Customers & Subscriptions
Managing Subscriptions

5min
Subscriptions are a fundamental component of Octane, facilitating the connection between price plans and customers while defining the terms and billing cycles of service delivery. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the intricacies of subscriptions within Octane, covering key concepts and functionalities.
Connecting Price Plans to Customers
At its core, a subscription in Octane allows you to link a specific price plan to a customer, outlining the services they will receive and the associated pricing. Whether you're offering software, products, or services, subscriptions provide the framework for managing these relationships.
UI vs. API Usage
The choice between using the Octane user interface (UI) or the application programming interface (API) for creating subscriptions depends on your unique use case. For self-serve automation, the UI offers a user-friendly approach. Conversely, for enterprise scenarios, utilizing the UI may be preferred for creating subscriptions with specific configurations.
Python
JS
Go
package main

import (
	"time"

	"github.com/getoctane/octane-go"
)

func main() {
  client := octane.NewClient("<YOUR_API_KEY>")
  
  createArgs := octane.CreateCustomerArgs{
    Name: "customer_1",
    PricePlanName: "price_plan_name",
  }
  
  _, _, err := client.Customers.Create(createArgs)
  if err != nil {
    panic(err)
  }
  
  // Build a time.Time object from raw date string
  effectiveAtStr := "2021-06-01T00:00:00"
  effectiveAtObj, err := time.Parse("2006-01-02T15:04:05", effectiveAtStr)
  if err != nil {
    panic(err)
  }
  
  subArgs := octane.CreateSubscriptionArgs{
    PricePlanName:    "price_plan_name",
    EffectiveAt:      effectiveAtObj,
  }
  
  _, _, err = client.Customers.CreateSubscription("customer_1", subArgs)
  if err != nil {
    panic(err)
  }
}
package main

import (
	"time"

	"github.com/getoctane/octane-go"
)

func main() {
  client := octane.NewClient("<YOUR_API_KEY>")
  
  createArgs := octane.CreateCustomerArgs{
    Name: "customer_1",
    PricePlanName: "price_plan_name",
  }
  
  _, _, err := client.Customers.Create(createArgs)
  if err != nil {
    panic(err)
  }
  
  // Build a time.Time object from raw date string
  effectiveAtStr := "2021-06-01T00:00:00"
  effectiveAtObj, err := time.Parse("2006-01-02T15:04:05", effectiveAtStr)
  if err != nil {
    panic(err)
  }
  
  subArgs := octane.CreateSubscriptionArgs{
    PricePlanName:    "price_plan_name",
    EffectiveAt:      effectiveAtObj,
  }
  
  _, _, err = client.Customers.CreateSubscription("customer_1", subArgs)
  if err != nil {
    panic(err)
  }
}
﻿
Customization Options
When creating subscriptions, Octane offers a range of customization options. You can specify add-ons, apply discounts, and configure credit plans, tailoring each subscription to meet your customer's needs. Detailed documentation is available for each of these components to provide in-depth insights into their functionality.
Backdating Subscriptions
Octane seamlessly supports backdated subscriptions, allowing you to input historical start dates. You have the flexibility to choose any historical start date, provided it doesn't conflict with existing subscriptions for the same customer. Octane automatically recalculates all measurements within the specified period and generates invoices accordingly.
Scheduled Future Start Dates
In cases where contractual agreements dictate future start dates for subscriptions, Octane accommodates this requirement. You can schedule subscriptions to commence at a specified future date, aligning with your contractual terms.
﻿
By default, a subscription's billing cycles align with the subscription's starting timestamp. For instance, if a customer subscribes to a monthly price plan starting on January 15, the billing cycles follow this pattern. However, you may prefer to align billing cycles with the calendar, starting each cycle at the beginning of a month. This behavior can be enabled by setting the align_to_calendar to true in the settings. You can find this setting in Settings -> Invoicing & Payments -> Invoice Generation
Calendar billing cycles are supported for monthly, quarterly, and annual price plans, providing flexibility in how you structure your billing periods.
Next: Upgrades & Downgrades
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Customer Properties & Tags
Upgrades & Downgrades
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Connecting Price Plans to Customers
UI vs. API Usage
Customization Options
Backdating Subscriptions
Scheduled Future Start Dates