Managing Customer Returns

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to explain the basic features for Manage Customer Returns – Version 2

Customer Returns

Business Example

Carol is a returns and refund clerk responsible for processing customer returns. She needs to search, create, change, or display customer returns, as well as trigger refunds.

A list report can be the entry point for these activities.

The tile Manage Customer Returns - Version 2 is a part of the business catalog Customer Returns. The clerk (Carol) can use this tile to launch the SAP Fiori-based list report.

The business catalog has to be assigned to business users through a business role. It contains one tile.

The tile indicates the number of returns order. In this example, there are +4,340 returns order.

The list report can display all returns order type with document category 'H'.

By using different criteria, you can filter and populate a list of existing returns order. Some filter values support the type-ahead feature and fuzzy search.

You can execute different actions directly from the results list, for example, you can create a new returns order with reference or from scratch.

From the results list, you can navigate to related applications, for example, to the returns order object page in order to retrieve contextual details of a returns order.

The hyperlink for fields such as Customer Return and Sold-To Party allows the user to navigate to related object pages and applications.

The Customer Return link offers various navigation targets, for example:

  • Create Customer Return
  • Edit Customer Return
  • Delete Customer Return
  • Display Customer Return
  • Determine Refund
  • The Customer Return object page (fact sheet)
  • Application to display, create, and change customer returns in the SAP Fiori theme for classic applications

The Sold-To Party link offers several navigation targets, for example:

  • Object page (Customer)
  • Related application Customer - 360° View

Filter Criteria

1. Standard Filter Criteria

The list report Manage Customer Returns - Version 2 contains a number of standard filter criteria, for example, the Returns Order (number), the Sold-To Party, the Reference Document, the Document Date, the Customer Reference, and more.

2. Additional Filter Criteria

You can add and remove other filter criteria to and from the filter bar, respectively.

3. Personalization of Filter Criteria

  • Hide / Show Filter Bar
  • You can use filter variants to save specific search variants (see next figure).

The (generic) filter criteria allows users to search for customer returns using the following attributes:

  • Customer Return (number)
  • Sold-To Party (name and number)
  • Document Date
  • Reference Document
  • Customer Reference
  • Created By
  • Processing Status
  • Release Status
  • Refund Progress
  • Logistical Status

Fuzzy search is supported when using these attributes.

The type-ahead feature is supported for different filter criteria, for example, for:

  • Sold-To Party
  • Reference Document
  • Created By

Hiding and showing the filter criteria is possible by selecting the upper part of the filter bar (right below the title of the application).

How to create a filter variant:

  1. Enter filter criteria.
  2. Choose the Select Variant icon.
  3. Choose Save As.
  4. Enter a name and choose Save.
  5. Manage variants.

The user can define several different variants, which enables him or her to quickly change the results list based on personalized settings.

One variant always has to be defined as the default variant which will be applied when the user launches the application.

The user can manage variants, for example, it is possible to:

  • Rename a variant
  • Delete a variant
  • Change the default variant

Customer Return Results List

1. Standard Fields in Results List

  • The list report Manage Customer Returns - Version 2 contains a number of standard fields in the results list.
  • Some fields display as hyperlinks, which allow you to navigate to related applications (see next figures).

2. View Settings: Personalizing the Results List

  • Adding, removing, and arranging columns in the results list is possible with personalization.
  • You can apply sorting and grouping.

When personalizing the results list, the user has the following options:

  • Add or remove fields in the results list and arrange the order of the fields. Changes to the standard variant are indicated with a '*' at the end of the variant name.
  • Apply a sorting based on one or more fields.
  • Apply a grouping based on a field.
  • Save view settings by creating a new variant. Here, the user can set a variant as his default.

3. Actions

  • Create Returns Order allows you to create new returns order from scratch.
  • Create with Reference allows you to create a returns order refer from a sales order, an invoice, or a sales order without charge.
  • Release allows you to release a returns order to create subsequent document, like returns delivery.
  • Determine Refund allows you to determine the refund for a returns order.

