Return function

[rjsmeyer]

I have v14.187, network version.

I prefer that we do returns by entering the receipt number, and this usually works fine.  But for some reason, there are occasions when absolutely nothing shows up in the sales window. 

When it doesn't work, we are able to work around that by clicking on "no receipt", but I'd prefer to not do that. 

Is there something we should be doing differently?

bob

[ronaldrwl]

If the sale is empty I can only think it's been voided.  Check the sale using the Activity Log.

[rjsmeyer]

That's another new function to me.  Pretty nice.  "Returns" shows up on the list 4 times, probably each time we tried to do a return.  I can't tell by that whether the system considered it actually "returned" at any point or not, though.

Going into the "Return" function again, though, I notice that when it comes up in the "Return with Receipt" window, it does show a qty of "1" in the "Returned" column - I'm just not sure when it's would've gotten there.  That would certainly explain why I can't return it again.

My ultimate goal is to be able to look back, by Customer, to see transactions like Returns and Exchanges along with the Sales.  I usually look for transactions by going into Customer, then Advanced Payment Window (I use Find Sale as well, but that seems to apply only to recent transactions - and there are none in there for this customer in there).  For this instance, though, the only transaction in Advanced Payments is the original sale date for the item.  Is there somewhere else I should be looking for this info? 

[Courtright]

Adding on to this, I have had similar issues with returns in V13 (I will get 14 soon) and I am wondering  if it might be fixed in V14.

This first issue happens a LOT with new employees.

An employee goes to do a return.  They select the item and select "does not want, return to inventory" Now on the sales screen it shows -1 / the product/ -$200.  Now they accidentally clear the sale and never finish it. The try to do the return again and now once typing in the receipt number in the returns window they are unable to select the item to be returned (even though they never completed the return the first time, they backed out of it).  Has this been fixed in 14, is there an update in 13.  It has led to some issues for sure.


My second issue that has happened (that I actually had to fire an employee for) is I'm assuming they had their buddy purchase a $300 pair of sunglasses and then return them through him a few days later.  Upon returning them my employee selects "does not want, DO NOT return to inventory" and stole them.  Only after a week when I decided to go through returns I realized we no longer had that pair that we should have after the return.  Is there any way I can fix worrying about this issue in the past?  EVERYTHING we sell gets returned to inventory.  Within Settings it would be a nice feature to turn ON or OFF the "Do Not Return to Inventory" for this exact reason.  Ideas?  Thank you.

[rjsmeyer]

If an employee is wanting to rip off a pair of sunglasses, I'm not sure that knowing it's returned to inventory would slow him down.  How often do you have inventory counts? 

Actually, a guy using "does not want, do not return" could be seen as a red flag that someone's intentionally ripping you off - it could be used as a tool to help detect attempted theft.

Hey, maybe you should start thinking of hiring people that have no interest in wearing sunglasses - maybe add that question to your interview process!   

[Courtright]

lol. 

We do inventory count every morning and every night.  I have about $750,000 worth of merchandise so there will always be temptation from employees.  I have really good core people however with the warmer weather every year I need to increase my staff up to about 15 people.  Some people seem amazing during their interview and in the beginning and next thing we catch them stealing.  Doesn't happen all the time, this is just over 15 years of business.

They never steal them to wear them, just sell them.  Some glasses go over $500 each.

If there is any info regarding my first question that would be great, concerning clearing a return while in the middle of it makes it so you can't complete it later.

"An employee goes to do a return.  They select the item and select "does not want, return to inventory" Now on the sales screen it shows -1 / the product/ -$200.  Now they accidentally clear the sale and never finish it. The try to do the return again and now once typing in the receipt number in the returns window they are unable to select the item to be returned (even though they never completed the return the first time, they backed out of it).  Has this been fixed in 14, is there an update in 13.  It has led to some issues for sure."

[rjsmeyer]

Wow, what a brutal business to be in!  With my stuff, people would have to back up a truck to take that many dollars worth!

So, I tried a return in v14.  It seems that the question lies in what happens once you get the credit for the return showing up in the sales window.

I can start a new transaction, and the return remains available to finish later.

If I Clear Sale, the return is cleared. No more sign of it.  I have to say that I've done that myself, just thinking that I didn't do part of it right (or didn't pick the right reason).  Somehow it just seems like you should be able to.  What happens from there, though, is that:
     - when going in to return the item again, if you use the same invoice #, everything looks the same as first time around, EXCEPT that a "1" will show up in the Returned column, essentially telling you that you can't do it again.
    - if you look in Customer info in the Advance Payment window, no credit will show up (probably because you didn't get to choose between a store credit and a refund)
    - in looking at the daily Returns report, no return shows up

What I've done as a workaround (though I'm not sure it would work for you), is to do another return and skip the invoice # (i.e., use "no receipt"), then I can choose the appropriate item and finish it up that with, with correct customer name and everything.

It probably would be more appropriate to have the Return "finalized" AFTER choosing store credit or refund, but I'll bet Ronald has a reason to not have done it that way.

I hope that addresses what you're trying to address.

[Courtright]

Yeah, we have been doing the same and manually searching for the product if we backed out of the sale once we started it. 

Would just be convenient if it still allowed you to return that item up until the moment you actually press "Finish Sale"

And on a side note, it does suck having expensive items.  I'm always watching out for theft.  Once it happens a couple times over 15 years I now get scared if I don't stay on top of it then someone else can get away with it.  When someone can do something tricky and steal 2 pairs of sunglasses that equal $1,000 it's always on mind.

Such as the whole example I made where a friend returns product and the employee selects "do not return to inventory" and pockets them.  Unless I had the time to dig into checking all these then they can easily get away with it.  Honestly it would be nice that if an employee selects "do not return to inventory" then on the receipt below the returned item it would print "ITEM NOT RETURNED TO INVENTORY".  That would scare the employees enough possibly to not take the chance.