Return Workflow Steps

Return workflow steps are the core building blocks of return processing in Omnium. Each step performs a specific action on a return, such as processing refunds, updating inventory, sending notifications, or exporting to external systems.

Default Behavior

If no return statuses are configured in your tenant settings, Omnium uses a default "Completed" status with the following workflow steps:

When you define your own return statuses in Settings → Order Settings → Return Statuses, these defaults are no longer applied. You must explicitly add each workflow step you need to your custom statuses.

How Return Workflow Steps Work

Workflow steps are configured in Return Statuses and execute automatically when returns enter a status. Each step:

• Receives the current Return Order, original Order, and WorkflowStep configuration
• Performs its action and returns a result (Success, Warning, or Error)
• Can optionally trigger further status changes or halt the workflow on failure

Configuration

Each workflow step can be configured with the following properties:

Step Categories

Return workflow steps are organized into functional categories:

Common Patterns

Standard Return Flow

A typical return workflow processes the return through these steps:

1. EnsureRma - Generate RMA number for tracking
2. Notification - Send confirmation to customer
3. UpdateOrderStatus - Mark original order as having a return

When the return is completed:

4. UpdateInventory - Add items back to stock
5. CreditReturn - Process refund to customer
6. ExportOrder - Sync to ERP/external systems

Exchange Flow

For exchanges where items are swapped:

1. EnsureRma - Generate RMA number
2. CreateExchangeOrder - Create new order with replacement items
3. UpdateInventory - Handle inventory adjustments
4. UpdateOrderStatus - Update original order status

Replacement Order Flow

For sending replacement items without charging:

1. EnsureRma - Generate RMA number
2. CreateReplacementOrder or CreateReplacementOrderKeepingPrices - Create replacement
3. UpdateOrderStatus - Update original order

Result Handling

When a step fails and StopOnError is true, remaining steps in the workflow are skipped. The return stays in the current status for manual intervention.

Market and Store Filtering

Steps can be restricted to specific markets or stores:

{
  "Name": "ExportOrder",
  "Active": true,
  "Connector": "ERPConnector",
  "EnabledForMarkets": ["NO", "SE"],
  "DisabledForMarkets": ["FI"]
}

This configuration enables the export for Norway and Sweden, but explicitly disables it for Finland even if it were in the enabled list.

Migrating from Default to Custom Workflow

When setting up custom return statuses for the first time, consider which default behaviors you want to preserve:

Minimum Recommended Steps for a "Completed" Status

To maintain core return functionality, your completed status should typically include:

{
  "Name": "Completed",
  "DisplayName": "Completed",
  "Order": 3,
  "WorkflowSteps": [
    { "Name": "EnsureRma", "Active": true },
    { "Name": "CreditReturn", "Active": true },
    { "Name": "UpdateInventory", "Active": true },
    { "Name": "UpdateOrderStatus", "Active": true },
    { "Name": "Notification", "Active": true }
  ]
}

Optional Steps Based on Your Setup

Common Mistake

A frequent oversight is creating custom statuses without workflow steps, or only adding an ExportOrder step. This results in:

• No refunds being processed
• Inventory not being updated
• Order status not reflecting the return
• Customers not receiving notifications

Always review the default behavior section and ensure your custom workflow includes the steps your business requires.