The following describes the process of returning goods to your supplier through a return to supplier order. You handle the return orders in the same routines as ordinary purchase orders.
Prerequisites
When you enter a return order manually, you follow the same procedure as for an ordinary purchase order. You must, however, enter an order type defined as return instead of an order. (See About purchase order entry for more information about this procedure).
The purchase order type controls if the return updates the stock on hand.
There are two ways you can use the system when returning goods to your supplier:
- Return with document handling: The stock is updated when the Return note is confirmed in the Confirm purchase order reception note routine. See Routine flow below.
- Immediate return without any document: If you enter a return order with an order type with immediate update (meaning no documents printed), you update the stock on hand when you conclude the purchase order entry. Note: If you are using a purchase order type with immediate update, and are entering a serial number or lot handled item, you must have this information at hand.
Routine flow
The normal process of a return to the supplier is:
- Enter the return order.
- Print the Suppliers Return Note document. You can use this for internal follow up and/or send it to the supplier as information. The system prints this document in the same routine as for the printout of the purchase orders.
- Print the Return Note document to the shipping warehouse as a base for the return shipment to the supplier. The system prints this document in the same routine as for the printout of the purchase order reception notes.
- The shipping warehouse confirms the return as shipped. You confirm the Return note in the same routine as for goods receptions, i.e. the Confirm purchase order reception note menu item.
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| 10 | The order line has been entered into the system and is ready for printing on supplier’s return document |
| 20 | The order line is ready for the printing on return note |
| 30 | The return note has been printed for this line and is ready for return note confirmation |
| 60 | The return order line is confirmed and ready |
Note: The order header always has the same status as the highest status you can find for any order line below 60. When the order header = 60, all order lines also = 60. (Status 00 in the order header means no order lines have been entered for the order.)
Non-conforming stock
If you are working with non-conforming stock you need the non-conformity certificate number at hand when you enter the return order. Note: You must use an order type that prints a Return Note if you are returning an item from the non-conforming stock. This is because the supplier has to receive non-conforming information printed on this document.
Transit stock
To return a surplus in transit stock (originally assigned to a sales order and created in the Back to Back (BtB) functionality), you must first move the quantity to the normal stock in the warehouse. You can then enter an ordinary return order from the normal stock in the warehouse. See Move from transit stock.
Enquiries and printouts
- Purchase order enquiry to track the progress of the return order
Returns in progress
In the following enquiry programs you can find information about the return in progress (the order line is lower than 60):
- Warehouse balance enquiry. If you are using a return order to print a return note, the Reserved field includes the quantity on return note.
- Time axis enquiry. If you are using a return order to print a return note, the Returns field displays the total quantity on return note.
- Item file enquiry, Warehouses to view the following:
- Quantity on return order from normal stock.
- Quantity on return order from non-conforming stock.
Confirmed returns
After you have confirmed the return as shipped (the order line is at status 60), you can find information about the return in the following:
- Goods reception enquiry. You can see information about the actual return, containing information about the purchase price per unit (expected credit amount from the supplier), shipment date (in the Rec date field), shipping warehouse, etc.
- Inventory transaction enquiry. These transactions correspond to the bookkeeping transactions. You can find the accounting period, total cost value in system currency, etc. This enquiry program is useful if you need to follow up the bookkeeping with the inventory transactions. It is also convenient when you want to track the total flow of an item, since the program displays all types of inventory events.
- Item file enquiry, Supplier information. Displays number of returns, year to date and last year.
- Item file enquiry, Warehouses. Displays the following:
- Number of returns from selected warehouse, year to date and last year.
- Quantity returned from selected warehouse, year to date and last year.
Printouts
- Print purchase order file list
- Print inventory transaction list. You can select to print returns by entering value 931 in the field Transaction type.