Implementing Returns in iStore

In today’s e-commerce environment, accepting return items in web stores is standard functionality. Providing returns functionality both reduces the cost of doing business for merchants, and provides a invaluable step toward a complete customer self-service orientation. To address this business requirement, Oracle iStore provides Returns functionality in the Customer UI. Using the Orders menu in the Customer UI, customers can initiate returns for orders which are in “Booked” status in Oracle Order Management. If an approval process is being used, an administrator can use Oracle Order Management to evaluate the returns, and either approve or reject the returns. Merchants can set up returns with or without Oracle Workflow approval mechanisms in place.

The following is a high-level Returns flow:

1. To initiate a return (also known as a Return Material Authorization, or RMA), customers select applicable items, specifying the return quantities and return reasons.

2.  After the customer submits the RMA, Oracle iStore automatically sends a confirmation e-mail notification to the customer.

3. Once Oracle Order Management processes the return order, the appropriate e-mail notification is sent to the user, notifying him whether the RMA has been approved or not (if approvals are being used). For approved RMAs, merchants can set up a return location to be sent in the e-mail notification.

4. After an RMA is approved, on the back end, Oracle Purchasing and Oracle Accounts Receivable work to complete the RMA processing, by fulfilling the order lines and generating credit memos.

5. RMAs are then available for the customer to track in Order Tracker.

Setting up the Profile Options:

For setting up returns in the iStore you need to set up the following profile options as per the iStore Implementation Guide.

1. IBE: Use Returns – YES
2. IBE: Return Orders Transaction Type not able to set this option since throws an error message "APP-FND-04136: List of Values cannot find any values for you to choose. Cause: The SQL statement specified to fdlfch() failed to return any values"
3. IBE: Enable Return Pre-booking Approval set to YES
4. IBE: Enable Return Policy intially set to YES but was giving "Application Error" so made to NO
5. ASO: Default Salesrep set to "NO Sales Credit

Set profile option "IBE: Return Orders Transaction Type" to the transaction type you wish returns to be created under. This must be the transaction defined for the iStore returns as described in the iStore documentation (Step 3 – Set up Transaction Type of section Implementing Returns)
You may use the following steps as an example setup for Oracle iStore returns transaction type. See the Oracle Order Management Suite Implementation Manual for additional setup information.

Creating a Transaction Type:

Important: For Oracle iStore returns, only set up transaction types using Order
Category = Return. Mixed should not be used and will not work.

1. As Order Management Superuser, navigate to the Transaction Types window and set up a new Order Type with following attributes:
  a. Name/Description – iStore RMA (user definable)
  b. Order Category – Return
  c. Transaction Type Code – Order
  d. Workflow Fulfillment Flow/Order Flow — Depends on whether the returns pre-booking feature is enabled:
  –If the profile, IBE: Enable Returns Pre-Booking Approval, is set to No, use Order Flow – Return with Approval. If this workflow is used, you can enable an approval process, after the return is Booked in Order Management and if an Approval List has been set up.
  –If the profile, IBE: Enable Returns Pre-Booking Approval, is set to Yes, use Order Flow – Return with Submission and Approval. See Section 12.8.2, "Returns Functionality With and Without OM Release
  11.5.10", for more details on the returns pre-booking approval feature.
  e. Sales Document Type – Sales Order
  f. Default Transaction Phase – Fulfillment (applicable only if the returns
pre-booking feature is enabled)

2. Associate a price list with the above transaction type if using return fees, multi-currency price lists, and/or Order Management defaulting rules based on price list.
  a. Set the ‘Default Return Line Type’ field to "Return (Receipt)".
3. Enter other required/optional information and Save.
4. Select Assign Line Flows, and assign a line type with Line Flow – Return for Credit with Receipt line flow. Note that Line Type is a required value in Transaction Types setup; otherwise, a "LineTypeId missing" error will display.

5. Document Sequence Assignment — Assign the RMA Document Sequence on
the newly created, iStore RMA, transaction type.
Creating a Document Sequence
With an Order Management responsibility

1. Set up of Document Sequence:
– Navigate to Setup > Documents > Define
– Specify a Name for your sequence
– For the Application, select ‘iStore’
– Specify the Effective From Date
– Set the Type as ‘Automatic’

2. Set up of Document Assignment:
– Navigate to Setup > Documents > Assign
– For the Application, select ‘iStore’
– For the Category, select the category that you want for this assignment
– For the Set of Books, select the Set of Books for this Organization
– For the Method, select ‘Automatic’
– On the Assignment tab, enter the Start Date
– For the Sequence, select the Document Sequence defined above
Document Sequences form
Name: iStore RMA
Application: iStore
From: 07-OCT-2010
Type: Automatic
Once the document sequence is created you need to assign the document sequence
Sequence Assignments form

Application: iStore
Category: RMA

— Document tab
Set of Books: DONAHER MOTION US
Method: Automatic

— Assignment tab
Start Date: 07-OCT-2010
End Date: <blank>
Sequence: iStore RMA

With an Order Management responsibility

1. Set up of Document Sequence:
– Navigate to Setup > Documents > Define
– Specify a Name for your sequence
– For the Application, select ‘Oracle Order Management’
– Specify the Effective From Date
– Set the Type as ‘Automatic’

2. Set up of Document Assignment:
– Navigate to Setup > Documents > Assign
– For the Application, select ‘Oracle Order Management’
– For the Category, select the Order Transaction Type defined for the iStore Return setup
– For the Set of Books, select the Set of Books for this Organization
– For the Method, select ‘Null’
– On the Assignment tab, enter the Start Date
– For the Sequence, select the Document Sequence defined above
Application: Order Management
Category:  iStore RMA

–Document
Set of Books: DONAHER MOTION US
Method: Automatic

–Assignment
Start Date: 11-Oct-2010
Sequence: Order RMA

Document Sequence

Name: Order RMA
Application: Order Management
From: 11-Oct-2010
Type: Automatic
Initial Value: 1