Two settings on a subscription control how often it bills and for how long: the Billing frequency and the Term (months). Together with the Starts on date and the Auto-renew at term end toggle, they decide every billing period and when (or whether) the subscription ends. This guide shows you how to set them on the new-subscription form.
Where these settings live
The frequency, term, start date, and auto-renew toggle are all on the New Subscription form. Open Subscriptions under Members & Billing in the left-hand menu, click New Subscription in the top-right, and choose a Customer — then you'll reach the billing settings.
1. Set the billing frequency
The Billing frequency determines the length of each billing period and when the next invoice is issued. Choose one of:
- Monthly — a new period (and invoice) every month.
- Quarterly — every three months.
- Semi-Annual — every six months.
- Annual — once a year.
2. Set the term in months
The Term (months) field sets how long the subscription runs:
- Leave it blank for an open-ended subscription that keeps billing until you cancel it.
- Enter a number to set a fixed term that ends after that many months.
3. Pick the start date
The Starts on date establishes the first billing period and when the first invoice is issued. If the start date is today or earlier, the first invoice is generated immediately; a future date schedules it for that day.
4. Choose what happens at term end
For a fixed-term subscription, the Auto-renew at term end toggle decides what happens once the term is up:
- On (the default) — the subscription keeps issuing invoices past the term.
- Off — the subscription stops at the end of the term and moves to Expired.
(For an open-ended subscription with no term, there is no term-end to renew, so the subscription simply keeps billing until you cancel it.)
5. Create the subscription
Add at least one line item, then click Create Subscription. Cornerspot saves it and opens the new subscription's detail page, where the cadence, term, and auto-renew setting appear in the Subscription metadata card.
How the dates fit together
- The Starts on date begins the first period; the period length comes from the Billing frequency.
- Each period closes and the subscription advances, scheduling the next invoice on the Next Invoice date.
- A fixed-term subscription stops at term end (and expires) unless Auto-renew is on; an open-ended one keeps billing until you cancel it.
Tips
- You can change the Term (months) and Auto-renew setting later from the subscription's edit page, but the line items, taxes, and discounts are locked after creation.
- Match the frequency to how you actually bill the customer — switching it later means cancelling and recreating the subscription.
- Double-check the Starts on date — if it's today or earlier, the first invoice is generated right away.