Supplier returns and supplier refunds

A supplier return sends received goods back to your supplier and takes those units out of your inventory. A supplier refund records money the supplier owes you back against a bill you have already raised. The two are separate documents: a return moves stock, while a refund moves money. You can use one, the other, or both, depending on what you agreed with your supplier.

Both documents live inside the purchase order workspace. Existing returns appear in the Returns panel and existing refunds appear in the Refunds panel on the right side of the order, each with a Draft or Authorized status badge. Click any entry to open it.

Supplier returns

A supplier return is built from goods you have received on the order. You create one by selecting the items you are sending back, which opens a draft return that you can review, adjust, and then authorize.

Create a supplier return

The Return button appears only on the toolbar of an authorized goods receipt (GRN), so you always start a return from a receipt you have already authorized, never from the order view itself.

1. Open the purchase order.
2. Open an authorized goods receipt (GRN) from the Receive Goods panel. Its toolbar shows the Return button.
3. Select the line items you want to send back.
4. Click Return.
5. Qoblex creates a draft return and opens it.

If you click Return without selecting any line items, Qoblex shows Please select one or more line items to return. and does not create the return.

When you create a return from a goods receipt, Qoblex marks the returned lines to be taken out of stock on authorization. Each line shows the ordered quantity it is drawn from with an Out of count.

Fill in the return

The draft return opens with a Draft status badge. You can set the following before authorizing:

• Number – the return’s reference number.
• Create At – the return date, chosen with the date picker.
• Sales Rep. – the user recorded against the return, chosen from your team. The placeholder is Select a user.
• Reason – why the goods are going back. You can type your own text or pick from the suggestion list (for example Damaged or Defective Product, Incorrect Item Received, Product Recalled).
• Resolution – how the return was settled. You can type your own text or pick from the suggestion list (for example Full Refund Issued, Replacement Item Sent, Return Denied).
• Quantity – per line, how many units to return. Each line displays its unit, location, and running total.
• Comments – free-text notes about the return.

The totals block on the right shows the Subtotal, Total tax, Total, and Units Count for the return.

When you have made your changes, click Save to keep the return as a draft. If a return has no lines, the table shows There is nothing to show here.

Authorize a supplier return

Authorizing is what actually removes the stock. Open the draft return and click Authorize in the toolbar.

Authorizing a supplier return takes the returned units out of inventory at their location and cannot be undone from this screen. There is no un-authorize action for a return. Only authorize once you are certain the goods are physically leaving your warehouse.

On authorize, Qoblex:

• Sets the return status to Authorized and records the Authorized At date.
• Reduces on-hand stock for each returned line at its location.
• Refreshes the order so the Returns panel and the order’s received-units count reflect the return.

Qoblex blocks the following at authorize time:

• You cannot return more than the ordered quantity for a line.
• You cannot return more than the quantity actually received for that line.

If either check fails, Qoblex shows the offending product name with Cannot return more than the ordered quantity or Cannot return more than the received quantity, and the return stays in draft.

What you can change after authorizing

While a return is a draft you can edit its header, change line quantities, and remove lines. Once a return is Authorized, Qoblex locks it: you cannot change the return, remove product lines, or modify product lines. A return has product lines only, with no adjustment (custom) lines to add or edit.

Delete a draft return

The Delete button is only shown while the return is a draft. Deleting removes a return that was created by mistake.

Qoblex asks Are you sure you want to delete this return? and warns This operation cannot be reverted. Confirm with Yes, delete it!. An authorized return cannot be deleted.

Supplier refunds

A supplier refund records money coming back from your supplier. Because a refund is about money you were billed, you create it from a bill, not from a goods receipt. Creating a refund does not move any stock.

Create a supplier refund from a bill

The Refund button appears only on the toolbar of an authorized bill, so you always start a refund from a bill you have already authorized, never from a draft bill.

1. Open the purchase order.
2. Open an authorized bill from the Bills panel. Its toolbar shows the Refund button.
3. Select the bill line items (and any billed extra-cost lines) you want refunded.
4. Click Refund.
5. Qoblex creates a draft refund and opens it.

The Refund button is shown only once the bill is Authorized. On a draft bill there is no Refund action, so authorize the bill first. See Create and manage supplier bills for how bills are raised and authorized.

If you click Refund without selecting any lines, Qoblex shows Please select one or more line items to return. and does not create the refund.

Refunds are always tied to the amounts on that bill, so you can only refund quantities that have been billed.

Fill in the refund

The draft refund opens with a Draft status badge. Each product line shows its billed price and lets you set the Quantity to refund, capped at the billed (invoiced) quantity shown next to the field. You can also add extra-cost adjustment lines (for example shipping or freight) using the Shipping, Adjustments, etc. link, giving each a name, quantity, price, and tax class.

Other fields:

• Number – the refund’s reference number.
• Create At – the refund date, chosen with the date picker.
• Comments – free-text notes about the refund.

The totals block shows the refund Total and Total tax. If the refund has no lines, the table shows There is nothing to show here.

Click Save to keep the refund as a draft.

Authorize a supplier refund

Open the draft refund and click Authorize in the toolbar.

Authorizing a supplier refund finalizes the money-back record against the bill. Do this only once the refund amount is agreed. If your accounting integration is connected, the authorized refund can be opened in that system from the View in link on the refund.

On authorize, Qoblex validates each line and sets the refund status to Authorized, then refreshes the order so the Refunds panel updates. Each check names the offending product or adjustment line and, if it fails, the refund stays in draft.

For a product line, Qoblex blocks the refund when the total refunded quantity (counting quantities already refunded on other refunds) exceeds either limit:

• Cannot refund more than the ordered quantity – you tried to refund more units than were ordered on that line.
• Cannot refund more than the billed quantity – you tried to refund more units than were billed on that line.

For an adjustment (custom) line, Qoblex enforces three separate limits:

• Cannot refund more than the order quantity – the refunded quantity exceeds the quantity of the original adjustment.
• Cannot refund more than the order price – the refund price for the line is higher than the original adjustment price.
• Cannot refund more than the billed quantity – the refunded quantity exceeds the billed quantity for that adjustment.

Unlike a return, a refund can be re-opened after authorizing. Click Edit on an authorized refund to un-authorize it and make changes, then authorize again.

What you can change after authorizing

While a refund is a draft you can edit its header, change line quantities, add adjustment lines, and remove lines. Once a refund is Authorized, those controls are locked until you use Edit to un-authorize it. Attempting to delete a line from an authorized refund is blocked.

Delete a draft refund

The Delete button is only shown while the refund is a draft. Qoblex asks Are you sure you want to delete this return? and warns This operation cannot be reverted. Confirm with Yes, delete it!.

How returns and refunds relate

A return and a refund answer two different questions:

• A return answers where do the goods go? It sends received units back to the supplier and reduces your inventory when authorized.
• A refund answers where does the money go? It records value the supplier gives back against a bill and does not touch stock.

If a supplier both takes goods back and gives money back, raise a return for the goods (from the goods receipt) and a separate refund for the money (from the bill). The Resolution field on a return is where you note how it was settled, including whether a refund was issued.

For recording the supplier’s payment side, see Record payments and supplier deposits.

Validation messages

Before a return or refund is saved or authorized, Qoblex checks each line. Returns carry product lines only; refunds carry product lines and adjustment (custom) lines, so the adjustment-line messages below apply to refunds only. Fix the flagged line and try again.