Automatic Location Assignment (ALA) in NetSuite helps assign fulfillment locations to sales order lines based on location rules, availability, and customer shipping details—reducing manual effort and improving fulfillment accuracy. To enable the feature, go to Setup > Company > Enable Features. On the Transactions subtab, under the Shipping & Receiving section, check the Automatic Location Assignment box.
Step-by-Step Setup
Step 1: Configure Locations
- Go to Setup > Company > Classifications > Locations.
- Add name, type, and address (including postal code).
- Check Make Inventory Available.
- Under Automatic Location Assignment tab:
- Choose Geolocation method (postal code or lat/long).
- Set assignment scope: worldwide or regional.
- Click Save.
Step 2: Create a Configuration
- Go to Setup > Order Management > Automatic Location Assignment Management > Configurations > New.
- Name the configuration, select subsidiary (if OneWorld), and save.
Step 3: Define Assignment Rules
- Edit the configuration and click New Rule.
- Set rule name.
- Define:
- Applicable line items (all or based on saved search).
- Valid locations (by type, list, or distance).
- Strategy (e.g., Minimize Fulfillment Locations, Workload Distribution).
- Save the rule.
Step 4: Set Assignment Timing
- Go to Setup > Order Management > Setup Tasks > Advanced Order Management.
- Under Shipping Orders > Automation, enable Automatic Location Assignment.
- Choose trigger events (e.g., Sales Order Approved).
- Set a default configuration (per subsidiary if needed).
- Save.
Step 5: Run Automation
- Go to Advanced Order Management > Shipping Orders.
- Check Run Automation.
- Select Automatic Location Assignment.
- Save to start auto-assignment.
Benefits
- Reduces manual data entry
- Increases order accuracy
- Supports scaling with multiple locations