The action Create enables the user to create a new customer return. If the user chooses this action, he or she is brought to a new list report, where it's possible to enter filter criteria or simply select Go to display a list of reference documents from which you can create the return.

The action Edit can be used to edit the details of a customer return.

The action Delete can be used to delete a customer return.

The action Determine Refund can be used to determine the refund for a new customer return. The user can select either a credit memo, replacement material, or no refund.

The hyperlink Customer Return offers a dialog that allows the user to navigate to other applications.

  • The number of links available in the pop-up depends on the configuration of users and (authorization) roles.
  • The topmost hyperlink (in this case, the document number) navigates the user to the object page.
  • Other hyperlinks navigate the user to the SAP Fiori theme for classic applications, for example, to display the customer return.

Navigation options:

Using links, you can navigate to related applications, for example, to display the returns order object page or to display the customer return in the classic applications in the SAP Fiori theme (in a new WebGUI browser tab/window).

If the user chooses the hyperlink Customer Return, a list of related applications is displayed. The topmost hyperlink in this list navigates the user to the customer return's object page. Other links navigate the user to related transactions, for example, to display or change the customer return in the SAP Fiori theme for classic applications.

If the user chooses the hyperlink Sold-To Party, a list of related applications is displayed. The topmost hyperlink in this list navigates the user to the customer object page. The link Customer - 360° View navigates the user to another object page that comprises different sales-related data for this customer.

The number of available hyperlinks can vary depending on the user and their authorizations.

How to create a customer return refer from a document:

  1. Choose Create with Reference on list report and choose document type you want to refer to.
  2. Search for a reference document using the filter criteria and choose the reference document you wish to use.
  3. If you want to select wished items, choose Selected Items and choose the wished items.
  4. If you want to copy the entire document, skip Selected Items and choose Create directly.

If you want to create a new customer return, choose Create Customer Return. That takes you to a new list report which can be populated by searching for a reference document with the filter criteria or otherwise choosing Go. Select a reference document from the list, and choose Create. A dialog message appears, asking you to select the items and quantity of items you wish to return. There is an option to select Auto Fill which automatically adds all items in the reference document to the return. You can also select a return reason.

After choosing Create, the app automatically navigates the user to the Edit Customer Return screen.

How to create a customer return from scratch:

  1. Enter returns order type and sales area (if already known), then choose Create.
  2. Input header information.
  3. Input item details and choose Apply.
  4. Choose Save or Save and Release.

Note

Save will create a returns order but may be revised later. Save and Release will create a returns order and generate subsequent documents directly.

Besides Save and Release, there have two additional ways to release the returns order to create subsequent returns delivery.

1. Release on the list Report

The Release button is only enabled when release status is Not Released or Partially Released. When you choose Release, the release status becomes orange and you can choose Go to refresh and get the latest status.

2. Release on the object page

The Release button is only enabled on the display mode and the document is completed but contains items that are not released.

After Save and Release, the subsequent document is generated asynchronously. When the subsequent document is created in progress, the With Errors status appears. You could use the Refresh button to get the latest status. The Refresh button appears only on the display mode.

Using the arrow to navigate to the object page, you can choose the Edit button in the top-right corner. You can edit general information, business partner, pricing element, and text on header.

If the user needs to edit their customer return, he or she can do so by choosing Edit Customer Return. The edit function allows the user to edit the following details of a customer return:

  • Return Data
  • Organizational Data
  • Items (Quantity, Return Reason, Refund settings)
  • Attachments

If there are multiple items in a customer return, the user can select Edit Selected Items to edit the details of certain items or of the entire return.

The user then has the option to Save, Save and Release, or Cancel. Selecting Save saves the details without navigating away from the Edit page, whereas Save and Release saves the customer return and releases it to the list report. Cancel cancels the editing process and undoes any changes made to the customer return.

  • Returns order contain partner information on header and item, for example, who will send the returned product or who will take the returned product as the supplier.

  • After a sold-to party has been specified, business partners are determined automatically by the system.

