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Return invoices: how to take goods back properly
A return is a new invoice linked to the original. The system tracks quantities and will not allow a double return.
How do I create a return invoice?
From Transactions → Sales Invoices, find the original invoice and click Return. Pick the items coming back and their quantities, and submit. The quantities go back into stock and the customer balance drops.
A return is a new invoice, not an edit
Pashkateb does not modify the original invoice. A return is a new invoice marked as a return and linked to the original.
The result is that your history stays clear: the original sale exists, the return exists, and each has its own number and date.
Start from the original invoice
The correct route is the Return action on the original invoice's row. That links the return to its original automatically, which is what enables quantity tracking.
The button appears when:
- The original invoice is submitted.
- It is not itself a return.
- It still has items with a returnable quantity.
Returnable quantity tracking
As soon as an ordinary sales invoice is submitted, the system records how much of each item can be returned (initially, the quantity sold).
Every time a return is submitted, that figure drops.
On the return form:
- The item list is restricted to items on the original invoice.
- Each item shows its remaining returnable quantity.
- The quantity is capped at that figure — type more and it is reduced with a warning.
- The price is locked to the original invoice's price.
So it is not possible to return more than was sold, however many separate returns you raise against the same invoice.
What happens when you submit the return
Like any invoice, a draft return has no effect. On submission:
| Thing | Effect |
|---|---|
| Stock | Quantities go back into the warehouse |
| Stock ledger | A row of type Sales Return (in) |
| Customer balance | Drops by the return value |
| Journal entry | A reversing entry for sales, VAT and receivables |
| Credit limit check | Not applied — a return reduces what is owed |
| Returnable quantity | Reduced by the quantity returned |
The goods go back into the original invoice's warehouse unless you choose another.
Partial returns
You can return part of an invoice, and raise several returns against the same invoice over time. The system recalculates the remainder each time.
When everything has come back, the original invoice is marked fully returned and the Return button disappears.
Watching returns
| Report | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Most Returned Items | Items that come back often — a quality signal |
| Monthly Sales Summary | Net sales after returns |
A high return rate on a particular item usually means a wrong description in the store, a sizing problem, or a quality problem from the supplier.
Purchase returns
Exactly the same idea on the other side: a purchase return takes goods out of the warehouse and reduces the supplier balance, tracked the same way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can I not see the Return button?
Three conditions must hold: the original invoice is submitted, it is not itself a return, and it still has returnable quantity. Once everything has been returned, the button disappears.
Can I return more than was sold?
No. The system tracks, per item on the original invoice, how much has already been returned, and caps the quantity at what remains. That figure is shown in the Remaining Returnable column as you type.
Can I change the price on a return?
No. The unit price is locked to the original invoice's price. That is deliberate, so a return reflects the original sale exactly rather than becoming a price-adjustment tool.
What does a return do to stock and the balance?
When submitted: the quantities go back into the warehouse (the reverse of a sale), the customer balance drops by the return value, and a reversing journal entry is posted. All of it at submission only — a draft return has no effect, like any invoice.
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