Case Study NetSuite Customization for Cross-Subsidiary E-Commerce Fulfillment
How we customized NetSuite to automate cross-subsidiary drop-shipping and inventory synchronization for two e-commerce brands.
The Client
Coordinating multi-brand operations under one ERP instance.
The client is a US-based e-commerce retailer operating across major online sales channels, including Amazon and Shopify. Their back-end inventory, billing, and logistics are managed using NetSuite as their primary Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform. The company operates two independent subsidiaries, AccuCut and AccuQuilt, within a single NetSuite instance.
While each brand functions as an independent business unit with its own customer base, their back-office operations are highly connected. AccuQuilt manufactures custom craft templates and studio equipment, while AccuCut coordinates standard cutting machinery and templates. To fulfill customer orders, the two brands frequently rely on each other’s inventory and manufacturing resources.
To support this interdependent model, the client needed a system that allowed one subsidiary to fulfill orders using the other’s warehouse inventory. They partnered with Intelegencia to build custom NetSuite integrations and automate their cross-subsidiary fulfillment workflows.
The Challenge
NetSuite barriers to cross-entity inventory and sales.
Although AccuCut and AccuQuilt shared a NetSuite database, standard ERP configurations created operational barriers. NetSuite restricts sales orders and purchase orders to a single subsidiary. This restriction meant the system could not easily process an order placed on AccuCut’s website that required fulfillment from AccuQuilt’s warehouse.
Furthermore, customers ordering through AccuCut often requested specialized "Studio" products owned by AccuQuilt. These items were set up as drop-ship products with varying SKUs per subsidiary, making manual tracking difficult. The client’s team had to manually create cross-subsidiary sales and purchase orders to coordinate these shipments, which was slow and prone to transactional errors.
NetSuite restricts each Sales Order or Purchase Order to a single subsidiary, limiting cross-entity transactions.
Customers placing orders with AccuCut often requested Studio products owned and fulfilled by AccuQuilt.
Studio products were configured as drop-ship items with different SKUs per subsidiary, making tracking and automation challenging.
AccuCut needed to drop-ship products manufactured by AccuQuilt, but NetSuite’s standard setup did not support this workflow seamlessly.
What our audit found
Identifying SKU mismatches and manual database bottlenecks.
Our ERP consulting team analyzed the client's NetSuite transaction paths and product databases. The audit showed that because the subsidiaries used different SKU systems for similar items, the system could not link products across the two brands. This lack of alignment blocked automated inventory updates.
Consequently, when AccuCut sold a product owned by AccuQuilt, database managers had to manually enter purchase orders in AccuCut and matching sales orders in AccuQuilt. This manual data entry delayed order processing, slowed down shipping, and caused reporting errors in their consolidated financial statements.
Subsidiary-specific SKU configurations prevented automated product linking.
Manual data entry was required to create cross-subsidiary transactions, delaying shipments.
Inconsistent inventory tracking led to discrepancy risks between Shopify, Amazon, and NetSuite.
Manual billing reconciliations increased the risk of accounting errors between the two brands.
The Solution
How we turned it around.
Implementing custom SuiteScript for transaction automation
To bypass NetSuite’s single-subsidiary limits, we developed custom automation scripts using NetSuite SuiteScript. We built trigger scripts that monitor incoming Shopify and Amazon sales orders. If an AccuCut order contains an AccuQuilt product, the script automatically generates the required intercompany transactions.
The automation handles the creation of purchase orders in the buying subsidiary and matches them with sales orders in the selling subsidiary. This automated process removes the need for manual data entry, ensuring orders are verified and processed for fulfillment immediately.
What we shipped
- Built custom SuiteScripts to automate intercompany transaction creation.
- Configured automated matching between purchase orders and sales orders.
- Removed manual data entry steps from cross-subsidiary sales workflows.
- Enabled immediate order routing from e-commerce channels to NetSuite.
Rebuilding product schemas and SKU mapping
To resolve the tracking issues caused by different SKU configurations, we created a SKU mapping database in NetSuite. We built correlation tables that link AccuCut's retail items to AccuQuilt's manufacturing specifications.
This mapping database allows NetSuite to translate SKUs dynamically when orders are processed. When an order is placed, the system checks the SKU mapping table to identify the correct item in the target subsidiary’s warehouse. This setup ensures accurate inventory tracking and automated fulfillment routing across both brands.
What we shipped
- Designed a centralized SKU mapping database in NetSuite.
- Created cross-reference schemas to link product records between subsidiaries.
- Enabled dynamic SKU translation during order validation.
- Standardized product data structures to support accurate reporting.
Implementing real-time inventory and fulfillment synchronization
To keep inventory and order statuses updated, we built a synchronization process. We developed scripts that monitor stock level changes in AccuQuilt’s warehouse and sync those values with AccuCut’s online store.
We also automated fulfillment tracking. When AccuQuilt packages and ships an order, the system updates the shipping status and tracking numbers across both NetSuite records. This synchronization keeps the end customer updated through Shopify or Amazon.
What we shipped
- Developed real-time inventory synchronization across subsidiaries.
- Automated shipping updates and tracking numbers sync.
- Integrated fulfillment data flows with Shopify and Amazon.
- Reduced manual updates, improving overall operational coordination.
The Numbers
Outcomes we can talk about.
The rollout of the NetSuite customizations resolved the client's cross-subsidiary fulfillment issues. By automating transaction routing, the client achieved a significant reduction in manual effort and transactional errors, ensuring smooth coordination between the two brands.
The SKU mapping database enabled efficient handling of diverse product types, SKUs, and drop-ship configurations. The integration established automated data synchronization, keeping product details, order confirmations, shipping records, and inventory counts updated without manual intervention, resulting in high client satisfaction.
Note on Metrics: Due to the client's strict security guidelines and the internal nature of the ERP adjustments, quantitative performance metrics were restricted from public release. The success of the project was evaluated qualitatively by the automation of all cross-subsidiary orders, the elimination of manual intercompany data entry, and the stabilization of inventory sync loops.
What We Built
What's Next
Automating intercompany financial settlement and auditing.
With the fulfillment process automated, the next phase will focus on financial automation. We plan to build automated billing and payment clearing workflows in NetSuite to reconcile intercompany accounts.
This setup will automatically process payments and invoices between AccuCut and AccuQuilt, reducing the time required for monthly financial closes.
Frequently Asked Questions
About This Project
The questions teams usually ask when they want to run a similar engagement.
The SuiteScript automation checks the items in the order, splits the fulfillment tasks based on warehouse location, and automatically creates the required intercompany records.
The Real Numbers
Need real numbers? Let's talk.
We kept the names off the page. The story is real, the outcomes are real, and we're always happy to walk a serious team through the rest of it.
Start a Conversation→More from Engineering
Cypress UI Automation: Accelerating Testing for a MERN Platform
Automating Customer Updates for Sales Success
Automating & Enhancing Sales Workflow
Insights from our blog
Artificial IntelligenceAI in Customer Success: 7 Ways to Automate and Grow
Customer success has evolved far beyond managing support tickets and scheduling periodic check-ins. Today, businesses are expected to deliver personalized experiences, identify risks before customers...
TechnologyWhy Vibe Coding Is a Real Risk , And What Engineering Leaders Need to Know Before It Breaks Production
On June 4, 2026, a frustrated maintainer of rsync, one of the most trusted file synchronization utilities in existence, the tool that tens of...
Artificial IntelligenceHow Our AI Workflow Saves Project Managers 3+ Hours Per Client
Every project manager we've ever worked with has the same relationship with their meeting notes: proud of them, and quietly resentful of what comes next....