> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.arcuserp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Add line items to an RMA

> Adds one or more items to a draft or authorized RMA. Each item must reference a valid
`order_item_id` from the original order. Validates that the return quantity does not
exceed the original ordered quantity minus already-returned quantity (accounting for
any existing open RMAs against the same line). Returns 422 `qty_exceeds_remaining`
on overage. Requires `returns:write` scope.




## OpenAPI

````yaml /openapi.yaml post /returns/{id}/items
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: Arcus ERP Public API
  version: 1.0.0
  description: >
    Arcus ERP public REST API. Designed for external integrations and data
    migration.


    **Authentication.** Bearer token (API key) via the `Authorization` header.

    Format: `Authorization: Bearer ark_live_ent_<code>_<random>` (or
    `ark_test_*` for sandbox).

    API keys are issued per-entity in **Settings > Developers > API Keys**.


    **Entity scoping.** The entity is encoded in the API key prefix; routes are
    flat

    (e.g. `/v1/accounts`, `/v1/orders`, `/v1/products`). A small set of platform
    endpoints

    (migration, reconciliation, events, webhook endpoints, API keys) use the

    `/v1/entities/{entity_id}/...` form -- those are noted in their tags.


    **Key capabilities.**
      - Related-resource hydration via `?expand[]=` (see `x-arcus-expand` on each resource).
      - Cursor-based pagination (`starting_after` / `ending_before` / `limit`).
      - Idempotency via the `Idempotency-Key` header.
      - Webhook events for asynchronous notification.
      - Conditional requests / ETag for cache validation.
servers:
  - url: https://api.arcuserp.com/v1
    description: Arcus ERP API (accepts both live `ark_live_*` and test `ark_test_*` keys)
  - url: https://dev-api.arcuserp.com/v1
    description: >-
      Dev sandbox API (test-only data, accepts `ark_test_*` keys against dev
      RDS)
security: []
paths:
  /returns/{id}/items:
    parameters:
      - name: id
        in: path
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
          format: uuid
    post:
      tags:
        - Returns
      summary: Add line items to an RMA
      description: >
        Adds one or more items to a draft or authorized RMA. Each item must
        reference a valid

        `order_item_id` from the original order. Validates that the return
        quantity does not

        exceed the original ordered quantity minus already-returned quantity
        (accounting for

        any existing open RMAs against the same line). Returns 422
        `qty_exceeds_remaining`

        on overage. Requires `returns:write` scope.
      operationId: addReturnItems
      parameters:
        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/IdempotencyKey'
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              type: object
              required:
                - items
              properties:
                items:
                  type: array
                  items:
                    type: object
                    required:
                      - order_item_id
                      - quantity_authorized
                    properties:
                      order_item_id:
                        type: string
                        format: uuid
                      quantity_authorized:
                        type: integer
                        minimum: 1
                      reason_code:
                        type: string
                        enum:
                          - defective
                          - damaged_in_transit
                          - wrong_item_shipped
                          - not_as_described
                          - no_longer_needed
                          - found_better_price
                          - arrived_late
                          - other
                          - unspecified
                        description: >-
                          Per-line return reason. Powers returns-by-reason
                          analytics (R31). Defaults to 'unspecified' if omitted
                          (NEW-GAP-DATA-ANALYTICS-OPERATIONAL-WIRING
                          2026-05-16).
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Items added
        '400':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Error'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Error'
        '403':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Error'
        '404':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Error'
        '422':
          description: >-
            Quantity exceeds remaining. Error code `qty_exceeds_remaining` with
            fields `order_item_id`, `requested`, `remaining`, `sold`, `prior`.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: object
                properties:
                  code:
                    type: string
                    example: qty_exceeds_remaining
                  order_item_id:
                    type: string
                    format: uuid
                  requested:
                    type: integer
                  remaining:
                    type: integer
                  sold:
                    type: integer
                  prior:
                    type: integer
      security:
        - ApiKeyAuth: []
components:
  parameters:
    IdempotencyKey:
      name: Idempotency-Key
      in: header
      required: false
      description: |
        Client-generated unique key for idempotent POST/PATCH/DELETE operations.
        Alias for the Idempotency parameter. Max 255 chars. On retry with the
        same key, the original response is returned without re-executing the
        operation. Keys expire after 24 hours.
      schema:
        type: string
        maxLength: 255
  responses:
    Error:
      description: Error response (400/401/403/404/409/422/429/500)
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorEnvelope'
  schemas:
    ErrorEnvelope:
      type: object
      description: |
        Canonical error response envelope. All API errors use this shape.
      required:
        - error
        - code
      properties:
        error:
          type: string
          description: Machine-readable error key
          example: not_found
        code:
          type: string
          description: Machine-readable error code (often same as error)
          example: not_found
        type:
          type: string
          enum:
            - validation_error
            - permission_error
            - not_found
            - conflict
            - rate_limit
            - internal
            - expand_error
            - not_implemented
          example: not_found
        hint:
          type: string
          description: Human-readable one-sentence explanation (English)
          example: >-
            The requested order does not exist or does not belong to this
            entity.
        param:
          type: string
          description: The parameter that caused the error, if applicable
          example: expand[0]
        required:
          type: string
          description: The scope required (only on insufficient_scope errors)
          example: accounts:read
        request_id:
          type: string
          description: >-
            Unique request ID for support tracing (maps to CloudWatch log
            stream)
          example: req_abc123
  securitySchemes:
    ApiKeyAuth:
      type: http
      scheme: bearer
      description: |
        API key issued per entity via Settings > Developers > API Keys.
        Each key carries scopes (e.g. orders:read, products:write).
        Bearer token format: Authorization: Bearer ark_live_ent_<code>_<random>
        Test keys use ark_test_ent_<code>_<random>. Both are issued per entity
        via Settings > Developers > API Keys.

````