Capture discounts for short-dated stock, link credits to originals, flag recalls, and show planners how important a line is.
Overview
Enable Expiry & clearance, Returns & recalls, and Operational planning in settings to unlock these per-line fields. They are especially useful for consumer goods, parts distributors, and anyone with formal return windows.
How it works
Expiry date and Remaining shelf life bucket help pricing teams justify automatic discounts. Related return lines connects a credit note line back to the invoice line it reverses. Recall batch links to a recall campaign record in Inventory so finance and quality share one identifier.
Step-by-step guide
- When invoicing short-dated stock, enter the true Expiry date.
- If you grant a markdown, type Expiry discount (%) and a plain-language Expiry discount reason.
- Pick the Remaining shelf life bucket your pricing policy uses (0–30 days, 31–90, over 90).
- Tick Forced clearance when the sale is intentionally a clearance deal.
- After a return is posted, link the credit line using Related return lines so reporting nets correctly.
- If a recall notice exists, choose the Recall batch campaign reference.
- Set Return window end to the last day returns are accepted for that lot.
- For planners, choose Supply chain priority (Low → Critical).
- Optionally record ATP after invoice – remaining sellable quantity after this shipment for analytics.
Fields table
| Field name | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
Expiry date |
Date the lot expires or best-before date used commercially. |
2026-08-30 on yogurt batch Y-441. |
Expiry discount (%) |
Extra percent off because the item is close to expiry. |
15%. |
Expiry discount reason |
Short text explaining the markdown policy used. |
“≤30 days shelf life per promo grid.” |
Remaining shelf life bucket |
Bracket used for pricing rules and KPI dashboards. |
0–30 days. |
Forced clearance |
Checkbox marking intentional clearance sales. |
Ticked for factory outlet channel. |
Related return lines |
Links to other invoice lines representing returns for the same lot. |
Credit note line CN-1024 tied to INV line 3. |
Recall batch |
Recall campaign reference from stock/quality module. |
“REC-2026-ICE-01.” |
Return window end |
Last calendar date the buyer may still return goods. |
30 days after delivery note date. |
Supply chain priority |
How urgently planners should allocate or ship this line. |
Critical for a hospital back-order. |
ATP after invoice |
Optional numeric snapshot: available-to-promise quantity after this invoice. |
120 units still free after this shipment. |
Field explanations
Each item matches one row in the table above, in the same order.
Expiry date
The commercial expiry or best-before date for the lot on this line. Drives discounts and return policy discussions with the customer.
Expiry discount (%)
The extra percent discount granted because the product is close to expiry. Filling it documents margin impact separately from generic price cuts.
Expiry discount reason
Short text pointing to the policy or promotion that authorized the markdown (e.g. “≤30 days per promo grid”). Helps finance defend the price later.
Remaining shelf life bucket
A fixed band (e.g. 0–30 days, 31–90, over 90) used for pricing rules and KPIs. It is a bracket, not the raw day count.
Forced clearance
Checkbox meaning the sale is intentionally a clearance/outlet deal. Reporting can separate that from accidental deep discounts on fresh stock.
Related return lines
Links to other invoice lines (often credit note lines) that correspond to returns for the same lot. Helps month-end tie credits to original revenue.
Recall batch
Points to a recall campaign record when this line is affected by a quality recall, so finance and quality share one identifier.
Return window end
The last date the buyer may return goods under contract or policy. Align with legal terms printed on the customer agreement.
Supply chain priority
How urgently planners should treat allocation and shipping for this line (Low to Critical). Independent from customer VIP flags-it is about supply risk.
ATP after invoice
Optional numeric snapshot of “available to promise” quantity left after this shipment. Often filled from planning tools for analytics; it does not replace live inventory.
Tip: Align Return window end with the clause printed on your customer contract so customer service and finance give the same answer.
Common mistake: Entering discounts only in the unit price column without filling Expiry discount (%) – later you cannot explain to auditors why the margin dropped.