ANS-1881 · INVENTORY & ITEM MANAGEMENT
Can You Change an Item’s Subtype After Creation in NetSuite?
While NetSuite allows conversion between certain item types, directly altering an item's subtype after creation is not supported, requiring item recreation.
Short answer
In NetSuite, it is not possible to directly change an item's subtype once it has been created. While certain item types like 'non-inventory' can be converted to 'inventory' or 'lot-numbered' items, modifying the subtype requires creating a new item and deactivating or deleting the original.
Scenario
Users often inquire about the possibility of modifying an item's subtype after it has been created in NetSuite. This situation arises when an item was initially set up with an incorrect subtype or when business needs evolve, necessitating a change in its fundamental classification.
Solution
NetSuite does not provide a direct method to change an item's subtype once it has been created. While it is possible to "convert" certain item types—for example, changing a "non-inventory" item to an "inventory" item or to a "Lot-numbered" item—the underlying subtype cannot be altered.To effectively change an item's subtype, the following steps are required:
Recreate the item with the desired new subtype.
Make the old item "inactive" or delete it, as appropriate for your data retention policies.
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