Refunds Management Guide

MOMO LENS provides a comprehensive refund system that handles full refunds, partial refunds, and custom amounts. All refunds automatically restore inventory and maintain complete audit trails.

Overview

The refund system in MOMO LENS allows you to process returns and refunds efficiently while maintaining accurate inventory and financial records. Whether a customer returns a damaged item, requests a partial refund, or needs a full refund, the system handles it seamlessly.

Key Benefits

Automatic stock restoration when items are refunded
Complete refund history for audit and reporting
Flexible refund types to handle any scenario
Eligibility checking prevents invalid refunds
Integration with sales and receipts for seamless workflow

Refund Types

MOMO LENS supports three types of refunds to handle different business scenarios:

Full Refund

Refund the entire sale amount. All items are returned to inventory automatically.

Use when: Customer returns entire purchase, order cancellation, or major defect.

Partial Item Refund

Refund specific items from a sale. Only selected items are returned to inventory.

Use when: Customer returns some items but keeps others, or specific items are defective.

Custom Amount

Refund a specific amount that may differ from item values (e.g., partial compensation).

Use when: Store credit, goodwill gesture, or negotiated settlement.

Refund Eligibility Rules

The system automatically checks eligibility before processing refunds to ensure data integrity:

30-Day Time Limit

Refunds can only be processed for sales within 30 days of the original sale date. This protects against fraudulent refunds and ensures accurate financial records.

Completed Sales Only

Only sales with "Completed" status can be refunded. Pending or cancelled sales cannot be refunded.

Maximum Refundable Amount

The system tracks already refunded amounts and prevents refunds exceeding the original sale total. Partial refunds can be processed multiple times up to the total.

Refund Methods

Choose how to process the refund based on your business needs and the original payment method:

Original Payment Method

Refund through the same method the customer originally paid (cash, mobile money, card). This is the default and recommended method for customer satisfaction.

Cash Refund

Process the refund in cash, regardless of original payment method. Useful when customer prefers immediate cash or when original method is unavailable.

Mobile Money Refund

Send refund via mobile money transfer. Customer provides their mobile money number and you process the transfer. The system records this for audit purposes.

How to Process a Refund

Follow these steps to process a refund in the MOMO LENS mobile app:

Navigate to the Sale
Go to the Sales screen and find the sale you want to refund. You can search by sale number, customer name, or date.
Open the Receipt
Tap on the sale to view the receipt. Look for the "Refund" button or option.
Check Eligibility
The system automatically checks if the sale is eligible for refund. You'll see the maximum refundable amount and any restrictions.
Select Refund Type
Choose between Full Refund, Partial Item Refund, or Custom Amount based on the situation.
Select Items (if partial)
For partial refunds, select which items to refund. The system calculates the refund amount automatically.
Choose Refund Method
Select how to process the refund: original payment method, cash, or mobile money.
Enter Reason
Provide a reason for the refund. This is required and helps with reporting and analysis.
Confirm and Process
Review the refund details and confirm. The system processes the refund, updates inventory, and creates a refund record.

Stock Restoration

One of the key features of MOMO LENS refunds is automatic inventory restoration:

Automatic Inventory Updates

When you process a refund, the system automatically restores the returned items to your inventory. Stock levels are updated immediately, ensuring accurate inventory counts. This works for both full and partial refunds.

Refund Tracking and History

All refunds are tracked and stored for complete audit trails:

View refund history for any sale in the receipt view
See refund status (Pending, Processing, Completed, Failed)
Track refunded amounts and remaining refundable amounts
Export refund reports for accounting and analysis
Filter sales by refund status in the sales list

Best Practices

Always Verify Eligibility

Check the eligibility status before processing. If a sale is outside the 30-day window, you may need to handle it as a separate transaction or exception.

Document Reasons Clearly

Enter detailed refund reasons. This helps with reporting, identifying product issues, and improving customer service.

Verify Stock Restoration

After processing a refund, verify that inventory levels have been updated correctly, especially for high-value items.

Use Appropriate Refund Methods

Match the refund method to customer preference and business policy. Original payment method is usually preferred for customer satisfaction.

Common Scenarios

Customer Returns Damaged Item

Use Partial Item Refund to refund only the damaged item. The system restores that item to inventory while keeping the rest of the sale intact.

Order Cancellation

Use Full Refund to cancel the entire order. All items are returned to inventory and the full amount is refunded.

Store Credit or Goodwill

Use Custom Amount to provide a partial refund as store credit or compensation. This doesn't affect inventory but maintains financial records.

Multiple Partial Refunds

You can process multiple partial refunds for the same sale, as long as the total doesn't exceed the original sale amount. Each refund is tracked separately.

Troubleshooting

Sale Not Eligible for Refund

If a sale is outside the 30-day window or has already been fully refunded, you'll see an eligibility error. Check the sale date and existing refunds. For exceptions, you may need to process a manual adjustment.

Stock Not Restored

If inventory isn't updated after a refund, check that the items still exist in your product catalog. Deleted products won't be restored. You may need to manually adjust stock levels.

Refund Amount Exceeds Maximum

The system prevents refunds exceeding the original sale amount minus already refunded amounts. Check the maximum refundable amount shown in the refund screen and adjust your refund type or amount accordingly.

API Integration

For programmatic access to refunds, use our API endpoints:

POST /api/v1/merchants/{merchantId}/sales/{saleId}/refunds
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN

{
  "refundType": "FULL" | "PARTIAL_ITEM" | "CUSTOM_AMOUNT",
  "amount": 100.00,  // Required for CUSTOM_AMOUNT
  "reason": "Customer return",
  "refundMethod": "ORIGINAL" | "CASH" | "MOBILE_MONEY",
  "items": [  // Required for PARTIAL_ITEM
    {
      "itemId": "item-id",
      "quantity": 1,
      "amount": 50.00
    }
  ]
}

Documentation