How to Rename PDF Email Attachments in SuiteScript

When generating a PDF using NetSuite's renderAsPdf() method, the resulting file may have the default name report.pdf.

If you're attaching that PDF to an automated email, a more descriptive filename can make it easier for recipients to identify the document.

Fortunately, you can rename the PDF with a single line of SuiteScript before sending the email.

Why Does the Attachment Have the Name report.pdf?

The renderAsPdf() method generates a PDF and returns a NetSuite file.File object.

That object includes a name property, which you can update before passing the file to email.send().

For example, if you're emailing a PDF generated from a sales order, you might want the attachment to include the sales order number instead of the generic filename.

How to Rename a PDF Attachment in SuiteScript

The following example generates a PDF from an Advanced PDF/HTML template, assigns a new filename, and attaches it to an email.

const renderer = render.create();

renderer.setTemplateById({
    id: attachmentTemplateId
});

renderer.addRecord({
    templateName: 'record',
    record: salesOrderRec
});

const attachmentFile = renderer.renderAsPdf();

// Rename the PDF before attaching it
attachmentFile.name = 'better_named_file.pdf';

email.send({
    author: emailAuthorId,
    recipients: recipient,
    subject: emailTemplateMergeResult.subject,
    body: emailTemplateMergeResult.body,
    attachments: [attachmentFile]
});

The key line is:

attachmentFile.name = 'better_named_file.pdf';

Because attachmentFile is a NetSuite file.File object, you can update its name property directly.

The renamed PDF is then included in the email's attachments.

Example: Include the Sales Order Number

You can also create a filename dynamically using information from the transaction.

For example:

const salesOrderNumber = salesOrderRec.getValue({
    fieldId: 'tranid'
});

attachmentFile.name =
    `Sales_Order_Delayed_${salesOrderNumber}.pdf`;

This produces an attachment name such as:

Sales_Order_Delayed_SO12345.pdf

Using the transaction number makes the attachment easier to recognize, especially when recipients receive multiple sales order emails.

Final Thoughts

If your SuiteScript-generated PDF attachment is named report.pdf, you don't need to change the Advanced PDF/HTML template to rename it.

Simply update the name property of the file returned by renderAsPdf() before passing it to email.send().

It's a small change that can make automated NetSuite emails easier for customers and employees to understand.