Aggregated subscription lifecycle

Now that we have mastered what happens when starting a new subscription,
what happens when one ends? The following section discusses what happens
when an aggregated subscription is canceled or fails due to non-payment.

Aggregated Subscriptions

The cancellation and failure behavior for aggregated subscriptions is the
same as if they were non-aggregated subscriptions. That is, their service
end is dictated by their failed payment behavior and how they were
cancelled. The same notifications are sent as in the non-aggregated
case. See: Notifications.

Aggregating Subscription

The aggregating subscription’s life-cycle is related to that of its children
subscriptions. The aggregating subscription will continue to exist until all
the aggregated subscriptions have come to an end. Thus once the service end
date of aggregated subscriptions has passed the aggregating subscription
will end.

This means that over the life-time of an account there may be multiple
aggregating subscriptions. This allows for re-alignment of the common
billing date.

Scenarios

Scenario 1: Cancellation

Timeline

Time: P0

1. Two subscriptions are started at the start of January, let’s call them
   1. Sub A
   2. Sub B
   3. The subscriptions costs $10/month and $20/month respectively, thus an
      aggregated invoice is raised for $30.00.

Time: P1

1. Sub A and Sub B recur and
   another invoice is raised for $30.00

Time: P1.8

1. A cancellation is made for Sub A with service
   to end at the next billing cycle, P2.

Time: P2

1. Sub A service ends and raises a final invoice
   1. As Sub A is paid in-advanced the invoice
      will be for $0.00.
2. Sub B recurs and issues an invoice for $20.00
3. An aggregated invoice for $20.00 is raised and payment taken

Time: P2.5

1. A cancellation is made for Sub B with service
   to end at the next billing cycle, P3.

Time: P3

1. Sub B service ends and raises a final invoice
   1. As Sub B is paid in-advanced the invoice
      will be for $0.00.
2. As there are now no aggregated subscriptions the aggregating subscription
   ends as well.
   1. The aggregated subscription will also raise a final invoice, which
      collects any outstanding child aggregating invoices.

Scenario 2: Failed Payment

Timeline

Time: P0

1. Two subscriptions are started at the start of January, let’s call them
   1. Sub A
   2. Sub B
   3. The subscription costs $10/month and $20/month respectively, thus an
      aggregated invoice is raised for $30.00.

Time: P1

1. Sub A and Sub B recur and
   another invoice is issued for $30.00

Time: P1.5

1. A cancellation is made for Sub A with service
   to end immediately.

Time: P2

1. Sub B recurs and issues an invoice for $20.00
2. An aggregated invoice for $20.00 is raised but payment is declined

Time: P2 -> P2.6

1. The dunning process kicks in and attempts are made to take payment. None
   of the these attempts succeed

Time: P2.6

1. After the final dunning attempt Sub B is marked
   as failed with service to end immediately.
2. As there are now no aggregated subscriptions the aggregating subscription
   ends as well.

Time: P3

1. There are no active subscriptions

Scenario 3: Continuous service

Timeline

 

Time: P0

1. One subscription is added at the start of January, let’s call it:
   1. Sub A
   2. This subscription costs $10/month, an invoice is raised for $10.00.

Time: P1

1. After one month Sub A recurs.
   1. Another invoice is raised for $10.00

Time: P1.2

1. After 1/5 of a month a new subscription, Sub B, is added.
   1. Sub B cost $20/month
   2. As the common billing date will be the start of March
      (P2) Sub B is automatically aligned to
      March.
   3. An invoice is generated for Sub B, this is for
      the time P1.2 -> P2, 4/5 of a billing period. As Sub B charges $20/month an invoice for $16 is raised.
      1. monthly cost * pro-ration = invoice cost
      2. $20.00 * 0.8 = $16.00
   4. Notice that no invoice is generated for Sub A

Time: P1.5

1. A cancellation is made for Sub A with service
   to end immediately.
2. This has no affect on the aggregating subscription.

Time: P2

1. Sub B recurs and issues an invoice for $20.00
2. An aggregated invoice for $20.00 is raised and payment taken

Time: P3

1. After another month Sub B recurs.
   1. Another invoice is raised for $20.00