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v26.3

Complaint

For whom: support and workshop · Where: Admin → Stock → Complaints tab

A device comes back. The complaint holds the case together: number, defect, warranty statement, communication history and, at the end, a decision — repair, replacement, credit note or rejection.

Prerequisite

The Complaints tab appears with the merchandise management module. Creating and deciding requires the Process complaints permission, see Permissions overview.

1. Create a case

Admin → Stock → Complaints → "New complaint"

  1. Enter the device's serial number — it is on the label.
  2. Describe the defect.
  3. Create.

DiKAS draws everything else from the device: customer, article, supplier, invoice, delivery note and the warranty statement. Support has the number and nothing else — it needs nothing more.

The number is created on creation

Unlike with the delivery note, there is no draft here: the case is the issuing, and it carries its number immediately (RMA-0001).

The search is case-sensitive

SN-1 and sn-1 are two different numbers. If the number is not found although the device is managed in the house, the spelling is usually to blame — scan instead of typing.

Only one case can be open per device at a time. A second one is rejected so that one of the two does not remain invisible.

2. The warranty statement

DiKAS calculates it itself, in this order:

  1. A warranty end on the device, if stored.
  2. Otherwise the delivery date from the delivery note plus the warranty period from Admin → Settings → Operations → Stock.
  3. Otherwise: no statement.

This yields three answers:

Display Meaning
In warranty The defect was reported within the period
Expired The period had passed at the time of reporting
Cannot be determined There is neither warranty end nor delivery date

"Cannot be determined" is not a rejection

It means exactly what it says: nobody has checked it because the basis is missing. An "Expired" at this point would be a statement nobody can substantiate — and the customer would be told it.

The statement is a snapshot of the time of reporting. If the business's warranty period is changed later, that does not change running cases.

3. Handling the case

The states in the order in which they occur in everyday use:

State What it means Effect on stock
Reported The customer has been in touch, the device is still with them none
Return received The device is in the house Stock +1
Checked The finding is established none
At manufacturer Out of the house for repair Stock −1
Replaced / Repaired / Rejected / Credited The decision has been made depending on decision
Closed Case finished none
Cancelled Case withdrawn returns what was not anywhere yet

No decision without a check

From Return received, no path leads directly to a decision. First comes the finding (Checked), then the decision — otherwise a credit note without justification would end up at the end.

In the communication history you record what was discussed: incoming, outgoing or as an internal note. The history is only added to, never overwritten; who made the entry and in which state the case was is shown with it.

You enter the supplier's RMA number and its tracking number by hand — DiKAS does not invent any.

4. Deciding

"Decision" in the opened case. Four options:

Decision What happens
Repair The device goes back to the customer repaired
Replacement A replacement device from stock goes to the customer
Credit note The customer gets their money — DiKAS creates the credit note
Rejection No claim; a justification is mandatory

The refund amount cannot be entered

For a credit note, DiKAS calculates the amount from the invoice item of the device — per piece, including an invoice-wide discount. That is why there is no amount field in the dialog. If no invoice can be found for the device, the decision is rejected instead of booking €0.00.

From one decision, no path leads to another

First crediting and then replacing after all is not possible — those are two cases. The decision is the conclusion, not an intermediate step.

On replacement

You choose the replacement device via its serial number; it must be in stock. Afterwards:

  • The new device is At customer.
  • The old one is detached from the customer and, depending on the choice, goes into free stock or is booked out.

This way the question "which devices does this customer have?" afterwards again answers with one device.

5. Cancelling

A cancellation withdraws the case and only brings back what was not anywhere yet: if the device is already in the house or at the manufacturer, it stays there. A reason is mandatory; the number stays on the case.

A practical example

A terminal fails after eight months.

  1. New complaint, scan the serial number, enter the defect "no longer starts". → RMA-0001, customer and article are shown, warranty: In warranty.
  2. The customer sends the device. Set the state to Return received. → Stock +1, device Back in stock.
  3. The workshop checks, enter the finding, state Checked.
  4. Decision: Replacement, enter the serial number of a replacement device, book out the old device. → Replacement device At customer, old one Booked out, customer assignment clean.
  5. Add to the history: "Replacement device shipped on 12.03."

When something does not work

Message or observation Cause What to do
The Complaints tab is missing Merchandise management module is not switched on Switch on the module
The serial number is not found Spelling or unknown device Scan instead of typing
"A case is already running for this device." An open case exists Open the open case and continue it
Warranty shows Cannot be determined Neither warranty end on the device nor delivery date Maintain the warranty period under Settings → Operations → Stock
The decision cannot be selected The case has not been checked yet First set it to Checked
"There is no invoice item for this device." The document for the credit note is missing Find the invoice or choose a different decision
"Please provide a justification." Rejection or cancellation without a reason Enter a reason
There is no amount field That is as intended — the amount comes from the document —
The stock level did not rise on reporting The device is still with the customer Only Return received books in

Next steps