The quick answer
On the NetSuite Home dashboard, open the Quick Search portlet menu and choose Set Up. Change Search Type to Transaction, set Default Transaction Search Type to Sales Order, and click Save. Quick Search should then show Transaction Search with Sales Order selected in that dashboard context.
If you look up sales orders throughout the day, saving the portlet’s search type removes two choices from every search. You can enter an order number directly from Home and inspect the records your current role can see. The screenshots use sample data and fictional person and operating-company names.
Before you start
You must be able to add or configure the Quick Search portlet. Your role also needs permission to view sales orders and the records allowed by its subsidiary and other restrictions. The transaction types, fields, and results available in Quick Search can vary by account, role, enabled features, and NetSuite release.
Treat this as a dashboard preference, not an account-wide setting. Its persistence can depend on the user, role, dashboard, and account configuration.
01. Open Quick Search setup
Go to Home and locate the Quick Search portlet. In this example it starts as a general search, with Search For set to Name/ID.
Open the portlet menu and choose Set Up. If Quick Search is missing, use Personalize to check whether the portlet can be added. If it is unavailable there, your role or account may restrict dashboard personalization.
02. Make Sales Order the default
In Quick Search Setup, change Search Type from General to Transaction. The available search fields change with the selected search type. Set Default Transaction Search Type to Sales Order, then click Save.
The portlet title changes to Transaction Search and the Transaction Type field shows Sales Order.
03. Search by order number
Enter the complete order number in the visible Number field. The recording uses the example SO-78426 and leaves the other transaction fields empty. Your account may use a different transaction-number format or field label. Click Search.
For this lookup, use only the transaction type and order number so another criterion does not further restrict the result.
04. Check the result and saved preference
In the example account, the search returns one visible row: Sales Order SO-78426 for Aurora Habitat Labs, dated 09/15/2026, with Pending Fulfillment status. The date format and status are specific to this sample. One row here means one match was visible to this role; it does not prove that the number is globally unique or that every account matches numbers the same way.
Return to Home in the same role and dashboard. The portlet should still open as Transaction Search with Sales Order selected.
Check the result
- Mode: the portlet title is Transaction Search.
- Default: Transaction Type is Sales Order.
- Scope: the saved setup applies to this user, role, and dashboard context.
The portlet is ready for the next sales-order lookup. If the selection does not persist, confirm that you returned to the same user, role, and dashboard and that an account customization did not replace or override the portlet. This setup changes the dashboard search preference; it does not edit any sales order.
Common questions
Does this change Quick Search for everyone?
No. Treat it as a dashboard preference. Whether it persists can depend on the user, role, dashboard, and account configuration. It does not set an account-wide sales-order search default.
Why can’t I find Quick Search or Sales Order in the setup?
First check Personalize to see whether Quick Search can be added to the dashboard. You also need permission to configure the portlet and view sales orders. The available portlets and transaction types can vary by role and account configuration.
Why did my order-number search return no results?
Check the number and your account’s transaction-number format, then clear any criteria you do not need. Your role, subsidiary access, and other restrictions also determine which sales orders appear.
How do I check that the default was saved?
Return to the same Home dashboard with the same user and role. Quick Search should still show Transaction Search with Sales Order selected. If it does not, check whether the dashboard or role changed or an account customization replaced the portlet.
Does configuring Quick Search edit the sales order?
No. The setup changes how the dashboard portlet opens. Running the search reads the matching records your role can access; it does not edit the sales order.