Flexi does not currently have a dedicated module for managing complaints/returns. However, you can use existing agendas for this purpose.
Let us show you how.
First, you need to use a non-accounting agenda to record complaints. We typically recommend the received orders agenda (Sales -> Received Orders). To distinguish standard received orders from complaints, you will need to create a new type and a new document series.
Creating a type and document series for received orders
First, create a new received order type:
Sales -> Document Types -> Received Order Types
Then create a new document series for received orders:
Sales -> Document Series -> Document Series - Received Orders
Remember to assign the newly created document series to the newly created type.
If you also want to track goods received for complaints and recording them among received orders is not sufficient, create a new warehouse specifically for complaint goods. Using a dedicated warehouse allows you to distinguish standard stock from items under complaint.
Creating a new complaints warehouse
Inventory -> Warehouse List
Also assign the newly created warehouse to the new received order type.
Additionally, if the complaints warehouse was created after items already exist in the price list, you will need to create stock cards for those price list items in this warehouse. This can be done either manually in the price list or by importing from Excel.
Once everything described above is set up, you should be ready to process your first complaint.
Creating a complaint
Create a received order using the new document type (and document series), enter the company submitting the complaint, and add the items being returned. Fill in other fields such as the Deadline and Completed dates as needed.
If you also want to receive the goods into stock, you need to create a goods receipt for the complaints warehouse separately. From a received order, only a goods issue can be created as a stock document.
Therefore, the goods receipt must be created manually and optionally linked using a custom relation. If you do not want to create a custom relation, you can skip the following step.
Link between a received order and a goods receipt
If you want to create a custom relation, you must first create its type:
Tools -> Codelists -> Custom Relation Types
Note that stock movements related to complaints can also be distinguished from standard goods receipts or issues. You can similarly create a new document type and document series (this time in the Inventory module).
Once the goods receipt with the relevant items has been created, you can link the received order to the goods receipt.
On the order, click the Relations button, go to the custom relations section, and create a new relation.
After clicking Next, simply select the goods receipt to be linked to the received order.
Completing a complaint
In the previous steps, we recorded the entire complaint intake process — from creating the complaint (order) and receiving the goods into stock, to linking the related documents.
When the complained goods are ready to be returned to the customer, create a goods issue from the complaints warehouse based on the received complaint (order).
Once the goods issue is created, the goods are released from stock and the complaint (order) status is automatically set to Issued/Received. This status can serve as your indication that no further action is required for that complaint.