NetSuite | Configure automated SMS for field service use cases

If your organization uses NetSuite’s Field Service modules to schedule and track field service operations, you can use the Sinch SMS integration to send relevant messages to your contacts.

Sample use cases

• Send an SMS reminder the day before a technician arrives on site to make sure that the customer is at home
• Send an SMS when a field service asset is due to be picked up the following day
• Send an SMS after a service job is complete to ask for feedback (or a five star review)

Configure SMS in field service workflows

Field service record types are the same as any other record type in NetSuite. You can configure message templates for Field Service Assets, Field Service Tasks and any other record type and an explanation of the general automated workflow process. You can find more information on automated workflow process.

Below is an example using Field Service Assets. If you don’t use this record type, the same approach can be used for any of the other field service record types (you’ll need to set up Sinch Metadata and Templates correctly).

Use case details: Scaffolding equipment needs to be picked up

Our sample use case is for the scaffolding industry. 

1. We'll use the Field Service Asset record type to track scaffolding equipment and have added a custom field "Pick Up Date". Our goal is to send an SMS the day before the pick up date so the builder knows that the riggers will be on site to collect the scaffolding.

   

2. Set up a saved search with criteria: Pick Up Date within tomorrow.

   

3. Create a new workflow for Field Service Assets.

   

4. For the workflow trigger, choose a scheduled workflow using that saved search. It will identify scaffolding that needs to be picked up the next day and send the SMS at 2pm.

   

5. As per the standard workflow approach, add a Create Record action.

   

6. The record type is Sinch - SMS Workflow Job.

   

7. When mapping the fields, you can either leverage the default supported record types or set up the field service asset record as a custom record.

   Approach	Advantages	Disadvantages	Details
   Leverage the default supported record types	Easier to set up	Can't use merge fields from Field Service Asset in the SMS template	Use a generic template tied to our default supported record types (customer, salesorder etc.) e.g. Hi {customer}, we'll be on site tomorrow to pick up your equipment. Please call back on 1800 SCAFFOLD if you need to reschedule.
   Set up the field service asset record type as a custom record	Can include merge fields from the Field Service Asset in the template	More set up required	Set up Sinch Metadata for the Field Service Asset record type so you can reference its merge fields. e.g. Hi {customer}, We'll be on site at {asset_address} tomorrow to pick up the {asset_name}. Please call back on 1800 SCAFFOLD if you need to reschedule.

Leverage default supported record types

1. Make an SMS template for the customer record type - you can only use merge fields from the customer module but that may be sufficient if the message is standard.

   

2. Configure the create record parameters to reference that template and set the Entity ID and Record ID to the customer ID. This will work fine for a generic message but you can only reference fields from the customer record.

   

Add support for the field service asset record type

You’ll need to add a Sinch Metadata record for the Field Service Asset record type. You can refer to message templates for more information. 

1. Set up a Sinch Metadata record for the Field Service Asset record type (as this won’t be in the list already). Add the required merge fields in the field list. 

   

2. In this example, the field list is set to:

3. {
     "custrecord1404": "pickup_date",
     "custrecord_nx_asset_serial": "serial",
     "records": { "Customer": { "firstname": "Customer Name" } },
     "recordsmap": { "Customer": "custrecord_nx_asset_customer" }
   }

   • custrecord1404 is the ID for the Pickup Date field
   • custrecord_nx_asset_serial is the ID for the Serial field
   • Then we have records and recordsmap. These are needed so we can include fields from the Customer record which is linked to the Field Service Asset.
   • records:Customer is used to map fields in the Customer record type.
   • recordsmap:Customer is used to map the field for customer.
4. Create a template for the Field Service Asset record type. The steps are the same as for leveraging default supported record types.

5. Hi {{{records.Customer.firstname}}}
   we'll be on site tomorrow to pick up your equipment ({{{custrecord_nx_asset_serial}}}). 
   
   Please call back on 1800 SCAFFOLD if you need to reschedule.

6. Map parameters for the create SMS workflow job record. In this example, map the record type to custrecord_nx_asset and the record ID to {custrecord_nx_asset.id} so that you can reference merge fields from the Field Service Asset. The entity type and entity ID remain as customer so that the communication records appear on the customer record. We reference the new template.

   

7. Once complete, your workflow should be sending correctly.