NetSuite Users Are Switching to Erply POS

Published by Erply Team | 8 minute read

Five Things You'll Learn in This Article

Why disconnected systems are still retail’s biggest headache—and what's really at stake for your business
How manual reconciliation quietly drains resources and affects your team’s morale
What makes Erply POS different for NetSuite users (from someone who’s been in the trenches)
Real stories from retailers who made the switch and what they learned
Hard-won lessons for anyone considering a POS integration today

You know that moment when you’re staring at a sales report, and the numbers just don’t add up? I’ve lost count of the late nights I’ve spent in a stockroom, trying to figure out why the system says we have 47 units of something we sold out of days ago. It’s not just frustrating—it’s costly. Every hour your team spends chasing down these “ghost” numbers is an hour they’re not helping customers, training new staff, or working on the next big idea.

I’ve seen this story play out again and again: NetSuite does a great job with the back office, but when it comes to talking to the POS system, it’s like a game of broken telephone. Details get lost, updates are delayed, and your staff are left patching together the truth.

The Real Cost of Disconnected Systems

Let’s get real for a moment. Here’s what disconnected systems look like in the wild.

Sarah, who runs three boutiques in Portland, used to start each day by comparing what NetSuite reported with what actually happened in her stores. Items that were “in stock” online had already sold out. Outdated promotions kept popping up at checkout. And her team—who wanted to offer great, personal service—couldn’t see what customers had bought online.

“It felt like we were running three different businesses with the same name,” Sarah told me. “My managers were spending more time with spreadsheets than with shoppers.”

She’s not alone. According to Retail Systems Research, 67% of multi-location retailers say disconnected systems are their biggest operational headache. But the hidden costs run deeper than most realize:

Burnout creeps in. When smart, motivated people spend their days fixing glitches instead of doing meaningful work, it’s tough to keep them engaged.
Customer experience slips. If your team can’t trust the numbers, they hesitate. Instead of confidently helping, they’re apologizing—and customers notice.
Growth gets complicated. Every new store or sales channel adds more manual work and more chances for mistakes. What should be a milestone becomes a hassle.
Inventory becomes a guessing game. IHL Group estimates retailers lose over $1.1 trillion a year to out-of-stocks and overstocks. If your warehouse management isn’t tied to real-time sales, you’re making decisions in the dark.

Why Most “Fixes” Don’t Fix the Root Problem

I’ve watched retailers throw everything at this problem. More staff for data entry. Middleware that needs its own IT babysitter. Spreadsheets upon spreadsheets. These are just band-aids. You’re still moving data by hand—just with more hands or fancier tools.

The worst part? Many of us start to believe this is just “how retail works.” It’s not. You don’t have to settle.

What Real Integration Looks Like

I was skeptical the first time I heard about Erply POS working with NetSuite . I’ve seen enough “seamless” promises to know how often they disappoint.

But then I started hearing from retailers who’d made the switch:

Real-time is actually real-time. Marcus runs a chain of outdoor stores in Colorado. During ski season, his team needs to know exactly what’s in stock, everywhere. “We used to call around before promising a customer a pair of boots,” Marcus said. “Now, if someone buys the last size 10 in Denver, NetSuite knows within minutes. That’s changed our whole approach to customer service.”
Custom integration for your unique needs. Rachel, who owns a specialty food chain, struggled for years with integrations that couldn’t handle her custom gift baskets and bundle pricing. “We were always making manual corrections because the system just didn’t get our business,” she said. With Erply, every custom field and pricing rule syncs cleanly—no more workarounds.
Error handling that’s actually helpful. Most systems fail quietly; you only notice when something’s off in your reports. Erply sends daily summaries and error logs, so you know right away if something needs attention. No more mystery errors or endless support tickets.

Integration Setup: What to Expect

Setting up the integration starts with installing a custom bundle in NetSuite —this includes saved searches, custom fields, scripts, and script deployments. The Erply team handles it for you, step by step.

Once the basics are in place, we test every business process and sync flow you’ve agreed on with our onboarding team. We use your real data and scenarios, so you know it works. When all tests pass, you’ll get to run your own end-user testing. Once you’re happy, your integration and Erply accounts are ready to go.