  • User can add additional partner functions, for example, a contact person or responsible employee.

  • The sold-to party can only be changed in the basic data section.

  • A returns order can only contain one partner function of each kind.

  • Sold-to party, ship-to party, bill-to party and payer are mandatory in returns order. They cannot be deleted.

  • Users can create, change, display, or delete price conditions considering the current settings in section Prices.
  • Users can filter condition types using quick filters.
  • User can maximize the prices screen.
  • Inactive price conditions are visualized in yellow color.
  • Erroneous price conditions are visualized in red color.
  • Text can be copied automatically from reference document or customer master data.
  • To include long-text information to the standard returns header, navigate to the section Texts and choose Create.
  • The Language will be derived and proposed automatically from the sold-to party.
  • Choose a Text Type.
  • Enter the text. A scroll bar will be enabled automatically if required.
  • Navigation into a text detail page is possible.

Additional information about the Material of the item such as the Overall Status, the Delivery Status, the Rejection Status, the Billing Status as well as the Return Quantity can be found on the item page. Business Partners as well as Related Return Deliveries, Related Credit Memo Request, Related Credit Memos, Related Sales order without change are shown as well.

Navigation to the Sold-To Party, Item-Specific Business Partners or the reference documents is possible using the smart link pop-up.

Customer can upload or review attachments from the object detail page.

Additional information about the Material of the item such as the Overall Status, the Delivery Status, the Rejection Status, the Billing Status as well as the Return Quantity can be found on the item page. Business Partners as well as Related Return Deliveries, Related Credit Memo Request ,Related Credit Memos , Related Sales order without change are shown as well.

Navigation to the Sold-To Party, Item-Specific Business Partners or the reference documents is possible using the smart link pop-up.

Only after a standard return has been saved, the section Process Flow will be displayed.

The process flow gives an overview of preceding and succeeding documents related to the standard return.

Depending on the authorization of the user, it is possible to navigate to the related applications.

Additional information about the Material of the item such as the Overall Status, the Delivery Status, the Rejection Status, the Billing Status as well as the Return Quantity can be found on the item page. Business Partners as well as Related Return Deliveries, Related Credit Memo Request, Related Credit Memos, Related Sales order without change are shown as well.

Navigation to the Sold-To Party, Item-Specific Business Partners or the reference documents is possible using the smart link pop-up.

You can see the incompletion status in the header. If the status is Incomplete, you can choose Incompleteness Info in the top-right corner to check the details. You can navigate to the detail fields.

The Manage Customer Returns - Version 2 app now offers a selection of nine follow-up activities:

  • Receive into Plant (0001)
  • Immediately Move to Free Available Stock (0002)
  • Immediately Move to Scrap (0003)
  • Ship to Supplier (0005)
  • Direct Shipment to Supplier (0007)
  • Inspection at Customer Site (0008)
  • Material Remains at Customer Site (0013)
  • Immediately Move to Specified Stock (0014)
  • Send Back to Customer (0021)

Manage Customer Returns offers a selection of seven follow-up activities: Receive into Plant, Immediately Move to Free Available Stock,Immediately Move to Scrap,Ship to Supplier, Direct Shipment to Supplier, Material Remains at Customer Site, and Inspection at Customer Site

You can set different follow-up activities for the different items in your customer return.

With the Receive into Plant follow-up activity, you ship the returned goods to your plant.

A returns delivery document will be automatically created once you release the customer return.

Optionally, product received flag indicates that you have already received the product. You could enter an inspection code and comment if you had a lean inspection for return goods. A good receipt is automatically posted.

If you already receive the returned goods to your plant, and inspection is performed. Based on the inspection result, if you decide to move it to free available stock, then the follow-up activity Immediately Move to Free Available Stock can be used.

  • The product received flag is mandatory.
  • You have to input the inspection result.

With this follow-up activity, you can finish the return product's logistical activities at once.

Note

You can directly specify the storage location on returns order item, or use Specify Storage Locations for Follow-Up Activities in the Configure Your Solution app.

