PREPARE RETURN SLIP. When items are returned, the receiving department employee counts, inspects, and prepares a return slip describing the items. The goods, along with a copy of the return slip, go to the warehouse to be restocked. The employee then sends the second copy of the return slip to the sales function to prepare a credit memo.
PREPARE CREDIT MEMO. Upon receipt of the return slip, the sales employee prepares a credit memo. This document is the authorization for the customer to receive credit for the merchandise returned. Note that the credit memo illustrated in Figure 4-8 is similar in appearance to a sales order. Some systems may actually use a copy of the sales order marked credit memo.
In cases in which specific authorization is required (that is, the amount of the return or circumstances
surrounding the return exceed the sales employee’s general authority to approve), the credit memo goes to the credit manager for approval. However, if the clerk has sufficient general authority to approve the return, the credit memo is sent directly to the billing function, where the customer sales transaction is reversed.
APPROVE CREDIT MEMO. The credit manager evaluates the circumstances of the return and makes a judgment to grant (or disapprove) credit. The manager then returns the approved credit memo to the sales department.
UPDATE SALES JOURNAL. Upon receipt of the approved credit memo, the transaction is recorded in the sales journal as a contract entry. The credit memo is then forwarded to the inventory control function for posting. At the end of the period, total sales returns are summarized in a journal voucher and sent to the general ledger department.
UPDATE INVENTORY AND AR RECORDS. The inventory control function adjusts the inventory records and forwards the credit memo to accounts receivable, where the customer’s account is also adjusted. Periodically, inventory control sends a journal voucher summarizing the total value of inventory returns to the general ledger update task. Similarly, accounts receivable submits an AR account summary to the general ledger function.
UPDATE GENERAL LEDGER. Upon receipt of the journal voucher and account summary information, the general ledger function reconciles the figures and posts to the following control accounts: