Create and complete a return

Overview

Create a return when you want to return an item to a vendor. After creating a return, you can see who made the transaction to help track the creator for reconciliation or discrepancies.

Things to know

• If you want to create a return but have not yet created a bill to confirm the receipt of the purchase order (PO), you will not be able to select any items for return. It is essential to create the bill first to link the items to your account before selecting them for return.

• If you have an accounting integration, you can also view the batch number and export status on the return.

  Note: This only applies if you are not using the ServiceTitan Payables feature.

• You can create a return for received items without waiting for the bill to be created.

• You can return items to the warehouse even after the job has been exported.

  Note: If you select Warehouse for a Return Type, the system automatically creates an Inventory Adjustment. For more, see the Adjustments section under the Inventory module.

• Line items support values up to nearly $10 trillion, which allows you to process large transactions.

• If you only have the Purchasing module enabled, the Inventory section in the navigation bar is renamed Purchasing.

• If you created a return and your invoice balance is not updating, make sure the return was created through the associated invoice and not through the Inventory module.

Create a return

Note: Only received items from a specific purchase order can be selected for returns.

There are two ways to create a return: from the Purchasing / Inventory screen or from the Invoice screen.

From the Purchasing / Inventory screen:

1. Go to the navigation bar and click Inventory or Purchasing.

2. In the side menu, select Returns.

3. On the Returns screen that opens, click Create.

From the Invoice screen:

1. Go to the top toolbar and click Search .

2. From the Search dropdown, select Invoice and click Search.

3. Select the invoice record you want.

4. On the invoice record screen that opens, from the side menu, click Add a return.

5. On the Create Return screen that opens, enter the return details:

   1. Job #: Select the job number the item was initially procured for.

   2. Purchase Order #: Select the purchase order (PO) number when the item was procured.

      Note: When completing a return, you can add the PO number but it isn't required. If you add a PO number to the return, then you will only be able to return items that are on that purchase order.

   3. Type: Select the return type.

   4. Business Unit: Select a business unit to return.

      Note: If this PO is related to a job then the business unit (BU) will be the same as the job BU.

   5. Vendor: Select the vendor you want to return the item to.

   6. Reference Number: Enter the unique reference number for the return.

   7. Inventory Location: Select the inventory location where the item is being returned from.

      Note: The Inventory Location field will not be required if the Job # field is completed.

   8. Project Labels: Select the project label to align return costs with budgets.

      Note: You can automatically use the pricebook label if no specific label is set. Also, project labels can be added at both document and item levels.

      Tip: Click Clear to delete the project label.

   9. Return Date: Select the date you want to make the return.

   10. Memo: You can enter a note, which is not visible to the vendor.

6. Go to the Item List section.

7. From the Select an item dropdown, select the item you want to add.

   Tip: Search for an item by its name, code, description, or part number.

   Note: If you add a serialized item to your return, use the serial number flyout to ensure you're selecting the correct serial number, you can now see a tag on serial numbers defining the status of the serial number. Serial numbers are released for reuse upon return, and unused invoice items are automatically associated with job adjustments. For more, see Serialized Inventory.

    

8. In the Quantity field, select the quantity you want to return.

   Note: To add multiple items on one return, click the Plus icon and then use the item code, description, or vendor part to find the item you want to be on the return. To remove the item from a return, click the Deleteicon.

9. When you have entered the return details and added all items, click Save.

The return is created. You can leave a comment on a return record by clicking the Commenticon.

Complete a return

Note: The system automatically creates a Return to Vendor adjustment when returning items from jobs and ensures adjustments reflect accurate inventory and financial impacts. It also directly impacts the COGs account assigned to the items when the items are exported. For more, see Adjustments overview.

After you create a return, the status is set to Pending.

1. Click the Actions dropdown and select Mark as Sent.

   Note: You can mark a return as Sent when it is in the Pending status.

   After you mark a return as Sent, the return can be resent as a PDF file if necessary and the status will be updated based on the new sending activity.
   When you return the item to the vendor, open the return record.

2. Click the Actions dropdown and select Mark as Returned. The return status is set to Returned. When the vendor refunds you, open the return record.

3. Click the Actions dropdown and select Mark as Credit Received. The return status is set to Credit Received and the export status is set to Pending.

Note: If the return has not been exported yet, it is possible to revert the status of the return from Returned and Credit Received to Pending.

To complete the return process:

1. Go to the navigation bar and click Accounting.

2. Go to the Vendor Credits section and open the corresponding credit.

   Tip: To ensure you opened the right credit linked to your return, click the attached document to see the return number.

   

3. Go back to the Accounting screen.

4. Go to the Vendor Credits section, select the credit you want, and click Batch.

5. Click the Batched tab, and verify that the credit you batched is under the Vendor Credits section.

6. Click the Credit Batch dropdown and select Post the selected batch.The status of the credit is set to Posted.

7. Click the Credit Batch dropdown and select the accounting integration you use.
   Returned items are accurately recorded with audit trails, serial numbers, and correct job costing. Returns automatically link to related invoices, prevent duplicate entries, and let you add extra items if needed.

Note: If you use the QuickBooks Online (QBO) accounting integration and want to use payables, you can do it in ServiceTitan. ServiceTitan can't export bills, credits, or vendor payments to QBO.

The return is exported. To see the return record you exported, go to Inventory > Returns > Credit Received.

Caution: The return is currently in Pending status, and although the option to cancel or mark it as Pending, Returned, or Credit Received is available in the Actions dropdown, it can't be performed since the related credit is already posted or exported.

Want to learn more?

• See Returns overview

• See Edit, copy, and cancel a return