Purchase Credit Orders

Purpose

Use the Purchase Credit Orders module to record returns to vendors and issue credit notes. When you send goods back to a supplier, a purchase credit order captures the returned items, quantities and values, and adjusts stock levels upon approval. It acts as a formal document for vendor credits and ensures inventory and accounting records remain accurate.

Roles involved

The following roles typically work with purchase credit orders:

• Purchasing managers – authorise returns and approve credit notes.
• Procurement specialists/buyers – create credit note drafts and enter line details.
• Warehouse personnel – select the location from which goods are returned and prepare shipments.
• Accounts payable staff – review and reconcile credit amounts against vendor statements.
• Users must have “view Purchase credit orders” rights to access the list and “edit Purchase credit orders” rights to create, modify or approve documents.

Preconditions

• Vendor records must exist in the Vendors module.
• Products should be defined with valid VAT codes and units of measure.
• Locations, currencies and payment methods must be configured in Retail Setup.
• Users require appropriate permissions to create or edit purchase credit orders.

Navigation path

From the main menu select:

Purchase orders → Purchase credit orders

The list page displays existing credit notes with filters for status and paid flags. You can search, configure columns and export the list.

Step‑by‑step procedure

1. Open the list – Navigate to Purchase credit orders. Use the search box and filters to find existing credit notes. Click the green Export button if you need a spreadsheet.
2. Create a new credit note – Click Create new Purchase credit order. A form opens with an automatically generated credit note number. Select the Vendor (mandatory); vendor details such as address and bank information populate for reference:
1. Enter header details – Complete the Details section:
   • Approve date – mandatory; defaults to the current date. Determines when the return will affect stock.
   • Location – mandatory; choose the warehouse/store that is returning goods.
   • Currency – mandatory; typically EUR.
   • Payment method – mandatory; select the method for settling the credit (e.g. bank transfer, cash). If you choose “Other – enter below,” complete the Other payment method field.

   Optional fields include:

   • Transaction description – Used to briefly explain the purpose of the transaction.
   • Receipt No. – Provided if the credit order has already been paid; enter the receipt number used for the original payment.
   • Payment terms – Define the number of days within which the payment must be made.
   • Shipment dates (from/to),
   • Transporter and Transporter notes.
   You cannot add lines until the header is saved.

2. Add credit note lines – A Credit Note lines table appears. Click Add a new line to enter each returned product. Mandatory columns are:
   • Product No. – select the product being returned; search or scan the product number/alias.
   • Qty – quantity being returned. Enter a positive number; the system calculates the credit (negative value) automatically.
   The system fills in prices, discounts, VAT and profit fields for each line. Save each line before adding another.
3. Import or export lines – Use the Import / export dropdown to import multiple lines from an Excel or CSV template. At minimum, column A (Item No.) and column B (Quantity) are required. You can also export existing lines to a spreadsheet for analysis.
4. Save and approve – Click Save to store the draft. Use Approve to finalise the credit note and adjust stock. After approval, the document becomes read‑only but can still be downloaded or printed.

Required fields

Vendor – The supplier to whom the credit note will be sent.

Approve date – The date when the credit note will impact stock levels and accounting records.

Location – The warehouse or store from which the goods are returned.

Currency – The currency used for the transaction (for example, EUR).

Payment method – The method used to refund or settle the credit with the vendor.

Product No. – The number or alias identifying the product being returned.

Qty – The quantity of each product being returned.

Validation rules

• Mandatory fields are marked with a red asterisk; the system will not save or approve without them.
• Quantity values in lines must be positive; the system interprets them as returns and calculates negative amounts accordingly.
• Duplicate product numbers on different lines are allowed but will create separate lines. To return multiple quantities on one line, adjust the quantity accordingly.
• The credit note cannot be approved if required header fields or lines are missing.

Exceptions

• Negative stock warning – When returning goods you may see a warning if the quantity exceeds available stock. Users with the proper rights can approve the credit note even if it leads to negative stock.
• Other payment method – Selecting “Other – enter below” in Payment method reveals an additional input. Use this to describe non‑standard refund methods.
• Shipment dates – If goods were shipped over a period rather than on a single day, tick the “Shipment date as period” checkbox and enter “From” and “To” dates.


Common errors

• “Please select a vendor/location/payment method” – one or more mandatory header fields are blank.
• Import file errors – occur when the import file does not match the expected template or contains unknown product numbers. Always use the provided template and ensure products exist in the system.
• Not enough stock – a warning displayed when returning more quantity than is available. Depending on user rights, you may still proceed.


Troubleshooting

• If lines cannot be added, make sure the header has been saved and all required fields are completed.
• If a product cannot be found, verify it exists in the Products module and is active.
• When import fails, use the downloadable template and ensure item numbers and quantities are numeric.
• If the Approve button is disabled, ensure at least one line exists and that your user account has rights to approve purchase credit orders.