For users of NetSuite OneWorld, the Subsidiary Selector is one of the most important—and most commonly misunderstood—elements of the interface. This dropdown menu, located in the upper-left corner of the screen, determines your working context and has a profound effect on what data you can see, what defaults are applied, and how reports are calculated. This guide provides a fact-checked and expanded overview of how subsidiary context works and how to use it effectively.

What is Subsidiary Context?

In a OneWorld account, each legal entity in your organization is represented by a Subsidiary record. The Subsidiary Selector allows you to choose which subsidiary's data you are currently working with. Think of it as a lens through which you are viewing and interacting with the system.

How Subsidiary Context Affects Your Work

1. Record Visibility

When you select a specific subsidiary, NetSuite filters the data you see to show only the records associated with that subsidiary.

• Customer and Vendor Lists: Only customers and vendors that are assigned to the selected subsidiary will appear in the lists.

• Transaction Lists: Only transactions created for the selected subsidiary will be visible.

• Item Lists: Only items that are available for the selected subsidiary will be shown.

  
  

2. Transaction Defaults

The subsidiary you have selected becomes the default for any new transaction you create.

• Subsidiary Field: The Subsidiary field on the transaction will default to the currently selected subsidiary.

• Currency: The transaction will default to the base currency of the selected subsidiary.

• Chart of Accounts: Only the accounts that are enabled for the selected subsidiary will be available for selection on the transaction.

  
  

3. Reports and Dashboards

Financial reports and dashboard portlets are always run in the context of the selected subsidiary.

• Financial Statements: An Income Statement or Balance Sheet will show the results for the selected subsidiary only.

• Consolidated Reports: If you select a Parent Subsidiary, the report will show the consolidated results of the parent and all of its child subsidiaries.

• KPIs: Key Performance Indicator (KPI) portlets on dashboards calculate their values based on the selected subsidiary.

  
  

The Subsidiary Selector Options

Common Issues and How to Resolve Them

• Problem: "I cannot find a customer that I know exists."

• Cause: The customer is assigned to a different subsidiary than the one you currently have selected.

• Solution: Switch to the correct subsidiary, or select a parent subsidiary or "All Subsidiaries" to broaden your search.

• Problem: "My transaction is defaulting to the wrong currency."

• Cause: The transaction is defaulting to the base currency of the currently selected subsidiary.

• Solution: Ensure you have selected the correct subsidiary before creating the transaction, or manually change the currency on the transaction form if your role has permission.

• Problem: "My report totals do not match what I expected."

• Cause: You are likely viewing a report at the child subsidiary level when you intended to view it at the parent (consolidated) level, or vice versa.

• Solution: Check the Subsidiary Selector and ensure it is set to the appropriate level for your reporting needs.

  
  

Best Practices

• Always Check the Selector: Before creating a transaction or running a report, make it a habit to glance at the Subsidiary Selector to confirm you are in the correct context.

• Use Specific Subsidiaries for Data Entry: When entering transactions, always select a specific subsidiary, not a parent or "All."

Use Parent Subsidiaries for Consolidated Reporting: When you need to see the big picture across multiple entities, select the parent subsidiary.