Every NetSuite customer just got the same deadline, and they are all going to need the same small pool of SuiteScript developers to meet it.
Oracle is now requiring every NetSuite script to move to SuiteScript 2.1. Support for 1.0 narrows to critical issues in 2027.1, legacy scripts can’t be deployed in new accounts in 2028.1, and by 2028.2 anything not on 2.1 stops running completely.
Prolecto called it technical debt coming due, and I agree.
Most NetSuite customers have years of customizations built by consultants who are long gone. Someone has to inventory every script, decide which ones still earn their keep, rewrite the ones that matter, and test it all without breaking the business. That takes SuiteScript developers, analysts, testers and leadership.
I already hear the counterargument; AI will just rewrite the code for us.
AI will absolutely help you in the conversion process, but it most certainly cannot handle the process on it’s own.
Here is why I don’t believe AI can carry this on its own:
1. AI can read a script, but it can’t tell you why it exists. The business rule behind it usually lives in someone’s head. That someone may or may not still be employed with you.
2. Scripts are tangled up with workflows, SuiteApps and integrations to Shopify, 3PLs and banks, so one change can quietly break something downstream.
3. Testing has to happen against your real processes and data, and someone who knows your business has to confirm the numbers still tie out.
4. Deciding what to retire is a business judgment, not a coding task.
5. Somebody has to be accountable. “The AI did it” is not an answer your CFO or auditors will accept.
Now picture thousands of NetSuite customers reaching the same conclusion in the same 18 month window. The supply of experienced SuiteScript talent won’t double by 2028, AI or no AI.
What’s going to happen then? Well, you’ll have the option of offshore which may not be to everyone’s liking or rates will be climbing because you’ll be bidding for the same talent here in North America.
This is why I keep saying the smartest time to line up talent is before everyone else realizes they need it. Companies that plan this work in 2026, with strong people using AI as a tool rather than a replacement, will pay less and get far better results than those who start in 2028.
Have you inventoried your scripts yet, and do you know who will own the rewrite? I would love to hear where you are, and if you need help finding the SuiteScript talent to get it done, send me a message and let’s talk!
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