Make a purchase return note
What is going back, against which invoice, and the debit you are raising for it.
When goods go back to a supplier, two things have to happen: the goods need paperwork to travel with, and your account with that supplier has to be debited so the next payment is right. A purchase return note does both. It names the supplier invoice it relates to, lists the quantities going back with their rates, states the reason, and totals the debit you expect them to credit.
How to make a purchase return note
- 1
Choose Purchase return
It sits under Buying, alongside the purchase order and the goods received note.
- 2
Reference the supplier invoice
Put their invoice number and date on it, and the reason for the return. That is what their accounts team needs to match it.
- 3
List what is going back
Quantity returned and the rate from the original invoice. The total is your debit, written in figures and in words.
Why the paperwork decides who is right
Returns are where supplier accounts go wrong, because the goods leave the building before anyone writes anything down. A numbered return note with the invoice reference on it is what settles the argument three months later.
The other half of the story
When a customer returns goods to you, the matching paper is a credit note.
Frequently asked questions
Is a purchase return the same as a debit note?+
They travel together. The return note says what is going back; the debit note says what you are charging back. This document does both, which is how most businesses actually use it.
What should the supplier do with it?+
Acknowledge the goods and issue a credit note for the value, which you then match against their next invoice or your payment.
What rate do I use?+
The rate on the original supplier invoice, not the current price. The point is to reverse exactly what was charged.
Is any of this uploaded?+
No. Supplier names, prices and quantities stay in your browser.