The documents listed will be automatically created for this follow up activity once you release the customer return:

  • Returns delivery

  • Goods receipt posted

  • Inspection document

If you have already received the returned goods to your plant, and inspection has been performed. If based on the inspection result, you decide to move it to scrap, then the follow-up activity Immediately Move to Scrap can be used.

  • The product received flag is flagged by default.
  • You have to input the inspection result.

With this follow up activity, you can finish the return product's logistic activities at once.

Note

You can directly specify the storage location on returns order item, or use Specify Storage Locations for Follow-Up Activities in the Configure Your Solution app.

The documents listed will be automatically created for this follow up activity once you release the customer return:

  • Returns delivery

  • Goods receipt posted

  • Inspection document

With the Ship to Supplier follow-up activity, you ship the returned goods to the supplier after receiving them into your plant first. Optionally, product received flag indicates that you have already received the product. You could enter a inspection code and comment if you had a lean inspection for return goods. You must enter a Supplier. Optionally, you can change supplier address if applicable. Such a updated supplier address would be transferred to the follow-up process.

You can select the Ship to Supplier follow-up activity when your company initially sold a customer goods that were procured from a supplier, and then the customer posts the returned goods to your stock first. When the customer returns the goods, you (the returns clerk) must determine that they should be sent back to the supplier. You must therefore make an entry in the Supplier field.

Unlike Direct Shipment to Supplier, where the customer ships the returned goods directly to the supplier, the customer posts the goods to your own stock first for follow-up activity Ship to Supplier before you ship them to the supplier.

With the Direct Shipment to Supplier follow-up activity, you choose to have the goods returned directly to the supplier, without posting to your own stock first. You must enter a Supplier. Optionally, you can change the supplier address if applicable. You can notify the customer by generating a PDF for them using the WebGUI.

You select the Direct Shipment to Supplier follow-up activity when you want the customer to ship the returned goods directly to the supplier, without posting the goods to your own stock first. Therefore, the user must enter a Supplier number.

You also have to notify the customer of this decision to ship the goods directly to the supplier. To do so, go to the WebGUI to generate a PDF to send to the customer, informing them of the decision.

  1. To generate a PDF output, choose the Header Output Preview.
  2. Select the relevant output ID, and choose Display Document. You can find the customer return information including the return to address.
  3. After choosing Display Customer Return for the selected customer return, choose MoreExtrasOutputHeaderPrint Preview in order to create a new output.
  4. Select the proper output item and choose Display Document.
  5. You can share the PDF with your customer to inform them that you want them to send the returned goods directly back to the supplier.

In order to select the Material Remains at Customer Site follow-up activity, the returned goods have to be inspected first. Therefore, the first step in this follow-up activity is to select Inspection at Customer Site and save it. Inspection at Customer Site is a preliminary activity which determines whether or not the goods will remain at the customer site.

Depending on the results of the inspection, you can go back to the same customer return to edit the details and then choose Material Remains at Customer Site. Enter the inspection results in the fields Inspection Code and Inspection Comments.

If you have received the product, perform an inspection, and decide to move it to move to a specified stock, then the follow-up activity Immediately Move to Specified Stock can be used.

  • The product received flag is mandatory.
  • You have to input the inspection result.

With this follow-up activity, you can finish the return product's logistical activities at once.

Note

You can directly specify the storage location on returns order item, or use Specify Storage Locations for Follow-Up Activities in the Configure Your Solution app.

In order to select the Material Remains at Customer Site follow-up activity, the returned goods have to be inspected first. Therefore, the first step in this follow-up activity is to select Inspection at Customer Site and save it. Inspection at Customer Site is a preliminary activity which determines whether or not the goods will remain at the customer site.

Depending on the results of the inspection, you can go back to the same customer return to edit the details and then choose Material Remains at Customer Site. Enter the inspection results in the fields Inspection Code and Inspection Comments.

If you have received the product and decide to send the product back to customer, then follow-up activity Send Back to Customer can be used.

