Empties movement and returns
Purpose
This page describes the Empties Movement document in detail. It complements the general loading-unit documentation with the concrete handling of empties receipts, returns, negative quantities, and printed evidence.
Why this specific document matters
Empties receipts and empties returns should not be posted through arbitrary warehouse documents when the account-keeper relation must stay intact. Only the dedicated document transfers the account-keeper information correctly into the posting entries.
Key rule: if the business ownership or responsibility relation of the empties matters, the movement must use the intended LE document.
Typical use cases
| Case | How to use the document |
|---|---|
| Empties receipt from the account keeper | create the document for the incoming empties |
| Return to the account keeper | use the same document type, but enter the quantity as negative |
| Evidence towards the partner | use the print function for the return document or movement evidence |
Capture an empties receipt
If you receive loading units or packages as empties from the account keeper, capture this receipt only through the LE empties document. This keeps later reconciliation between physical movement and account-keeper relation traceable.
Before posting, check:
- is the correct account keeper maintained,
- does location or bin match the real receipt,
- is the movement quantity business-correct,
- will later reporting or return evidence depend on it.
Capture returns with negative quantities
If empty loading units are sent back to the account keeper, use the same document. To make the movement a return, the quantity must be entered as negative.
This is especially important from a business perspective because the direction of movement becomes visible in later account and history evaluations. A formally posted but directionally wrong quantity distorts reconciliation immediately.
Use the print function as evidence
The print function gives you a return document or matching movement evidence. Use this output deliberately:
- for account-keeper queries,
- for periodic reconciliation,
- for claims or damage cases,
- when internal release or dispatch confirmation is required.
Control steps
| Point in time | What to check |
|---|---|
| Before posting | account keeper, location, and movement direction are correct |
| For a return | quantity is negative and really meant as a return |
| After posting | movement appears correctly in history and LE account |
| Before partner reconciliation | printed evidence or report is available |
Typical error patterns
| Situation | Possible cause | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Account-keeper information is missing in the evaluation | wrong document type was used | confirm that the dedicated LE empties document was used |
| Return looks like an inbound receipt | quantity was entered as positive instead of negative | check sign and direction |
| Partner does not accept the return | printed evidence is missing or reference is unclear | inspect the return document and account-keeper relation |
Result
- You can handle empties receipts and returns with the correct document type.
- You know why negative quantities are decisive for the return direction.
- You get reliable evidence for account-keeper reconciliation and partner clarification.
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