RMA’s

Issue Return Merchandise Authorizations and process returns.

Quick Jump to:

• Create An RMA
• Receive returned items
• Refund an order

Instructions
You can create an RMA for any order with shipped items (items in the order have a status of SH). An RMA number may have multiple line items. You can also assign the same RMA to multiple orders. This allows for receiving portions of a return and refusal or approval of individual items.

Note: Depending on your credit card processing gateway, you may be able to create credit card refunds from the order screen instead of using the RMA system.  However, if you want to apply a refund to a customers balance (“store credit”) then you must use the RMA system.

1. To access the RMA feature click on the RMA’s icon on the Channergy Explorer.
   1. You can also access the RMA screen from the Links option from the order screen.
2. This will display the Returns screen.
3. To create a new RMA click on the  button.
   1. A new RMA number will be assigned, as will the date and Operator ID for the current operator.  The operator will be assigned if security is turned on.
   2. You can give the RMA number to your customer immediately.  The number can be searched on when the package is received so that the return can be processed.
   3. Locate the customers account by clicking on the  button.  This will show the Search for Customer screen.
   4. Enter as many fields as you need to locate the customer then click the  button or press Enter.
   5. Matches will appear in the lower half of the screen.  Highlight the record you wish to open and double click it, press Enter or click the OK button.
   6. The customer number will appear in the Customer Number field on the RMA screen.
   7. You can add  or  by clicking on the appropriate button.  This will bring up a dialog similar to the one below.
      1. The top part of the screen will show a history of what notes were added regarding this RMA.  The notes will include the date the note was entered, the Operator information (if logged in) and the contents of the note.
      2. To add a new note, key in your comments in the New Comments field and click on the  button.  The sofware will automatically add the date stamp and any operator information to the Notes field above.
   8. You can now create return authorizations for as many orders and items as you wish for this customer. Click the Add… button on the toolbar below the Returned Items tab (Note: Do not click the Add button at the top of the RMA screen).
   9. The Return Item dialog will open as follows:
   10. Click on the Order Number drop down to select the order for which you wish to create a return authorization.
   11. Select an order from the list.
   12. Select a product from the Product drop down.
   13. Select a reason from the Reason drop down.
       1. To Set up reason codes select the  button from the Returns screen.
       2. This will bring up the Return Reasons dialog box.
       3. Use the  buttons to manage the RMA reason codes
       4. Double-clicking on the Return To Stock will allow the returned items to be returned to stock.
   14. The dialog will display the calculated quantity, price, discount and tax. You can add shipping if appropriate and change the other items if you wish.
       1. Note: The quantity will default to 1. You can edit this number if the customer purchased and is returning more than 1.
       2. You can manually change the calculated Tax when necessary or enter a percentage Rate for tax and have it calculated for the item.
   15. If the item being returned requires a vehicle title which has not yet been received the Hold for Title box will be automatically checked. You can choose the VIN# associated with the product from the pulldown field. This is especially useful when you have multiple VIN numbers. The return authorization can be created, but the final refund will not process until the title is received.
   16. Click OK to close and save the returned item. It will appear in the list on the Returns dialog.
   17. You can continue to add items to the RMA by repeating steps 3-16. Each item will appear on the Returns dialog as a separate line.
   18. For each RMA you can optionally add Internal Notes (those seen only by your company) and/or Print Notes (Print Notes can be added to reports and forms that are sent to your customer). To do so simply click the appropriate button. Instructions are available from the Help button on the Notes screen. These notes are associated with the entire RMA. Additional Notes are available for line items as described below.
4. You can Receive Items as they are returned by your customers. First, open the RMA screen as described above.
   1. Click the Search… button to locate a specific RMA or click the Navigator buttons to browse.
   2. If you Search for an RMA the following dialog will open.
      1. Enter an RMA number to located it in the Search Characters, field, then click on OK to go to that RMA
      2. You can click on the button to search for the customer.
   3. In the Returns dialog select an item from the list then click the Edit… button.
   4. The Return Item dialog will open.  Click the Status tab, then click the Item Received checkbox.The Date and Operator ID (if you are logged in) will be filled in automatically. These can be edited if you wish.
   5. For each item you can optionally add Internal Notes (those seen only by your company) and/or Print Notes (Print Notes can be added to reports and forms that are sent to your customer). To do so simply click the appropriate button. Instructions are available from the Help button on the Notes screen. These notes are associated with the currently selected item. Additional Notes are available for the entire RMA as described above.
   6. If you plan to refund the item skip to the next step. If you are going to refuse the return check the Item Refused checkbox. You can enter a short text Reason as well (in addition to any Internal or Print Notes you wish to add). This item will be excluded from the total refund for the RMA.
5. You can Refund your customers as their items are returned. First, open the RMA screen as described above.
   1. Click the Search… button to locate a specific RMA or click the Navigator buttons to browse as described above.
   2. Next, click the Refunds tab above the grid.
   3. Click on the  button above the grid.
   4. The Refund dialog box will open with a list of items that are available for refund.
      1. Note:  The list will exclude any items you marked as refused, items not received and any items awaiting a title. You can process multiple refunds as items are received and approved by returning to this screen.
      2. If you wish to exclude any of the approved items from the refund double click the Refund checkbox in the grid, then click on another item in the list to refresh the Amount field.
   5. Select the type of refund from the Method drop down.  The choices are as follows
      1. Credit Card-Select this to specify a refund to the customer’s credit card. You will also be able to enter the Card Number and the Authorization code received from your credit card processor (Credits must be process outside of Channergy. These fields are for recording the information only.)
         1. Note: Since the credit card numbers are encrypted in Channergy you will have to obtain the credit card information from the customer in order to credit their account.
      2. Check-If you choose to issue a check to the customer, add the Check No, the Approval # (this can be a users initials) and the date the check was issued into the appropriate fields.
      3. Balance-This feature will add a credit balance to the customers record and this credit can be used for subsequent purchases.  Click on the  button and the word APPLIED will be added to the Approval # field and the current date will be added to the Date field.   The refund amount will appear in the customer’s Credit Balance field under the Additional Info tab of the Customer screen.

