Manage Custom Return Workflows
Plans: Premium, Enterprise
Merchants can set up custom return request workflows based on specific customer or return scenarios. These workflows give full control over how returns are approved, refunded, or exchangedâautomatically or manuallyâbased on defined conditions.
In this article, we will show you:
Demo
Set up custom return workflows
Workflow priority
Use cases
Troubleshooting tips
FAQs
Key takeaways
Watch the demo below to understand how to set up custom return workflows.
Go to Settings > Return workflow in your AfterShip Returns admin.
Click Create workflow, then select Custom return processing template.
The workflow setup is carried out in two main steps.
A. Conditions: Conditions are the rules that trigger the workflow.
Set the logic: Select whether to activate the workflow when all conditions are met or if any of the conditions are met by simply selecting one of the options.
Merchants can select between
- TRUE if All conditions are met. This setting is an AND statement that will trigger the corresponding action when all conditions are met
- TRUE if Any condition is met. This setting is an OR statement that will trigger the corresponding action when any defined conditions are met
Set conditions: Select and set up conditions that will trigger this specific workflow. Below is the list of conditions currently supported that you can use to facilitate certain actions.
Select the condition from the list, apply the logic, and input the corresponding value.
For example: If you have selected the Order tag of the original order as the condition and set the logic to is any of, and the corresponding value as Sale, the original order associated with the return request with a tag Sale as defined in your Shopify admin will pass the eligibility rule and the corresponding Action will be applied to it.
B. Actions: Decide what happens when the condition is met.
Below are the supported actions that you can set up to be triggered manually or automatically based on when a request is at a certain stage of the return process.
Shopify Checkout users: Exchange orders will be created upon RMA creation, not via workflow.
For Approve return action, select whether you want the eligible requests to be processed manually or automatically. If the option to approve the return request automatically is selected, the same will be done as soon as the RMA is created.
For the Refund to original payment method action, select whether you want the refund for the eligible requests to be processed manually or automatically. If the option to refund to payment automatically is selected, select the return status of the RMA to trigger it.
You can select betweenâ In transit, Delivered, and Marked as received.
If you want the refund to the original payment to automatically initiate for RMAs with Marked as received status, further select the grade of the return item associated with the RMA to initiate the action. Only returned items meeting your grade requirements will trigger automatic refunds. Learn more
For the Refund to store credit action, select whether you want the refund for the eligible requests to be processed manually or automatically. If the option to refund to store credit automatically is selected, select the return status of the RMA to trigger it.
You can select betweenâ In transit, Delivered, and Marked as received.
If you want the refund to store credit to automatically initiate for RMAs with Marked as received status, further select the grade of the return item associated with the RMA to initiate the action. Only returned items meeting your grade requirements will trigger automatic refunds. Learn more
For the Create an exchange order action, select whether you want an exchange order for the eligible requests to be created manually or automatically. If the option to create an exchange request automatically is selected, select the return status of the RMA to trigger the action.
You can select betweenâ Created, Approved, In transit, Delivered, and Marked as received.
If you have custom workflows, routing rules automation, and general automation rules set up simultaneously, actions will be processed in the following order of priority:
Each action checks the workflow/automation rule status before proceeding. If the corresponding workflow is disabled or deleted, the system will fall back to manual processing.
RMA A: The workflow is configured to auto-refund when the return is in transit. However, the workflow is disabled after RMA A is created. When the return status updates to in transit, AfterShip will not auto-refund RMA A because the workflow is no longer active. The merchant must manually process the refund.
RMA A (continued): Later, the workflow is re-enabled and the trigger condition is changed to delivered before the return enters in transit. Once the return is delivered, AfterShip will auto-refund RMA A because the workflow is active and the trigger condition is now met.
Trigger updates to workflows only apply to new return requests.
RMA B: A workflow is set to auto-refund when the return is in transit. RMA B is created while the workflow is active. Even if the merchant disables the workflow after RMA B is created, AfterShip will still auto-refund RMA B when the return enters in transit, because the workflow was active at the time of creation.
VIP customers
For your businessâs high-value customers, you can create a custom workflow to automatically approve return requests and issue refunds, store credit, or exchange orders once the return shipment is in transit.
Policy abuse customers
For customers who either send a wrong/used item back or do not send back an item at all, you can create a custom workflow to manually approve return requests and process refunds/store credit/exchanges only after the item is marked as received.
Possible cause: The workflow is either disabled or the trigger condition for an RMA request hasnât been met.
Solution:
Ensure the workflow is enabled in your automation settings.
Double-check that the conditions defined in the workflow (e.g., status change, return reason, item condition) match the return request.
Possible cause: The workflow may have been disabled after the RMA was created.
Solution:
Check the workflow status at the time the RMA was created.