Integration FAQ: What Retailers Really Want to Know

Does it run on a schedule? Yes. By default, sync runs every 15 minutes, but you can set it as fast as every 5 minutes.
Does it require a third-party system? No, it’s a direct integration.
Where does the integration run? It’s a microservice within Erply that uses NetSuite RESTlet scripts. It works both within your NetSuite instance and inside Erply.
Does it use REST or SOAP APIs? RESTlets only.
Can I monitor errors and sync progress? Yes, daily error logs are sent to your chosen email.
If we open a new store, will it fall behind on syncing? No, product sync from HQ to store is already completed when a new store comes online.
Can I control the data mapping? Mapping is defined with Erply during setup. Changes after launch are handled by the Erply team.
Can we add logic to the mapping? Yes, logic is defined during scoping. Later changes are handled by Erply.
Does it use NetSuite concurrency? Yes, and it respects NetSuite ’s concurrency limits.
Will Erply throttle API calls? Erply has high API limits; NetSuite ’s limits are typically reached first.
Will you set up everything in a sandbox first? Yes, we always connect Erply HQ Sandbox to NetSuite Sandbox first.
Does Erply handle installation in both Sandbox and Production? Yes, for a smooth rollout.
Will we use NetSuite internal IDs? Yes, for clean mapping and transfer from Sandbox to Production.
If the sync falls behind, can Erply speed it up? Typically, delays are due to NetSuite concurrency limits, not Erply’s system.
Can I access the source code/scripts? No, but you’ll have full transparency through logs and support.
Are saved searches and SuiteScripts used? Yes, and they’re moved from sandbox to production for go-live.
Will new fields in Sandbox move to Production? Yes, all required fields are created in production for go-live.
What’s the recommended order for developing syncs? Start with customers, then suppliers, products, price lists, Inventory documents, purchase documents, and sales documents. Promotions, users, system settings, reporting, dashboards, and GoERP apps aren’t supported by the connector.

Customer & Item Integration Details

Can custom customer fields in NetSuite sync to Erply? Usually, yes—let us know what you need, and we’ll analyze and implement as required.
Does customer sync work both ways? Yes. New customers in either system appear in the other—typically within minutes.
Is the item sync one-way? Yes. NetSuite is the master system for items, and updates flow from NetSuite to Erply.
How do we sync only some items? Use a field or exclusion table to control which items sync.
How long does it take new items to sync? Set during setup. For new stores, all items are synced as part of onboarding.
Can we use the same item numbers? Yes. Erply supports package UPCs, so master carton UPCs in NetSuite can map to packages in Erply.
What about assemblies and bundles? Assemblies are required in Erply to reflect finished product quantities; bundle products are currently used.
Will we need changes at the NetSuite item level? Determined during mapping analysis.

What This Means for Your Business

Getting your POS and ERP connected isn’t just about saving time. It’s about having the confidence to make decisions with up-to-date, accurate information. You’ll spot trends sooner, expand without the usual headaches, and let your team focus on what really matters: growing the business.

For large retailers, this is critical. For growing businesses, getting it right now means you can scale smoothly, not painfully.

Before You Make Any Changes, Ask Yourself:

Can I see this working with my own data—before I sign anything?
Will it keep up on my busiest days?
What’s the plan for a smooth transition?
Who’s got my back when something breaks?
Will this still work when I double my stores or channels?

Final thoughts

Retail is tough enough. Your systems shouldn’t make it tougher. I’ve seen what happens when POS and ERP finally work together: more time for customers, less time cleaning up, and a team that feels empowered—not exhausted.

If you’re curious, don’t just take my word for it. Book a consultation, bring your own data, and see what’s possible. Erply’s 60-day free trial lets you test everything before you commit.

If you’re new to retail tech, start with the basics: What is retail? You’ll make smarter decisions when you know the landscape.

The retail world is changing quickly. The businesses that thrive will be the ones that give their people the tools to do their best work—not the ones who settle for broken systems.