If you are getting started with the subscription app for Business Central, it helps to know exactly what you need to set up before you can create and invoice subscriptions. This article walks through the minimum required setup and the data that saves you time along the way.
The required setup is the subscription setup and at least one customer. You configure the subscription setup through the wizard that opens when you install the app, where you define rules for calculating end dates and the number series for subscriptions and related documents. You cannot create a subscription without a customer, so you need at least one.
Items, sales prices, discounts, deferral codes, and dimensions are not strictly required, but they save time and improve your reporting because the information is inherited onto the subscription when you select an item.
Minimum required setup: subscription setup and number series
The first thing you need is the subscription setup. You go through this in the wizard that opens when you install the app. Here you define some rules for the calculation of end dates and the number series, so the system knows how to number the subscriptions and the documents related to subscription invoicing.
This is the foundation that lets the system handle subscriptions correctly, so it makes sense to get it right from the start.
You need at least one customer to create a subscription
You cannot create a subscription without a customer, so as a minimum you need one customer. If you have been using Business Central for a while, you probably already have customers, since this is a standard Business Central table rather than something specific to the app.
If you want to create templates, you can create a dummy customer for that purpose.
Creating subscriptions: header and lines
Once the setup and customer are in place, you create the subscriptions themselves. A subscription consists of two parts:
- The subscription header, which holds the information on the customer.
- The subscription lines, which are what actually get invoiced.
This is the whole subscription you see when you open the card. You need the customer information, and you need to create the lines that are invoiced.
Why items are worth creating even though they are optional
Items are not strictly required, but creating them is usually a good idea. When you set up dimensions and other information on an item, that information is inherited when you choose the item on your subscription. So when you use the item on a subscription, it brings along both the item name and the dimensions set up on the item. That saves you time when you create subscriptions.
You can also post directly on a G/L account, in which case you do not need to create items. But using items usually saves time. If you do create items, make sure the type is correct. Do not create an item with inventory. Mark it as a service item, which is usually the right choice for subscriptions.
Sales prices and discounts follow your standard setup
If you use items, you can also create sales prices and discounts. This again saves time when you add the item, because the subscription follows your standard setup for sales prices. Items, sales prices, and discounts are all standard Business Central tables, so you may already have much of this in place.
Deferral codes for subscription lines
If you want to add a deferral code on your subscription line, you first need to have created the setup for it. This setup controls how the system should defer the amount, which text it should write, and so on. Deferral codes are also standard Business Central functionality.
Dimensions improve reporting on subscriptions
Dimensions are important in most organisations because they give you good reporting. You can set up dimensions on the customer so they are inherited from there, or on an item, or on a G/L account. Most companies already use dimensions, so you probably have them in place.
It is usually a good idea to add dimensions to your subscriptions, so you can get a department dimension or whatever else you need in your reporting.
Q&A
What is the minimum required setup to start using the subscription app?
You need the subscription setup, which you complete through the installation wizard, and at least one customer. The subscription setup defines rules for calculating end dates and the number series for subscriptions and related documents.
Can you create a subscription without a customer?
No. You cannot create a subscription without a customer, so you need at least one customer as a minimum. If you want to create templates, you can set up a dummy customer for that.
Do you have to use items on subscriptions?
No. You can post directly on a G/L account instead. But using items usually saves time, because the item name and dimensions set up on the item are inherited onto the subscription.
What item type should you use for subscriptions?
Mark the item as a service item rather than creating an item with inventory. A service item is usually the correct choice for subscriptions.
How do sales prices and discounts work on subscriptions?
If you use items, you can create sales prices and discounts. The subscription then follows your standard setup for sales prices when you add the item, which saves time.
What do you need before adding a deferral code to a subscription line?
You need to have created the deferral code setup first. This setup controls how the system defers the amount and which text it writes.
Where can you set up dimensions so they are inherited onto a subscription?
You can set up dimensions on the customer, on an item, or on a G/L account. They are then inherited onto the subscription, which gives you better reporting.