If the workflow was enabled after the RMA creation, AfterShip will not process automated actions for the existing RMAs.
In this case, the refund must be processed manually.
Exchange orders for Shopify are created at the time of RMA creation, not during workflow execution.
Solution:
Ensure that the exchange option was selected and valid when the RMA was created.
If you rely on automation to trigger an exchange later (e.g., on status updates), note that this does not apply to ShopifyâShopify requires exchange orders to be placed during RMA creation.
In the current workflow version, RMA with Green Return is not impacted, as it is determined solely by an automation rule. However, in the upcoming version, Green returns will be integrated into the existing action and will be subject to the new workflow logic.
This feature is available for Premium plan and above users.
You can customize return request workflows based on customer type or behavior (e.g., VIPs vs policy abusers).
Set rules to auto-approve and refund return requests once the return is in transit, or manually handle returns from flagged customers.
Set flexible automated workflows for actions like approval, refund, issuing store credit, or creating exchange orders.
Use conditions to tailor your workflows for different scenarios, unlike the old setup, which applied rules to all returns in the same way.
Clear workflow priority logic ensures workflows override manual and routing rules, where applicable.
If a workflow is disabled, the return falls back to manual processingânothing happens automatically.
Changes to workflows only apply to new return requests, not existing ones.
Overview
Merchants can set up custom return request workflows based on specific customer or return scenarios. These workflows give full control over how returns are approved, refunded, or exchangedâautomatically or manuallyâbased on defined conditions.
What youâll learn
In this article, we will show you:
Demo
Set up custom return workflows
Workflow priority
Use cases
Troubleshooting tips
FAQs
Key takeaways
Demo
Watch the demo below to understand how to set up custom return workflows.
How to set up custom return workflows
Go to Settings > Return workflow in your AfterShip Returns admin.
Click Create workflow, then select Custom return processing template.
The workflow setup is carried out in two main steps.
A. Conditions: Conditions are the rules that trigger the workflow.
Set the logic: Select whether to activate the workflow when all conditions are met or if any of the conditions are met by simply selecting one of the options.
Merchants can select between
- TRUE if All conditions are met. This setting is an AND statement that will trigger the corresponding action when all conditions are met
- TRUE if Any condition is met. This setting is an OR statement that will trigger the corresponding action when any defined conditions are met
Set conditions: Select and set up conditions that will trigger this specific workflow. Below is the list of conditions currently supported that you can use to facilitate certain actions.
| Condition type | Conditions | Description | eCommerce platforms supported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order | Countries/Regions | Specifies the country or region of the original order associated with the return request. | All platforms |
| Order | Order tag | Tags assigned to the original order associated with the return request, as defined in your eCommerce platform. | Shopify, Magento 2 |
| Order | Event date | The date on which a specific event (like an order placed, fulfilled, or delivered) occurred. | All platforms |
| Order | Discount code | A promotional code applied to the original order associated with the return request (from your eCommerce platform). | Shopify, Commerce API |
| Order | Discount percentage | The percentage discount applied to the original order associated with the return request (from your eCommerce platform). | Shopify, Commerce API |
| Product | Product tag | Tags assigned to the original product in the return request for filtering or organization, as defined in your eCommerce platform. | Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento 1 |
| Product | Product type | The category or classification of the original product(s) in the return request, as defined in your eCommerce platform. | Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento 1, Magento 2 |
| Product | SKU | The stock-keeping unit identifier unique to each product variant in the return request. | All platforms |
| Return | Return request date | The date a return was initiated by the customer within, after, or before the starting of the return window | All platforms |
| Return | Return reason | The reason provided by the customer for returning a product. | All platforms |
Select the condition from the list, apply the logic, and input the corresponding value.
For example: If you have selected the Order tag of the original order as the condition and set the logic to is any of, and the corresponding value as Sale, the original order associated with the return request with a tag Sale as defined in your Shopify admin will pass the eligibility rule and the corresponding Action will be applied to it.
B. Actions: Decide what happens when the condition is met.
Below are the supported actions that you can set up to be triggered manually or automatically based on when a request is at a certain stage of the return process.
| Action | Platforms Supported |
|---|---|
| Approve return | All platforms |
| Refund to original payment method | Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Shoplazza, Wix |
| Refund to store credit | Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce |
| Create an exchange order | Shopify (Stripe), BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud |
Shopify Checkout users: Exchange orders will be created upon RMA creation, not via workflow.
For Approve return action, select whether you want the eligible requests to be processed manually or automatically. If the option to approve the return request automatically is selected, the same will be done as soon as the RMA is created.
For the Refund to original payment method action, select whether you want the refund for the eligible requests to be processed manually or automatically. If the option to refund to payment automatically is selected, select the return status of the RMA to trigger it.
