RMA Process

The RMA Entry module was introduced to replace the existing sales order returns credit option to provide a more robust and auditable process when you have to issue a credit note to your customer.

RMA = Returns Material Authorisation -> Product Returns -> Credit Notes

It allows you to:

Control whether a credit note should be issued.
Review the status of active RMA in a central place.
Analyse why the credit is being issued.
Maintain a full audit trail of all credit notes.

On this page we deal with the processing of the RMA after it has been entered, if you need to know how to enter an RMA onto the system then go to this link: RMA Entry

There are some links below to the sections on this page that will aid you in processing the RMA.

When you open the form you will be presented with a form that has multiple tabs, these are used to separate the different stages of the process and to allow you to move items stage by stage through the RMA process.

RMA Statuses

Status	Explanation of the stage

Status	Explanation of the stage
Open	When you enter a new RMA this is the status of the new RMA.
Arranging Pickup	If any of the items on your RMA uses a RMA Reason code which has “Return to Stock” selected then the goods will be expected back into the warehouse. You can arrange your own collection or arrange this through the warehouse or if it is being returned from a delivery then no need.
Waiting Stock Receipt	If any of the items on your RMA uses a RMA Reason code which has “Return to Stock” selected then the goods will be expected back into the warehouse. As stock is returned you are marking stock in this status to confirm it has been returned. For customers using EDI this stage should be completed by the EDI system however for returns this sometimes has already been receipted and you are putting the RMA on afterwards so you need to perform this part manually.
Waiting Credit Auth	If there are items which can be credited straight away, they will immediately get to this status. If the goods are being returned the line will only get to this status when goods are returned into the warehouse. Authorised users are only allowed to authorise the credit note.
Partially Credited	Where you have items which you can credit but there are other items still to be returned to stock then you can partially credit the items which can be credited. Those items will raise a credit which is waiting to be issued. Most customers will wait for the entire RMA to be completed before issuing the credit note however sometimes your customer is withholding payment so you may need to part credit.
Waiting Credit Issue	Any items which you are crediting will be in this area, this is where the system is waiting for you to send the credit note to your customer. At this point we also raise the credit note into the finance system.
Complete	When all items on the RMA are complete it will reach this status.
Credit Cancelled	If the credit note is being cancelled at any point where the goods are returned but you are not sending the credit note then you can tell the system and it will place the RMA into this status.
Cancelled	If the RMA is cancelled at any time then this is the status used.

Tab Options

What is on each tab

Tab Option	Status’s Displayed	What is on this tab

Tab Option	Status’s Displayed	What is on this tab
Authorise RMA	Open	Newly entered RMA will be displayed in this tab and need to be authorised. Depending on whether there are items to pick up or not the RMA will either go to status ‘Arrange Pickup’ or ‘Authorise Credit’.
Arrange Pickup	Arranging Pickup	Any items which need to be collected from the customer would be found here. You need to arrange transport or ask the warehouse to do this. Once you have completed this the RMA will move into the ‘Awaiting Return’ stage.
Awaiting Return	Waiting Stock Receipt	When at this stage you are waiting for the stock to be returned. When it is register each return here. You could have one or many returns of the stock back into the warehouse. Once the stock RMA is completed here the RMA will move to the ‘Authorise Credit’ stage.
Authorise Credit	Waiting Credit Auth Partially Credited	This is where RMA’s are authorised to be credited, sometimes a manager or director will carry this stage out.
Awaiting Credit	Partially Credited Waiting Credit Issue	Authorised credits show here for the finance team to arrange for the credit note to be sent to the customer. When it is sent the finance system is also updated with the credit note.
Open Transactions	Open Arranging Pickup Waiting Stock Receipt Waiting Credit Auth Partially Credited Waiting Credit Issue	Displays all open transactions.
Completed Transactions	Completed Credit Cancelled Cancelled	Displays all completed transactions.

Authorise RMA

This tab will show the RMAs that are waiting for authorisation, it is designed to allow any user to enter an RMA onto the system and then a team leader, manager or director will authorise them.

In order to proceed to the next stage, you have to “Authorise” the RMA.

If you are not planning on accepting the RMA you can cancel it.

Arrange Pickup

If an RMA has items on it that are required to be picked up and returned to the warehouse then it will be shown within this tab.

At this stage before pressing either of the Confirm buttons you need to confirm the following.

The warehouse where this stock is being returned to.
Whether you are wishing the warehouse to arrange the transport. If you are arranging this yourself or it has already arrived at the warehouse then do not select the ‘Arrange’ option on the line otherwise it sends a request to the warehouse on the pre-advice to collect the goods (assuming your warehouse accept EDI pre-advices with this type of request).

When you Confirm the RMA it will move to the Awaiting Return tab.

If you do not wish to proceed from this stage you can still cancel the RMA.

EDI Warehouses

If your chosen warehouse for the return has EDI capabilities then a pre-advice will be sent to the warehouse for the returning stock, the arrange buttons will initiate the request for the warehouse to arrange the collection of the goods and return to the warehouse.

Awaiting Return

Any RMA’s which you are waiting on which are returning to stock will be shown on this tab.

Multiple Returns

It has been designed to allow you to make multiple returns against a return line, because sometimes the warehouse land the stock and find some damaged and others fine, so you need to register the return here providing the new rotation number and confirming the warehouse the stock was landed back to.

Adjusting the stock

We will make an immediate stock adjustment for the return when you “Register the Return” adding the new rotation record with the values used in the return as the value of your stocks.

What if the customer does not return all the stock?

You can mark a line as complete even with only some of the stock returned, select the line, and press the ‘Complete’ button.

This closes the line on the return and stops further items from being returned.

Registering the Return

Each line on the return has a “Register Return” option this allows you to confirm the warehouse, enter the rotation number and confirm the quantity that was received back including the duty status.

When you Register the return you will be returned to the RMA where you can then register further lines, the lines will go green if the RMA is fully complete and will be Yellow if it is partially complete.

You need to confirm the RMA is complete and to do this you need to click on the “Return Complete” option on the RMA line in the top section of the page.

Authorise Credit

This tab will show items that are ready to be authorised.

The status column to the left of the “Authorise” shows whether the RMA is completed or partially ready. If you authorise a partially ready RMA only those lines which are returned or not required to be returned will be credited, the remainder will remain outstanding.

Clicking the Authorise button will move the RMA to the next stage which is waiting for the credit note to be sent to the customer, you can view the RMA here or you can use the drill down arrows on the left of the RMA to view the individual lines.

At this stage you can cancel the RMA, this puts the RMA into a status of Credit Cancelled.

RMA Process

RMA Statuses

Open

Arranging Pickup

Waiting Stock Receipt

Waiting Credit Auth

Partially Credited

Waiting Credit Issue

Complete

Credit Cancelled

Cancelled