Editing a subscription¶
Most details on an Active subscription can be changed without cancelling and re-creating. You edit from the side-peek, and the change takes effect either immediately (with proration) or on the next renewal.
Who this is for
Hosts whose customer wants to upgrade, downgrade, change quantity, or switch collection mode mid-cycle.
What you can edit¶
| Field | When it takes effect |
|---|---|
| Quantity on a single-item subscription | Immediately, prorated against the current period |
| Price on a single-item subscription | Immediately, prorated against the current period |
| Collection mode (auto-charge ⇄ manual) | At the next renewal |
| Tax rate | At the next renewal |
| Notes | At the next renewal |
| Customer contact | Edit the contact record; future renewals pick it up |
A few things are intentionally not editable mid-cycle:
- Multi-item subscriptions can't have their items changed. The drawer blocks the edit with a message telling you to cancel and re-create. Single-item subscriptions can update price / quantity in place.
- Cadence (monthly, yearly, etc.) is locked once the subscription is running. To move someone from monthly to yearly, cancel and create a new subscription on the yearly price.
Editing price or quantity (single-item subs)¶
Step-by-step¶
- Open the subscription from the dashboard.
- Click Edit in the side-peek's action bar.
- Change the price or quantity in the items section.
- Save.
If your change resulted in a positive proration amount, the drawer shows a banner after saving confirming the proration invoice that was created — e.g. "A proration invoice was created for $X." If the net is zero (or a credit), no banner appears; the change is applied silently and any credit lands on the next renewal.
How proration works¶
When you change items mid-cycle, the platform calculates a prorated adjustment based on:
- The days remaining in the current billing period.
- The price difference between the old and new line items.
If the net is positive (the customer owes more), a separate proration invoice is created and finalized immediately for the adjustment amount — that's the invoice referenced in the post-save banner.
If the net is zero or negative (the customer is owed a credit), no immediate invoice is created. The credit is carried forward and applied on the next renewal invoice.
Upgrade vs downgrade¶
- Upgrade (raising price or quantity) → produces a positive proration net. An immediate proration invoice is created for the difference (the post-save banner names it).
- Downgrade (lowering price or quantity) → produces a credit. No immediate invoice; the credit applies to the next renewal.
In both cases the change to the subscription is immediate — the new configuration is live the moment you save the edit.
Switching collection mode¶
Changing between auto-charge and manual collection doesn't take effect until the next renewal. The current period continues on whatever mode it started under.
To switch:
- Open the subscription from the dashboard.
- Click Edit in the side-peek's action bar.
- In the drawer, change the payment section between Auto-charge and Manual collection. If switching to manual, set the payment due days for future invoices.
- Save.
The next renewal uses the new mode. The change is reversible — flip it back at any time before the next renewal date.
Editing tax or notes¶
Tax rate and notes are applied per renewal invoice at the moment that renewal is generated. Edit them from the side-peek's overview section; the change applies starting with the next renewal. Past renewals keep their original values.
Editing the customer¶
The customer on a subscription is a reference to your contact record. To change the contact info (email, phone, name), edit the contact itself — future renewals pick up the new values automatically. The side-peek shows the current contact and links to the contact record.
To move a subscription to a different customer entirely, cancel the existing subscription and create a new one under the right contact. The platform doesn't support reassigning ownership mid-subscription.
Troubleshooting¶
I changed an item but the customer hasn't been charged yet
Proration adjustments don't charge immediately — they're applied as line items on the next renewal invoice. The customer will see the credit + charge then. If you want to charge them sooner, use Renew now from the side-peek to force an immediate renewal.
The proration math looks wrong
Proration is days-based, computed from the start of the current period to today, against the difference in price. If the math looks off:
- Check the period start date in the side-peek — proration anchors there, not at the subscription's original creation.
- Check the price on the item — recurring prices can be edited in your catalog and the new price applies to renewals from that point forward, not retroactively.
Can I change the subscription's billing date?
Not directly mid-cycle. The billing date is anchored at creation. To reset the cadence to a new day, cancel and re-create the subscription with a new billing cycle anchor.
Can I edit a paused or Past due subscription?
You can edit items on a Past due subscription — the change will be reflected on the next renewal once dunning recovers it (or you cancel and re-create). For an Unpaid subscription the best path is usually to cancel and re-create cleanly once the customer is ready.