Let's get to grips with how they work!
The system actively separates customer and supplier warranty claims, giving you clear control over each. You can easily convert a customer claim into a supplier claim, process both in parallel, and handle credits in and out.
While you can log and close replacement requests, the system doesn’t manage the full replacement (exchange) workflow. This is due to the many ways exchanges are handled.
Warranty claims work in two ways:
Customer Warranty Claims: When you provide warranty support to your customers.
Part Returns: When you claim a warranty from your suppliers.
You can customise warranties to suit your business model. For example:
Pass on the manufacturer’s 5-year warranty directly.
Offer an extended plan, like 7 years (adding 2 extra years for parts only).
Adjust the warranty based on timing, e.g., sell equipment 6 months into a 2-year supplier warranty, and offer your customer an 18-month warranty.
Enable the following User Rights to get full functionality:
The Supplier Warranty Claims access right in Service Geeni allows users to manage warranty claims submitted to suppliers.
The Customer Warranty Claims access right in Service Geeni allows users to manage warranty claims submitted for equipment or products.
Getting There
You can get to the Customer or Supplier Warranty Claims section via the Stock menu and select either:
Customer Warranty Claims.
or Supplier Warranty Claims.
Before you raise any Customer or Supplier Claims, make sure to select the correct branch.
Navigation
Customer Warranty Claims are typically used when there is a faulty part; the claim can either be credited or exchanged, and this is for you to decide when logging the claim.
Across the Top, there are four buttons:
Raise a Customer Warranty
Accept Credit
Raise Part Return Request
Reject
The check box on the left lets you select one or multiple claims to create a bulk action.
The Status column lets you see which claims have been raised, approved, or rejected.
The action tray on the Customer Warranty Claims screen provides several options for managing an existing claim.
Depending on the required action, you can:
Edit the warranty claim.
Delete the warranty claim.
Print the warranty claim.
Attach documents to the warranty claim.
View and download attached documents.
Delete individual attachments.
Delete All attachments.
Raising a Customer Warranty Claim
From Customer Warranty Claims, select Raise Customer Warranty Claim.
Choose the Return Action:
Credit Note
Return
Stock Exchange
The information required for the claim is then entered against the customer, site, job and relevant stock item.
Note: The field options remain the same for all Preferred Actions.
Set Preferred Action, e.g. Credit.
Select the ellipsis next to Customer ID and choose the required customer.
Note: A new customer can also be added from the customer selection screen if required.
Choose the required site.
The Branch is populated from the selected information.
Select either the SKU or Miscellaneous item that the claim relates to.
For an SKU:
Select the ellipsis beside SKU.
Select the required stock item.
Alternatively, for a miscellaneous stock item:
Select the ellipsis beside Miscellaneous.
Select the required miscellaneous item.
Select the Receipt number.
Add the Quantity.
Choose the Reason For Return (Optional).
Enter the applicable Warranty Number/ reference.
Enter any relevant information in Warranty Request Notes.
When the claim details are complete, select Raise Request. This will open the claim form as a PDF in a new browser tab. This acknowledgement form is then sent to the customer.
To change the credit or exchange once raised, go to Supplier Warrant Request.
If you're shown a blank page, you may need to set up the Communications for the customer.
To set this up quickly, head to the Records menu and select Customer & Site records.
Find the customer you need to add a default to and click on the Account Number.
Then, select Communication Centre from the tabs.
You'll find the claims section by scrolling down.
Set the template and click Save.
After the acknowledgement form has been sent out, you now need to either accept it, raise a Supplier Claim, or reject it.
Accept Credit
You'll notice your new claim is now in the list. If you know how much you are going to credit, you can accept the claim here.
Using the checkbox on the left, select it and click Accept Claim.
This opens an editor window where you can create a credit note for the customer.
The page will pull in all the information from the claim. Be sure to check all the details, such as Description and Values (the Goods value and SA value should be the same).
Select the item line and the appropriate SA Code.
When you are happy, click Print, and you're good to go!
Raising a Part Return Request
If a Claim relates to a part that you need to return to the supplier, you can create a Part Return Request directly from the warranty claim.
This connects the customer-side warranty process with the supplier return process without requiring you to create the return separately.
To raise a Part Return Request:
Select the required Customer Warranty Claim. You can select multiple claims where they are for the same supplier.
Select Raise Part Return Request.
Complete the required return details.
Select Raise Request.
The request is created within Stock > Part Return, where the supplier-side return can then be managed.
What happens next?
The Part Return module manages the supplier return through its full lifecycle.
From there, you can:
Review and edit the request before it is sent.
Send the request to the supplier.
Add the supplier's reference and supporting documents.
Record whether the supplier has accepted a Credit or Exchange, or Rejected the request.
Track the request through to completion.
The available return actions depend on the invoicing status of the original Purchase Order. For an invoiced Purchase Order, Credit Note is the available action. For a non-invoiced Purchase Order, the return can be raised as Credit Note, Exchange, or Return.
Once the supplier responds, Service Geeni processes the outcome through Part Return. Accepted credits update the relevant purchasing and accounting records, while an accepted exchange creates a replacement Purchase Order and remains open until the replacement goods are received.
For the complete supplier return process, see Part Return.
Rejecting a Customer Warranty Claim
To reject a claim:
Select the required Customer Warranty Claim.
Select Reject.
Confirm the rejection by selecting Yes.
The claim remains visible within Customer Warranty Claims, but its status changes to Closed: Rejected.
I can't accept or reject a claim
A Customer Warranty Claim cannot be accepted or rejected when it has already been closed or rejected.
Deselect any closed claims before continuing with the required Customer Warranty Claim.
Supplier Warranty Requests
Supplier Warranty Requests is where you can create and submit your requests to a supplier.
We have arrived here naturally through the claims process in the previous steps; however, you can also get here via the Stock menu and select Supplier Warranty Requests.
Having all the requests on one page allows you to select and batch submit the requests to a supplier.
Make your selection and click Send To Supplier.
In the window, you can choose which supplier to send the request to.
After selecting a supplier, a new browser tab will open with a PDF of your request.
Head back to Service Geeni, and you'll notice that the Status has changed to Awaiting Approval, which tells you that the submission was successful.
Part Returns also help manage your claims; for example, you may have purchased an item which doesn't have a warranty, but you still need to return it.
Congratulations! You have completed the Claims process!