Article
NetSuite 2026.1 deep dive: A complete breakdown of this release
April 20, 2026 · Authored by Chris Millet and Matt Dahse
The NetSuite 2026.1 release is rolling out through the end of April, with initial accounts already receiving updates.
The release brings a wide range of improvements across the platform, from foundational accounting enhancements to advanced AI-powered insights and long-awaited inventory capabilities.
Below is a closer look at the key updates in this release, including:
Accounting enhancements
The NetSuite 2026.1 release delivers several meaningful updates to core accounting functionality, particularly within the general ledger, revenue management, and intercompany processes.
General ledger improvements
General ledger improvements introduce more flexibility and precision in transaction handling. Journal lines now include unique keys that support more targeted updates through CSV imports and integrations. Users can also update the posting period on journal entries that are still pending approval. Additionally, deferred revenue reclassification journal entries will now be auto-approved, while any existing unapproved reclassification entries will be locked. As a result, organizations should review any custom approval workflows that currently interact with these entries prior to upgrading.
Revenue management capabilities
Revenue treatments now support custom segments and transaction line fields as rule criteria, offering more flexibility in how revenue is defined and recognized. Users can filter revenue arrangements and plans by record type and accounting book, and filter criteria are now logged during submission updates. In addition, revenue can be recalculated directly from the project record, streamlining adjustments.
Intercompany processes
Intercompany processes have been refined to improve consistency and traceability. Custom general ledger plug-ins now function more reliably across cross-entity transactions, while balance sheet elimination entries are directly linked to their source transactions. Users can also unlink cross-charge journals when they have been incorrectly associated. To support reporting, SuiteAnalytics Workbook now includes a native intercompany elimination dataset.
AI-powered capabilities
NetSuite continues to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) functionality, embedding intelligence more directly into both administrative and day-to-day workflows.
AI integrations
Administrators now have greater visibility into AI integrations through custom tool visibility. Custom tools scripts that allow external AI assistants like Claude or ChatGPT to query live NetSuite data now has a user interface (UI) at customization. Administrators can see which tools are installed, which suite app they belong to, and the descriptions shown to AI models.
Embedded AI capabilities
A new generate insight button is now available across dozens of reports and several record types, including inventory items, customer payments, journal entries and support cases. These features produce AI-generated narrative summaries, helping users quickly interpret data. In support case management, this is particularly impactful, as the system can summarize communications, attachments, and timeline activity into a single view.
SuiteCloud developer assistant
For developers, NetSuite has introduced a SuiteCloud developer assistant. When working in SuiteScript within VS Code, developers can now leverage NetSuite’s AI model — trained specifically on SuiteScript — through a third-party plugin, improving development efficiency.
Integration and authentication updates
This release also introduces important updates to system access, authentication, and integration strategies.
NetSuite system access
Administrators can now configure login notifications that require user acknowledgment before accessing the system. At the same time, NetSuite is tightening controls around concurrent access. Multiple active sessions, which were previously allowed by default, now require two-factor authentication (2FA) to be enabled across all user roles and must be explicitly activated. Users who do not meet these requirements will be limited to a single active session.
End-of-life timeline for SOAP
Looking ahead, NetSuite has announced the end-of-life timeline for SOAP web services, which will be retired in the 2028.1 release. The final supported version will be 2025.2, and no new versions will be introduced. Organizations currently relying on SOAP integrations should begin planning their transition to REST.
REST enhancements
On the REST side, several enhancements improve performance and usability. Batch operations can now run asynchronously, significantly increasing throughput for large-scale data imports. New create form and select options operations also make it easier for external applications to replicate native NetSuite functionality.
Banking and data import improvements
Enhancements to banking and data import processes are designed to improve reliability, visibility and forecasting.
Bank feed integrations
Bank feed integrations now include email notifications for both successful and failed imports, along with more flexible scheduling options that allow administrators to define start times, frequency, and time zones. Standardized error codes further simplify troubleshooting.
Payment date prediction
In addition, a new AI-driven feature — available through NetSuite support — can predict payment dates for open invoices based on historical customer behavior, helping organizations improve cash flow forecasting.
