Finally, you'll decide how to handle the return: either reship the order if requested, or restock the inventory by receiving the items via a special return ASN (or write it off if the items are damaged).

Getting Started

Using Returns requires two things: the right permissions and the right location behavior types.

Permissions

For permissions, you will need to tick the appropriate boxes for each return function as desired. All permissions related to Returns are found under Order Management.

For a refresher on how to get to this menu and/or change permissions, click here.

Locations

For Locations, you will need to update your return Locations to ensure the behavior type is Holding. If you don't have Return Locations built yet, create them and set the behavior type as so. If creating new Locations, set the rule for Item Mixing to True.

Understanding Return Locations

Think of your regular Locations within our system – the places where you usually store your inventory. Return Locations aren't a special, separate kind of location. Instead, any Location can be used for returns.

The key is how you tell InfoPlus a specific Location is meant for returns. You do this by setting its "behavior type" to "Holding."

So, if you have a shelf, a bin, or even a designated area in your warehouse that you want to use for receiving returned items, you simply create a standard Location record for it. Then, by choosing "Holding" as its behavior type, you're telling our Returns feature, "Hey, this is one of the places where I'll be putting returned items."

You don't need to create special "Return Location" records. Just use your existing Locations, or create new ones, and set their behavior type to "Holding" to make them ready for returns.

With these satisfied, you're ready to process returns.

Step 1: Return received

You're in the warehouse and you've just gotten a return. To kick off the Returns process, create a Return Order.

If you intend to reship this order, this is the stage where you can modify the shipping address if you need to.

For instance, if the original delivery failed due to an inaccurate address – perhaps a missing data point, a misspelling in the street name, or an incorrect house number – or if the customer has provided a completely new delivery address, you will input those changes here.

You'll do this by going to the Return Order after it's been created and clicking Edit on the Actions dropdown, then the gear icon on Ship To, like so:

Step 2: Verify Returned Order

After the Return Order has been created, the next step is to verify the return quantity and condition. This is done through the Mobile App.

When return line items are verified, lines on the Return Order Line Detail table are generated to make it easy to tell where these items are being held in the interim, before they're reshipped or restocked (this is because even though you've got the items physically in the warehouse with you, they have not technically been received into your inventory until you've completed the restock process).

Damages/Missing Items

You'll want to check to see if there are any damages or missing items from original order.

If items are found to be damaged and deemed unacceptable, users must place these damaged items into a Location with the behavior type Holding.

In cases where a Reship is involved and damage is reported, the order will automatically be recategorized as a Restock. With this being the case, you would need to process the reshipment as a new Order separately.

For Returns that are already categorized as Restock, the damaged Items will be entered into your inventory with the status Damaged following the completion of the Restock process.

From here, you have the option to restock or reship the order.

If you are not reshipping the Order and want to return the items to your inventory (restock), see Step 3A.

If you're prepared to reship the complete order as is, see Step 3B.

Step 3A: Restock

You can handle restocking in a few ways. If you plan on reshipping a partial order (wherein you'll be returning only some of the items to stock), you can do so by creating a completely new Order. It's important to note that the new order created here will not be a Return Order and will instead simply be a new Order. For the remainder items that you'll be returning to stock, follow the Restock process.

If you don't need to reship a partial order and/or want to return all the items for the return back to you inventory, follow the Restock process.

Once the Restock process has been completed, the return itself is also complete.

Step 3B: Reship

If you're prepared to reship the complete Order as is, you can do so by going to the Actions dropdown on the Return Order and selecting Reship Order.

Note: reshipping a Return Order must have the category "Authorized". This is a preventative measure to ensure the customer has approved the reshipment.

Note: you can only reship a Return Order if all items from the original order are being reshipped.

If you need to make any modifications or updates to the Order after this step, you can do so by navigating to the Return Order and selecting Edit Processed Order from the Actions dropdown menu. This will allow you to adjust the details as necessary.

When reshipping in the desktop UI, you'll select the Reship option. At this point, the order that is to be reshipped is auto-generated and will be inserted into the Order table with status of Processed.

After that, you just have to ship it. If doing so via the desktop, you'll first have to Cartonize the Order via the Actions dropdown. After cartonization is complete, select the Actions dropdown again and select Create Parcel Labels.

If shipping via the Mobile Floor App, there are two ways to reship: 1) you can pack the Order in the Pack Station and Ship in the Ship Station; or 2) you can go directly to Shipstation and build the carton and ship from there.

With the label generated, the process for the Return has been completed.

Return Status

When navigating the Return Order table, the status of the return is reflected in the column Return Status. There are six possible statuses a Return Order can have:

To Do: indicates the Return Order has been created but has not gone through the Verify Returns process.
QA Completed: indicates the Return Order has successfully been verified via the Verify Returns process.
In Progress: used for Restock returns only; this indicates you've started the Restock process for this return but have yet to finish it.
Pending Reship: used for Reship returns only; the Return Order will move to this status immediately after executing the Reship Return Order from the Actions dropdown.
Completed: indicates the Return has been completed. Restock return orders will move to this status after the Restock process has completed; Reship return orders will move to this status after the auto-generated reship order is shipped.
Cancelled: indicates the Return has been cancelled.

Users can use the Mobile Floor App to search for any Return as long as it's in the status of To Do or QA Completed. Searching for Returns with any other status in the Mobile Floor App will result in an error.

What orders are eligible for the returns functionality?

Returns functionality only applies to Orders that have shipped. To check, go to the Order in question and ensure the status shows as Shipped like so:

Why might I use a Return Order?

You would use a Return Order for any time items have been returned to the warehouse. You have the ability of notating why the Return Order was created by selecting from one of several categories: Ordered Wrong, Warehouse Error, Undeliverable, Damaged, Buyer’s Remorse, Recall, Other.

Where can I track my Returns?

You can track the status of return orders via the Return Order table. You can use this table to filter by various criteria, like create date, the original Order number, the status of the Return, and so on.

How can I tell if an Order is a Return?

Return Orders do not live on the Order table with other non-return orders; they live strictly on the Return Order table. Another way to put it is that Return Orders and Orders are separate records which should reduce the likelihood of mistaking one for another.

What do I need to have in place to utilize Returns?

See our Getting Started section.

What do I do if the return contained an Outside Vendor item?

Outside Vendor items are moved to independent orders when ran through Fulfillment; Return Orders cannot be created for Outside Vendor items.

What is the Return Order Line table?

The Return Order Line table gives you visibility on all lines of a Return Order without having to go into the Return Order record itself. You can think of this is as the table where all items related to returns are displayed.

What is the Return Order Line Detail table?

The Return Order Line Detail table plays a crucial role in the returns process. Until you complete the final restocking step, returned items are not reflected in your active inventory. This table serves as the central record for tracking these items and their locations. It's essentially a temporary holding place, indicating where returned items are located until they are either restocked (via a special return ASN) or written off. This table is essential for communicating the location of returned goods to your team during the restock process.