The quick answer
Open the invoice, select Communication > Messages, and choose Email. Select a recipient with a usable email address, apply the invoice template, enable Include Transaction, choose PDF, and review the message before using Merge & Send.
The screenshots show sample data. Person and operating-company names are fictional. Use your own records and values when following the steps.
Before you start
Have access to the saved invoice, an intended customer or contact with a usable email address, and the invoice email template. Confirm the recipient and invoice details before sending; the recorded mailbox view is illustrative and doesn't prove delivery.
01. Open the invoice from Recent Records
From the Home page, select the invoice from Recent Records. Confirm the invoice number, customer, status, and amount before starting the message. In the recorded example, the invoice is open for Ember Ridge Outfitters and shows an amount due of $4,860.00; use your own transaction values in practice.
02. Check the invoice context and message history
On the invoice, open Communication and select Messages. Review the existing history, then use Email to start a message associated with this invoice. The invoice context is carried into the composer.
03. Check the email context
After selecting Email, check the related invoice shown at the top of the composer. The template and attached transaction use that invoice’s context.
04. Apply the invoice email template
In the message composer, select the invoice notification template. Confirm that it supplies both a subject and a body, then review the merged invoice reference and other transaction values. In the recorded example, the subject is Invoice INV8804 is ready and the body asks the recipient to review the invoice.
05. Include the invoice as a PDF
Open Attachments and keep Include Transaction selected. Choose PDF rather than leaving the format at Default when you need the attachment format to be explicit. The attachment choice controls the transaction included with the message; it doesn't add unrelated files.
06. Check the recipient address
Open Recipients and select the intended customer contact. Confirm that the selected contact has a usable value in Email Address *. Add To, Cc, or Bcc recipients only when required for this communication.
07. Send once and check the history
Use Preview to check the merged message and attachment choice before sending. When the recipient and content are correct, select Merge & Send once. Back on the invoice’s Messages tab, verify the new row’s subject, recipient, and PDF attachment. The recording shows this logged send; delivery still needs separate confirmation.
Check the result
- The message was associated with the intended invoice and recipient.
- The merged subject, body, and PDF choice were reviewed before sending.
- The invoice’s Messages history includes the new email; mailbox delivery is not inferred.
Common questions
How do I send an invoice email from NetSuite?
Open the saved invoice, go to Communication → Messages, and select Email. Choose a customer or contact with a valid email address, apply an invoice template if needed, select Include Transaction, choose PDF, preview the message, and select Merge & Send. Available tabs, fields, templates, and actions depend on the account’s features, form customization, and role permissions.
How do I attach the invoice as a PDF?
In the email window, open Attachments, enable Include Transaction, and set Type to PDF. Default follows the relevant account configuration or preference, so it should not be assumed to mean PDF in every account.
Where can I inspect the saved invoice email?
Return to the invoice’s Communication → Messages subtab. A new message row should show details such as the sender, recipient, subject, date and time, email type, and attachment information; column names and visibility may vary by form or account configuration.
Does a message in the invoice history prove that the customer received the email?
No. The message row confirms that NetSuite recorded the send action, but it does not prove mailbox delivery or customer review. Delivery behavior can vary with email settings, recipient addresses, bounced messages, and account-specific communication controls; Send Transactions Via Email is separate from manually sending an invoice email.