Returns and replacements

Two different actions for two different situations. The difference is whether the item has already been bought.

Replacement — before purchase

While an item is still in Purchase and no money has been spent, Replace is available.

Use it when the product is out of stock, does not meet the specification, or a better option has been found. A comment window opens where you explain what is wrong and what should be bought instead.

The item moves to the bottom of the stage list, into the "Replacement needed" sublist, carrying your comment.

Return — after purchase

Once the item has been bought, replacement is no longer available: there is Return. It can be used from the Delivery, Warehouse and Site sections.

Returns are for goods that arrived wrong, turned out faulty, or were left over after the work.

Why they are separate

Changing an item before purchase is an ordinary edit to a list. After purchase it is about money: it either comes back or it does not, and that has to be recorded separately.

If both cases were called the same thing, the costs could never distinguish "changed our mind before the till" from "bought it and took it back".

What to write in the comment

Somebody else will read that comment while looking for the replacement. Useful: what exactly was wrong, what would do instead, whether size, shade or manufacturer are critical.

"Didn't suit" is useless. "Out of stock, need an equivalent of the same diameter, manufacturer not important" is useful.

Returning surplus after the work

A case that gets forgotten: material left unused. If the merchant accepts returns, that is money straight back. Items in the Site section are worth reviewing for exactly this once a stage closes.

Next

Recording a purchase

Material movement: ordered, in transit, warehouse, site

Item history