  • The product received is mandatory.
  • You have an option to input the inspection result and comments.
  • With this follow-up activity, No Refund is the only choice for the refund control.

If you already receive the returned goods to your plant and inspection is performed; based on the inspection result, if you decide to move it to free available stock, then the follow-up activity Immediately Move to Free Available Stock can be used.

The documents listed will be automatically created for this follow up activity once you release the customer return:

  • Returns delivery

  • Goods receipt posted

  • Inspection document

For a return item, you can decide the refund at the beginning.

For a Refund type Credit memo, we now support four refund control options:

  • Decide Later - Normally after inspection.
  • Create Credit Memo Request that approves the refund. In this way, a credit memo request is automatically created once you release the customer return.
  • Create Credit Memo that refunds customer immediately. In this way, a credit memo is automatically created once you release the customer return.

Also, Special Refund code, for example, 75%, can be configured in advance and then used here.

For a return item, you can decide the refund at the beginning. For Refund type Replacement Product, now it supports four refund control options:

  • Decide Later - Normally after inspection.
  • Create Replacement Order (free of charge) that approves the refund.
  • No Refund where there is no refund document created and refunding status is Not Relevant.
  • Immediate Delivery that refunds customer immediately by issuing the product from free of charge replacement order.
    • Replacement order (subsequent delivery free of charge)
    • Outbound delivery for replacement order
    • Goods issue for replacement posted.

Note

Customer can deactivate the refund control or define the refund control description for different refund types via SSCUI 105716 Activate and Rename Refund Control.

You can determine the refund for a customer return by selecting the Determine Refund action from the list report.

  1. Select Change Refund to either pick a credit memo, a replacement for the material, or no refund for the customer return. You can change the refund for individual items or for the entire customer return. Alternating replacement material and supplying plant is supported.
  2. Release the selected items.

The customer return must have the Release Status set to Released in order for the Determine Refund action to be enabled. In the Determine Refund function, the user can:

  • See which items need to be refunded in the Items to Be Refunded section, as well as which items have already been refunded.
  • Change the refund of an item. Select either a credit memo, replacement material, or no refund. If it is a credit memo, the user selects the extent of the refund (in %).
  • Select Release Selected Items once the refund for the intended items has been determined.

You can split returns delivery to create multiple inspection documents base on different inspection result. After the inspection result is confirmed, you can determine the refund for the split cases.

You can change refund details and do refund on return order item level or on inspection split item level.

The customer return must have the Release Status set to Released in order for the Determine Refund action to be enabled. In the Determine Refund function, the user can:

  • See which items need to be refunded in the Items to Be Refunded section, as well as which items have already been refunded.
  • Change the refund of an item. Select either a credit memo, replacement material, or no refund. If it is a credit memo, the user selects the extent of the refund (in %).
  • Select Release Selected Items once the refund for the intended items has been determined.

The Customer Return Object Page displays header information, as follows:

  • Sold-To Party
  • Overall Status
  • Overall Delivery Status
  • Net Value
  • Rejection Status
  • Billing Status
  • General Information about the Sales Area, Employee Responsible, Customer Reference, and Date
  • The list of Customer Return items
  • Business Partners
  • Process Flow

To get additional information about the item, navigate to the Item Object Page.

Additional information about the Material of the item such as the Overall Status, Delivery Status, Rejection Status, Billing Status, and Return Quantity can be found on the item page. Business Partners, Related Return Deliveries, Related Credit Memo Request, Related Credit Memos, and Related Sales order without change are shown as well.

Navigation to the Sold-To Party, Item-Specific Business Partners, or the reference documents is possible using the smart link pop-up.

  1. Open the search dialog.
  2. Search for items.
    • You can search across objects or object specifics.
    • Fuzzy search is supported.
  3. See the results.

    Hyperlinks allow you to navigate to the object page or related applications.

To use the enterprise search, corresponding search models must be defined using Modeler for Search and Analytics (transaction ESH_MODELER).

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