Entering Returns

You can post returns of items to inventory against existing receipts or against receipts you have already cleared from Purchase Orders. You can also post returns without entering any receipt number. More...

If you enter a receipt number, the return is posted to the primary vendor on the receipt. (You cannot post returns to secondary vendors specified on receipts.)

When you post a return, inventory quantities are immediately updated for the returned items in Inventory Control. You can edit posted returns until they are completed (when credit notes are posted).

  • If you change return quantities or return costs on posted returns, Inventory Control item quantities are updated with the changes, and Day End Processing creates new general ledger transactions to reflect the changes.
  • Job-related changes to returned quantities change the actual quantities and costs in Project and Job Costing, reducing the WIP account for the job.

When you return items from an existing receipt, Purchase Orders displays information from the original receipt in the Return Entry screen. You can edit all the information on the Return tab except for the purchase order number (if any), vendor number, and template code.

You enter the returned quantity for each item in the detail entry table on the Return tab of the Return Entry window. You can either delete the details that you are not returning, or leave the returned quantity at zero.

If you are returning all items from a receipt, you can use the Return All button to enter the full quantity received on each detail line. If necessary, you can change all of the returned quantities inserted by the Return All button.

When you enter returns to cleared receipts, you can enter and change all the default information that appears from the vendor record and template code. You can also add as many detail lines as you need to match the information on the cleared receipt.

You enter the details of the returned items on the detail entry table on the Return tab of the Return Entry window. With each detail, you must enter the item number, item description, location (if you use Inventory Control), and quantity returned.

You can also enter the unit and return cost, unit of measure, unit weight, extended weight, vendor's item number, order number, and comments. If the detail includes a non-inventory item, you also enter the general ledger account to which the returned cost is expensed.

No additional cost details appear on a return. You cannot edit costs or add new costs. When you return items to which you prorated additional costs on the receipt, the costs are allocated according to the reproration method specified on the receipt.

If you return all items on a receipt that included additional costs and used Prorate as the return proration method, the costs remain allocated as specified on the receipt.

  • If you want to assign numbers to returns automatically, use the Options window to assign or verify the length, prefix, and next number for Purchase Orders to assign to returns.
  • Post any receipts from which you are returning items.
  • Make sure you have complete information for each return, including:
    • Vendor number.
    • Return number (if you assign your document numbers).
    • Receipt number, if any.
    • All returned item numbers and corresponding locations, units of measure, and quantities to return.

To enter a return:

  1. Open Purchase Orders > P/O Transactions > Return Entry.
  2. In the Return Number field, press Tab to accept ***NEW*** as the return number.

    Purchase Orders will assign a return number when you post the return.

    Tip: If you do not want Purchase Orders to assign a number automatically, you can manually enter a number.

  3. In the Vendor Number field, enter the vendor number or select it from the Finder.

    Tip: You do not have to enter a vendor number. However, doing so can be helpful if you want to select a receipt number using the Finder, because specifying a vendor number limits the length of the receipt list.

  4. In the Receipt Number field, enter the receipt number or select it from the Finder.

    The program will display all of the information from the receipt that you selected, allowing you to return all items or edit the quantities and then post the return.

  5. Check the header information for the return to make sure that it is correct. More...
    1. In the Return Date field, enter the return date or select it using the Calendar.
    2. If the posting date is different from the return date, enter it in the Posting Date field.

      Note: The posting date is the date that you want to use for posting the transaction in the General Ledger. This date also determines the year and period to which the transaction is posted.

    3. In the Bill-To Location field, enter or select the code for the inventory location that is returning the items.
    4. You can also specify a ship-via code for the return.
    5. You can change the vendor account code to post the transaction to a different set of Accounts Payable control accounts.
    6. Enter a description and a reference for the return.
  6. To return everything from the receipt, click Return All. You can change quantities, if necessary, and delete lines which are not being returned.
  7. If you are entering returns for cleared receipts (the receipt no longer exists), enter the details of the returned items on the detail entry table on the Return tab. More...

    For each detail, you must enter:

    • Item number.
    • Item description.
    • Location (if you use Inventory Control).
    • Quantity returned.
    • Unit cost.
    • Return cost.
    • Unit of measure.
    • Unit weight.
    • Extended weight.
    • Vendor's item number.
    • Order number.
    • Comments.
    • The general ledger account to which the returned cost is expensed (if the detail includes a non-inventory item).
  8. For job-related returns, enter contract, project, and category information.

    You do not enter the quantity received or extended cost.

  9. Edit return details on the detail entry table. More...

    For each detail, you can:

    1. Delete the detail line if it's not being returned.
    2. Change the Quantity Returned.
    3. Edit information such as unit cost and extended cost, discount percentage or discount amount, weights, quantities, vendor item number, order number (if PO is created from a customer order), comments, manufacturer's item number, and optional fields.
  10. If you need to change item tax classes or tax included information, use the Detail Items/Taxes window. More...

    To open the Detail Items/Taxes window:

    1. Select a detail on the detail entry table on the Return tab.
    2. Press F9 or click Item/Tax.
  11. Click the Taxes tab to check the tax totals. You can change the tax class and tax amount for each jurisdiction, if necessary.
  12. Click the Totals tab to check the totals for the return.
  13. Click Post to post the return.

For more information, see P/O Return Entry Screen .

  • Run Day End Processing in Inventory Control to:
    • Update inventory records.
    • Create general ledger entries from returns.
    • Create the Returns Posting Journal of transactions you posted in Purchase Orders since the last time you ran Day End Processing.
  • Print the Returns Posting Journal to check the returns you posted.
  • Create credit notes from returns. When you create credit notes from returns, the credit notes complete the returns.