Managing returned items
For many items, arrival at the customer location is not the end of the journey. For a variety of reasons, customers end up returning them to the MSP:
- The wrong item was shipped and never even installed
- The item was installed, but is now broken
- The customer would like to upgrade a device
As the MSP, you are faced with a complicated workflow that includes returning an item into inventory, possibly sending it back to the vendor for repair or replacement, and issuing a credit to the customer or shipping a replacement item. The challenge is to keep track of outgoing and incoming items, and any monetary reimbursements that are due.
The Autotask Inventory module includes features that make this workflow a lot easier.
Setting up return locations
To accept returns, you need a place to put them. If you have several inventory locations already set up, you may want to designate one of them as the return location, because returned items will likely need further processing.
Return inventory locations should represent your company's return process; for example, a different location for each of your major vendors, or separate locations for Return/Replace and Return/Repair.
It is likely that return locations will share space with regular inventory locations, but it does make sense to create a separate designation.
EXAMPLE Albany Warehouse Returns shares the physical location with Albany Warehouse, but has its own designated area.
Refer to Managing inventory locations.
Issuing a return merchandise authorization (RMA)
You also want any returns to arrive with the proper authorization and documentation. An RMA will do the following:
- It will handle the approval process for a return
- It will facilitate a credit to the customer
- It can send an RMA document as an automatic notification to the customer that can be printed and put in the shipment.
If the return is documented through an RMA ticket, it allows you to track the item from the time it leaves the customer.
Refer to Requesting an RMA for a device.
Swapping devices
When customers return items that were installed as devices, it can get complicated. Devices can be tied to active contracts, projects, and tickets that need to be resolved.
The Swap Device Wizard is designed to simplify this process, whether you want to exchange the outgoing device for a new one or return the item to your inventory. With the Swap Device Wizard, you can:
- inactivate the device
- return it to inventory (you can select the inventory location set up for returns)
- select an inventory product to replace the outgoing item, or create one
- manage tickets, subscriptions, terms and notes associated with the outgoing item
- send notifications to all stakeholders
If the item comes back from the vendor after being refurbished, you can use the wizard to swap it back into the organization. Refer to Swapping a device.
Dealing with non-device items
If items were transferred to a customer but not installed as devices, you can return them to inventory by reversing the transfer process. The sole requirement for an item to be returned to inventory is that it must be listed as a product in Autotask.
- First, you must cancel delivery/shipment for the item. Refer to Canceling delivery and shipment.
- Then you must un-pick the item to return it to inventory. Refer to Unpicking a stocked item.
- If the item was never an inventory product, you must add it to inventory.
Refer to Adding or editing inventory products and stocked items.
Viewing the history of an item or device
The Inventory Item Search and Inventory Transfers & Updates search features allow you to monitor various types of information about returned stocked items including:
- a returned item's current and previous locations and the date/time progress of an item's return process (The Inventory Transfers & Updates page). If the product is serialized, you can track the items by serial number.
- how many different items are currently in any inventory return location (Searching and managing inventory items).
