the page. If you don’t, expand the “filters” view by clicking the plus sign next to the word “FILTERS” and select “suitelet” from the “type” dropdown. It should be there now.

Click “view” next to your script (which, should be called “tax_export”), and then, when in the script window, click “Deploy Script”. Welcome to the “Script Deployment” page!

A few more settings to cover. Click “deployed” and “available without login”.  You’re going to have to make a judgement call with some of the other options. Put your cursor over “Log Level” and check out the options to see which is right for you. Typicall “Error” is the right level but you may want to set “Debug” while developing to see your debug output. Do the same with “Execute As Role” (I used “Administrator”), and in the “Audience” window use your judgment. I clicked “Select All” next to “Roles”.

Then click “Save”. We are really close to actual coding, thanks for reading on!

Now, to find the location of the deployed script:

Once again, go: customization->scripting->scripts. Click “Deployments” next to the name of your script (“tax_export”), and then click “view” next to the deployment.

And there, under “External URL” is the product of all the work so far. That is going to be the address of your tax export. So copy/paste it into a new browser window, bookmark it, make love to it, slap a ring on it and tell it you’ll never leave it, because you have worked for it!

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