Chapter 83: Creating Return Authorizations from the Web Storefront

Purpose: You can enable customers to create return authorizations on the web through the E-Commerce Interface if your storefront supports it. For example, you can enable the customer to specify the item(s) on a shipped order to return and the reason for the return. The system confirms that each item is eligible for return; that is, the customer is not attempting to return more than the shipped, unreturned quantity. You can then enable the customer to print a return label with the correct address for returning the shipment. Once the return authorization is created, you can either complete processing by receiving the return into inventory and crediting it, or you can delete the return authorization if necessary.

Note: Creating return authorizations for pre-billable items through the CWReturn message is not supported. See Pre Billed Amount Item (J72) for an overview on pre-billing.

In this chapter:

• E-Commerce Return Authorization Processing

• E-Commerce Return Request Message (CWReturn)

• E-Commerce Return Response Message (CWReturnResponse)

E-Commerce Return Authorization Processing

The steps to creating a return authorization through the e-commerce interface are:

1. The customer inquires about an order: The system returns an E-Commerce Order Status Response Message (CWStatusResponse) to the storefront. Included in that response message is the rtn_qty for each line on the order. Each item on an order has a rtn_qty only if:

• there is a return disposition code defined in the Default Disposition Code (C18) system control value, and

• there is a shipped, unreturned quantity for the item on the order.

The rtn_qty excludes any units that have been returned, even if the return authorization process is not complete. For example, if you originally shipped the customer 5 units, and you have created a return authorization for 2 units, then the rtn_qty for the order detail line is 3.

Note: The system sends the sequence number, not the order line number, from the Order Detail file in the E-Commerce Order Status Response Message (CWStatusResponse).

2. The customer requests the return: The E-Commerce Return Request Message (CWReturn) from the web storefront includes the order line sequence number, the quantity to return, and the return reason code. You can download return reason codes to the web storefront through Downloading E-Commerce Static Files (ESTF).

Note: The system does not validate that all the information it receives is correct when it creates the return authorization. For example, if the return reason code is not valid, or the line number is not correct, this will not be visible to the customer at the web storefront.

3. The system creates the return authorization: If the request is valid, the system creates the return authorization using the following defaults:

• the return disposition code defaults from the Default Disposition Code (C18) system control value

• the Refund freight, Refund add'l chgs (Refund additional charges), and Refund handling flags are set to N

the Refund duty charges flag is set to Y4. The system writes an order history message: If the system creates the return authorization, it writes a message such as:

7/21/00 N RA 5297-1-1 created from the web.

If the system can create the return authorization, but not for the total requested quantity, the system also writes a message such as:

7/21/00 N Web rtn qty changed from 2 to 1.

The system might change the return quantity because, for example, the customer specified a return quantity of 2, but only 1 unit was shipped.

If the system does not create the return authorization, it writes two messages such as:

7/21/00 N Web rtn qty changed from 1 to 0.

7/21/00 N Web Return failed to process.

You can review order history messages at the Display Order History Screen.

5. The system responds to the return request: If the return request was successful and the system is able to create a return authorization, the system sends a E-Commerce Return Response Message (CWReturnResponse) to the web. This message includes:

• the return authorization number

• the total weight of the return: see the Default Weight for Call Tags (D50) system control value for an overview of how that weight is calculated

• the address to print on the return label: you can enable the customer to print a return label if the web storefront supports it. See the Work with Entity Return Address Screen for an overview of how the system determines whether to use a return address defined for the entity or the company.

Unsuccessful returns: If the request is unsuccessful and the system is not creating a return authorization, the system does not return a return authorization number in the response. For example, a request would be unsuccessful if there is no rtn_qty for the item.

A blank RA number could also be returned in the response if the pay type was deactivated by the Security Risk Purge periodic function. The system writes an order transaction history (OEOTHI) message for the order, Web Return failed to process. See Credit Card Retention Days (K65).

6. Completing or deleting the return: You can use Work with Return Authorizations to complete the processing of the return once the returned item is received at your warehouse. Also, you can use this menu option to delete the return authorization if you are not completing the return. See Chapter 89: Working with Return Authorizations: Standard Process or Chapter 90: Working with Return Authorizations: Streamlined Process.

Return confirmation e-mail: The system generates a return confirmation email when you process confirmations using the Sending Internet Order Ship Confirmation (ESCF) menu option. The program used to generate the return confirmation e-mail is defined in the Return Confirmation E-Mail Program (H53) system control value. You can also define a custom entity-level return confirmation email template using the Working with Entities (WENT) menu option, and a default company-level template using the Working with E-Mail Notification Templates (WEMT) menu option.

You can generate an email credit card credit notification rather than a printed notice; see When Does the System Generate an Email Notification?

Note: The system does not prevent you from processing a return against an order whose Restrict Returns (RR) maintenance restriction for the order type on the order is selected.

Generating a CWCustomerReturn message: The system generates a Generic WMS Customer Return XML Message (CWCustomerReturn) for a return in order to send the return information to an external system if the following is defined:

• The Use PkMS Interface Values (F31) system control value is set to Y.

• Program name IFR0086 is defined in the PkMS Return/Case Interface Program (F38) system control value.

• MQ is defined in the PkMS Transport Type (G80) system control value.

• GENERIC or GENERIC_2 is defined in the RA Program XML Message Format (H45) system control value.

The setting of the Send RA Message for RA Create (J57) system control value determines when the system generates the Generic WMS Customer Return XML Message (CWCustomerReturn) for the E-Commerce Return Request Message (CWReturn):

• CREATED = The system generates the CWCustomerReturn message when the E-Commerce Return Request Message (CWReturn) is successfully processed.

• PROCESSED or blank = The system generates the CWCustomerReturn message when the RA has been completely processed (created, received, and credited) in the Work with Return Authorizations (WRTA) menu option. The system does not generate the CWCustomerReturn message when the E-Commerce Return Request Message (CWReturn) is processed.

• BOTH = The system generates the CWCustomerReturn message when the E-Commerce Return Request Message (CWReturn) is successfully processed and also when the RA has been completely processed (created, received, and credited) in the Work with Return Authorizations (WRTA) menu option.

The system does not generate a Generic WMS Customer Return XML Message (CWCustomerReturn) for an E-Commerce Return Request Message (CWReturn) that is in error.