Manual Return notes
At the end of the route, the seller brings back the unsold goods. The return note (RN) reintegrates them into stock, distinguishing intact goods (resalable) from defective goods (damaged). This is the truck unloading.
Overview
The return note closes the loop on the route: whatever was loaded (dispatch note) but not sold comes back to the depot. On validation, intact quantities are put back into sellable stock; defective quantities are tracked separately and do not go back on sale.
Business goal
- Reintegrate unsold goods into stock
- Separate intact (resalable) from defective
- Clear the seller's onboard stock
- Track losses (breakage, expiry)
Target audience
- Field seller — reports unsold goods (mobile)
- Warehouse — receives & validates returns
- Sales supervisor — checks discrepancies
Position within the module
The return note comes in after the route, mirroring the dispatch note. Sales and non-sales, meanwhile, are consolidated in the Sales reports. Overview: Van Sales module.
Access and navigation
Left-hand side menu: Van Sales → Return notes.
The screen is based on the bonRetour page. Notes can also be created from mobile by the seller, then validated at the depot.
List of return notes
The page lists returns with their nature (Intact / Defective), the seller, the reason and the status of the note.
| Nature | Number⇅ | Seller⇅ | Reason⇅ | Date⇅ | State⇅ | Action(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intact | RN: N°000087 | Mouadh BEN AZIZA | Unsold (route) | 18/05/2026 | In progress | ||
| Defective | RN: N°000086 | Ayatollah ORABI | Damaged product | 18/05/2026 | Validated | ||
| Intact | RN: N°000085 | Mouadh BEN AZIZA | Customer return | 15/05/2026 | Rejected |
Table columns
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Nature | Intact (resalable) or Defective (damaged) — section 4. |
| Number | Return note reference (e.g. RN: N°000087). |
| Seller | Field seller who initiated the return. |
| Reason | Reason for the return (unsold goods, damaged product, customer return…). |
| Date | Date of unloading. |
| Status | In progress · Validated · Rejected (section 5). |
Intact vs Defective
Each return note carries a nature that decides the fate of the reintegrated goods.
Intact
Goods in good condition, resalable.
- Reintegrated into sellable stock
- Can go back out on a route
- Allocated by batch / expiry date in advanced stock mode
Defective
Damaged or expired goods.
- Not put back on sale
- Tracked separately (losses / breakage)
- Valued for discrepancy tracking
For a single physical return, keep the quantities clearly separated: create one intact note for the resalable goods and one defective note for breakage, so the sellable stock stays accurate.
Note status
| Status | Meaning | Stock impact |
|---|---|---|
| In progress | Note entered, awaiting validation at the depot. | None |
| Validated | Confirmed: return reintegrated (intact) or tracked (defective). | Stock reintegrated |
| Rejected | Refused (discrepancy, doubt, data-entry error). | None |
Only validation impacts stock. A note that is In progress or Rejected changes nothing — useful for checking before saving.
Create a return note
Click New. Choose the seller, the nature (intact / defective) and the reason, then list the unsold items with their quantities.
| Article | Loaded Qty | Sold Qty | Return Qty | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110204 - MINERAL WATER 1.5L (pack) | 80 | 68 | 12.000 | ||
| 120880 - PLAIN YOGURT (unit) | 200 | 170 | 30.000 |
Reinjection to the original seller
By default, an intact return can be reinjected into the original seller's stock (they keep the balance for the next route), or allocated across location stocks (section 7).
Validate & allocate
On validation of an intact return note, Swifto reintegrates the quantities. Depending on the company's stock mode, reintegration is direct or goes through an allocation by stock / batch / expiry date.
Simple stock
Intact quantities are reinjected into a single stock (original seller or chosen location). No allocation to enter.
Advanced stock (batch / expiry date)
An allocation window lets you break down each item across the correct batches / expiry dates; the allocated sum must equal the returned quantity.
Intact return = sellable stock — after validation, intact quantities are available for sale again. Defective goods, on the other hand, are tracked separately and do not increase sellable stock.
Mobile sync
The seller can report unsold goods directly from Swifto Seller: the return note flows up to the back office, where the warehouse checks and validates it.
Mobile → Back office
- Reporting unsold goods
- Marking intact / defective
- Remaining truck quantities
Back office → Mobile
- Validation confirmation
- Onboard stock balance updated
Lifecycle (workflow)
flowchart LR T([End of route
unsold goods]):::s --> B[Return note
In progress]:::p B -->|nature| I([Intact]):::ok B -->|nature| D([Defective]):::ko I -->|Validate| S[(Sellable stock
reintegrated)]:::st D -->|Validate| P[(Losses tracked
excluded from sale)]:::st B -.->|discrepancy| R([Rejected]):::ko classDef p fill:#FFFBEB,stroke:#F59E0B,color:#92400E; classDef s fill:#F5F3FF,stroke:#8B5CF6,color:#5B21B6; classDef st fill:#FEF3C7,stroke:#D97706,color:#92400E; classDef ok fill:#D1FAE5,stroke:#10B981,color:#065F46; classDef ko fill:#FEE2E2,stroke:#EF4444,color:#991B1B;
Business rules
Intact = resalable — validating an intact return reintegrates the quantities into the sellable stock of the seller or the location.
Defective ≠ sale — defective goods are tracked as a loss and never increase sellable stock.
Validation = stock impact — a note that is In progress or Rejected does not touch stock; only a Validated note reintegrates / tracks the quantities.
Full allocation — in advanced stock mode, the sum allocated by batch / expiry date must equal the returned quantity, otherwise validation is refused.
Roles & permissions
| Action | Field seller | Warehouse | Supervisor | Admin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report a return (mobile) | ✅ | — | — | — |
| Create a return (back office) | — | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Validate | — | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Reject | — | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Delete | — | — | — | ✅ |
Indicative matrix — depends on the profiles defined in your company.
FAQ & Tips
Stock did not increase after the return?
The note has probably stayed In progress: only validation reintegrates stock.
Should defective goods be reintegrated?
Yes, but with the Defective nature: it is tracked as a loss, without going back on sale. Do not mix it with the intact goods.
Tip — reconcile dispatch and return
Compare the dispatch note (loaded) and the return note (unsold) to measure the route's sell-through rate in the reports.
