How to Raise a Sales Return in Bizconnekt (Step by Step)
When a customer sends goods back, you raise a sales return to record what came back, take the good stock into one of your stores, and — if you choose — raise the credit note in the same step. This guide walks through it from start to finish, using a simple example: a customer returns 5 damaged units from a 100-unit order.
Before you start
You will find the return easiest to raise if you have these ready:
- The original invoice or delivery challan the goods went out on.
- The customer who is returning the goods.
- The store where you will receive the returned stock.
- How many pieces are coming back, and the reason.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1: Open a new sales return
- Go to Sales in the sidebar.
- Click Sales Return.
- Click the Add button to open a blank return.
Bizconnekt gives the return its own return number automatically. You can leave it as it is.
Step 2: Choose the customer and the original document
- Select the customer who is returning the goods.
- Link the original invoice or delivery the goods were sold on.
A sales return must be raised against a finalised invoice or selling delivery challan of the same customer. The form won't save without one, and that includes drafts. An invoice from before go-live is allowed; the return then uses the item's current average cost. See Entering documents from before go-live.
Linking the original document matters: it tells Bizconnekt what actually went out, so you can only take back what genuinely left. In the example, you link the invoice for the 100-unit order.
Return against the document the goods went out on. If the goods left on a delivery challan, return against that challan, not the invoice. The invoice is offered only when the invoice itself sent the goods out, with no challan.
If you pick the wrong one, a notice appears above the items, for example "Return against DC-7 instead", with a button of the same name. Click it and the return switches to the right document. You do not have to start again.
You cannot return more than was sent, and returns you have already made count against that amount.
Step 3: Set the return dates
- Return date — the date you are recording the return. This defaults to today.
- Goods received date — the date the physical goods actually came back to you. This can be earlier than today if the goods arrived a few days ago.
Step 4: Pick the items and quantities
For each item the customer is sending back:
- Select the item from the original document.
- Enter the return quantity — how many pieces are coming back.
- Check the original quantity shown, so you never take back more than was sold.
In the example, you pick the single product and enter a return quantity of 5 against an original quantity of 100.
If a return involves batches, expiry dates or serial numbers, record those against the line as well, so the exact pieces coming back are traceable.
Step 5: Choose a reason
Set the reason for the return. Choose the one that best fits — for example, Damaged for the 5 units that arrived broken. The reason is what lets you later spot patterns, such as a product that keeps coming back for quality problems.
Step 6: Split the returned pieces
Not everything that comes back is fit to resell. For each line, split the pieces coming back across three columns:
- Accepted Qty — good enough to take back into stock.
- Damaged Qty — damaged pieces. They are taken into the store you choose under the Damaged condition, so nobody can sell or issue them from there.
- Returned Qty — pieces that are not taken into stock at all. An auto credit note does not cover them.
The three must add up to the line's return quantity, or the form will not save. Damaged Qty and Returned Qty each have a tick box on the line; tick it before you can type a quantity. Only Accepted Qty comes back as usable stock. In the example, if all 5 units arrived damaged, you enter 0 as Accepted Qty and 5 as Damaged Qty: the 5 units are taken into the store as Damaged stock, and the return's accounts value them, but they cannot be sold. If the units are resaleable, you enter 5 as Accepted Qty and they go back on the shelf as usable stock. If you tick Enable auto credit note (Step 9), the credit note covers the Accepted and Damaged quantities.
Step 7: Choose the store to receive the stock
Select the store that receives the accepted goods as usable stock and the damaged pieces as Damaged stock, which cannot be sold or issued; returned pieces are not taken into stock. This is the location whose on-hand quantity goes up when you save the return. Pick the store that will actually hold the returned pieces.
Step 8: Review the totals
Check the summary before saving:
- The quantity coming back, and how many pieces are accepted, damaged and returned.
- The return value, any tax, and the final credit amount.
Make sure the credit amount matches what you intend to give the customer.
Step 9: Decide whether to raise the credit note now
Under the Reason field, above the items table, you will see a tick box, Enable auto credit note. It is unticked by default. Hover the small information icon beside it for a reminder of what it does.
- Tick it and the credit note is created and posted in the same save as the return, for the Accepted and Damaged quantities. It is left unapplied, so you apply it to the customer's invoices later from Credit Notes.
- Leave it unticked and the return only moves stock. No credit note is raised, and you raise one yourself from Credit Notes when you are ready.
When to tick it. Tick it when the credit is settled — you already know the customer gets credited for the full value of what came back, and you want it all done in one step.
When to leave it unticked. Leave it unticked when the amount is not settled yet — for example you are waiting to inspect the goods, you will credit a different amount, or your accounts team raises credit notes themselves.
