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NetSuite Workflow Trigger Types, Event Types and Context Types

This reference lists the eleven SuiteFlow triggers in NetSuite, split into server and client, with when each fires and what it suits. It adds the initiation options, event types and context types that decide whether a workflow starts at all.

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Trigger or option	Side	Group	Fires when	Good for	Cannot do / watch out
On Entry	Server	Workflow based	The record enters a state	Stamping fields, sending notifications once per state	Does not run alone; it executes together with the first server trigger for the state, such as Before Record Load.
On Exit	Server	Workflow based	The record leaves a state	Clean-up when moving on, such as clearing a hold flag	Not every action supports it; check the action's trigger list.
Before Record Load	Server	Record based	Before the record loads: new, edit or view	Form changes: buttons, display types, locking	Runs on every view as well as new and edit, so actions here fire often; not for creating records.
Before Record Submit	Server	Record based	After Save is clicked, before data is written	Validation and setting values saved with the record	Related records do not exist yet; the record id is not set on create.
After Record Submit	Server	Record based	After the record is saved to the database	Emails, creating dependent records, Go To Record	Set Field Value here forces another save of the record.
Scheduled	Server	Time based	The scheduler runs the workflow by its schedule	Reminders, escalations, timed transitions	Not tied to a user event; no form, so UI actions do nothing.
Before User Edit	Client	Client	Form loaded in the browser, before the user changes anything	Messages and form tweaks once the page is open	Does not run for CSV import, web services or scripts.
Before Field Edit	Client	Client	Before the user completes a change to a field	Confirm prompts and blocking an edit	Client formulas must be written in SuiteScript, not SQL.
After Field Edit	Client	Client	After the user completes a change to a field	Setting dependent fields as the user types	UI only; integrations skip it.
After Field Sourcing	Client	Client	After dependent field values are populated	Overriding values sourced from customer or item	Fires only on fields that source values.
Before User Submit	Client	Client	After Save is clicked, before Before Record Submit	Confirm before save, last client checks	Validation here can be bypassed by any non-UI context.
Initiation: On Create	Server	Initiation option	A record of the base type is created	Approval workflows for new transactions	Combine with the trigger type and event types to narrow it.
Initiation: On Update	Server	Initiation option	A record is viewed or updated	Re-approval after changes	Includes views when paired with Before Record Load; use event types to limit it.
Initiation trigger type: All	Server	Initiation option	Any triggering event	Quick tests	Oracle recommends choosing a more specific trigger type.
Initiation: based on a schedule	Server	Initiation option	Recurring or one-time schedule, against records from a saved search	Nightly or weekly sweeps	Needs a saved search on the base record type.
Event type: Create	Server	Event type	Record is created	On Create workflows	Pairs with On Create initiation.
Event type: Edit	Server	Event type	Record is edited and saved	Re-approval on change	Pairs with On Update initiation.
Event type: View	Server	Event type	Record is opened in view mode	Display-only form logic	Before Record Load only.
Event type: Copy	Server	Event type	Record is copied	Clearing fields on copies	Check which triggers support it in Event Types Reference.
Event type: Delete	Server	Event type	Record is deleted	Blocking deletes with Return User Error	Check which triggers support it in Event Types Reference.
Event type: Approve	Server	Event type	User clicks the standard Approve	Follow-up after native approval	Only on record types with native approval; check Event Types Reference for trigger support.
Event type: Reject	Server	Event type	User clicks the standard Reject	Capturing rejection reasons	Limited to types with native approval.
Event type: Direct List Edit	Server	Event type	Inline edit from a list (XEDIT)	Catching list edits that skip the form	Only fields edited are populated; others read blank.
Event type: Print	Server	Event type	Record is printed	Logging outbound documents	Check which triggers support it in Event Types Reference.
Context: User Interface	Server	Context type	A user works in the browser	Limiting form logic to people	Excludes imports and integrations.
Context: CSV Import	Server	Context type	Records come in through the Import Assistant	Running or skipping logic on bulk loads	Client triggers never run here.
Context: Web Services	Server	Context type	SOAP web services calls	Controlling integration behaviour	REST and RESTlet calls are separate contexts.
Context: Web Store	Server	Context type	Orders and records created from the web store	Web order approval rules	Only for web store activity.
Context: Custom Mass Update	Server	Context type	Records changed by a mass update	Applying or skipping rules for mass changes	Test on a small set first.

Trigger names and descriptions follow Oracle help 'Workflow Triggers' and the server and client trigger references; event types follow 'Event Types Reference'. Initiation options are On Create and On Update (On Update covers viewing as well as updating). Actions on server triggers use SQL formulas; actions on client triggers use SuiteScript formulas.

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How to use it

Start with the job. Changing the form means Before Record Load or a client trigger. Validating data that must hold for every source means Before Record Submit. Doing something after the data is safe, such as an email or a related record, means After Record Submit. Time-based work means Scheduled. Then check the initiation rows: a workflow only runs its triggers if it initiated on the right event, with the right event type and context.

Form: Before Record Load, Before User Edit
Validation everywhere: Before Record Submit
Side effects: After Record Submit
Timers: Scheduled

Execution order

Viewing a record runs Before Record Load. Editing runs Before Record Load, then on save Before User Submit in the browser, then Before Record Submit and After Record Submit on the server. Moving from state A to state B runs On Exit for A, then On Entry for B. On Entry never runs alone; it runs with the first server trigger for that state. There is no fixed order across all triggers: the workflow definition and the record events decide.

Worked example: approval that also covers imports

A PO approval workflow initiates On Create and On Update, trigger type Before Record Submit, event types Create and Edit, contexts User Interface and CSV Import. Validation that a department is set uses Return User Error on Before Record Submit, so it blocks both the form and imports. A Confirm on Before User Submit adds a prompt in the browser only. If the CSV context were left out, imported POs would skip approval entirely, which is the most common audit finding with these workflows.

How to check the result in the system

Open Customization > Workflow > Workflows, edit the workflow and review the Initiation settings: Event Based or Scheduled, On Create, On Update, Trigger Type, Event Types and Contexts. Enable logging, run the event in a sandbox, then check the Workflow History subtab and the workflow execution log to see which triggers fired and which conditions failed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Before Record Load in NetSuite?

A server trigger that runs before a record loads, whether the user clicks New, Edit or simply views it. It is used for form changes such as adding or removing buttons, changing display types and locking. Because views trigger it too, avoid creating records on it.

What are the client triggers in a NetSuite workflow?

Before User Edit, Before Field Edit, After Field Edit, After Field Sourcing and Before User Submit. They run in the browser while a user edits the form, so they do not run for CSV import, web services or scripts, and their formulas use SuiteScript.

What is the difference between On Create and On Update?

On Create starts the workflow when a record of the base type is created. On Update starts it when an existing record is viewed or updated. Combine either with a trigger type, event types and contexts to control exactly when a new workflow instance begins.

How do I show a message to the user from a workflow?

Use the Show Message action on a client trigger, by default Before User Edit, or Return User Error when you need to stop the save. Show Message is information only and never runs for imports or integrations, since there is no browser.

If you want to see, in plain English, which workflows touch a record and why one did not fire, we can set up a private AI layer over your NetSuite configuration and history.

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