You can manage and process all your returns with the Returns receipts app. There are multiple ways that the returns process can be started:
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A return is announced via the Xentral Returns Portal. The return will then automatically be created via this app. Find out more about the returns portal here.
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A return is announced by email or phone. In this case you need to manually create a return out of a sales order, invoice, or delivery note.
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For unannounced returns you need to manually create a return.
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A return must be registered in this app before you can accept it in goods receipt!
During the returns process you can create shipping labels, credit notes, and free replacement deliveries for the customer. When the return arrives at your warehouse, you can post it using the goods receipt document.
Note
Serial numbers and Best before date/Batch can be recorded for returns during goods receipt.
A return can be created via the returns portal, from an existing document (sales order, invoice, delivery note), or manually.
Using the returns portal is the easiest and quickest way to create a return, followed by the creation from a document. You should try to avoid creating returns manually as it is time-intensive and prone to error.
The customer announces the return in your returns portal and gets an automatic reply based on conditions you defined, e.g., they can automatically receive a shipping label. After announcement, the return is registered in this app and is ready for goods receipt.
Find out more about the Xentral Returns Portal here.
Returns can be created from sales orders, invoices, and delivery notes. All the necessary information for the return will be transferred from that document.
To create a return from a document:
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Open the respective sales order, invoice, or delivery note.
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Select Continue as a return in the Action drop-down menu on the top right side. A new view is displayed.
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Enter how many items will be returned in the Retoure (Returns) field and the respective return reasons under Grund (Reason).
Note
You can find out how to define return reasons here.
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Click Create return. The return is opened in draft mode.
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Check the page for other options you want to activate.
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Click Approve.
You can create a return with no reference to previous deliveries or sales orders using this form of creation.
To create a return manually:
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Go to
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In Xentral NextGen : Stock > Returns.
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In classic design: Fulfillment > Return.
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Click + NEW. An empty return form opens.
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Select a customer in the Customer drop-down menu and click apply. The customer address is transferred from the contact master data.
If the customer is a supplier, select the check box To suppliers.
Note
Returns to suppliers are limited in scope:
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Returns to suppliers can only be done manually.
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Credit notes or negative liabilities can't be created for suppliers.
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Returns are not suitable for commission or consignment business, in which the product of a supplier will be stored for a certain amount of time, sold and the remaining quantities automatically returned at a specified date.
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Optional: Select a project.
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Optional: Select documents associated with the return in the respective fields for Sales order, Delivery note, Credit note, and Replacement order.
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Optional: Enter your order number. You may get a deviating order number from some online shops that you can enter here.
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Select the current progress from the drop-down menu, e.g. that the return was announced or received. You can filter your returns based on this value.
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Open the Positions tab and enter how many items will be returned in the Retoure (Return) field and the respective return reasons under Grund (Reason).
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Check the page for other options you want to activate.
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Click Approve.
There are a few options that are not necessary to create a return, but can help you in some cases. These are:
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Write protection - The return can't be edited anymore after you activate this option.
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VAT ID - If you charge a service fee for your returns, you also need to enter a VAT ID and select the correct form of taxation in the VAT check area on the bottom of the page.
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Language - Select a language for the return document if the return is not domestic on the bottom right. For this you need to set up a translation using the Translations app.
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Internal designation & Internal comment - These can be used for internal communication. The internal designation is displayed when you select the check box different designation. The internal comment area allows you to write a text that will only be visible inside your company.
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Free text & Header text - These texts allow you to write whatever you want and are displayed on the return document.
The return needs to be delivered and stocked in the right place. To achieve this, you have to set up the right warehouse in the returns document.
To set up the storage process:
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In the Return recipient address section, select a warehouse in the Return Center field or edit the fields manually.
You can set up a Default return recipient in the Settings tab of the Returns app. Find out more in this article: Adding default and group return centers.
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Select a specific Bevorzugtes Lager (preferred warehouse). This helps to figure out where the return needs to be stored.
You can also store the return in a special warehouse called Kommissions-/ Konsignationslager (Commission/ Consignment Warehouse). Find out more in this article: Commission/Consignment Warehouse.
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Go to the Return section and select a shipping method. The shipping label will be created for this method.
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Select a delivery term, e.g. if the delivery should be fully or partially delivered, i.e. to a hub and reshipped.
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Optional: Enter the salesperson who got a commission for the sale of the returned product in the Distribution field.
