Is this deduction contractual or disputable?
Check it against your agreements, fee schedules, and distributor policies before spending time on evidence collection.
Step-by-step guide · Dispute filing
How to dispute a retailer deduction
For CPG operations and finance teams who need to contest a deduction from KeHE, UNFI, or any retailer — from the first remittance line through filed dispute and resolution.
Before you file
Not every deduction should be disputed.
In one verified audit, 88% of deduction dollars were contractual passthrough — charges that follow agreed terms. Disputing those wastes time and weakens your credibility with the distributor.
Do I have the evidence?
A dispute without the right evidence packet is worse than no dispute. Know what documents you need before you file.
Is the dispute window still open?
For KeHE: 180 days through K-Solve. For UNFI: varies by type. A strong dispute filed after the window closes is worth zero.
The dispute process
Seven steps from deduction line to resolution.
This process works for KeHE, UNFI, and direct retailer deductions. The portals and deadlines differ; the operating logic is the same.
01
Locate the deduction on your remittance or portal
Find the line on your remittance advice, K-Solve export, or UNFI Direct report. Preserve the original amount, date, deduction code, PO reference, and any description. Do not alter anything before you have a copy.
02
Match it to the purchase order
Connect the deduction line to the specific purchase order, invoice, shipment, and receiving event. An unmatched deduction is not ready for a dispute. The PO is the anchor for every piece of evidence downstream.
03
Classify: contractual or disputable?
Check the charge against your agreements, fee schedules, and distributor policies. In one verified audit, 88% of deduction dollars were contractual passthrough. Disputing contractual charges wastes capacity and erodes your credibility with the distributor.
04
Check the dispute deadline
KeHE requires disputes filed through K-Solve within 180 days of the deduction date. UNFI timelines vary by deduction category. Missing the window means the dollars are permanently unrecoverable regardless of the evidence.
05
Assemble the evidence packet
Gather the documents that speak to the specific cause of this deduction on this PO. Generic company documents will not win a dispute. The evidence must be PO-specific, date-specific, and cause-specific.
06
Draft and file the dispute
Write a clear dispute description referencing the PO, the deduction code, the amount, and the evidence attached. For KeHE, file through K-Solve. For UNFI, file through UNFI Direct. Email submissions are no longer accepted by most distributors.
07
Track to resolution and feed back the root cause
Record the outcome, response time, and owner. Standard response SLA is approximately 3 weeks. If the cause was operational — recurring shortages at a specific DC, timing violations, documentation gaps — route the finding into fulfillment changes so the deduction stops recurring.
Evidence quick reference
What evidence you need depends on the cause.
Different deduction types require different documents. The packet must be specific to the PO and the cause — generic evidence does not win disputes.
| Deduction type | Typical cause | Evidence needed |
|---|---|---|
| Shortage | Qty received < qty invoiced | Signed BOL, packing list, pick confirmation, proof of delivery (POD), warehouse count records |
| Compliance / routing | Appointment, pallet, labeling, EDI violations | Appointment history (C3 Reservations), carrier tracking events, communication showing who rescheduled |
| Pricing / allowance | Invoice vs. agreed price mismatch | Governing agreement or deal sheet, PO, invoice, and prior deductions taken under the same term |
| Damage / spoilage | Product arrived damaged or beyond shelf life | Photos at handoff, POD notations, temperature logs, carrier condition record |
| Late delivery | Delivery outside the distributor window | Appointment booking confirmation, carrier tracking events showing actual delivery time, any rescheduling correspondence |
| Fill rate penalty | Service level below threshold (e.g., 95%) | Pick confirmation, BOL, and evidence of actual cases shipped vs. DC recount. If the shortfall was DC-side, not supplier-side, it is disputable |
For the complete KeHE-specific evidence guide with policy citations, see the deduction evidence checklist.
What wins
Four things that separate winning disputes from wasted effort.
1
Specific to the PO
The evidence references this purchase order, this shipment, this receiving event. A generic BOL template or company-wide pick report is not sufficient.
2
Evidence speaks to the cause
If the deduction is for a shortage, the evidence must show what was actually shipped and received. If it is for a late delivery, the evidence must show when the appointment was booked and when delivery occurred.
3
Filed inside the window
A strong dispute filed on day 181 is worth zero. Prioritize by deadline urgency, not just dollar value. A $200 dispute expiring next week matters more than a $2,000 dispute with five months remaining.
4
Double-deduction check
When a distributor takes an IA (at receiving) and then a KC (from a post-receipt audit) on the same PO for the same shortage, that is a double-deduction. These have a historically high win rate because the distributor's own records show the charge was taken twice.
How EasyOps automates this
From manual detective work to automated recovery.
EasyOps automates the seven steps above so your team focuses on judgment calls, not portal-hopping and evidence-hunting.
Classify
Every deduction classified as contractual or disputable using validated rules. 48 of 111 KeHE prefix codes at 100% accuracy.
Assemble
Evidence (BOL, ASN, POD, appointment records) assembled automatically from connected systems. The packet builds during fulfillment.
File
Disputes pre-drafted with the right evidence and filed automatically through KeHE and UNFI portals.
Prevent
Compliance rules checked before shipment so fewer deductions happen in the first place. Recovery is the fallback, not the strategy.
From a real audit
$151,671
classified in one audit
88%
contractual — stop wasting time on those
$5,940
recoverable surfaced
Frequently asked
What evidence do I need to dispute a shortage deduction?+
A signed BOL, packing list, pick confirmation, and proof of delivery. These must be specific to the PO and shipment date. If an IA (invoice adjustment at receiving) was already taken and a KC (post-receipt audit) arrives later for the same PO, flag it as a double-deduction — these carry a historically high win rate.
How long do I have to dispute a KeHE deduction?+
KeHE requires disputes filed through K-Solve within 180 days of the deduction date. K-Solve quick search covers roughly the last 90 days; advanced search reaches back 2 years. UNFI timelines vary by deduction category and are generally shorter for some types. Current distributor documents govern the actual deadlines.
Can I dispute a deduction after the window closes?+
Generally no. Once the dispute window closes, the dollars are considered accepted by the distributor. This is why monitoring deadlines is critical. If you discover a systematic error (e.g., double-deductions across multiple POs), escalate to your distributor account manager — some exceptions exist, but they are not guaranteed.
What is a double-deduction and why does it always win?+
A double-deduction occurs when a distributor takes two charges on the same PO for the same event — typically an IA at receiving and a KC from a later internal audit. The win rate is historically high because the distributor's own system shows the charge was applied twice. Always check for prior deductions on the same PO before filing any dispute.
How does EasyOps help with disputes?+
EasyOps classifies every deduction as contractual or disputable using validated rules. For disputable items, evidence is assembled automatically from connected systems (BOL, ASN, appointment records, compliance checks). Disputes are pre-drafted with the right evidence packet and can be filed automatically through KeHE and UNFI portals. In one audit, EasyOps identified $10,757 in disputable deductions from $151,671 total.
Evidence boundary: This guide is an operating framework for CPG brands. It is not a substitute for current distributor documents, agreements, or portal instructions. Always verify deadlines, evidence requirements, and submission channels with each distributor.
Go deeper
Related guides and tools.
KeHE dispute field guide
The comprehensive KeHE-specific dispute guide with worked examples and policy citations.
Read →
Evidence checklist by cause
Cause-by-cause checklist of what evidence each distributor expects for each deduction type.
Read →
All 111 KeHE prefix codes
The most complete public reference for KeHE deduction codes, organized by category.
Read →
Deduction management solution
How EasyOps classifies, disputes, and recovers deductions automatically.
Read →
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