Customer Returns

When a customer brings back one or more items from a past sale, you can refund just those items. The rest of the sale stays as-is; there is no need to cancel the whole thing.

Who can process returns?

Only Managers and Admins can process returns. Cashiers do not have access to the Returns page.

Processing a return

1. Open Returns from the side menu and click New Return.
2. Step 1: Find the sale. Type the invoice number. The original sale details appear on screen.
3. Step 2: Select items. Tick each item the customer is bringing back. For each one, enter the return quantity, pick a reason (if your store requires it), and tick Restock if the item is going back on the shelf in good condition.
4. Step 3: Refund method. Choose how to pay the customer back: Cash, Card, Store Credit, or Exchange (issues a scannable exchange receipt instead of money). Add any notes if needed. Store Credit requires a customer to be attached to the original sale. If no customer is linked, this method will not appear.
5. Step 4: Confirm. Review the items and total refund amount, then click Complete Return.

A return reference number (e.g. RET-00001) is created and saved immediately. A return receipt (or exchange receipt) prints automatically.

What happens after you confirm

• Stock goes back on the shelf: Items you ticked as restocked are automatically added back to your inventory. The movement is logged so you can trace it later.
• Loyalty points adjusted: Points the customer earned on the refunded amount are removed from their balance. If they spent points as part of the original payment, those points are given back.
• Cost price (WAC) is not affected: When returned stock comes back in, the system does not recalculate your weighted average cost (WAC). This is standard accounting behaviour: returning units at the existing average does not change that average.
• A receipt is printed: A return receipt prints automatically. If the refund method is Exchange, an exchange receipt with a scannable barcode is printed instead. You can reprint from the return detail view at any time.

How the return quantity works

The system tracks how much of each item has already been returned on previous return visits. You can only return what is still available. For example: a customer bought 3 of an item and returned 1 last week; the most you can enter now is 2.

How refund amounts are calculated

The refund for each item reflects what the customer actually paid, not the full unit price. If the original sale had a discount or loyalty points redemption, each item's refund is reduced by its share of that discount.

For example: a customer bought two items totalling $100, and the sale had a $10 discount. Returning the $40 item gives a refund of $36 (not $40), because $4 of the discount applied to that item's portion of the sale.

If your store uses tax-exclusive pricing, the proportional tax refund is added on top.

The system previews the exact refund amounts on step 3 before you confirm.

Return eligibility

Returns follow your store's rules set in Settings → Returns & Refunds:

Rule	What it means
Returns disabled	No returns can be processed at all
Return window	The sale must be recent enough, within the number of days you have set. Some products can have their own separate window.
Strict window	When on, out-of-window returns are blocked for everyone with no exceptions. When off, a manager can approve them case by case.
Require reason	A reason must be selected for every item in the return
Product not returnable	That specific product cannot be included in any return

Manager override

In some situations the system will block a return. If your store allows it, a manager can override the block on a case-by-case basis.

What can be overridden:

1. Return window expired: the sale is older than the allowed window (only when Strict Window is off).
2. Product marked as non-returnable: a manager can still accept it as a special case.

Product eligibility overrides are always available

Even when Strict Window is turned on, a manager can still override a non-returnable product on a case-by-case basis. The Strict Window setting only restricts time-window overrides, not product eligibility.

What cannot be overridden:

• Return window violations when Strict Window is on. This is a hard block with no exceptions. To process such a return, an admin would need to temporarily turn off Strict Window in Settings, complete the return, then turn it back on.

How to override as a Manager or Admin

1. Start the return as normal and reach the point where the system blocks it.
2. A message explains why the return is blocked.
3. A Manager Override section appears below the message.
4. Enter a reason (at least 5 characters) and click Override and Continue.
5. The return proceeds normally.

How a Cashier requests an override

A Cashier cannot override on their own. When the block appears:

1. A Manager Override section appears asking for a manager's email and password.
2. A manager enters them and clicks Verify.
3. Once verified, the Cashier enters the override reason and clicks Override and Continue.

