# Subscriptions

> Bill customers on a recurring schedule, track MRR and ARR, and let Workstation create an invoice on every billing date.

A subscription bills a customer again and again for the same products, for example a monthly retainer or an annual license. Deals and quotes win the customer; the subscription keeps invoicing them. Each billing date, Workstation creates an [invoice](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/commerce/invoices) for you.

Subscriptions are for your customers. Your own Workstation plan is managed in [Billing](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/commerce/billing).

Open **Commerce → Subscriptions**. You need the `subscriptions.view` permission.

## Create a subscription

1. Click **Create subscription**.
2. In the **Associations** card, choose the customer: a contact, an account, or both. You can also link the deal or quote it came from.
3. In **Products**, click **Add product** or **Add custom item**. Set the unit price, quantity, and an optional **Discount %** for each line. Prices are per billing period.
4. In the **Subscription** card, enter a **Name** (for example "Pro plan — annual"), the **Owner**, and a description.
5. In the **Billing** card, set:
   - **Billing frequency**: from Daily to Every five years. Monthly, Quarterly, and Annually are the most common.
   - **Start date**: the first billing date.
   - **Number of payments**: how many invoices the customer committed to. Leave it empty to bill **Until canceled**.
   - **Renew automatically at the end of the term**, when there is a fixed number of payments.
   - **Currency**.
6. In the **Invoicing** card, keep **Create an invoice on every billing date** on, set **Payment terms (days)** (0 means due on receipt), and add **Invoice comments** to print on each invoice.
7. Check the **Billing summary** (total per billing period, MRR, ARR, and contract value), then click **Create subscription**.

Tax uses your current tax settings, and each invoice uses the rates in force on its billing date.

### From a quote

A recurring [Price Offer](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/sales/price-offers) shows **Create subscription**. It opens the form filled in with the quote's customer and products. Nothing is saved until you click save. Only quotes with a recurring billing cycle can be converted.

## How billing works

- Once a day, Workstation creates an invoice for every subscription whose billing date has arrived. It also runs right after you create, edit, or resume a subscription, so a subscription starting today is invoiced immediately.
- Each invoice is issued as **Open**, dated on the billing date, and due after the payment terms. It is linked to the customer, the subscription, and the deal, and each line shows the service period.
- There is one invoice per billing period, never duplicates.
- Payments are collected manually. Record them on each invoice as usual. Workstation does not charge cards automatically.
- If invoicing is turned off for a subscription, billing periods still advance but no invoice is created.

When a fixed term ends, the subscription renews into a new term if auto-renew is on. Otherwise it expires the day after the term ends.

## Statuses

| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| **Scheduled** | The start date is in the future |
| **Active** | Billing normally |
| **Past due** | One of its invoices is past its due date with money owed. Paying or voiding that invoice makes it Active again. |
| **Paused** | No invoices are created until it is resumed |
| **Canceled** | Canceled now, or a scheduled cancellation has passed |
| **Expired** | A fixed term ended without auto-renew |

Status changes only through the actions below, so Kanban cards cannot be dragged between columns.

## Pause, resume, and cancel

These actions are in the subscription's header and need `subscriptions.update` (or `subscriptions.update_own` for your own records).

- **Pause** stops invoicing. You choose the next billing date when you resume.
- **Resume** asks for the **Next billing date**. The end of the term moves out by the length of the pause, so the customer keeps all their payments.
- **Cancel subscription** offers **At the end of the billing period** (runs until the period already billed ends) or **Cancel now**, with an optional **Reason**. Invoices already issued stay open; refunds are not automatic.
- **Keep subscription** removes a scheduled cancellation.

After the first invoice, the start date and currency can no longer be changed. A changed billing frequency applies from the next period. A canceled or expired subscription can only change its name, description, owner, and notes.

To delete a subscription that has already billed and is still running, cancel it first. Deleting keeps its invoices.

## The subscriptions list

The header shows the workspace's **MRR**, the number of active subscriptions, and how many are past due.

Use the **All subscriptions**, **My subscriptions**, **Active**, and **Past due** tabs. **Billing this week**, **Ending in 60 days**, **Paused**, and **Canceled or expired** are also available as [table views](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/administration/table-views). The list shows the subscription and customer, status, amount per period, MRR, billing frequency, next billing date, and end date. Switch to Kanban to see subscriptions grouped by status.

## Subscription record

The left sidebar shows the status, billing frequency, owner, start and next billing dates, end date, customer, MRR and ARR, and the number of billing cycles so far.

| Tab | Shows |
|---|---|
| **Overview** | The billing summary (total per period, MRR, ARR, contract value, billed, collected, outstanding, billing cycles), line items, and custom properties. A banner appears if a scheduled cancellation is pending or the last invoice could not be created. |
| **Invoices** | Every invoice the subscription created |
| **Activities** | Activities linked to the subscription |
| **Timeline** | The change history |

The right side shows the related contacts, accounts, deals, quotes, invoices, and tickets. Contacts, accounts, and deals also show a **Subscriptions** card. Admins can change the record layout in [Objects](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/administration/objects).

## Loyalty and automation

- With [Client Loyalty](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/operations/client-loyalty), customers can earn points on renewal payments, milestones, and win-back points when they choose to keep a subscription. Set this up in the **Subscriptions** card on the loyalty **Settings** tab. A contact can also use points automatically on each renewal invoice.
- [Workflows](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/administration/workflows) can start on **Subscription Created**, **Subscription Updated**, **Subscription Status Changed**, **Subscription Renewed**, and **Subscription Canceled**.

## Permissions

| Permission | Allows |
|---|---|
| `subscriptions.view` | See subscriptions |
| `subscriptions.create` | Create subscriptions, including from a quote |
| `subscriptions.update` / `subscriptions.update_own` | Edit, pause, resume, and cancel any or only your own |
| `subscriptions.delete` / `subscriptions.delete_own` | Delete any or only your own |

By default, Managers have all of them. Users can view, create, and update their own, but not delete.

## Related pages

- [Invoices](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/commerce/invoices)
- [Payments](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/commerce/payments)
- [Price Offers](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/sales/price-offers)
- [Deals](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/sales/deals)
- [Client Loyalty](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/operations/client-loyalty)
- [Workflows](https://workstation.repzo.com/docs/administration/workflows)