The quick answer
Open the closed work order, click Actions and choose Reopen. NetSuite shows "Work Order successfully Reopened", the status goes back to In Process, and Buildable returns to the quantity ordered minus the quantity already built. Create Build and Close are back in the action bar. You can get the same result by clicking Edit, changing Status from Closed to In Process and saving.
Inline images show the field or column used in each step. Select Enlarge to see the complete recorded screen and its surrounding context.
The example is a small bicycle parts company. Work order WO2104 is for 14 WS-290 Trail Wheelsets. Production closed it after 8 were built because the rims for the rest were late. The rims have arrived, so the planner needs to build the remaining 6 on the same work order. The screenshots use sample data, and the person and company names are fictional.
Before you start
This applies to a non-WIP work order, one that is built with an Assembly Build and has no routing. Three conditions have to hold: your role can edit work orders, the work order is not voided, and the quantity built is less than the work order quantity. A work order that is fully built has nothing left to reopen it for.
Reopening does not build anything or move stock. When you enter the next Assembly Build, the components still have to be on hand, so check component stock for the remaining units first. The reopened status depends on what was built. WO2104 has 8 built, so it comes back as In Process. If nothing was built, NetSuite uses the status set by the Default Work Order Status preference. In a test account where that default is Planned, a closed work order with nothing built came back as Planned, so check the status and the Firmed box if you reopen an order that was never built.
01. Review the closed work order
Open WO2104. The status is Closed. Quantity is 14 and Built is 8, so 6 wheelsets were never built. Buildable shows 0, because a closed work order accepts no more builds. The action bar offers Edit, Back, Print BOM and Actions, with no Create Build or Close.
02. Reopen it from the Actions menu
Click Actions. The menu lists Reopen, New, Make Copy, Show Activity and Go To Register. Choose Reopen.
A Confirmation band says "Work Order successfully Reopened". The status is In Process and Buildable shows 6, which is the 14 ordered less the 8 built. Built still shows 8. Create Build and Close are available again, so the order can take the remaining 6.
Check the result
- The status is In Process.
- Buildable equals Quantity minus Built, here 14 minus 8, which is 6.
- Built has not changed, and no Assembly Build was created.
- Create Build and Close are back in the action bar.
03. Close the work order again
To try the second route, click Close. The Confirmation band says "Work Order successfully Closed". The status is Closed, Buildable is 0 and Built is still 8.
04. Reopen it by editing the status
Click Edit. The edit form shows Built 8 and Status Closed. Open the Status list. It offers In Process and Closed.
Choose In Process and click Save.
NetSuite shows "Transaction successfully Saved". WO2104 is In Process and Buildable shows 6 again, the same result as Actions > Reopen.
A third route is a CSV import that sets the status to In Process. It follows the same conditions, and it suits a batch of work orders better than opening each one.
Common questions
How do I reopen a closed work order in NetSuite?
Open the work order, click Actions and choose Reopen. You can also click Edit, set Status to In Process and save. Either one returns the work order to In Process and restores its Buildable quantity.
Why can't I reopen a closed work order?
Check three things. Your role needs permission to edit work orders. The work order must not be voided. And the quantity built has to be less than the work order quantity, so a fully built work order cannot be reopened.
Why does a closed work order show Buildable 0?
A closed work order accepts no more builds, so nothing is buildable. Built keeps the quantity that was already built. When you reopen the work order, Buildable becomes Quantity minus Built.
What status does a work order return to after it is reopened?
A work order with units already built, fewer than the quantity ordered, returns to In Process. If nothing was built, the status comes from the Default Work Order Status preference. In a test account where that default is Planned, a closed work order with nothing built returned as Planned, so check the status and the Firmed box when you reopen an order that was never built.
Does reopening a work order create an assembly build or change inventory?
No. Reopening changes the work order's status and its Buildable quantity. It does not enter an Assembly Build or move stock. Components still have to be on hand when you build.
Is reopening available for WIP work orders?
No. Reopen, editing the status and a CSV status update apply to closed non-WIP work orders, which are built with an Assembly Build. A closed WIP work order, one with routing and WIP operations, follows the Work Order Issue, Work Order Completion and Work Order Close flow and cannot be reopened these ways.
Can I reopen a work order in bulk?
A CSV import that sets the status to In Process can reopen many work orders at once, with the same conditions as the other routes. The walkthrough does not run an import.