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Select whether invoice, stationery and item texts should be displayed with the check boxes No invoice, No stationery and logo, and Hide item texts.
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Optional: Enter a GLN (Global location number). This number helps with identifying a location and is important for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).
The processor field shows you the person who edited this return.
There are multiple areas in a return where you can find further information:
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In the Return subtab, you can find the Status field. It displays the current status of the document, like created or approved. There is also the Date field that displays the creation date of the return.
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In the Positions subtab, you can find all information on the returned items and their quantity.
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In the Preview subtab, you can find a PDF preview of the return document.
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In the Protocol subtab, all actions related to the return are logged.
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In the Files tab, you can upload and view files documenting the return, e.g. an image of the damaged item that is returned.
In the Action area on the right side, there are five buttons. These can only be selected after the return has been approved:
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(1) Create return shipping label: This button opens the Parcel label tab where you can create a return shipping label for you customer.
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(2) Create receipt of goods receipt + put into storage: This button can be used to store the return and create the relevant goods receipt document. This operation can also be done during goods receipt. In both cases, the page for storing the items appears. If necessary, serial and batch numbers as well as a best-before date have to be added before the items can be stored.
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(3) Create credit note: This button can be used to create a credit note for the return, whereby all data from the return is transferred.
Note
To pay out the credit note:
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Open the Payment transactions app and click Load credit notes. The credit note appears in the overview table.
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Select the credit note by clicking on the respective check box and then select an associated account in the Batch processing area below the table. Click Assign and approve payments. The credit note appears in the corresponding tab of the selected account.
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Open the respective tab of the account on top of the app. Select the credit note and click Make a payment in the Batch processing area.
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(4) Stornorechnung create: This button can be used to create a cancellation invoice for the return, whereby all the data from the return is transferred.
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(5) Free replacement delivery: This button can be used to create a free replacement delivery. A new sales order appears in which all data from the return is taken over and the returned items are entered with an amount of 0. This sales order is detached from previous documents, but there is a note in the Protocol tab from which return this sales order originates.
When you are finished processing the return, you should mark it as completed by selecting Mark the return as done. You can do this in the Action drop-down menu on the top right of the return or by opening the quick preview of the return in the overview table (click ) and selecting it in the Action menu there.
Note
It is not possible to create a credit note or cancellation invoice and a replacement delivery at the same time. You have to choose one of the two options.
In the Overview tab you can view a table of all Returns, Unsent returns, and returns In progress in separate subtabs. You can filter the entries by Status and Progress.
In each table returns can be edited, deleted, or copied. In addition, PDF documents can be created and labels added. Find out more about working with overview tables here: Working with overview tables.
The Settings subtab allows you to add additional columns to the tables, like more specific address information. You can also define a default return recipient and a group for return recipient addresses. Find out more in this article: Adding default and group return centers.
In the Scan area of the Overview tab, you can identify already created returns with a barcode scanner or by manually entering a relevant number. The following numbers are checked in the process:
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Return number
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Number of the delivery note from which the return was created
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Number of the sales order from which the return was created
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Tracking number of a previously created return label
As soon as a number is recognized, the corresponding return is opened.
Tip
Ask your customers to include the return document in their return package, so it can be easily identified during goods receipt.
A just-in-time (JIT) bill of materials (BOM) is a special type of BOM that consists of a head without a storage location that serves as a wrapper for the product and one or more components with a storage location that are attached to the head. A JIT BOM can be returned in the following ways:
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Only head
The head is the product you sell in your store. It only consists of a price, but no stock. So returning the head only will lead to a credit note without any stock bookings where the whole value of the BOM is refunded.
You can use this option if you don't plan on putting the returned items back into stock.
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Only components
The JIT components have a storage location and may have a price as well. You need to take a close look at the price in this case though, as the price may be lower when the item is sold in a bundle. If the item is not sold separately, a price may be missing as well.
When only returning components, stock will be correctly booked, but there may be problems with prices and the correct display of items when creating credit notes out of the return.
Note
Please make sure that the Hide in PDF option is not selected in the credit note when only returning components as the item will otherwise not be listed on the credit note. You can find the option in the Positions subtab when clicking the pen icon
for the respective product in the credit note.
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Head + components (recommended)
This method is recommended as it allows you to control prices, stock and the display of items on the document. If you allow partial returns, you will need to adjust the value of the credit note manually.