How do you know if an item should be Returned?
Typically, a provider will let the QI Navigator know right away if there was a problem with any items that were shipped to them. When that happens, you can coordinate with the Vendor and the provider site to make sure that the items can be returned, determine if there is any extra cost to returning an item (such as shipping or a fee), and help the provider setup a time for the Vendor to collect the item. Once you have contacted the Vendor, they should provide you with a credit memo to apply against the original invoice. The credit memo should use the same PO # as the PO # on the Spending Record in Sugar.
In most cases, you can adjust a Spending Record and related Spending Detail records during the preapproval stage (before the Finance Stage) so that you do not need to make adjustments once the Spending record is submitted for approval to finance.
However, sometimes an item is returned after a Spending Record has been submitted to finance, and so a Return Spending Record needs to be created in the current financial period. You can also use the "Return" action to record an adjustment for a Spending Record from a prior period (although the approval workflows should prevent most if not all entry errors before finance marks the record as Reconciled).
Below are the steps to accomplish this process both before and after a Record goes to Finance!
**Bonus Tip: Typically, Vendors will not issue a Credit Memo until after they have received the returned merchandise, so this requires some hands-on coordination with the Provider to make sure it is returned in a timely manner, and that the Vendor receives it and marks it as returned
If you have a return that you need to reflect BEFORE submitting to Finance please follow these steps:
Step 1) Select the "Need to Make a Financial Correction" if the status is still "Ordered"
Step 2) Make appropriate changes and hit save
You are done! This is a lot simpler if you can catch returns/adjustments before submitting to finance.
If you have a return that you need to reflect AFTER submitting to Finance please follow these steps:
Step 1) Contact the funder (since they paid for the initial purchase and now those funds need be returned to the funder)
Step 2) Look up the original Spending Record
Step 3) Select "Create a Return Spending Record (Copies this Spending Record & Spending Details)" You will be required to enter a "Reason for the Return" and the "Total Cost of Returned Items" on the original Spending Record
Behind the Scenes: This Action will copy the Spending Record and Spending Details into a new Spending Record with the Status "Return Draft" and will include a link back to the Original Spending Record. This Action will also add the Return record to a Returns Subpanel right underneath the Spending Details Subpanel-If you do not see it right away, refresh the page!
Step 4) Edit the Return Spending Record and Related Spending Details. The Return record is in the subpanel to the original Spending Record
Step 5) Click on the return record - you will notice this is an exact copy of the original record, but negative.
You will need to make changes to the Spending Detail records to match the total returned amount
- You can update the quantity to 0 for any spending details that were not returned.
- You can edit Spending Detail Items that were returned (or needed corrections)
**Bonus Tip: When you create a return, the original Spending Record requires you to specify a value in the "Return Amount" field. That number needs to exactly match the credit memo you received because when you attempt to select the "Documentation Attached & Send to Finance for Approval" action on the return record, Sugar checks to see if the amount matches what you had entered into that field. If it does not match Sugar will not let you proceed. This is to help people avoid reconciling before updating the spending details.
Step 6) Once you are done editing the records, you can select the appropriate action to advance through finance review and reconciliation. Hint: If you are the finance person, you can move it straight Mark as Reconciled (Locked).
Please be sure to contact the ecConnect HelpDesk if you need additional assistance!