If you work with subscription billing in Business Central, the subscription line fields will feel familiar. Most of them are the same standard fields you already know from sales orders and sales blanket orders. Only a handful of fields are specific to the subscription app.
When you create a subscription line, you choose a type just like on a sales line. The options are G/L account, item, resource, fixed asset, and charge (item). In most cases you choose a G/L account or an item, but you can also invoice a subscription for a resource.
The subscription-specific fields are start date, invoicing frequency, next invoicing date, and end date. These four fields control the recurring invoice flow. Everything else on the line is a standard Business Central field.
The system calculates the end date automatically from the start date and the invoicing frequency, but you can always override it manually. The next invoicing date determines when the system invoices the line next, so it is one of the most important fields to get right.
You can add a deferral code to spread the income across the subscription period, for example over 12 months. You can also use the global dimensions on the line, and add any shortcut dimensions as columns through personalization.
Choosing the line type
The type field on a subscription line works exactly like it does on a sales line. You can choose between G/L account, item, resource, fixed asset, and charge (item). In most cases you will choose a G/L account or an item. If you are selling a resource, you can invoice a subscription for that resource instead.
When you pick an item or a G/L account, the description is inherited from the item name or the G/L account name. You can change the description on the line, and whatever text you enter is the text that goes onto the invoice.
Standard fields you already know
A lot of the fields on a subscription line are the same standard fields you find anywhere else in Business Central. Location and quantity work as usual, along with the unit of measure.
You enter a price on the line, for example 10 euros. The line discount field is also standard. The discount might be inherited from the item setup, or you can set it specifically for this subscription, the same way it works elsewhere in the system. The system then calculates the line amount for you.
The subscription-specific fields: start date, frequency, next invoicing date, and end date
Once you move past the standard fields, you reach the fields that are specific to the subscription app.
First you set the start date of the subscription, for example the first of January. Then you set the invoicing frequency. This is what creates the recurring invoice flow. You can set it to one month, one year, or another interval.
Based on the start date and the frequency, the system calculates the end date. If the start date is the first of January and the frequency is one month, the end date becomes the end of January. If you change the frequency to one year, the end date becomes the end of December.
This calculation is based on the configuration you make in the subscription setup, or in the wizard you go through when you install the app. You can always override the calculated end date if you want a different date.
The next invoicing date is very important, because it tells the system when to invoice next. You can copy the value from the line above using F8.
The end date marks when the subscription ends, so it tells the system when to stop the recurring billing.
Deferral codes for recognising income over time
You can add a deferral code to the line to recognise the income over a period instead of all at once. For example, you can use a deferral code that spreads the income over 12 months.
If the deferral code field is not visible when you open the subscription order, you can add it through personalization. You also need to have created the deferral codes beforehand.
Using dimensions on subscription lines
The last fields on the line are your global dimensions. A line can inherit a dimension value automatically, for example a project code. You can change it if it is not relevant, and you can add the department dimension as well.
All shortcut dimensions can be added as columns on the line through personalization, so you can set the dimensions you need directly while you work.
Summary
To create a complete subscription line, you fill in the standard fields you already know, and then the subscription-specific fields from start date through to end date. Everything from start date to end date is specific to subscriptions. All the other fields are standard Business Central fields.
Q&A
Which line types can I choose on a subscription line in Business Central?
You can choose G/L account, item, resource, fixed asset, and charge (item). In most cases you choose a G/L account or an item, but you can also invoice a subscription for a resource.
Which fields are specific to the subscription app?
The subscription-specific fields are start date, invoicing frequency, next invoicing date, and end date. All other fields on the line are standard Business Central fields.
How is the end date calculated on a subscription line?
The system calculates the end date from the start date and the invoicing frequency, based on the configuration in the subscription setup or the install wizard. For example, a start date of 1 January with a one-month frequency gives an end date at the end of January, and a one-year frequency gives an end date at the end of December. You can always override the calculated date.
What does the next invoicing date control?
The next invoicing date tells the system when to invoice the subscription line next. You can copy the value from the line above using F8.
How do I recognise subscription income over time?
You add a deferral code to the line, for example one that spreads the income over 12 months. You need to have created the deferral codes first, and if the field is not visible you can add it through personalization.
Can I use dimensions on subscription lines?
Yes. The line uses your global dimensions and can inherit values such as a project code. You can change them and add the department dimension, and all shortcut dimensions can be added as columns through personalization.