Setting Up RMA Processing

This chapter provides an overview of return material authorization (RMA) processing in PeopleSoft Support and discusses how to:

Note. This chapter is relevant to PeopleSoft Support only. PeopleSoft HelpDesk applications, PeopleSoft Change Management, and PeopleSoft Quality do not incorporate RMA functionality.

See Also

Managing Material Returns

Checking Item Balances and Availability

Click to jump to parent topicUnderstanding RMA in PeopleSoft Support

RMA functions and real-time item balance and availability checks in PeopleSoft Support require integration with inventory and purchasing systems. This chapter discusses implementation requirements and recommendations to consider when integrating PeopleSoft Support with PeopleSoft Inventory and PeopleSoft Purchasing in the PeopleSoft Supply Chain Management (SCM) product line.

Note. You must implement the Business Unit EIP to make business units defined in PeopleSoft SCM available for selection on pages in PeopleSoft Support.

Click to jump to parent topicActivating the Required Service Operations

The implementation of RMA functionality in PeopleSoft Support requires activation of the following service operations:

As delivered, PeopleSoft service operation queues are inactive. In the PeopleSoft CRM and PeopleSoft Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems, you must activate the required service operation, set the associated service operation queues to run mode, define the publication or subscription routing rules, and configure an existing message node or define a new one.

See Also

PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleSoft Integration Broker PeopleBook

PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleSoft Integration Broker Administration PeopleBook

Click to jump to parent topicDefining Items

Item information in PeopleSoft CRM must be synchronized with item information in PeopleSoft SCM. Although PeopleSoft CRM pages enable you to enter item information manually in PeopleSoft CRM, use the Item Master service operation to populate item tables in PeopleSoft CRM with the master item data in PeopleSoft SCM.

Once you activate the Item Master service operation, however, you can use the pages of the Item Definition component in PeopleSoft CRM to view item information only. You cannot add or update item definitions in PeopleSoft CRM.

As delivered, PeopleSoft service operations are inactive. In both your PeopleSoft CRM and PeopleSoft SCM systems, you must activate the required service operations of the Item Master, set the associated service operation queues to run mode, define the routing rules, and configure an existing message node or define a new message node.

PeopleSoft CRM stores only a subset of the item attributes defined in PeopleSoft SCM—only the item attributes that are used in PeopleSoft CRM are synchronized. To view the complete item definition, use the item definition components in PeopleSoft SCM.

Item definitions in PeopleSoft CRM are stored at the setID level only. Therefore, it is possible for a particular item to have a status of Active at the setID level but a status of Inactive in any of the business units in which the item is defined.

See Also

Defining Items

Click to jump to parent topicDefining Defaults and Procurement Options for Requisition Processing

Call center business units in PeopleSoft CRM that can create RMAs must be defined as valid sources of requisitions in PeopleSoft SCM. Using the Requisition Loader Defaults component in PeopleSoft SCM, you define each call center business unit as a loader business unit and establish processing defaults for requisitions staged by the call center business unit, including the purchasing business unit in PeopleSoft Purchasing that processes the requisitions.

See PeopleSoft Purchasing 9.1 PeopleBook.

When defining procurement options in PeopleSoft SCM, you can associate the call center business unit with an appropriate distribution network on the Ship To Locations page. You can configure sourcing processes in PeopleSoft Purchasing to check available quantity first in the distribution network before creating a purchase order with an external vendor.

If quantity exists in one of the Inventory business units in the defined distribution network, a material stock request is created to fulfill the requisition. Do not include in distribution networks any Inventory business units representing field service trucks.

See PeopleSoft Inventory 9.1 PeopleBook.

Note. You must implement the Business Unit service operation to make business units defined in PeopleSoft Support available for selection on pages in PeopleSoft SCM.