You can select betweenâ In transit, Delivered, and Marked as received.
If you want the refund to the original payment to automatically initiate for RMAs with Marked as received status, further select the grade of the return item associated with the RMA to initiate the action. Only returned items meeting your grade requirements will trigger automatic refunds. Learn more
For the Refund to store credit action, select whether you want the refund for the eligible requests to be processed manually or automatically. If the option to refund to store credit automatically is selected, select the return status of the RMA to trigger it.
You can select betweenâ In transit, Delivered, and Marked as received.
If you want the refund to store credit to automatically initiate for RMAs with Marked as received status, further select the grade of the return item associated with the RMA to initiate the action. Only returned items meeting your grade requirements will trigger automatic refunds. Learn more
For the Create an exchange order action, select whether you want an exchange order for the eligible requests to be created manually or automatically. If the option to create an exchange request automatically is selected, select the return status of the RMA to trigger the action.
You can select betweenâ Created, Approved, In transit, Delivered, and Marked as received.
Workflow priority
If you have custom workflows, routing rules automation, and general automation rules set up simultaneously, actions will be processed in the following order of priority:
| Action | Priority Order |
|---|---|
| Approve return | Workflow > Routing rule > Manual |
| Refund to original payment method | Workflow > Automation rule > Manual |
| Refund to Store credit | Workflow > Automation rule > Manual |
| Create an exchange order | Workflow > Automation rule > Manual |
| Other actions (Auto-release, Received, Restock, Resolved) | Automation rule > Manual |
Each action checks the workflow/automation rule status before proceeding. If the corresponding workflow is disabled or deleted, the system will fall back to manual processing.
RMA A: The workflow is configured to auto-refund when the return is in transit. However, the workflow is disabled after RMA A is created. When the return status updates to in transit, AfterShip will not auto-refund RMA A because the workflow is no longer active. The merchant must manually process the refund.
RMA A (continued): Later, the workflow is re-enabled and the trigger condition is changed to delivered before the return enters in transit. Once the return is delivered, AfterShip will auto-refund RMA A because the workflow is active and the trigger condition is now met.
Trigger updates to workflows only apply to new return requests.
RMA B: A workflow is set to auto-refund when the return is in transit. RMA B is created while the workflow is active. Even if the merchant disables the workflow after RMA B is created, AfterShip will still auto-refund RMA B when the return enters in transit, because the workflow was active at the time of creation.
Use cases
VIP customers
For your businessâs high-value customers, you can create a custom workflow to automatically approve return requests and issue refunds, store credit, or exchange orders once the return shipment is in transit.
Policy abuse customers
For customers who either send a wrong/used item back or do not send back an item at all, you can create a custom workflow to manually approve return requests and process refunds/store credit/exchanges only after the item is marked as received.
Troubleshooting tips
Issue 1: The workflow is not triggering
Possible cause: The workflow is either disabled or the trigger condition for an RMA request hasnât been met.
Solution:
Ensure the workflow is enabled in your automation settings.
Double-check that the conditions defined in the workflow (e.g., status change, return reason, item condition) match the return request.
Issue 2: The return was not auto-refunded as expected
Possible cause: The workflow may have been disabled after the RMA was created.
Solution:
Check the workflow status at the time the RMA was created.
If the workflow was enabled after the RMA creation, AfterShip will not process automated actions for the existing RMAs.
In this case, the refund must be processed manually.
Issue 3: The exchange order was not created for a Shopify checkout
Exchange orders for Shopify are created at the time of RMA creation, not during workflow execution.
Solution:
Ensure that the exchange option was selected and valid when the RMA was created.
If you rely on automation to trigger an exchange later (e.g., on status updates), note that this does not apply to ShopifyâShopify requires exchange orders to be placed during RMA creation.
FAQs
Will RMA with Green returns be impacted by the new workflow?
In the current workflow version, RMA with Green Return is not impacted, as it is determined solely by an automation rule. However, in the upcoming version, Green returns will be integrated into the existing action and will be subject to the new workflow logic.
Key takeaways
This feature is available for Premium plan and above users.
You can customize return request workflows based on customer type or behavior (e.g., VIPs vs policy abusers).
Set rules to auto-approve and refund return requests once the return is in transit, or manually handle returns from flagged customers.
Set flexible automated workflows for actions like approval, refund, issuing store credit, or creating exchange orders.
Use conditions to tailor your workflows for different scenarios, unlike the old setup, which applied rules to all returns in the same way.
Clear workflow priority logic ensures workflows override manual and routing rules, where applicable.
If a workflow is disabled, the return falls back to manual processingânothing happens automatically.
Changes to workflows only apply to new return requests, not existing ones.
Updated on: 08/05/2025
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