Returns 

Use

You can use this function in the following situations:

• A customer (dealer) returns goods delivered to him or her (products of type Material).

A customer (dealer) sends back to you remanufactured products or service parts that were not yet used. The customer may also have paid a deposit for these parts and remanufactured products.

For information about returning used parts, see Used Part Returns.

You can create returns in the SAP graphical user interface (SAP GUI) for Windows, in the dealer portal, in the Interaction Center WinClient, or via EDI.

Depending on the type of return, you can create a return using the following three options:

●     Create as a follow-up document to one of the following documents:

○     Sales order

○     Service process with sales items

●     Create with reference to the following objects

○     Marketing campaign element

○     Product service letter

●     Create without preceding document

Prerequisites

●     You have made the following settings for service parts in the SAP CRM product master data on the Service tab page:

○     For the Returnable indicator, you have selected either Possible or Not Specified.

○     For the used part indicator, you have selected either <blank> (New/Remanufactured Part) or B (Used/New/Remanufactured Part).

You have completed Customizing for Returns.

●     To be able to send invitations for surplus returns, you must have completed the following in Customizing:

○     In SAP CRM under SAPconnect administration (transaction SCOT), you have made the required settings so that you can send electronic recalls.

For more information, see SAPconnect (BC-SRV-COM).

○     In the business partner, you have made settings for the standard communication path for invitations to the recipient responsible, for example, invitation by e-mail, by fax, and so on.

Features

Depending on Customizing in the standard system, you can create returns with returns request items for the following returns types:

·         Standard returns

·         Surplus returns

·         Recall returns

·         Rapid returns

Depending on the returns type, you create the return with or without reference to a preceding document.

After the document with a returns request item is created, in the master data, the system determines the threshold and both methods of action when the returned parts are rejected in goods receipt. This information appears on the Prices tab for the main item and for the returns authorization item.

You can use authorization groups to prevent fields in the document from being overwritten under certain defined conditions. For more information, see Authorization Check at Field Level.

 

The returns types each have a different business-related background:

Standard returns

For example, standard returns can be used in the following case:

A customer has ordered a specific article via mail order in many different sizes or colors and returns some of the goods after trial and examination. There is no quality defect in this case, so there is no complaint preceding this return. Customers usually enclose a returns form in which they state the reasons for return and specify the order to which the return refers.

Surplus returns

Surplus returns are how vendors accommodate their customers (dealers) by enabling them to return parts that they did not sell in quantities as high as they expected. Invitations to reduce surpluses take place either at regular intervals, or are one-time events. The invitation can refer to certain service parts, or it can be left to the customer (dealer) to decide which parts to return.

The invitation provides the customer (dealer) with all the data that he or she needs to create the return and send back the parts:

●     Reference number

●     Products or product list (optional)

●     Validity period (optional)

After the customer receives the invitation, he or she creates a surplus return with reference to the marketing campaign item in the dealer portal.

Regular surplus returns run in waves. Each wave is divided into two periods:

●     First period: The customer (dealer) can create returns requests within a specified time period.

●     Second period: The customer (dealer) cannot create returns requests, however, goods can be received by the vendor within a specified time period.

The surplus returns are processed via a marketing campaign with campaign elements. Among other things, the marketing campaign contains the following information:

●     Identification of the marketing campaign element (reference number)

●     Start- and end date of the first period

●     Start- and end date of the second period

●     Product list (optional)

●     Business partners: List of customers (target group)

You use the Segment Builder to specify the target group, that is, all customers (dealers) who have purchased the service part. The Segment Builder provides a graphical interface for modeling target groups.

●     Invitation recipients with the communication channel that was determined

The system determines this information as follows:

○     Invitation recipients

The system checks whether there are one or more contact persons for the business partner from the target group:

■      If there are multiple contact persons, the system checks whether there is a default contact person.

■      If there are multiple contact persons, but no default contact person, the system automatically takes the first contact person in the list.

■      If no contact person exists, the business partner defined in the target group of the marketing campaign is used; for example, company, organization, and so on.

○     Communication path for sending the invitation

You can send the invitation by e-mail, fax, or letter, for example. The invitation contains the reference number and the corresponding service part (optional).

If no communication path for sending the invitation is specified, the default invitation is a printed letter sent by mail.

●     Ship-to party for returns (optional)

For more information, see Surplus Returns Campaigns.

Recall returns

For more information, see Service Recall Processing: Returning Service Parts.

Rapid Returns

You use rapid returns to process exceptional cases. Normally, you can only create a return for a product that is indicated in the product master as being returnable. To accommodate your customers (dealers), you can use this returns type to process a return for a product indicated as not returnable.

A rapid return is always created without a preceding document and is a return requested by the customer (dealer).