Supplier Returns

A supplier return records goods that go back to the supplier after you have already received them: damaged cartons found at put-away, the wrong model delivered, a recalled batch. It takes the quantity out of the warehouse that received it, at your normal cost, and (when you are connected to SolaCount) tells the accountant so a supplier credit can be prepared.

It is a separate document from the goods receipt. You do not reverse the receipt to send goods back: a reversal says "this receipt was a mistake and never happened", while a supplier return says "the goods arrived, and now they are leaving again". Use a supplier return when the goods physically go back; use a receipt reversal when you posted the wrong receipt.

Typical users: inventory managers and owners who deal with suppliers; accountants who then agree the credit.

Where to find it

There is no separate menu item and no list: every supplier return belongs to one goods receipt and is created from it.

The button Return to supplier appears on a receipt that is Posted, not reversed, and has a Supplier, for people who hold the permission Create & post sales returns (stock IN) (the key inventory.manage_returns, which also covers supplier returns). By default that is the Owner, SolaStock Administrator and organization Managers and Members. The scoped Inventory Manager, Warehouse Manager and Warehouse Operator presets do not include it; add it with a custom role. You must also be assigned to the receipt's warehouse.

The dialog

The dialog is titled Return goods to supplier: "This confirms goods leaving the original receipt warehouse. It does not reverse the supplier bill or payment."

Click Post supplier return (Processing... while working). You see "Supplier return posted. Its financial document synchronizes separately." and the dialog closes.

SolaStock first saves the return as a draft (SPR-nnnnnn) and then posts it. If posting fails after the draft is saved (for example the connection dropped), the dialog shows Saved draft: SPR-000003. Retry uses this same document. Click the button again; it posts the same document and never creates a second one.

Statuses

This release's dialog creates and posts only. There is no edit or delete for a draft; a posted return is locked. An exact reversal of a posted return exists but is an authorized process: when connected it is allowed only after the accountant has voided the linked supplier credit ("Ask the accountant to void the linked supplier credit before reversing this physical return. Applied credits and posted refunds must be resolved separately.").

What posting checks

• The receipt is posted, not reversed, and has a supplier: "Choose a confirmed, unreversed purchase receipt with a supplier."
• Each quantity is within the accepted quantity of the receipt line and the quantity received in that batch or serial: "Return quantities cannot exceed the accepted receipt quantities."
• Earlier returns are respected: "This receipt quantity has already been returned. Review the earlier supplier returns."
• The receipt warehouse still holds at least the quantity you return (counted for the item in that warehouse as a whole, not per receipt): "There is not enough available stock in the receipt warehouse to return these goods."
• The original unit conversion of the receipt is still valid: "The original receipt conversion requires review before returning these goods."
• When connected, the integration must be ready: "Supplier-return integration is not ready. Ask an integration administrator to review the receiving, return-clearing account and Finance consumer setup."

Supplier return or receipt reversal?

How it is valued

The return is a normal stock-out document. The cost that leaves is the cost your costing method gives at the time of the return: the weighted-average cost of the item in that warehouse, or the FIFO layers that the units consume. It is stored on each line as its actual return cost. It is not typed in and it is not necessarily the purchase price of the receipt, so if the average cost has changed since receiving, the value that leaves differs from what you paid. The supplier credit you negotiate (at the price you paid) is the accountant's document in SolaCount; any difference is handled there.

How it connects

• Goods Receipts: the return links to the receipt; the receipt page keeps its history. See Goods Receipts. A receipt that belongs to a posted supplier bill cannot be reversed ("Reverse the financial receipt matching and bill through the authorized Finance workflow first, or use the supplier-return workflow"); the supplier return is the way to send those goods back.
• Stock Ledger: an outbound movement dated with the return date. See Stock Ledger.
• SolaCount: the physical return and a commercial supplier credit are delivered separately. The accountant reviews and posts the credit; the supplier bill and any payment are untouched. See SolaCount.
• Receiving requests: a return after a SolaCount-led purchase does not reopen the request. See Receiving Requests.

Worked example 1: damaged cartons

From request RR-14, GRN-000052 received 300 cartons of PKG-CTN-M at AED 3.20 into Dubai Main (value AED 960.00, average cost 3.20). While putting away, Sara finds 20 crushed cartons.

1. Omar (SolaStock Administrator) opens GRN-000052 and clicks Return to supplier. Return date 2026-10-11, Reason 20 cartons crushed in transit. The row shows Remaining returnable 300. He enters Actual quantity 20, ticks the confirmation and clicks Post supplier return.
2. Stock: 280 cartons at 3.20, value AED 896.00. The 20 cartons left at AED 64.00.
3. SolaCount receives the return and prepares a supplier credit draft for the returned cartons. Nadia reviews the draft in SolaCount, agrees the amount with the supplier (here AED 64.00 plus VAT) and posts it. The supplier bill itself is untouched.
4. Omar opens the dialog again: Existing returns shows SPR-000001 posted; Remaining returnable is now 280.

Worked example 2: a lot, returned in two steps

GRN-000058 received 40 boxes of saffron SAF-10 in lot SAF-2610 at AED 62.50 into Jebel Ali. A quality check fails the lot.

1. First return: 25 boxes (Reason Quality check failed - first pallet). Stock 15 boxes, value AED 937.50. Remaining returnable shows 15.
2. A second return of 15 boxes would take the lot to zero. If Jebel Ali had meanwhile shipped 5 boxes of the lot (and holds no other saffron), only 10 are left on hand, so entering 15 is refused with "There is not enough available stock in the receipt warehouse to return these goods." He returns the 10 that remain and discusses the 5 sold boxes with the supplier.
3. Altogether no more than the 40 boxes received can ever be returned: the field limit stops you, and a quantity that got through would be refused with "Return quantities cannot exceed the accepted receipt quantities."

Worked example 3: a FIFO item

BRG-6204 (bearing 6204, FIFO) was received on GRN-000047 at Jebel Ali: 50 units at AED 9.00. Later a second receipt added 50 units at AED 11.00, and 30 units were shipped (all from the first layer). Stock: 20 units at 9.00 and 50 units at 11.00 = AED 730.00.

1. The first receipt turns out to be faulty. Omar opens GRN-000047. Remaining returnable shows 50 (nothing was returned yet), but 30 of those units were already shipped to customers, so only 20 of the faulty units are physically left. He returns 20.
2. The 20 units leave from the oldest layer still in stock, the AED 9.00 layer: AED 180.00. Stock is now 50 units at 11.00 = AED 550.00.
3. SolaStock checks the quantity on hand for the item in the receipt warehouse (70 units before the return), not that those exact units are still there. So the system would also accept a return of 30; it would take 20 units at 9.00 and 10 at 11.00 (AED 290.00), which is not what the supplier gave you. Return only what is physically left of the faulty receipt.
4. The line stores actual return cost 180.00. The supplier credit the accountant negotiates is a separate document in SolaCount.

Who can do what

Tips and common problems

Related

• Goods Receipts · Receiving Requests · Purchase Orders · Landed Costs
• SolaCount · Stock Ledger · What's new