UNDER THE HOOD: The RMA system uses the following tables, Return, ReturnIt and Refund.  It also interacts with the Customer, Orders and Items table to populate the RMA tables.    When a new RMA is created, the following data are added to the Return table, a unique number is inserted into the ReturnNo field, the the system date is added to the ReturnDt field and, if the user is logged in, the OperatorId is added to the OperatorID field in the Return table.  Once the customer number is selected, the CustNo field is populated.  Any internal or printed notes are added to the ReturnInternalNotes or the ReturnPrintNotes memo fields.

When the Add button on the Returned items grid the ReturnIt table is appended with the associated ReturnNo from the Return table and the ReturnItemNo is autoincremented with the next integer value.  When the order number is selected from the Order Number drop down, the order number is added to the OrderNo field in the ReturnIt table.  When the item being returned is selected from the Product drop down, the ProductNo and the related ItemNo is pulled from the Items table and added to the ProductNo and OrderItemNo fields int he ReturnIt table.   When the return reason is selected from the Reason drop down, the  related ReturnReasonNo from the RetReasn table is added to the ReturnReason field.  The following information is pulled from the Items table and added to the ReturnIt table, Quantity (defaults to 1), Price, Discount, and TaxPct.  The ExtendedAmt, TaxAmt and TotalAmt fields are recomputed based on changes made in the user interface.  The recomputed TotalAmt is also added to the TotalAmt field in the Return table.

When an item is received, the IsReceived value in the ReturnIt table is set to True and the system date is added to the ReceivedDt and the OperatorID is added to the ReceivedID field.  If the item is refused, the IsRefused field is set to True and the system date is added to the RefusedDt and the OperatorID is added to the RefusedID field.  Any comments added at the item level are added to the InternalNotes and PrintNotes fields in the ReturnIt table.   If the IsReturnToStock field in the RetReason table for the selected ReturnReasonCode in the ReturnIt table is set to True the Quantity is added to the InStock field in the Product table.

When a refund is created the following data are added to the Refund table, the ReturnNo (RMA number), the Type (Credit,Check or Balance), the Amount, the Credit Card number or Check number (depending on the Type) are added to the CardNo, the Authorization number and ShoreExpireDt.  In addition the amount of the refund is added to the RefundedAmt field in the Return table.