This works the same way as approving a discount; the manager does not need to log in separately.

Override history

Any return that was overridden shows an amber notice in the Return Detail screen with the approver's name and the reason given. The override information also prints on the return receipt.

Exchange credit statuses

When a return uses the Exchange Receipt refund method, the return moves through a status lifecycle visible on the Returns list page.

Status	Meaning
Exchange Pending	The exchange receipt has been issued but not yet used at the POS.
Completed	The exchange receipt was used to pay for a new sale.
Expired	The validity window passed before the receipt was used.
Completed Overridden	A manager approved the redemption after the receipt had expired.

Other refund methods (Cash, Card, Store Credit) always show Completed once settled.

Filtering exchange returns

1. On the Returns page, click the Exchange primary tab to see all exchanges done via exchange receipts.
2. Use the sub-filter chips to narrow by state: All / Pending / Expired / Overridden.

Primary tabs: All | Completed | Exchange | Cancelled. The Completed tab shows fully settled non-exchange returns. The Exchange tab shows all exchange-receipt returns regardless of sub-status.

FAQ

Q: The customer is returning just one item from a big order. Do I have to cancel the whole sale?

A: No. Select only the item being returned. Everything else in the original sale stays untouched.

Q: The customer already returned some of this item before. How much can I return now?

A: The system works it out for you. The quantity field shows the maximum still available: original amount sold minus whatever has already come back.

Q: The customer is returning a damaged item. Should I tick Restock?

A: No. Untick Restock for anything damaged or unsellable. The refund still goes through, but the item will not be added back to your shelf count.

Q: The sale is older than our return window. Can I still process it?

A: Only if your store has Strict Window turned off. With strict mode off, a manager or admin can override the window on a case-by-case basis by entering a reason. With strict mode on, it is blocked for everyone with no exceptions.

Q: Can a cashier override on their own?

A: No. Cashiers need a manager to enter their email and password, the same process as approving a discount. The manager's name and reason are recorded on the return.

Q: What is the minimum length for an override reason?

A: 5 characters. The system requires a meaningful reason before it will proceed.

Q: Does the override affect stock, refund amounts, or loyalty?

A: No. The override only bypasses the eligibility or window check. Stock restocking, loyalty reversal, and refund calculations all work exactly the same.

Q: I completed a return by mistake. Can I undo it?

A: No. Once you click Complete Return it cannot be reversed. If it was a mistake, you will need to create a new sale to correct things manually. Always double-check the items and total at Step 4 before confirming.

Q: The customer wants to swap for a different item, not just return. What do I do?

A: Select Exchange as the refund method. An exchange receipt with a barcode prints automatically. When the customer is ready to pay for their replacement item, the cashier scans the barcode at checkout (or uses the Apply Exchange button). See Redeeming an exchange receipt at checkout.

Q: The refund amount shown is less than the item's price tag. Why?

A: If the original sale had a discount or loyalty points applied, each item carries its proportional share of that reduction. The refund reflects what the customer actually paid for that item, not the full list price.

Q: The exchange receipt says "Valid until: today". Can the customer use it tomorrow?

A: By default, exchange receipts are valid same-day only. Your admin can extend this in Settings → Returns & Refunds under "Exchange receipt valid for X day(s)". Expired receipts are automatically rejected at checkout with a clear message showing the expiry date.

Q: Will this affect the customer's loyalty points?

A: Yes. Points earned on the refunded items are removed. If the customer originally used points as part of their payment, those points are returned to their account.

Q: Why doesn't the cost price (WAC) change when returned stock comes back in?

A: Returning units at the same average cost you already have on record does not shift that average. WAC only changes when new stock arrives at a different purchase price, for example via a purchase order at a higher supplier cost. This is standard accounting behaviour and keeps your cost records accurate.

Q: Can a cashier process a return?

A: No. Returns can only be done by a Manager or Admin.

Q: Can a cashier see the exchange sub-statuses (Pending / Expired / Overridden)?

A: No. The Returns page requires Manager access or above. Cashiers cannot view return records.