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Operations Menu - Returned Goods

This function is used when goods that you have delivered to your Customer are returned to you. When this happens, open the Order and select 'Returned Goods' from the Operations menu. For the function to have any effect, all changes to the Sales Order must first have been saved (use the [Save] button), and at least one previous Delivery must be approved. An alternative method is to open the Delivery and select 'Return Goods' from the Operations menu.

If you are using a FIFO stock system and/or cost accounting (maintaining stock values in the Nominal Ledger), the difficulty with the returning of goods to stock is that the system cannot know the actual cost (FIFO value) of the goods being returned. The purpose of the Returned Goods register is to allow the user to intervene in this process, so that the correct FIFO values can be recorded.

A new record is created in the Returned Goods register (in the Stock module). It is opened in a new window, entitled 'Returned Goods: Inspect'. This means that it has been created and saved and is being opened for amendment and approval.

The Returned Goods record takes its information from the Order: the default Quantity is that already delivered. Any Items on the Order with a delivery quantity of zero will not be included in the Returned Goods record. The default Item Cost is the Cost Price from flip C of the Order, not the actual cost of the Item being returned. This is because of the difficulty of obtaining a true FIFO valuation and because FIFO values are not stored in Orders.

Enter the returned Quantity for each Item and remove any Items not returned by clicking on the row number to the left and pressing the Backspace key. If necessary, change the Cost Price to the true value of the returned Item (which will be shown in the original Delivery record).

If an Item being returned is a Structured Item, you should list its components in the Return, not the Structured Item itself. Structured Items are built the moment the Delivery is made and are not kept in stock themselves. Therefore, they should not be included on a Return. Only the components should be listed on the Return: this will ensure they are correctly received back into stock.

If an Item being returned has a Serial Number, no Serial Number will be transferred from the Order to the Return. This is because the Serial Numbers of delivered Items are not all stored in Orders if the Order Quantity is greater than one. You must enter the correct Serial Number yourself on flip B.

If the goods were returned because they were faulty (i.e. the Customer requires a replacement), choose to reduce the shipped quantity using the options on the right-hand side of the screen. Then, once the Returned Goods record has been approved, when you return to the Order you can raise another Delivery for the appropriate quantity to fulfil the Order. In this instance you may choose not to update the stock levels and to write off the Items using the Stock Depreciation register. If you need to return the Items to your Supplier, it is recommended that you update stock levels and then enter a Stock Depreciation record.

Alternatively, the goods may have been returned without a replacement being required (perhaps the Order has been cancelled). In this case, choose to reduce the ordered quantity and to update stock levels. If the Order has been invoiced, you can credit the original Invoice using the 'Create Credit Note' Operations menu function on the Returned Goods screen. This will create a Credit Note with appropriate Payment Terms and a reference to the Invoice being credited.

When the Returned Goods record is complete, click the OK check box. This signifies that the Return has been approved. Once this has been done, you will no longer be able to modify the Returned Goods record. You will not be able to raise a credit Invoice for the goods that have been returned until the record has been approved. A stock transaction in the Nominal Ledger will be created if you have so determined using the Sub Systems setting in the Nominal Ledger.

A possible method of working might be to generate a Returned Goods record when the Customer contacts you to send back the delivered Items. The Number of the Returned Goods record can then be issued as a Returns Number. When the Items arrive, the record can be approved: this will alter the stock levels accordingly.

Please click here for a full description of the screen, including detailed information about any Nominal Ledger Transactions created when the Return is approved.

To close the screen and return to the Order, click the close box. You will be asked if you want to save any changes. The Del 1 and Del 2 fields of the Order (visible on flip D) will be updated automatically (as will the Order Quantity on flip A if you have so chosen).