Returns Purchase Order

You create a returns purchase order to trigger a return to vendor.

In a returns purchase order, you enter information that is the basis for the subsequent logistical and financial processing of the return.

Integration

A customer return and a store return can involve a return to vendor. In these cases, the system creates the returns purchase order automatically when you confirm the corresponding follow-up activity. For more information, see Store Returns and Advanced Returns Management for Customer Returns.

Prerequisites

You have defined a release procedure for the relevant purchasing document types if the approval of an authorized user is required before these document types can be processed further.
You do this in Customizing for Purchasing by choosing Purchase Order Release Procedures for Purchase Orders .

For more information, see Release Procedure.
You have made it mandatory to enter a rejection reason during the release procedure. This is to to ensure that the user enters a rejection reason when rejecting either the entire returns document or individual items. You do this by creating appropriate screen layouts for the relevant document types.
You make the relevant settings in Customizing for Purchasing by choosing Purchase Order Define Screen Layout at Document Level and Define Document Types.
You have specified whether a vendor returns material authorization (RMA) number is required for returns to a specific vendor. You can do this in two places:
- In the purchasing organization data of the purchasing info record (this is where the system checks first)
  On the SAP Easy Access screen, choose Logistics Materials Management Purchasing Master Data Info Record Change .
- In the purchasing data of the vendor master record
  On the SAP Easy Access screen, choose Logistics Materials Management Purchasing Master Data Vendor Purchasing Change .
Store returns with outbound and inbound deliveries have been configured in Customizing for Purchasing by choosing Purchase Order Returns Order Settings for Store Returns with Out- and Inbound Deliveries .
For more information, see Store Returns with Outbound and Inbound Deliveries.

Features

Entering Returns Information

You enter returns information in a returns purchase order at item level on the Returns tab page in the item detail area. There are a few ways in which you can speed up data entry:

If you enter returns information on the Returns header tab page, then the system uses it automatically whenever you create a new item. If you do not want to use these default values any more, choose Clear Values.
You can also enter returns information for several items simultaneously by choosing Copy to Items on the Returns header tab page. The system then copies the returns information to all items. This function is useful if you have created a returns purchase order with reference to a preceding purchase order. After the system has copied the items from the reference purchase order, you can enter the returns information at header level and then copy it as described.

Logistical Follow-Up Activity

The logistical follow-up activity code allows you to specify the next step in the logistical processing of the return. When you create a returns purchase order, the system automatically selects Ship to Vendor as the logistical follow-up activity (follow-up activity code 0005). This is the only logistical follow-up activity allowed.

Note Note

You can deactivate any unnecessary follow-up activities in Customizing for Advanced Returns Management by choosing Start of the navigation path General Settings Next navigation step Activate and Rename Follow-Up Activities End of the navigation path . You can also replace the default descriptions of the follow-up activity codes with your own descriptions.

End of the note.

Checkbox: Replacement Material Requested

You can select the Replacement Material Requested checkbox to indicate that you would like a replacement material instead of a credit memo as compensation for the material that you return to the vendor.

Note Note

If the supplier return is a subsequent process of a customer return for which you have selected the Replacement Material from Vendor Requested checkbox in the returns order, the system copies this information to the returns purchase order that it creates as the logistical follow-up document.

End of the note.

Activities

You create a returns purchase order in the same way as any purchase order by choosing Start of the navigation path Logistics Next navigation step Materials Management Purchasing Purchase Order Create Vendor/Supplying Plant Known End of the navigation path . You must use an appropriate order type for Advanced Returns Management. The system selects the Returns Item checkbox automatically for new items. You enter returns information on the Returns tab page either in the header or in the item detail area as described above.

You can create a returns purchase order item with reference to a previous purchase order item. If you do so, the system checks that the referenced quantities do not exceed the original quantities. It also displays the document and item number of the reference document on the Returns tab page in the item detail area.

The system enters some returns information automatically. It selects Ship to Vendor as the follow-up activity and enters the same vendor that appears in the header line in the Vendor field. You cannot change the vendor information. The system also selects the Vendor RMA Number Required checkbox automatically in line with your master data settings.

When you save the returns purchase order, the system checks whether or not approval is required. If the document must be approved, it now enters the release workflow for purchasing documents. An authorized user can approve or reject the entire document or individual items, and specify a rejection reason if necessary.

Once the returns purchase order has been approved, you can create an outbound delivery and post the corresponding goods issue.