GR-01Other Product TypeAdministratorUser

How to Raise and Process a Goods Return in CrmLeaf

All editions. Requires the Goods Return add-on module to be enabled for your account by an Administrator. The source document you return against needs its own module: bills and purchase orders need Purchase,…

Part 10 · Procurement7 min read

Availability: All editions. Requires the Goods Return add-on module to be enabled for your account by an Administrator. The source document you return against needs its own module: bills and purchase orders need Purchase, material requisitions need Manufacture, and construction or solar sites need the relevant vertical module.

Overview

Goods Return is a source-agnostic returns engine. One return process covers material sent back to a vendor, goods returned by a customer, and material returned from a site, because a return can be raised against a bill, purchase order, invoice, order, material requisition, construction site or solar site.

Each source has an adapter that pre-fills the return lines from the chosen document, so you select what is being returned rather than retyping it. The return then moves through a formal state machine with per-item dispositions after the goods are received back.

How It Works

You choose the source document, the return lines are pre-filled from it, and the return progresses through approval, receipt and inspection to completion. A separate settlement_status tracks the commercial settlement of the return.

draft → requested → approved → received → inspected → completed

The return can be cancelled at each step, and a return that is only requested can be rejected.
completed, rejected and cancelled are terminal states. A return in one of them does not move on.
After received, staff record a disposition for each item - inspect or restock - so each returned line has a recorded outcome.
settlement_status is tracked separately from the return's own status, so the physical movement and the commercial settlement do not have to be at the same stage.
Returns can be reported on and exported as a PDF.

Return status values

Status	Meaning	Terminal
`draft`	Being prepared, not yet submitted.	No
`requested`	Submitted for approval. Can be rejected from here.	No
`approved`	Approved, awaiting the goods.	No
`received`	The goods are back. Dispositions are recorded from here.	No
`inspected`	The returned items have been checked.	No
`completed`	The return is finished.	Yes
`rejected`	The requested return was refused.	Yes
`cancelled`	The return was withdrawn.	Yes

Who Can Use This Feature?

Administrator

Enable the Goods Return module and the modules that supply the source documents.
Set which roles may raise, approve and process returns, and at which ownership scope.
Approve or Reject a requested return.

User

Raise a return against a bill, purchase order, invoice, order, material requisition, construction site or solar site.
Submit the return for approval.
Record receipt, per-item dispositions and inspection, and complete the return.
Export the return as a PDF and use the returns reports.

Access depends on the modules and role assigned by your Administrator.

Prerequisites

The Goods Return module is enabled for your account.
The source document exists - the bill, purchase order, invoice, order, material requisition, construction site or solar site the return relates to.
The module that owns that source document is enabled.
An approver is available if your process requires approval before the goods move.

For Administrators

Step 1: Enable the module and grant access

Go to: Settings → Module Settings

What to do: Enable the Goods Return module and grant the roles that raise and approve returns access to it.

What to verify: A user with that role can open the goods returns list and start a return.

Step 2: Approve or reject requested returns

What to do: Review each requested return against its source document, then Approve it so the goods can move, or Reject it.

What to verify: An approved return is at approved and a refused one is at rejected, which is terminal.

For Users

Step 1: Open goods returns

Go to: Goods Return

Review the existing returns before raising a new one, so the same consignment is not returned twice.

Step 2: Choose the source document

Select Add and choose the source the return is raised against - a bill, purchase order, invoice, order, material requisition, construction site or solar site - then choose the specific document. Choose the source that reflects reality: a vendor return is normally against the bill or purchase order, a customer return against the invoice or order.

Step 3: Check the pre-filled return lines

The adapter for that source pre-fills the return lines from the chosen document. Keep only the lines being returned and set the quantity being returned on each. Select Save to keep the return at draft while you finish preparing it.

Step 4: Submit the return for approval

Select Submit to move the return to requested. It now waits for approval, and can be rejected at this stage.

Step 5: Record receipt of the goods

When the returned items are physically back, move the approved return to received. Do this only when the goods are actually in hand, because dispositions follow from it.

Step 6: Record per-item dispositions and inspect

For each returned item, record its disposition - inspect or restock. Then move the return to inspected once the items have been checked.

Step 7: Complete the return

Move the return to completed. This is a terminal state. Then handle the commercial side: for a vendor return, raise or check the vendor credit for the returned value, and review the return's settlement_status.

Expected Result

The return is saved against its source document with the pre-filled lines, moves through requested, approved, received and inspected to completed, and each returned item carries a recorded disposition. The return can be exported as a PDF and appears in the returns reports.

Important Notes

Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
Goods Return is a paid add-on module. Confirm it is included in your plan, along with the module that owns the source document you want to return against.
completed, rejected and cancelled are terminal. Check the return carefully before moving it into one of them.
Raising a return does not settle the money. Use a vendor credit for a vendor return and your normal credit process for a customer return, and track it on settlement_status.
In the Solar CRM and Construction CRM editions the same screen refers to solar or construction sites according to your edition's terminology.

Common Scenarios

Example: returning defective material to a vendor. A manufacturer finds a batch of bearings out of tolerance after the bill was recorded. A return is raised against the bill, the lines are pre-filled from it, and after approval and receipt each item is dispositioned. The completed return is settled with a vendor credit.

Example: material coming back from a site. A construction site finishes with surplus fittings issued on a material requisition. A return is raised against the requisition and the usable items are dispositioned to restock.

Example: a customer return. A customer returns part of a sales order. The return is raised against the order, received and inspected, and the items are restocked.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Possible Cause	Resolution
The source document you want cannot be selected	The module that owns it is not enabled, or the document is outside your permission scope	Ask your Administrator to enable the module and widen your scope
The return lines are empty	The chosen source document has no lines to return, or the wrong document was selected	Reselect the correct source document
A return cannot be moved forward	It is at a terminal state - completed, rejected or cancelled	Raise a new return; terminal states do not progress
Dispositions cannot be recorded	The return has not reached `received`	Record receipt of the goods first, then record dispositions
The vendor balance is unchanged after a completed return	The return is complete but the settlement has not been raised	Raise or apply the vendor credit for the returned value and check `settlement_status`
The goods returns screens are missing	The Goods Return module is not enabled for the account or your role	Ask your Administrator to enable it

Frequently Asked Questions

Which documents can a return be raised against?

A bill, purchase order, invoice, order, material requisition, construction site or solar site. Each has an adapter that pre-fills the return lines.

What is the difference between the return status and the settlement status?

The return status tracks the physical process from draft to completed. settlement_status is tracked separately for the commercial settlement of the return.

Can I cancel a return that is already approved?

Yes. A return can be cancelled at each step. Rejection applies to a return that is at requested.

Does a restock disposition put the stock back into the warehouse?

Dispositions are recorded per item as inspect or restock. Confirm the exact stock effect for your account with your Administrator.

Is this the same as returning issued material on a requisition?

Material requisitions have their own return sub-flow in the core module. Goods Return can also take a material requisition as its source, so agree with your team which process you use.

Still need a hand?

Our support team answers on business days. Reference GR-01 so we can jump straight in.

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