Customer Order Returns by Package

Introduction

Customer order returns can be initiated with the starting point being a package. This process begins with 'Delivery. Connect Packages' (MWS423), which generates customer returns based on the contents of the package(s). These returns are automatically received, approved, and placed into stock. They inherit the lot, sublot, catch weight, and attribute data from the outbound stock transactions generated during the original customer order delivery issuance.

Limitations

  • You must report all customer order lines connected to the delivery as issued and invoiced before you can use a package within that delivery to create customer returns for the packed order lines.
  • To create customer returns, you can use only packages within a package structure containing exclusively in-house package items (container management=7) or exclusively items with any other Container management method. You must not use an outbound package structure that contains both in-house package items and non-in-house package items.
  • To find connected stock transactions to a specific package, you must do issue reporting by package. This reporting must occur from 'Delivery. Connect Packages' (MWS423) with option 16-'Picking List. Report lines', from 'Picking Lines. Report' (MWS422) with option 16-'Confirm Issues' or 14-'Pick and Pack', or by using MHS850MI.AddPickViaPack (Order initiated stock transaction interface). However, if a package only contains in-house package items, you can do issue reporting at other levels, such as per delivery or picking list.
  • You can create customer returns based on stock transactions connected to an outbound package only from 'Delivery. Connect Packages' (MWS423), with sorting order 1, or with the API transaction MWS423MI.CrtCOReturns (Package interface).
  • Shipment packages are excluded from this functionality, and you cannot use them to create customer returns for the included customer order lines.
  • In the API transaction MWS423MI.CrtCOReturns, if you leave input fields 'Location' or 'Transaction reason' blank, proposals from 'Settings - Customer Returns' (OIS399) are automatically retrieved.
  • For catch weight items, the values for catch weight and catch weight for credit are the same on the created customer return lines.
  • You must not create customer returns if a package-based customer return with a status lower than 90 already exists for the customer order number.
  • You must not create a package-based customer return if a customer return with a status lower than 90 already exists for the customer order number.
  • You must not add or split return lines on customer returns created with (MWS423).
  • The full content of a package is returned. You can select a package in a structure of packages, but you cannot select part of a package’s content.
  • If an item is not connected to the warehouse specified for the return in (MWS423), the return process is stopped. The item is not automatically connected to the warehouse even if the 'Automatic add permitted' (AUAD) field is enabled in 'Warehouse. Open' (MMS005). You must connect the item manually to perform a return with (MWS423).

Functionality

When creating customer returns with (MWS423) or MWS423MI.CrtCOReturns, the objective is to create and inspect customer return lines for the stock transactions connected to the unique package number selected.

You can add three new fields to a view in (MWS423), sorting order 1, to display information regarding the creation of customer returns per package. 'Return package number' (&RPKS) displays an asterisk sign (*) if the package has been used as a return package. 'Receiving number' (&REPN) displays the return receiving number if only one exists per package. If more than one exists, a plus sign (+) is displayed. The lowest status of the connected receiving lines (&PCRL) generated from a package can also be displayed.

On (MWS423/B), you can use related option 28-'Create Customer Returns' for one or several packages using sorting order 1. This opens panel (MWS423/J) for specifying mandatory information such as return warehouse, location, and transaction reason code. Proposed values for these fields are retrieved from (OIS399).

Upon confirming manually specified values, a batch job (MWMNGCRSbm) handles the creation of customer return lines for included stock transactions.

A separate customer return is created per invoice number and customer order number included in the package(s) selected for return. The customer return lines are automatically created, received, approved, and stocked in the location specified in (MWS423). The specified transaction reason is used on the created customer return and lines. The status of the return lines is set to 33-'Quantity is inspected', and no further processing of the customer return is required.

For lot-handled items, the lot numbers delivered in the return package are automatically retrieved and used on the customer return lines. In cases where one customer order line has allocated and delivered several lot numbers, one customer return line is created per lot number.

The delivered catch weight and sublot numbers according to stock transactions connected to the returned packages are automatically retrieved and used on the customer return.

If attributes were connected to the delivered customer order line, the same attribute values are connected to the returned balance identity.

For in-house-package items (container management=7), when returning a package, you can automatically recreate the package structure used when delivering the goods. Note that only the package structure for the selected package level for return and downward is created. The 'Keep Package Structure' parameter in (MWS423) controls if the package structure is to be created.

Existing customer returns are not reused when processing a new package return. A successful package return always generates at least one new customer return.

There are two scenarios if the return is not successful:

  • If at least one return line cannot be added, all lines are removed, and the return head is deleted (status 90).
  • If at least one return line cannot be processed to status 33, the process is halted, and the customer return must be manually handled.

An application message is sent in both cases, explaining the issue.

Settings
  • You must set 'Packing reporting' (SHLV) on 'Dispatch Policy. Open' (MWS010/G) to 2, 3, or 4 (advanced packing).
  • For return packages containing only in-house package items, you must activate the final location for the 'Container management' (CMNG) field on 'Stock Location. Open' (MMS010/E).
  • The 'Container management' (COMG) field is defined on 'Item. Connect Warehouse' (MMS002/G).

Brazil - Limitations

When creating customer returns with (MWS423) in the Brazilian country configuration, all created customer returns and return lines have the ICFO code specified on (MWS423/J).