@beckyd we are struggling for the almost same problem. We have the same product that could be imported or manufactured. Since this is the same product, it is the same product number in my mind. The issue is when we bill our customer and the mark-up between both provenance... We mainly use the special work orders to make sure the link between the product cost and the sales order follows.
And for every different versions of a product we open a new code. This is the only way to make sure you don't mix versions... There is an "alternate" stuff in Netsuite but we don't really know how to use it 😞