Workflow Template
Return to Vendor Workflow
Manages the end-to-end return of goods to a supplier: requester logs the RTV with PO reference, items, reason and quality evidence; procurement reviews and secures a return authorisation; warehouse quarantines stock and adjusts inventory; supplier outcome (credit or replacement) is tracked; goods are packaged and dispatched; requester is notified when closed.
Organisations managing supplier relationships require a defensible, auditable process for returning defective, damaged, or non-conforming goods, particularly where procurement, finance, and warehouse teams must coordinate under shared inventory and financial controls. This workflow governs the full Return to Vendor lifecycle — from initial request logging with PO reference and quality evidence, through procurement review and return authorisation, to warehouse quarantine, supplier outcome tracking, and final dispatch closure. It brings requesters, procurement, warehouse operations, and finance into a single structured process with clear status transitions and accountability at each decision point.
Business Outcomes
- Supports faster turnaround on supplier return authorisations
- Helps reduce inventory discrepancies through structured quarantine and adjustment steps
- Improves visibility into outstanding credits and replacement deliveries
- Strengthens audit readiness with a documented trail from request to closure
- Reduces manual follow-up by automating status updates and stakeholder notifications
Workflow Steps
Steps
- 1Create RTV Recordcreate record
Registers the return-to-vendor request as a record.
- 2Set Status: Submittedupdate record
Marks the RTV as submitted and pending procurement review.
- 3Procurement Reviews Returnrequest approvalrequires approval
Procurement reviews the RTV request and decides whether to proceed with the supplier.
- 4Route on Procurement Decision
Branches based on whether procurement approves the return.
approval_status: "approved"→Set Status: Under Procurement Reviewapproval_status: "rejected"→Notify Requester of RejectionDefault→End - 5Notify Requester of Rejectionsend email
Informs the requester that procurement rejected the return request.
- 6Set Status: Rejectedupdate record
Closes out the record with a final rejected status.
- 7Set Status: Under Procurement Reviewupdate record
Updates status to reflect procurement is progressing the return with the supplier.
- 8Obtain Return Authorisation from Suppliercreate task
Procurement contacts the supplier and records the return authorisation reference obtained.
- 9Persist Return Authorisationupdate record
Saves the return authorisation reference and updates status.
- 10Quarantine Stock & Adjust Inventorycreate task
Warehouse moves the stock to quarantine and records the inventory adjustment made.
- 11Set Status: Quarantinedupdate record
Persists quarantine location and inventory adjustment reference, updates status.
- 12Record Supplier Outcomecreate task
Procurement records whether the supplier will issue a credit or a replacement.
- 13Persist Supplier Outcomeupdate record
Saves the captured supplier outcome details to the record.
- 14Route on Supplier Outcome
Branches processing depending on whether the outcome is a credit or a replacement.
supplier_outcome: "Credit"→Notify Finance of Creditsupplier_outcome: "Replacement"→Track Replacement as Inbound DeliveryDefault→End - 15Notify Finance of Creditcreate task
Notifies finance that a credit has been issued against the supplier account for tracking.
- 16Track Replacement as Inbound Deliverycreate task
Logs the replacement shipment as an expected inbound delivery for the warehouse to receive.
- 17Package and Dispatch Goodscreate task
Warehouse packages the returned goods and dispatches them to the supplier, recording carrier and tracking details.
- 18Set Status: Dispatchedupdate record
Persists carrier and tracking details and updates status to dispatched.
- 19Notify Requester of Closuresend email
Informs the requester that the return has been dispatched and the RTV is closed.
- 20Set Status: Closedupdate record
Marks the RTV record as closed, its final status.
Fields
- Requester Name*
- Requester Email*
- Supplier Name*
- Supplier Contact Email*
- Purchase Order Reference*
- Items and Quantities to Return*
- +13 more fields
Forms
Return to Vendor Request
8 fields
Data Views
All Return to Vendor Requests
supplier_name, po_reference, return_reason, rtv_status +2 more
Dashboard Widgets
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FAQs
How is this RTV workflow audited?
Every status transition — Submitted, Under Procurement Review, Rejected, Quarantined, Dispatched, and Closed — is recorded within assess.one with a timestamped history of who acted at each stage. Supporting records such as quality evidence, return authorisation details, and supplier outcome data are persisted against the RTV record, giving compliance and finance teams a complete, reviewable trail without needing separate audit tooling.
Who has access to the RTV workflow and its records?
Access is configured within assess.one by role, so requesters, procurement reviewers, warehouse staff, and finance can each be scoped to the steps and data relevant to their responsibilities. Procurement decision routing and approval logic can be restricted to authorised reviewers, while broader visibility can be extended to auditors or managers as required.
How does this integrate with existing procurement or ERP systems?
Notifications and status updates within this workflow are configured directly inside assess.one, including alerts to finance on credit outcomes and requester notifications on rejection or closure. Where PO references or inventory adjustments need to align with external systems, teams can structure the workflow's data fields and notification triggers to reflect their existing procurement or inventory processes.
How long does it take to implement this workflow?
The RTV template is ready to use and can be published within minutes on assess.one, with no lengthy implementation project required. Once published, procurement, warehouse, and finance teams can begin logging and processing returns immediately, with steps, roles, and notifications adjustable at any point after go-live.
What happens when procurement rejects a return request?
If procurement's review determines the return does not meet criteria, the workflow routes to the rejection path, updating the status to Rejected and automatically notifying the requester. This decision point is logged as part of the record's history, supporting traceability on why a given RTV did not proceed.
How are supplier outcomes such as credit or replacement tracked?
Once a return authorisation is secured and goods are quarantined, the workflow captures the supplier's outcome — credit or replacement — and persists this detail against the RTV record. Credit outcomes trigger a notification to finance, while replacements are tracked as an inbound delivery, keeping both financial and inventory teams informed without manual handoffs.
Can the approval logic and notification rules be customised?
Yes. Steps, roles, notification recipients, and approval logic within this workflow are all configurable directly in assess.one, allowing organisations to tailor thresholds for procurement review, escalation rules, or additional sign-off requirements to match internal policy. Changes can be made without external development work.
What compliance considerations apply to inventory adjustments during quarantine?
The quarantine step is designed to separate returned stock from sellable inventory before adjustments are recorded, helping teams maintain accurate stock levels aligned with internal control requirements. Because the status change and inventory adjustment are captured together in the workflow record, organisations have supporting documentation for stock reconciliation and internal or external audit reviews.
Who should be involved in setting up this workflow for our organisation?
Typically, procurement and warehouse operations leads configure the core review, authorisation, and quarantine steps, while finance stakeholders confirm notification requirements for credit tracking. Once configured, day-to-day use only requires the assigned requester, reviewer, and warehouse roles to interact with the live process.
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