This is a guide to creating a Loaner Order for a customer in need in Appliance.io

Loaners are often used as a means of goodwill towards a customer and proper documentation is very important to allow convenient tracking of outstanding loaner inventory. Loaners are often in a guaranteed loss situation so providing an appropriate style Loaner will be an important step to maintaining appropriate margins.

Start this process by creating a quote for the customer.

Then add a Product.

Now we need to select a good model for the customer's needs. Browsing inventory for available loaners will help you identify if there are any loaners currently in inventory.

If there are NONE in inventory then a manager will need to prepare an item by changing the condition to LOANER.

You will not be able to proceed till there is a Loaner item in inventory.

For this example, we will be using a Dryer.(DR7003WG)

Now that we have confirmed the model we will be using we can head back to the quote and add this model to the quote with the Loaner Condition.

It is very important to select the Loaner Condition at this stage.

Now we must decide if the customer will be paying a deposit on this Loaner unit. Deposits protect the company in the event of damage to the loaner. Deposits on Loaners can later be applied to their actual purchase via a full return to account credit. (link to account credit returns)

Deposits are not Required.

For this example, we will use a deposit amount of $200.

Now would be the last change to add anything to this Loaner Order. Normally, Loaner Orders are devoid of all add-ons but some situations may require additional charges to be applied to this quote.

Now, complete the payment steps to complete this quote and convert to an order.

The Quote will convert to an Order.

Now we must Reserve the inventory for the customer. Click the check stock icon.

The Check Stock screen will open.

Loaners are considered “Out-Of-Box” and the inventory will be serialized allowing you to select the exact unit you need.

Select View Items.

A popup will open.

Reserve the unit you need. (There may only be one).

This Loaner Order is now completed and ready for delivery to the customer. For more information on scheduling delivery, click here (link here).

Return to this guide when the Customer is ready to return the Loaner items.

To return the loaner start by opening the Order.

Next, we will start a Return.

Select “Start Return” from the select action menu in the top right.

Then select the model using the check boxes on the left side.

Then enter the QTY and $$ amount being returned.

Your screen should match the examples shown above.

Select the “Refund Payment” button.

The page will load and more fields will appear.

Enter a “Reason for Return” ex.(returning loaner unit)

Then select the “Process Refund” button.

The page will load and provide options for payout methods. For this example, we will be using account credit as the payout method.

Select “Account Credit” from the options shown on the left.

Enter any notes here as well.

Then select “Apply Refund Payment”.

The line item will update to show the Return.

The item has now been moved back to inventory. This item will be found on the returned inventory page, at the top of the page.

Once the Loaner has been inspected for damage, a decision can be made about the account credit that was used.

If the condition of the unit is acceptable the account credit can be applied to their next order.

If the condition of the unit is Unacceptable then the account credit can be revoked by a super admin user on the customer page.

The item can be adjusted on the returned inventory page and added back to available stock.

This is the end of the Loaner guide.