If you return goods against a delivery challan, a second field, Against Invoice, appears once you tick the box. Choose the invoice the credit note goes against; it is required. If there is only one suitable invoice it is chosen for you.
One credit note per invoice. If that invoice already has a credit note, no second one is made. The return still saves, and a message tells you which existing credit note to update instead. Open it from Credit Notes and add the new amount there.
The box can be greyed out, with a sentence beneath it saying why:
| What you see under the box | What it means |
|---|---|
| "You do not have permission to create credit notes, so the note will not be created with this return." | Your role cannot create credit notes. Ask someone who can raise it from Credit Notes. |
| "This delivery challan has no sales order, so its invoice cannot be found. Raise the credit note from Credit Notes." | There is no invoice to credit against yet. |
| "The invoices for this return could not be loaded, so the credit note cannot be created with it. Raise it from Credit Notes." | The list of invoices could not be read. Raise the credit note from Credit Notes. |
| "No invoice has been raised for this delivery challan's goods yet, so the credit note cannot be created with this return. Raise it from Credit Notes once the invoice exists." | Raise the invoice first, then the credit note. |
If saving is refused after you ticked the box. Even when the box can be ticked, saving can be refused — for example when the invoice is a reverse-charge invoice. The message tells you to untick Enable auto credit note and raise the credit note from Credit Notes. Do that, and the return itself saves as usual.
Step 10: Save the return
Click Save. If your business requires sign-off on returns, the return goes for approval first; otherwise it is recorded straight away. Once the return is approved and processed:
- The accepted stock is added back into the store you chose.
- If you ticked Enable auto credit note, a credit note is raised in the customer's favour and its number is shown on the return ("Created with this return: ..."). To change quantities or rates afterwards, void the credit note first.
If you left the box unticked, nothing is credited yet — raise the credit note from Credit Notes whenever you are ready. To undo a processed return altogether, see Cancelling a return.
Field definitions
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Return number | The automatic reference Bizconnekt gives every return, so you can find it later. |
| Customer | The party sending the goods back. |
| Original document | The invoice or delivery the goods were sold on — limits what you can take back. |
| Return date | The date you are recording the return. |
| Goods received date | The date the physical goods actually came back to you. |
| Original quantity | How many of the item were sold on the original document. |
| Return quantity | How many pieces the customer is sending back. |
| Accepted quantity | The good pieces you take back into stock. |
| Damaged quantity | The damaged pieces. Taken into the store under the Damaged condition: they cannot be sold or issued from there. |
| Returned quantity | Pieces that are not taken into stock at all, and are not covered by an auto credit note. Accepted, damaged and returned must add up to the line's return quantity. |
| Reason | Why the goods came back — damaged, wrong item, and so on. |
| Store | The location where the accepted stock comes back in. |
| Credit amount | The value to be credited to the customer, once a credit note is raised for the return. |
| Enable auto credit note | Tick to raise the credit note in the same save as the return. Unticked by default; leave it unticked to raise the note yourself later. |
| Against Invoice | Shown when you return against a delivery challan and tick the box above. The invoice the credit note goes against. |
| Customer's reference | The customer's own return note number, if they gave you one. |
Common issues
The item is not available to select
The item can only be returned if it was on the original document. Check that you linked the correct invoice or delivery, and that the item you are looking for was actually sold on it.
Bizconnekt will not let you return that many
You cannot take back more than went out, and returns you have already made count against that amount. If the return quantity is higher than what is left to return, reduce it.
A notice says "Return against DC-7 instead"
The goods left on a delivery challan, not on the invoice you picked. Click the button in the notice to switch the return to that challan.
Stock did not increase after saving
Only Accepted Qty comes back as usable stock. Pieces entered as Damaged Qty are taken in under the Damaged condition, so they do not add to what you can sell. Pieces entered as Returned Qty are not taken into stock at all. Check the quantities and the store you selected.
The customer has not been credited
A credit note is raised with the return only if you ticked Enable auto credit note. If you left it unticked, raise the credit note yourself from Credit Notes.
The return is waiting and nothing has happened
If your business requires sign-off on returns, the return waits for approval before stock moves and any credit note is raised. Check its status and who needs to approve it.
I can't reduce a return
You can't reduce a return whose stock has been used, or moved to another store or condition. Cancel what used or moved it first. You can still reduce it down to what was used. A serial-numbered item is always costed at the price it came in at.
Related guides
- How to track sales returns — find and follow your returns
- Sales Return overview — what a return is and when to raise one
- Invoicing — the original sale
- Delivery Challan — how the goods went out
- Credit Note — the credit you can raise with a return, or separately
- Stores — where returned stock comes back in
Need help? Contact support at support@bizconnekt.com