In SAP S/4HANA, intercompany stock transfer returns have evolved significantly compared to legacy MIGO-based processes. Today, return scenarios must support outbound and inbound deliveries, enabling seamless EWM and TM integration and preserving handling unit and batch information across plants.

This blog summarizes a standard SAP S/4HANA process that leverages Store Returns (without activating Advanced Returns Management) to handle cross-company stock transfer returns efficiently. The process allows a returning plant to create a return PO, execute a return delivery with goods issue, automatically trigger an inbound delivery in the receiving plant via output type SPED, and complete goods receipt and financial settlement using standard MM and SD documents.

A key advantage of this approach is that it provides many benefits of advanced stock transfer—such as delivery-based logistics integration—without introducing ARM complexity. At the same time, it deliberately avoids features like financial transit stock, transfer of control, or automatic sales return orders, making it lean and predictable.

The full scenario is demonstrated using SAP best-practice demo data (Germany ↔ US) and includes required SPRO customizing, document flow, and important restrictions when running advanced intercompany STOs in parallel.

👉 The complete end-to-end process walkthrough, including screenshots, configuration details, and document flow, can be studied in detail in my blog post on SAP Community:
https://community.sap.com/t5/supply-chain-management-blog-posts-by-members/ic-stock-transfer-returns-process-w-outbound-and-inbound-delivery-private/ba-p/14236136

Until SAP delivers a fully integrated advanced IC return process, this solution offers a robust, standard-compliant bridge for real-world intercompany return scenarios in SAP S/4HANA, fully compatible with logistics execution and financial settlement requirements.