Return orders — User Guide

Module: Purchase
Audience: Procurement staff, warehouse coordinators, accounts payable
Version: 1.0.0
Last updated: 2026-07-22

Overview

A return order documents goods you are sending back to a vendor against an existing purchase order. You record which PO lines are being returned, quantities and amounts, and track the return through approval, shipping, and refund stages. When the Warehouse module is enabled, an approved return can generate a stock export (delivery voucher) to remove items from inventory.

Access return orders from Purchase → Return orders. Vendors can view their returns in the vendor portal.

Prerequisites

Configure return numbering and approval under Purchase → Settings (Order return tab and Approval process).

Step-by-step: View return orders

1. Go to Purchase → Return orders.
2. Use filters:
   • From date and To date (defaults to the last 15 days)
   • Vendor
   • Status (Draft, Processing, Confirm, Shipping, Finish, and others)
3. Click a return number to open the detail panel on the right (split view).
4. Use the toggle icon to expand or collapse the preview pane.

Step-by-step: Create a return from a purchase order

1. Go to Purchase → Return orders.
2. Click New.
3. Select the Purchase order you are returning against.
4. The form fills vendor contact details, currency, return fee, and return policies from the vendor profile.
5. Review line items loaded from the PO. Adjust Quantity, discounts, and Reason for return per line as needed.
6. Enter a Return name and any Admin note or policy text.
7. Click Submit to save as draft, or use Save and send request if approval is required.

Expected result: A new return order appears in the list with status Draft (or moves to approved automatically when no approval workflow is configured). The linked purchase order status changes to Return.

Step-by-step: Approve a return

When order-return approval is enabled in settings:

1. Open the return from the list.
2. Review the approval panel on the detail view.
3. Approvers receive a notification and can approve or reject from the standard approval UI.

If approval is not configured, the return is approved automatically on creation.

Step-by-step: Process status and warehouse export

Typical progression:

1. Draft — return created, editable.
2. Processing / Confirm — under internal review.
3. Shipping — goods being sent back to vendor.
4. Finish — return completed.

Administrators can change status from the detail view More menu → Mark as {status}.

Warehouse export (when Warehouse module is active):

1. After the return is approved, a stock-export icon appears on the list row.
2. Click it and select the warehouse to create a delivery voucher (stock export).
3. Use the eye icon on the row to open the linked warehouse document.

Step-by-step: Record a refund

When the return is in Confirm or Processing status and money is still owed back:

1. Open the return detail.
2. Click More → Refund (or open the Refunds tab).
3. Enter refund amount, payment method, and date.
4. Save.

Track remaining refundable balance on the refunds tab.

Step-by-step: PDF and delete

PDF: On the detail view, open the PDF menu → View, Download, or Print.

Delete: Available from the list row options when the return is not yet approved. Requires Delete permission.

Field reference (create form)

Status reference

Common issues

Related features

• Settings — return numbering, approval process, global return policies
• Vendors — per-vendor return fee and return policies
• Purchase orders — source document for returns (PO cluster)
• Warehouse module — stock export delivery voucher