See PeopleSoft Application Fundamentals 9.1 PeopleBook (FSCM)

Click to jump to parent topicDefining Valid Requisition Requester IDs

Every requisition generated in PeopleSoft CRM includes a requester ID, representing the person or entity that initiates a requisition request. For requisitions initiated from the RMA Form component (RF_RMA), the system populates the Requester field with the default requester ID defined on the User Preferences - Overall Preferences page.

You can select an alternate requester ID as necessary; however, you must define the requester ID on requisitions staged in PeopleSoft Purchasing as a valid requester ID in PeopleSoft SCM. You establish requesters on the Requester Setup page in PeopleSoft SCM.

See PeopleSoft Application Fundamentals 9.1 PeopleBook (FSCM)

You can set up requester IDs that are associated with multiple user IDs. In this case, a requester ID represents a specific group or region. Setting up requester IDs in this manner enables you to monitor requisitions staged by the associated group or region rather than by a specific person in the Requisition Workbench component (REQ_WORKBENCH) in PeopleSoft Purchasing.

Note. For requisitions initiated for advanced return RMAs in PeopleSoft Support, the system sets the requisition ID equal to the RMA ID. RMA IDs are limited to 10 digits.

See PeopleSoft Purchasing 9.1 PeopleBook.

Click to jump to parent topicSetting Up Links to PeopleSoft Purchasing and PeopleSoft Inventory

PeopleSoft uses content references that point to the ERP node on the Employee portal. Assuming the ERP node is available, no setup is required to access the Requisition Workbench component in PeopleSoft Purchasing and the Item/Product Availability Inquiry component (ATP_AVAIL_INV) in PeopleSoft Inventory when using the RMA Form component within the portal in the FDM database.

See Also

PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleSoft Integration Broker Administration PeopleBook

PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleTools Portal Technologies PeopleBook

Click to jump to parent topicSynchronizing Problem Codes and Reason Codes

When creating an RMA in PeopleSoft Support, you must specify a problem code. You set up problem codes for RMAs on the Problem Codes page under Set Up CRM, Common Definitions, Codes and Auto Numbering. If you are integrating with PeopleSoft Inventory, the problem codes for RMAs in PeopleSoft Support must match the reason codes established on the Reason Code page in PeopleSoft Inventory.

In addition, you must define the matching reason codes in PeopleSoft Inventory with a reason type of Return Material Authorization. When you create the RMA form in PeopleSoft Inventory, the problem code is used as the reason code. If the reason code on the RMA form does not exist in PeopleSoft Inventory, the system logs an error when the Returned Material Authorization EIP application message is processed.

See Also

Setting Up Call Center Prompt Tables

PeopleSoft Application Fundamentals 9.1 PeopleBook (FSCM)

Click to jump to parent topicViewing RMA Statuses

The RMA status field is included on the RMA record in PeopleSoft Support. However, the RMA status field does not appear on the pages in the RMA Form component because the RMA status in PeopleSoft Support is not updated by PeopleSoft Inventory.

If your implementation includes PeopleSoft Inventory and you have logged on to the portal using the single sign-on feature, click View Status in the RMA Form component in PeopleSoft Support to access PeopleSoft Inventory's RMA Form page. On the RMA Form page in PeopleSoft Inventory, you can check the status of the RMA. The View Status link is disabled in Add mode.

Click to jump to parent topicProcessing Return-and-Replace RMAs in PeopleSoft Supply Chain Management

Orders for return-and-replace RMAs are not created until the returned material has been physically received at the specified return-to-inventory business unit. When a person records receipt of material on a return-and-replace RMA in PeopleSoft Inventory, the system displays a message indicating that a replacement order is required.

Depending on your business process rules, the person enters a material stock request in PeopleSoft Inventory or a requisition in PeopleSoft Purchasing to replace the customer's returned material.

The person receiving the returned material uses the information on the RMA, such as the customer's address and information about the item and quantity returned, to create the replacement order. To facilitate tracking, the replacement order in PeopleSoft Inventory or PeopleSoft Purchasing, you should create the replacement requisitions or material stock requests using the same ID as the RMA.

See PeopleSoft Inventory 9.1 PeopleBook.