651453311EWMVA01/SCWM/PRDIintermediate

EWM Customer Returns: Returns Delivery, Receipt into Returns Stock (651), Inspection and Restocking (453)

The warehouse's side of an SD return: the returns delivery reaches EWM, goods are received into non-valuated returns stock, inspected, and — if resellable — changed to own stock (453), which brings their value back, and put away.

Educational content. SAP behaviour varies by configuration and release. Spotted something off? Report it.

Docs

Demo data

01Sales creates the return order

Return order 60000050 for 10 EA and its returns delivery 84000050 reach warehouse EW01.

Business scenario

Demo Retail Pvt. Ltd. sends back 10 EA of FG-2000 that were delivered in the wrong colour. Sales has created the return order; the warehouse receives, checks and restocks them.

All companies, numbers and documents are fictional demo data.

Step-by-step flow

01
Sales creates the return order open in twin
Return order 60000050 for 10 EA and its returns delivery 84000050 reach warehouse EW01.
EWM receives the returns delivery as an inbound delivery and handles the physical steps.
02
Unload and receive into returns stock (651) open in twin
The goods arrive and are received into GR-ZONE as blocked stock returns. No value is posted.
Until someone has looked at them, nobody knows whether the goods are worth anything.
03
Inspect the returns open in twin
The inspector finds the goods unused and undamaged. What happens to them?
Each has its own posting; restocking needs the stock type change first.
04
Stored but still returns stock open in twin
Putting them away without the 453 leaves them as non-valuated returns stock in a storage bin: not sellable, and missing from inventory value.
Sales cannot use them and the books undervalue inventory until the 453 is posted.
05
Change to own stock (453) open in twin
453: returns stock → unrestricted, ₹12,000 back into inventory.
The goods become sellable own stock again.
06
Put away open in twin
Putaway into RACK-01-03: ROD → AFS. Rack 50 → 60 EA.
Only now is the returned stock available for sale.
07
Returns restocked open in twin
Return order → returns delivery → 651 → inspection → 453 → putaway. SD can now issue the credit memo.
Compare with the SD returns process, which shows the same postings from the sales side.

SAP documents

Drag to pan · Ctrl + scroll to zoom

Stock impact

Step	Plant / SLoc	Stock type	MvT	Change
Unload and receive into returns stock (651)	1000 / ROD · GR-ZONE	Blocked stock returns	651	+10 EA
Change to own stock (453)	1000 / ROD · GR-ZONE	Blocked stock returns	453	−10 EA
Change to own stock (453)	1000 / ROD · GR-ZONE	Unrestricted use	453	+10 EA
Put away	1000 / ROD · GR-ZONE	Unrestricted use	311	−10 EA
Put away	1000 / AFS · RACK-01-03	Unrestricted use	311	+10 EA

Accounting impact

Returns transferred to valuated own stock

Typical

Change to own stock (453)

Dr Inventory — finished goods (BSX)₹12,000
Cr Cost of goods sold₹12,000

The value comes back into inventory; the credit typically goes to cost of goods sold, reversing the original issue. Accounts depend on configuration — the same posting as in the SD returns process.

Typical conceptual flow. Actual G/L accounts and posting behaviour depend on material valuation, automatic account determination and system configuration.

Movement type

651GR returns into blocked stock returnsReversal: 652
453Returns stock → own stockReversal: 454
311ROD → AFS (typical mapping)Reversal: 312

Receives customer returns in the warehouse, keeps them out of available stock until inspected, and restocks resellable goods with their value restored.

Transactions & Fiori apps

VA01 — Create Return Order
/SCWM/PRDI — Inbound Delivery (returns)
/SCWM/TO_CONF — Confirm Warehouse Task
/SCWM/MON — Warehouse Monitor

Warehouse Monitor
Customer Returns appsAvailability depends on release and scope (advanced returns management)

Differences by SAP version

Returns received in IM/WM; no EWM stock types.

Configuration

Returns stock type
Configuration dependent
Mapping of EWM's returns stock to blocked stock returns in inventory management.
Follow-up actions
Configuration dependent
Restock, scrap, return to supplier or repair — each with its own posting.

Prerequisites

Return order type and returns delivery type distributed to EWM
Returns stock type mapping in EWM
Inspection rules if QIE is used

Master data

Customer master: Return order and credit.

Organizational structure

Warehouse EW01
Storage locations ROD and AFS

Tables

Table	Description
/SCDL/DB_PROCH_I	Returns inbound delivery in EWM
MATDOC	651, 453 and 311

Integration

SDReturn order, returns delivery and credit memo.
FIValue restored at 453, not at 651.

Common errors

“Returned goods not sellable after putaway”
Likely causes: 453 not posted; Inspection decision missing
Where to look: Stock type of the quant · Material documents

Troubleshooting

Something went wrong? Work through these checks in order. They are diagnostic questions, not configuration instructions — confirm changes with your system owner.

CHECK 1
Returns
- Was 453 posted?
- Is the stock type mapping correct?

Interview questions

Why does 651 post no accounting document?
Because it receives into blocked stock returns, which is not valuated. The value is restored only when the goods are accepted into own stock with 453 (or received straight into unrestricted with 653).

Quiz

Q1 · Identify the movement type

Which movement type receives customer returns into non-valuated returns stock?

651653453

Q2 · Identify the accounting impact

When is the value of the returned goods posted back into inventory?

At 453At 651At putaway

References

SAP SE — SAP Help Portal: Customer Returns in EWM (source)
SAP SE — SAP Help Portal: Returns Processing (source)

Explanations are original. They summarize standard behaviour; always validate against your system's release and configuration.

Version history

Version	Change
1.0.0	Initial version.