Data import improvements
On the data import side, updates focus on accuracy and expanded functionality. Journal entry lines now include unique identifiers to improve reliability, SaaS metric reporting includes new referenceable fields, and cash refunds can now be processed via CSV import for the first time.
Inventory and supply chain enhancements
The NetSuite 2026.1 release introduces significant advancements in inventory and supply chain management, including a major new capability for native consigned inventory.
Native consigned inventory
Organizations can now use native consigned inventory to track vendor consigned inventory with distinct statuses and full life cycle support — from purchasing through fulfillment. The system supports regular, lot, and serialized items, as well as vendor returns, replenishment, and inventory adjustments. Ownership is transferred at the time of sale, and businesses can assign consigned asset accounts and optional vendor cost of goods sold (COGS) accounts. Vendor billing is also automated based on consumed quantities, making this a comprehensive solution for managing vendor-owned stock.
Warehouse management capabilities
Users can now process zero-quantity picks, manage work orders with back-ordered components and gain better visibility into back-ordered quantities directly within workflows. These features require SCM Mobile and NetSuite WMS SuiteApps.
Supply chain planning and allocation tools
Supply chain planning and allocation tools continue to evolve with the addition of a new planning results workbook in SuiteAnalytics. Allocation logic now supports kit quantity calculations and improved visibility into item availability across locations based on component supply. Certain allocation behaviors may be influenced by sales channel reservation settings. Additionally, supply type and lot sizing fields now auto-populate when copying items, improving efficiency.
Items, pricing, and manufacturing capabilities
Updates across items, pricing and manufacturing are focused on improving accuracy, flexibility and operational efficiency.
Item transfer cost functionality
Item transfer cost functionality has been enhanced to allow standard cost items to use item cost as the transfer cost on transfer orders. This eliminates the need for manual workarounds or scripts and helps reduce unintended gain or loss entries, ultimately improving general ledger accuracy and reducing purchase price variance.
Manufacturing processes
Manufacturing processes have been streamlined with greater flexibility in execution. Multiple work order operations can now begin simultaneously without artificial delays, and non-work-in-progress work orders can be reopened after closure. Users can also define default bills of materials or create new versions with unique names. For outsourced manufacturing, changes to quantity or location now automatically align across related transactions, improving consistency.
Pricing capabilities
Advanced pricing now allows organizations to automate special pricing for specific customers and items within defined date ranges, with rules that apply across multiple transaction types.
In parallel, cost-plus pricing introduces the ability to base pricing on item cost rather than sale price, using either average cost or a custom-defined cost field. This allows for more dynamic pricing strategies, particularly for items with volatile costs.
As part of this update, the Discount % field has been renamed to Pricing Method to reflect both legacy and cost-plus pricing approaches.
Order management updates
Order management functionality continues to evolve with enhancements to billing, metrics tracking, and shipping processes.
SuiteBilling
SuiteBilling now supports more flexible handling of commitment credits and prepaid enhancements. Organizations can share consumption-based commitments across multiple usage lines, apply different overage rates, and draw prepaid balances across multiple subscriptions within the same customer structure.
SaaS metrics SuiteApp
The new SaaS Metrics SuiteApp introduces improved visibility into customer lifecycle metrics. Businesses can now track new revenue, upsell, down sell, and churn at the customer level, along with automated cohort analysis based on the first transaction date. These insights support more robust recurring revenue reporting.
Shipping and address management
Shipping and address management updates include new multi-factor authentication requirements for FedEx account setup, driven by FedEx policies. Additionally, address-related sub-records are now automatically filtered to display only those associated with the relevant customer or vendor.
Prepare for the upgrade
Production accounts will be upgraded by the end of April, with sandbox environments available ahead of the rollout. To ensure a smooth transition, organizations should review several key areas in advance, including custom approval workflows related to deferred revenue reclassification, existing SOAP web service integrations and plans for migration to REST, multi-factor authentication requirements for users with multiple roles, and FedEx carrier account configurations.
Release notes are subject to change prior to final deployment. Organizations should consult their NetSuite advisor to evaluate how these updates may impact their specific environment.
