Useful filters on the subscription list

Saved filters on the subscription list in Business Central let you turn recurring follow-up tasks into a checklist you can run through quickly. You decide which filters make sense for your role, but a few of them apply to almost any subscription setup.

You can create a filter to catch subscriptions that still point to a dummy or template customer number. This helps you find subscriptions where you forgot to change the Sell-to customer.

You can filter on the salesperson code to follow up on subscriptions where a specific person is responsible, including a filter for subscriptions with no responsible salesperson at all.

You can filter on the Next Action Date to see when subscriptions are due for invoicing, and to confirm that nothing is left to invoice after you have run your create invoice reports.

Remember that a blank Next Invoicing Date on a subscription line means that line will not be included in the next invoicing run, and it will also leave the Next Action Date blank.

You can filter on dimensions such as project codes, and add a blank filter to catch subscriptions that are missing a project code.

You can filter on amounts such as monthly revenue or yearly sales amount equal to zero, which catches subscriptions that are not set up to generate revenue.

How saved filters help with subscription follow-up

Which filters you should save on the lists in the system depends on your role, your company, and the data you work with. There is no single right answer. Still, there are a number of filters worth considering on the subscription list, and most of them are about turning recurring checks into something you can run quickly.

It is a good idea to name your filters after the process you are doing. That way a saved filter becomes part of a checklist you go through weekly, monthly, or whatever interval suits your business. This is standard Business Central functionality, so you can use it across the whole system, and it is also available in the subscription app.

Filtering on customer to catch template values

If you work with templates, you might have several you copy when you create new subscriptions. A subscription always needs a customer, so it is common to set up a dummy customer for the templates.

To make sure you have not left that placeholder in place by mistake, you can create a filter that checks for subscriptions where the Sell-to customer number is still the dummy value. Name it something like “Check for dummy customer” and you have a quick way to find subscriptions where you forgot to change the customer.

You could also filter so that the number does not start with “temp” to hide the templates entirely. But there is nothing wrong with keeping the templates in your list and simply adding extra filters when you need them, just like normal filter functionality.

Filtering on salesperson code and responsibility

In many cases you want a filter on the salesperson code. If you have several salespersons, you might want a separate filter per person. You can also create a filter for your own salesperson code so you only see the subscriptions you are responsible for.

If you use the salesperson code as an internal responsible, name the filter accordingly, for example “Internal responsible” with the initials of the employee. You can create one filter for each salesperson code you need to follow up on.

It is also useful to make a filter where the salesperson code is blank. This shows subscriptions that do not have a responsible assigned, which may be important in your company. Name it “No responsible” so it is clear what it does.

Filtering on Next Action Date for invoicing

One of the most important fields to filter on is the Next Action Date. This is a date filter. The system looks at the subscription lines and finds when the next action is due, which gives you a good indication of what needs attention.

This matters when you run different invoice intervals. If some of your subscriptions are invoiced monthly and some quarterly, the Next Action Date always tells you when the next action is coming up.

Keep in mind that a blank Next Invoicing Date on a subscription line means that line will not be included in the next invoicing run. It also leaves the Next Action Date blank on the subscription. If you add a Next Invoicing Date to the line, the Next Action Date updates automatically and shows up on the list.

A saved Next Action Date filter stores the date you entered. The following month, you simply update the date in the filter. This is useful if you create your invoices based on different filters. After you run the create invoice reports, you can use this filter to confirm that nothing is left in the list. In other words, you have run all the create invoice reports you need to, and the list shows the full picture of what needs to be invoiced.

Filtering on dimensions and project codes

You may also want filters on your dimensions. If you use a global dimension for project codes on your subscriptions, and you are responsible for one or a couple of specific projects, you can filter on those.

For example, if you are responsible for project 11 and 12, set up a filter on those values and save it under a name that makes sense, such as “My projects” or “11 and 12”.

If project is an important dimension and you have rules in your chart of accounts about default dimensions, you may also want a filter where the project code is blank. This catches subscriptions that do not have a project code on them. It works as a follow-up filter, similar to the “No responsible” filter. Name it “No project”.

Filtering on amounts to catch zero revenue

You might also want filters on the different amounts. If you filter monthly revenue equal to zero, you catch subscriptions that have zero in monthly revenue or zero in sales amount per year.

When you apply the filter, you can check the result. If only a template shows zero, that may be fine. But having a saved filter named something like “No sales amount” means you can check this on a recurring basis and spot subscriptions that are not set up to generate revenue.

Q&A