This article is relevant if you need a NetSuite-driven solution to collect customer payments on quotes, proposals, or estimates before starting fulfillment work.
Background
In my article, Unleashing NetSuite’s Power: Achieve Web Payment Processing Freedom and Control, I explore how to leverage NetSuite to build flexible payment solutions to give you the freedom to choose any payment provider while maintaining full control over logic and presentation.
While that article outlines the broader possibilities, sometimes a straightforward use case is the best way to illustrate a concept. A common business need requires payment on a proposal or quote before work will officially begin.
It sounds simple, but making the process intuitive and seamless for customers and operators requires effort.
Solution Approach for Paying NetSuite Quotes/Estimates
In this scenario, we want to streamline the process by implementing the following steps:
- Pay Quote: when the customer is ready, we send them a URL that allows them to securely enter payment details via their web browser or phone.
- Authorize or Capture: depending on the business model (which I explore in more detail in my 2018 article, Exploring NetSuite Credit Card and Invoicing / Cash Sale Processing Options), we either authorize the payment or capture funds by generating a customer deposit.
- Transform Quote to Sales Order: a payment signals customer commitment. The system should automatically convert the quote (estimate) into a sales order.
- Control Sales Order Logic: even after the quote transformation to a sales order, business rules must ensure the order is safe to fulfill before processing.
Solution Thinking: Prolecto Methods Leverage Accelerator Templates
The fundamental objective extends beyond enabling customers to “Pay the Quote.” It is about seamlessly coordinating customer commitments with supplier promises. Anticipating challenges in this coordination is key. Our goal then is to shape the NetSuite experience so that it is intuitive, seamless, and transparent.
At the core of this approach is Solutions Thinking to maximize control over the experience to ensure all interactions are clearly understood by all parties. To achieve this, we leverage every capability NetSuite offers to craft a well-orchestrated solution.
A skilled NetSuite analyst brings years of experience to quickly and elegantly apply best practices. This is where our firm, as a dedicated NetSuite Systems Integration Practice, sets itself apart. We have led the industry by developing Accelerator Templates (75 at the time of this writing) as pre-built, reusable components designed to streamline and enhance NetSuite solutions.
Our value comes from bundling past expertise and client successes into these Accelerator Templates. They are easiest to think of as ready-to-use algorithms built directly on the NetSuite platform, allowing for rapid deployment and integration into a comprehensive NetSuite solution. It’s also important to understand that they represent previous client accomplishments, which then deepen the expertise of our people.
Two Accelerator Templates Power the NetSuite Pay Quote Solution
To tackle this challenge, we leverage two Accelerator Templates that were built on top of NetSuite’s core functionality to drive a seamless solution:
- Prolecto Accept Customer Payment Technologies: a fully configurable framework for handling electronic payments on transactions and statements, tailored to meet business requirements. Learn more about the framework.
- Prolecto Record State Manager: a control framework that provides high visibility into transaction readiness, ensuring that all conditions are met before proceeding. Think of it as a traffic cop that governs the flow of business processes with precision. Here is an article overview of this flow.
Click on the images to explore the solution components in detail.
Unlocking NetSuite’s Potential Through Expert Craftsmanship
Most organizations naturally adopt NetSuite with the vision of scaling their business without being constrained by their chosen software backbone. NetSuite is powerful, but its full potential remains dormant, or worse, locked away, unless it is tailored to fit specific business needs. Anyone who has just finished a SuiteSuccess implementation knows this all too well.
Think of it like a high-quality, off-the-rack suit — it won’t look right until a skilled tailor measures, cuts, and refines it for a perfect fit. The same holds true for NetSuite. We’ve seen far too many poorly implemented configurations fail to serve their intended purpose. That’s not NetSuite’s fault; it was the implementation approach.
The missing ingredient? A seasoned NetSuite expert with the right tools, experience, and craftsmanship to shape the system to business realities. Because business needs to continuously evolve (especially for ambitious organizations), this fine-tuning must be ongoing.
That’s why partnering with a firm that combines high-caliber talent, deep expertise, and a commitment to client success is critical to unlocking NetSuite’s true potential.
If you found this article relevant, feel free to sign up for notifications to new articles as I post them. If you are ready to solve your payment challenge but recognize you need solutions thinking going forward, let’s have a conversation.
Marty Zigman
Holding all three official certifications, Marty is regarded as the top NetSuite expert and leads a team of senior professionals at Prolecto Resources, Inc. He is a former Deloitte & Touche CPA and has held CTO roles. For over 30 years, Marty has produced leadership in ERP, CRM and eCommerce business systems. Contact Marty to set up a conversation.
More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook - LinkedIn - YouTube
