Subscription Management is an app for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central that adds recurring, subscription-based invoicing to the standard system. You install it on top of Business Central and use the standard features you already know, such as items, customers, deferral codes, and dimensions.
You get a subscription invoice engine that lets you handle recurring invoicing for things like licenses or memberships, or anything else you need to invoice at a fixed interval.
The app builds on the standard blanket sales order feature, but adapts it for fixed-interval recurring invoicing instead of demand planning.
Setup is minimal. Most customers can implement the app themselves or with very little consultant help, which keeps implementation costs down.
You can generate invoices per customer, per subscription, or per line, and invoice items, resources, or G/L accounts. A batch action lets you generate all sales invoices across every subscription in just a few clicks.
What Subscription Management adds to Business Central
Subscription Management is an app that extends the functionality of standard Business Central. You install it in your system to get the subscription invoicing features.
The app adds a separate list of subscriptions and a little extra functionality around the create invoice function. Everything else builds on standard Business Central. You still create a draft sales invoice that you can post to get a posted invoice and send to your customer.
You don’t have to create a lot of extra setup. The app uses standard items, standard customers, deferral codes, and so on. The main difference is that you have your subscriptions as a separate list, where you handle the recurrence of the invoicing and everything needed to control your subscription invoicing.
How subscriptions relate to blanket sales orders
Subscriptions are based on the standard blanket sales order feature. The app extends this functionality so you can focus on recurring invoicing instead of a sales agreement.
A normal blanket sales order focuses on a sales agreement where the customer commits to a certain quantity and can then make withdrawals on sales orders within a given period. It’s mainly used for demand planning, where the customer decides when they want to make their withdrawals.
Subscription invoicing works differently. You have a fixed invoicing interval. You can still make adjustments to the number of items you’re selling or add extra lines, but the invoicing happens at a fixed interval.
Minimum setup required
The minimum setup is not much. You need the following in place:
- Subscription setup. You do this when you install the app and run the wizard.
- Customers. You cannot create a subscription that isn’t linked to a customer.
- Subscriptions. You need to create the subscriptions themselves.
- Items (recommended). You can inherit prices, dimensions, and text from items, and you can create sales prices and discounts on them.
- Deferral codes. Use these if you want to defer your income with the standard deferral function.
- Dimensions. Many companies use dimensions for reporting, so make sure you handle them on your subscriptions as well.
Invoicing options and flexibility
By installing the app you extend Business Central with a subscription invoice engine, making recurring subscription-based invoicing easy. The most common use is for licenses or memberships, but it works for anything you need to invoice at a fixed recurring interval.
You can handle different types of subscriptions and generate invoices per customer, per subscription, or even per line. You can invoice per line and per resource, and invoice different types: items, resources, or G/L accounts.
A batch action feature lets you generate invoices across all subscriptions. You can generate all sales invoices in very few clicks.
Customizing invoice text and posting detail
The text you write on the subscription is generated as the invoice line text, so you can customize what appears on each subscription and on the invoice lines.
You can also add a header text as the top line on your invoice lines if you want to write a comment to your customer.
You can create deferral plans, dimensions, discounts, and income recognition per line, and these are posted as individual lines in the journal.
Q&A
What is Subscription Management for Business Central?
It’s an app that extends standard Business Central with a subscription invoice engine, allowing you to handle recurring, subscription-based invoicing such as licenses and memberships.
Do I need a lot of setup to use the app?
No. The setup is minimal. You run a wizard when you install the app, and you use standard customers, items, deferral codes, and dimensions. Most customers can implement it themselves or with minimal consultant help.
How is subscription invoicing different from a blanket sales order?
A blanket sales order is a sales agreement for demand planning, where the customer commits to a quantity and decides when to make withdrawals. Subscription invoicing uses a fixed invoicing interval instead.
Can I invoice different types of items?
Yes. You can invoice items, resources, or G/L accounts, and you can generate invoices per customer, per subscription, or per line.
Can I generate invoices for many subscriptions at once?
Yes. A batch action feature lets you generate all sales invoices across all subscriptions in very few clicks.
Can I customize the text on the invoice?
Yes. The text on the subscription becomes the invoice line text, and you can add a header text as the top line on your invoice lines.