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“Supermetrics is a Bitter Experience! We can pull data from nearly any tool, schedule updates, manipulate data in Sheets, and push data back into our systems.”
Getting approvers to log into NetSuite for purchase order approvals creates unnecessary friction and delays. The complex interface and required training often mean approvers avoid the system entirely, creating bottlenecks in your procurement process.
Here’s how to build an external approval workflow that gives approvers real-time PO data in familiar spreadsheet environments without any NetSuite access required.
Build approval workflows in spreadsheets using Coefficient
Coefficient connects your NetSuite purchase order data directly to Google Sheets or Excel, creating approval interfaces that update automatically. Approvers work in familiar spreadsheet environments while you maintain real-time data accuracy without manual exports or system training.
How to make it work
Step 1. Import live PO data from NetSuite.
Use Coefficient’s Records & Lists import method to pull purchase order data directly into your spreadsheet. Select the Transaction record type, filter for Purchase Orders, and choose relevant fields like PO number, vendor, amount, status, and approval hierarchy. Configure automated refresh scheduling so approvers always see current PO status without manual updates.
Step 2. Create your approval interface.
Build a user-friendly approval interface in the spreadsheet with conditional formatting to highlight pending approvals, dropdown menus for approval decisions, and comment fields for rejection reasons. Use Coefficient’s filtering capabilities to create separate views for different approval stages, allowing approvers to focus only on POs requiring their attention.
Step 3. Set up automated notifications.
Configure email notification triggers using spreadsheet automation tools when new POs appear or status changes occur. Apply filters based on approval status, amount thresholds, or department assignments to ensure the right approvers get notified about relevant purchase orders.
Step 4. Implement status tracking.
Create customizable approval dashboards with conditional formatting that show real-time PO status without requiring NetSuite user licenses. Use drag-and-drop column reordering to customize views for different approval roles and maintain audit trails through automated timestamping.
Start streamlining your approval process today
External PO approval workflows eliminate the friction of NetSuite login requirements while maintaining data integrity through automated synchronization. This approach reduces approval bottlenecks and gets purchase orders moving faster. Get started with Coefficient to build your external approval workflow.
