The quick answer
Create a transfer order with the customer consignment location as From Location and the main warehouse as To Location. Save it, click Fulfill, assign the lot on the item fulfillment, and save that fulfillment as Shipped. In this example, IF-1733 links back to TO-4101 and its one-unit source line shows On Hand 0. That verifies the outbound shipment shown here. The example does not include a saved receipt into the main warehouse.
The screenshots use fictional person, company, partner and item data.
Before you start
This is a 2019 customized sandbox example with one lot-tracked inventory item at Customer Consignment and a return to Main Warehouse. Your account needs Multi-Location Inventory and access to transfer orders, item fulfillments, inventory detail, and both locations. Check whether the order needs approval before fulfillment and whether your account uses Pick, Pack, and Ship. The button and status labels can differ by form and workflow.
The source form has a custom Business Partner field and a Consignment class. The current generic production form inspected for this guide did not show that field or the source form. Follow your account's configured process; those custom fields do not, by themselves, establish ownership or accounting treatment. The fictional item name includes “Kit,” but this example treats it as a lot-tracked inventory item, not a NetSuite Kit/Package item.
01. Create the return transfer order
Open Transactions > Inventory > Enter Transfer Orders. Set From Location to Customer Consignment and To Location to Main Warehouse. In the example's custom form, Business Partner is Harbor Dental Clinic and Class is Consignment. Add one P048.710 Implant Abutment Kit, quantity 1 pc, and save.
The saved transfer order is TO-4101 with Pending Fulfillment status. The order has been entered; the shipment still needs its own transaction. If your account requires approval, complete that first. Click Fulfill from this saved order when the action is available.
02. Open the item fulfillment
The item fulfillment opens from TO-4101. Confirm Created From points to that order and Destination Location is Main Warehouse. The one-unit line is marked for fulfillment at Customer Consignment. Before saving, read the Location, Quantity and Status fields again. A wrong location would ship stock from the wrong place. This example's form shows Shipped; a different fulfillment workflow may use another status at this point.
03. Assign the lot and ship
Open the line's Inventory Detail. Select lot XL615 and enter quantity 1. The assignment total must equal the fulfilled line quantity. Click OK, confirm Shipped on the fulfillment form, then save.
04. Check the outbound result
The saved Item Fulfillment IF-1733 shows Shipped and Created From Transfer Order #TO-4101. Its item row has Customer Consignment, Quantity 1 and On Hand 0. The zero is the value shown on this saved source line; it is consistent with the outbound reduction, though a full inventory reconciliation needs the account's transaction and balance records.
Check the result
- The fulfillment record number is IF-1733 and its status is Shipped.
- Created From links to transfer order TO-4101.
- The line is one unit at Customer Consignment and shows On Hand 0.
This walkthrough stops there. The transfer order is not complete merely because the outbound fulfillment is saved. A Shipped item fulfillment does not show that Main Warehouse received the unit. Verify a separate item receipt, destination balance and final transfer status if the return needs to be completed. Check the account's consignment and transfer settings if ownership or financial treatment matters.
Common questions
Which direction should the transfer order use?
Set From Location to the customer consignment location and To Location to the warehouse that will receive the returned stock. Read both fields before saving; the direction determines which location supplies the fulfillment.
Do I need a Business Partner field to make this transfer?
The demonstrated account has one on its custom transfer-order form. Another account may use a different form or no such field. Confirm your configured consignment process before using a custom field as a control.
Why do I need Inventory Detail on the fulfillment?
The example item is lot tracked. The fulfillment needs an assignment for the one unit being shipped, so the line is tied to lot XL615. Other items may require serial, bin or inventory-status detail; some items need no Inventory Detail at all.
Does Shipped mean the warehouse has received the stock?
No. This saved fulfillment establishes the outbound shipment shown in the example. The video does not show a saved destination item receipt or an increase in Main Warehouse on hand.