1. Purpose
Book an arriving return in against its RMA, record what was actually in the box, and leave the return in a state the inspection team can work from. Sets out what receiving does and does not do, so nobody waits for stock that was never going to appear.
2. Scope
Covers receiving a return from the dashboard, against a return that already exists and has been approved. Inspecting and grading the units is covered in SWI-031, and putting stock back is covered in SWI-032. Creating a return order and approving it are not covered here.
3. Roles & Responsibilities
Receiving team: opens the parcel, counts what is in it, and enters the counts against the return.
Operations lead: approves returns so they reach the dock in a receivable state, and reviews discrepancies.
Support: checks the return's status before telling anyone why it cannot be received.
4. When you need this
A parcel has arrived carrying an RMA number and needs booking in.
The count in the box does not match what the return says was coming.
The dock screen refuses a return and it is not clear why.
A return was received and the stock has still not appeared on the Inventory screen.
5. Key concept: receiving counts the parcel, it does not put the stock back
What people assume | What actually happens |
|---|---|
Confirming receipt puts the returned units back into stock. | It records the count and moves the return to Received. No bin changes, and no inventory movement of any kind. Stock moves two steps later, when a disposition is executed, and then only for units dispositioned Restock. |
The received quantities start empty, so whatever is typed is what was counted. | Every line arrives pre-filled with the quantity that was expected. Pressing Confirm Received without touching the form declares that the whole return turned up complete. |
A short count blocks the receipt until somebody resolves it. | It does not. Short and Over are both recorded as discrepancies and the receipt goes through either way. |
Over-receiving is prevented. | It is allowed. More units can be entered than were authorised, and the excess is flagged rather than refused. |
A return can be received in stages as parcels arrive. | It cannot. Receiving happens once. Confirming moves the return out of every receivable status, and a second receipt against the same return is refused. |
Any return that has physically arrived can be received. | Only one that has been approved can. A return still sitting at requested has no unit records behind it yet, and the dock screen will turn it away. |
6. Procedure — receive a return
Open Returns from the dashboard menu.
Click Receive Return. The address is /dashboard/<organization-slug>/returns/receive.
Scan the RMA barcode into the search box, or type the RMA number or the parcel's tracking number, then press Enter or click Lookup.
Check the header before counting anything. It shows the return's name and RMA, the customer, any linked order, and the current status.
Open the parcel and count it. Work down the Received column, which arrives pre-filled with the expected quantity on every line, and correct the lines that do not match what is in front of you.
Watch the Status column as you go. It reads Match, Short or Over against each line, and it is the only place a miscount is visible before you commit.
Add a receiving note if there is anything to record, such as a damaged outer carton or an item that arrived without paperwork. The note takes up to 500 characters and lands in the return's notes panel.
Click Confirm Received.
Read the result screen. It reads either Successfully Received or Received with Discrepancies, and lists any line where the count differed.
Click Continue to Inspect to carry straight on into inspection, or Back to Returns to receive the next parcel.
6A. When the dock screen refuses the return
The lookup finds the return but the receipt is refused when the return is not in a receivable status. Only approved, label generated and in transit can be received.
A return that reads requested or pending has not been approved yet. Approval is the step that creates the unit records the inspection team works through, so there is nothing to receive against until it happens. Get the return approved on its detail page, then come back to the dock.
A return that already reads received has been booked in once. There is no second receipt, and no way to add to the first one. If the count was wrong, carry on into inspection and handle the difference there rather than trying to receive again.
A declined return is not receivable at all. Stock that arrives against one needs a decision from the merchant before anything is booked in.
7. Verification
The return reads Received on the Returns list and on its own detail page.
The receiving summary on the detail page shows the counts that were entered.
Any discrepancy is listed on the result screen and on the return's history.
The receiving note appears in the notes panel on the return.
The Inventory screen is unchanged. This is the check that proves the point of section 5: nothing has been restocked yet, and nothing should have been.
Inspect Items is now offered on the return, which it was not before.
8. Constraints and caveats
Full access to Orders is what governs receiving a return. There is no separate returns permission, so anyone who cannot work with orders cannot receive.
Only returns at approved, label generated or in transit can be received. Everything else is refused.
Receiving is a single event per return. Confirming takes the return to Received, which is not itself receivable, so the screen cannot be used twice on the same RMA.
Neither a short count nor an over count blocks the receipt, and neither raises anything for anyone to action. A discrepancy is a record, not a task.
A receiving fee is charged per return or per unit where one is configured, calculated from the quantities entered on this screen rather than from what was expected.
Lookup matches on the RMA number or on a tracking number carried by the return's shipment. A carrier reference that was never recorded against the return will not find it.
The counts entered here are the dock's record. They do not limit how many units the inspection team is then shown, which comes from what the return was approved for.
Where a refund is configured to trigger on receipt, confirming here is what fires it.
9. Worked example
A 3PL received a parcel against a return for three units of one SKU. Two were in the box.
What was observed | What it meant |
|---|---|
The Received column already read 3 when the return was looked up. | The form had pre-filled the expected quantity. Confirming without editing would have recorded a complete return that was not complete. |
The receiver changed the line to 2 and the Status badge turned to Short. | The count was now honest, and the difference was about to be recorded rather than hidden. |
Confirm Received produced Received with Discrepancies, listing expected 3 against received 2. | The receipt went through. Nothing blocked it and nothing was raised for anyone to chase. |
The Inventory screen showed no change for the SKU afterwards. | Correct. Receiving had recorded a count, not moved stock. |
The third unit arrived a week later in a second parcel. | It could not be received. The return had already left the receivable statuses, so the unit had to be handled against a fresh return. |
The lesson the 3PL took from it was to treat the pre-filled quantities as a suggestion, in the same way Receive All is treated on a purchase order, and to raise separate returns when a customer is known to be posting in more than one parcel.