Returns — Complete Flow

Department: Warehouse & Logistics (cross-department with Sales and Acquisitions)
Role: Picking & Dispatch Operator, Inventory Controller, Warehouse Manager
Objective: Process returns correctly — stock reflects reality, financial documents are issued, customer/supplier is notified

The two types of returns in CRMconnect

Customer Returns

Who initiates and who processes

How to record a customer return

Where: Warehouse → Delivery Returns → Add

1. Find the original delivery note → associate the return
2. Fill in the returned items:
   • SKU, returned quantity
   • Return reason (defect, wrong order, change of mind, etc.)
3. Select the destination warehouse:
   • Active stock → if goods are perfect, can be reshipped immediately
   • Quarantine warehouse → if goods need inspection before reintegration
4. Confirm → stock increases automatically in the selected warehouse
5. Notify Sales → they issue the Credit Note to the customer

Decision: Active stock vs. Quarantine

Never put non-conforming goods directly into active stock. You risk re-dispatching a defective product.

Complete flow — e-commerce customer return

Customer requests return (portal or email)
       ↓
Customer Support confirms and sends return AWB label (if policy provides)
       ↓
Goods arrive at warehouse
       ↓
Operator physically inspects:
  → Perfect condition → Delivery Return → ACTIVE stock
  → With defects → Delivery Return → QUARANTINE warehouse
       ↓
Delivery Return finalised → stock increases
       ↓
[Sales] Sales Admin issues Credit Note → customer balance reduced
       ↓
If cash refund: Finance processes payment back
       ↓
If goods are in Quarantine: Manager decides their fate (restock, write-off, supplier return)

Returns from OMS (WooCommerce / marketplace)

Returns from OMS orders follow the same warehouse flow, but with an extra step:

Return confirmed in WooCommerce/marketplace
       ↓
Operator creates Delivery Return in CRMconnect linked to the OMS order
       ↓
Stock comes back in
       ↓
[OMS] Order status updated manually or via sync
       ↓
Credit/refund processed in payment platform (manually, outside CRM)

Supplier Returns

When to return to supplier

• Goods received defective or non-conforming with the order
• Excess delivery (received more than ordered)
• Expired or near-expiry lot at time of receipt
• Wrong goods (supplier sent incorrect product)

How to record a supplier return

Where: Warehouse → Purchase Returns → Add

1. Associate the original Purchase Order (or GRN)
2. Fill in the items to return:
   • SKU, quantity to return
   • Reason (defect, excess, non-conforming, etc.)
3. Select the source warehouse (where goods are going out from)
4. Confirm → stock decreases automatically
5. Notify Acquisitions → they issue the Debit Note to the supplier

Coordinating with the supplier through the Portal

If the supplier has access to the Vendor Portal (/purchase/vendors_portal):

• The supplier sees the return you initiated in the Return Orders section
• They can update the status: Received, Approved, Rejected
• You can monitor the return status from Purchase Returns without phone calls

Complete flow — supplier return

Identify the issue: defective / excess / non-conforming goods
       ↓
Physically isolate in Quarantine (Internal Transfer if needed)
       ↓
Contact supplier → get return confirmation (RMA or email)
       ↓
Purchase Returns → Add → associate PO/GRN → items + quantities
       ↓
Confirm → stock decreases
       ↓
[Acquisitions] Issues Debit Note → reduces amount owed to supplier
       ↓
[Warehouse] Prepare the return parcel physically → return AWB (if supplier sends label)
       ↓
Hand to courier → supplier confirms receipt in Portal
       ↓
[Finance] Debit Note reduces the payment invoice or generates credit for future

Return traceability in Warehouse History

Every recorded return appears automatically in Warehouse History as a stock movement:

If someone asks "how much stock was returned from lot X?" → filter History by SKU + movement type Return → the answer is complete with operator, date, and source document.

Financial impact — summary

Metrics to track

Practical tips

Physically inspect returned goods before recording anything. Don't enter a returned quantity into the system without having actually seen what arrived — different products than ordered may be returned.

Return reason is valuable business data. Fill in the reason correctly for every return — aggregated monthly it shows whether you have a quality problem with a supplier or a description problem on a product.

Don't issue the Credit Note before confirming goods have physically arrived. The customer doesn't receive credit if they haven't sent the goods. Recording in Delivery Returns = confirmation that the goods are with you.

Quarantine is not a place to forget goods. Review quarantine weekly — decide the fate of each item: restock, supplier return, write-off. Stagnant goods in quarantine distort stock value and take up space.