To change to a sandbox environment in NetSuite, you will log into your NetSuite production account and then switch roles to access your sandbox. This method allows you to open your sandbox in a new tab, keeping your production session active.
Step-by-Step Guide to Accessing Your NetSuite Sandbox
Accessing your NetSuite sandbox is a straightforward process, primarily done through your production account. This ensures you can seamlessly switch between environments for testing and development.
- Log In to Production: Open your web browser and navigate to your NetSuite production account URL. Log in using your standard credentials.
- Locate "Change Roles": Once logged into your production account, look for the "Change Roles" icon, typically found in the top right corner of the NetSuite interface.
- Select Your Sandbox: Click on the "Change Roles" icon. A list of available roles and associated accounts will appear. From this list, select your desired sandbox account.
- Open in New Tab: To avoid logging out of your production environment, right-click on the sandbox account you selected and choose the option to "Open in a new tab" or "Open link in new tab." (The exact wording may vary slightly depending on your web browser.) The selected sandbox account will then open in a new browser tab, allowing you to work in both environments simultaneously if needed.
Why Use a NetSuite Sandbox?
A NetSuite sandbox is an isolated, non-production environment that mirrors your live production account. It's essential for safe and effective NetSuite management, offering a secure space to develop, test, and deploy customizations without impacting your live business operations.
- Safe Testing: Test new features, scripts, workflows, and integrations without risking your live data or processes.
- Development Environment: Build and refine customizations, SuiteApps, and reports in an environment identical to production.
- Training & User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Provide a realistic training ground for new users or allow stakeholders to perform UAT on new functionalities before go-live.
- Problem Replication: Replicate and troubleshoot issues from your production environment in a controlled setting.
For more information on NetSuite's capabilities and environments, you can explore the official NetSuite website.
Key Considerations for Sandbox Use
To maximize the benefits of your NetSuite sandbox, keep the following best practices in mind:
Practice | Description |
---|---|
Isolate Testing | Always perform development and testing activities exclusively within the sandbox. Never make direct changes to production without testing. |
Data Refresh Schedule | Understand your sandbox's data refresh schedule. Sandboxes are periodically refreshed from production, overwriting any sandbox-specific data. |
Document Changes | Maintain thorough documentation of all customizations, configurations, and scripts created or modified in the sandbox. |
Version Control | Utilize version control systems for SuiteScript and other code developed in the sandbox to manage changes effectively. |
Security Roles | Ensure that users accessing the sandbox have appropriate security roles and permissions, mirroring their production access as needed. |
Sandbox Types
NetSuite offers various sandbox types, each designed for specific purposes:
- Standard Sandbox: A direct copy of your production environment, ideal for general development and testing.
- Premium Sandbox: Offers more resources and is suitable for performance-intensive testing or large data sets.
- Development Sandbox: Often used by developers for continuous integration and smaller-scale coding tasks.
- SuiteCloud Development Account (SCDA): A specialized environment for developing SuiteApps to be listed on SuiteApp.com.
Understanding which sandbox type you have and its refresh cycle is crucial for planning your development and testing activities. Always confirm your sandbox environment by checking the URL (which typically includes "sandbox" or "sb") or the account name displayed within NetSuite.