Guidelines for Tracking Customer Returns

Create Return Orders

Create return orders from the Return Orders tab or the Return Orders related list on accounts, contacts, product requests, cases, orders, or locations.

You can associate return orders with product requests, cases, accounts, contacts, orders, work orders, and more. This versatility lets you use return orders to track a wide range of return scenarios. It’s up to you to decide how return orders fit into your field service processes. For example, to minimize processing time, don’t associate return orders with product transfers.

When you create a return order, add return order line items to track the specific items being returned or repaired. Each line item must list one or more of the following: product, product item, asset, product request line item, and order product. If you select more than one of these fields on a return order line item, make sure they all link to the same product.

Common Return Order Scenarios

Customer Returns

When a customer wants to return a product, create a return order. Follow these guidelines.

• On the return order:
  • If a customer case was created to address the return, select it in the Case field.
  • In the Source Location field, select the customer’s site where the product is located at the start of the return. You may need to leave this field blank if the customer’s site isn’t tracked as a location in Salesforce.
  • In the Destination Location field, select the inventory location where the item is returned for restocking, or the workshop where the item is salvaged or discarded.
  • In the Ship From address, enter the customer’s address where the product is at the start of the return.
• On the return order line item:
  • To represent the items being returned, fill out one or more of the following fields: product, product item, product request line item, and order product. For customer returns, you’ll likely use the Asset or Order Product fields.

For example, a customer of a hypothetical robotic arms company, Rockin’ Robotics, purchased a small hydraulic arm by mistake. To return it, they create a case from the customer site. The assigned call center rep creates a return order for the customer which lists the related order and order product. The call center rep then creates a product transfer to track the return of the arm to the warehouse. Upon its arrival, the on-site worker updates the quantity on the appropriate product item to indicate that the warehouse has gained a small hydraulic arm.

Customer Repairs

When a customer wants their product repaired or retrofitted, use a return order to track the repair and return of the product. Follow these guidelines.

• On the return order:
  • Link the return order to related work orders in the Work Orders or Work Order Line Items related lists. Most repairs involve a work order that was created for the customer.
  • If a customer case was created to address the repair, select it in the Case field
  • In the Source Location field, select the customer’s site where the product is at the start of the return. You may leave this field blank if the customer’s site isn’t tracked as a location in Salesforce.
  • In the Ship From address, enter the customer’s address where the product is at the start of the return.
  • In the Destination Location field, select the workshop where the product is repaired. You can use product transfers to track the movement of the product to and from the workshop.
• On the return order line items:
  • In the Repayment Method field, if the item will be returned to the customer after repair, select Return.
  • To represent the items being repaired, fill out one or more of the following fields: product, product item, product request line item, and order product. For customer repairs, you’ll likely use the Asset or Order Product fields.

For example, a Rockin’ Robotics customer wants their eight-year-old hydraulic arm retrofitted to use the most current technology. They call Rockin’ Robotics and the support call center rep creates a work order to have the arm retrofitted. The call center rep then associates the work order with a return order that tracks the return of the arm to the Rockin’ Robotics Workshop. After the arm is retrofitted, the work order is marked complete and a product transfer is created to track the return of the arm from the workshop to the satisfied customer.

Mobile Worker Returns

When a product is requested for a field service job but ends up going unused for any reason, use a return order to track the return of the product to the supplier or an inventory location. Follow these guidelines:

• On the return order
  • In the Product Request field, select the product request that the product was intended to fulfill. You can also associate the return order line items with the product request’s line items.
  • In the Account field, select the account that the product was intended for.
  • In the Source Location field, select the product’s location at the time of the creation of the return order. For example, a mobile worker’s service vehicle.
  • In the Destination Location field, select the product’s intended destination. For example, an inventory location such as a warehouse, or a supplier’s site.
  • In the Ship From address, enter the starting address of the return.
• On the return order line items
  • If the return order lists a product request, select the relevant product request line item in the Product Request Line Item field.
  • If the return doesn’t involve reimbursement (which is likely), set the Repayment Method to None.
  • In the Processing Plan field, select Restock if the item is returning to your inventory.
  • To represent the items being returned, fill out one or more of the following fields: product, product item, product request line item, and order product. For mobile worker returns, you’ll likely use the Product Request Line Item, Product, or Product Item fields. If you select a product item, choose the product item that is associated with the product’s source location.
• If needed, create an associated product transfer to track the transfer of the product from its current location back to your inventory.

For example, to prepare for an on-site installation appointment, a Rockin’ Robotics mobile worker creates a product request for three large hydraulic arms. Upon arriving at the site, the worker learns that only two arms are needed. To return the unwanted arm to the main warehouse, the worker creates a return order with one line item that lists the arm in the Product field. After the arm is returned to the warehouse, the warehouse product item can be updated to reflect the change in inventory numbers.

Note While you can track the return of products to your inventory using only a product transfer, return orders let you add information about why the product is being returned.