# Returns management
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Returns can only be created from fulfilled orders, follow a lifecycle from draft to refunded, and can trigger a partial or full refund without cancelling the original order.
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## Return management system
Commerce Layer provides a return management system that allows you to manage returns across different statuses in one place. You can handle orders returned for any reason — faulty line items, long delivery times, and so on.
[Returns](/core-api-reference/returns.md) can only be created from fulfilled orders. Multiple returns can be created from a single order. When a return request is submitted, it is either approved or not. SKUs that are successfully returned can be restocked to the inventory.
## Return fulfillment
Returns are initially created in *draft* status. They become *requested* when a customer requests to return SKUs from a specific order. Requested returns can be *approved* or *cancelled*. An approved return becomes *shipped* once it leaves the origin address (customer address). Once shipped returns reach the specified return location (destination address), their status becomes either *received* (if the return process completed successfully) or *rejected* (e.g. the customer sent back the wrong items). Received returns can be refunded, in which case their status becomes *refunded*. Successfully returned SKUs can be restocked to an inventory location.
## Refund from a return
Once returned items arrive at the destination address, a refund process can be initiated [from the return itself](/core-api-reference/returns.md#refunding-from-a-return).
The amount to be refunded must be specified manually — the API computes an estimate based on the price and quantity of the returned items, exposed in a return attribute. By default, the refund is applied to the most recent successful capture associated with the order. If there are multiple captures, you can specify a different one. Starting a refund from a return does not cancel the associated order.
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