There may be times when the picking and shipping processes be reversed. In other words, warehouse managers may need to document the return of items in the NCAS and send them back to their online storage locations. Normally, recorded returns reflect the physical return of goods to the warehouse. However, a physical return may not always be taking place. For example, if the automatic shipment function is selected, items may be documented as shipped before they are physically sent to a customer. Therefore, to reverse this activity, a return must be processed even though items never left the warehouse.
There are two different methods of return, depending upon the method of shipment used when processing an order.
All items that are returned to inventory storage must carry with them a unit cost. Once items are returned, the unit cost is then used to recalculate the average cost for the items in storage. If you do not enter a unit cost for the item being returned on either the Order Shipment (OS) or the Return Inventory By Pick List (RIP) screen, the NCAS will automatically insert the cost at which the item was originally issued.
If an internal replenishment order or usage order has already been closed, returning inventory will automatically reopen the order and the pick list. The pick list and the order will remain open to allow replacement items to be picked and posted. If replacement items are not needed, the items should be deallocated from the order and order should be closed.