How do I learn about the other 2.0 Modules?

Created: May 11, 2017

Now that we're aware of the existence of Modules in 2.0, how do we learn more about the existing modules?

There is actually a ton of information and examples for all 30+ modules right in NetSuite Help; unfortunately, the organization is a little bit wonky for my liking, so I feel it's worth explaining how NetSuite has decided to lay it out.

First, every NetSuite-made Module has its own dedicated page in Help, and the page is named after the Module. This means you can directly search for any Module name, and the Help page for it should be the very first result. This is actually really helpful and useful.

Let's say I need to see the reference docs for N/search to build my next SuiteScript search. I simply jump up to the Global Search (Alt+G for you Keyboard Shortcut lovers) and typeHelp:N/search module. This pops open the Help window with search results for N/search, and I can just click on the first result.

That's a free Daily Double bonus if you weren't aware you could use the Help: prefix like that in Global Search =)

The main page for each module usually has an overwhelming amount of information. You get a brief description of the module, then you get a massive list of every single element within the module: all of its functions, Objects, enumerations, any functions properties nested within those, and all the Examples for the Module. This is the best page to get a feel for the capabilities of each Module.

As you start digging in to SuiteScript 2.0, I definitely recommend that you reserve some time each day for perusing the docs for a different NetSuite Module; just pick one a day to learn a little more about. This will help you get more comfortable with the native capabilities of SuiteScript 2.0 so that you don't go off reinventing, rebuilding, and re-fixing the wheel. Some Modules, like N/search, get pretty complicated and have a ton of Objects, while others, like N/transaction, are pretty minimal.

The main page for each Module is where you'll find the most examples for the module. As you drill down to the pages for individual functions or objects, the examples there get very minimal or trivial, usually only showing the syntax of the function call, not any sort of practical usage of it. If you're looking for an example of how to utilize any Module, then that Module's main page is going to be your best chance of finding something in Help.

When you need to know about the inputs/outputs of a specific function within a Module, you'll want to drill down to the specific page for that function. Usually they're linked directly from the main page, or you can use the tree navigation in the sidebar.

It can be a bit overwhelming at first to figure out how to navigate the Module documentation in Help, but the more you study, the more you'll see that there are very common patterns across all NetSuite modules. The Modules and the documentation are at least organized in a fairly consistent manner, so it just takes a little time to adjust and know how to get what you need.