Return to Vendor Workflow

What does this workflow record for each vendor return?

Each return is created as a record with a reference number, a status, and a timeline of what happened. As the return progresses, the record captures details such as the quarantine location, authorisation number and supplier outcome, inventory adjustment reference, dispatch details, and either credit note or replacement receipt information depending on the outcome. Tasks that the workflow does not wait for, such as the stock disposition decision, keep their entered details with that task in the record's task list rather than on the record itself.

Who is involved in processing a vendor return?

The requester submits the initial return request through the public request form and receives email updates at acknowledgement, refusal, and closure. Warehouse team members handle quarantining stock, adjusting inventory, packaging and dispatch, and recording replacement receipts, while procurement obtains the supplier's return authorisation and, if refused, decides on stock disposition. Finance is involved when the supplier outcome is a credit, recording the credit note number and amount received.

What happens if the supplier refuses the return?

If the supplier outcome is recorded as a refusal, the record's status is set to Refused and the requester is emailed a refusal notice. Procurement is then given a task to decide what to do with the refused stock, which is a fire-and-forget task whose disposition notes stay with that task rather than being saved to the record. The rest of the return process, such as inventory adjustment and dispatch, only proceeds for outcomes other than refusal.

How does the workflow distinguish between a credit and a replacement outcome?

After procurement records the supplier outcome, the workflow routes based on whether it is Credit, Replacement, or Return refused. Both credit and replacement outcomes proceed through inventory adjustment and dispatch, but the final routing step then directs the process to finance to record a credit note and amount received, or to the warehouse to record the date a replacement was received. This ensures the settlement task assigned matches the actual outcome agreed with the supplier.

How do we change or customise this workflow?

A workflow can be changed by describing the desired change in plain English or by editing its steps directly in the workflow editor, and earlier versions are kept so changes can be reviewed over time. This makes it straightforward to adjust task due dates, add extra fields to a form, or change routing conditions as the organisation's return process evolves. Any workspace admin can make these adjustments without a separate development project.

Does the requester need an account to submit or track a return?

No account is required; the requester submits their return through a public request form and receives email updates with their reference number at acknowledgement, refusal, and closure stages. All interaction with the requester happens through forms and emails rather than requiring them to log in anywhere.

Who can view the status and history of a vendor return?

Workspace admins and members can see each return record's status, timeline, and task history through table views and dashboards that show records by status. Workspace activity is logged, giving oversight into who actioned each task and when across warehouses, procurement, and finance.

What is captured when the goods are actually dispatched back to the supplier?

When the warehouse completes the package and dispatch task, the carrier, tracking number, and dispatch date they enter are saved to the record, and the return status is set to Returned. This gives a clear record of when and how the goods physically left the warehouse, ahead of the final credit or replacement settlement steps.

Is this workflow ready to use immediately, or does it require setup?

The template is ready to use as-is: a workspace can publish it in minutes and start running live vendor returns straight away, without any installation or development project. Teams can begin using it immediately and adjust the steps later as their process needs change.