If you create subscription invoices in Business Central, you can either run the Create Invoice report manually or schedule it in a job queue. Most customers choose to run it manually because they generate invoices only once a month, quarterly, or even once a year, so setting up a job queue gives them little benefit.
The invoices you create from the subscription list are normal sales invoices. You can post them with a batch job, either through an existing post sales invoice job queue or by selecting batch post directly from the sales invoice list.
The biggest time saving comes from automating the invoice creation itself, not from running it through a job queue.
Creating subscription invoices manually from the subscription list
Most customers handle subscription invoicing manually. They go into the subscription list and run the Create Invoice report when they are ready to generate invoices. The report includes several fields that control how the invoices are generated, and there are separate explanations available for each of those.
The reason for doing this manually is simple. Many businesses only run this process once a month, quarterly, or even just once a year. When you invoice that infrequently, there is little reason to set up a job queue. You run the report when you have a clear process for when to do it and when you are ready to generate the invoices.
Scheduling subscription invoicing in a job queue
Just like any other report in Business Central, you can schedule the Create Invoice report in a job queue. You set up the job queue entry from the job queue list, and the report runs automatically on the schedule you define.
This is an option rather than a requirement. If your invoicing frequency is low, the manual approach usually works just as well.
Posting the generated invoices with a batch job
Once you have created the draft invoices, you can post them in a batch. The invoices generated from the subscription list are normal sales invoices, so they fit straight into your existing posting flow.
You have two options:
- If you already have a post sales invoice job queue running, the draft invoices you create here are picked up in that same flow.
- If you prefer to handle it manually, go to the sales invoice list and choose batch post.
Where the real time saving comes from
There are several ways to automate subscription invoicing in Business Central, but the practical experience shows where the value is. The time you save comes mainly from automating the invoice creation step, not from running the job in a queue. If you only invoice a few times a year, scheduling adds little, so focus on making the create invoice process efficient instead.
Q&A
Can you automate subscription invoicing in Business Central?
Yes. You can schedule the Create Invoice report in a job queue, and you can post the resulting invoices with a batch job. However, most customers run the invoice creation manually because they invoice infrequently.
Why do most customers create subscription invoices manually?
Because they often run the process only once a month, quarterly, or even once a year. At that frequency, setting up a job queue gives little benefit, so they run the Create Invoice report when they are ready.
Are subscription invoices treated as normal sales invoices?
Yes. The invoices created from the subscription list are normal sales invoices, so they can be included in your existing posting flow or batch posted from the sales invoice list.
How do you post draft subscription invoices in a batch?
You can let an existing post sales invoice job queue pick them up automatically, or you can go to the sales invoice list and choose batch post.
Where do you save the most time when invoicing subscriptions?
The biggest time saving is in the invoice creation step, not in scheduling the job through a job queue.