NetSuite Unveils New HTML5 User Interface, B2B Tools For Manufacturers

NetSuite Tuesday took the wraps off a new HTML5-based user interface that's built to let users find information quickly no matter what kind of device they're using.

The new UI, which features the flat design and minimalistic design principles that are the rage in the mobile world these days, is the result of three years of usability research NetSuite conducted with its customers, CEO Zach Nelson said in a keynote at the NetSuite World conference in San Jose, Calif.

NetSuite has paid lots of attention to how the new UI runs on tablets, which makes sense given that many CEOs these days are running their entire companies using the devices.

The UI also features a navigational header, a dashboard for personalization, bigger menus and smoother scrolling. And it's all rolling out in NetSuite's 14.2 release in June, Nelson said in the keynote.

Nelson said the new UI will let customers find information more efficiently than they’ve been able to in the past. This is no mean feat given the complexity of ERP, he added.

"ERP is the hardest app to build," Nelson said. "Nobody thought this app would move to the cloud."

While lots of people are using NetSuite for CRM-like functions such as forecasting lead opportunities, Nelson said businesses need a more holistic approach to account for the problems caused by segmented systems.

With this in mind, NetSuite is targeting the manufacturing portion of its customer base with a new offering called B2B Commerce Center, which is built on the San Jose-based vendor's SuiteCommerce platform.

Nelson described the B2B Commerce Center as "Amazon-like" because it has everything B2B companies need to run their customer portals. The B2B Commerce Center handles credit card payments, and customers also can use it to view and track orders, reorder products, approve quotes, and request refunds and returns.

PUBLISHED MAY 13, 2014