#RON WAFFLE
unkempt frost
proper trout
You would have to use Subscription Schedules for that: https://stripe.com/docs/billing/subscriptions/subscription-schedules
tidal hazel
Can I still charge immediately doing that?
proper trout
Yup!
tidal hazel
So I would do one phase which starts now?, then the next phase would start on the date I set
Sorry this is confusing me quite a lot
proper trout
Correct. You would set phase 0 to a Price with a billing cycle of every >2 months (this ensures that the customer won't get charged 30 days after their first payment), then phase 1 would be a regular monthly subscription
tidal hazel
But how do I set the start date of the second phase?
Or would I set the end date of the first iteration to when I want the second phase to start
So charge immediately. Then wait until the date I set to collect the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th month etc
proper trout
Or would I set the end date of the first iteration to when I want the second pha...
Correct.
tidal hazel
Just want to double check that, so that means for a monthly subscription. The first phase is charged immediately (then ends on the date I set) then the next phase starts after the end date to continue the billing cycle?
proper trout
Yup, but you won't want to use the same Price ID for both phases. You'll want the first phase to have a Price with a recurring interval of 2 months, and the second phase will have a different Price with recurring interval of 1 month
tidal hazel
But why would it be 2 months?
My first phase could last as long as 120 days
for context, we sell policies which customers can set a start date. So the idea is we charge immediately to cover the first month/year of their policy. Then start charging again after a month/year from the start date
I'm not sure schedules is the right approach for this, why is the invoice in draft for 1 hour? Surely this would charge immediately if we used it on a customer checkout
proper trout
You just need the billing cycle on the first phase to be longer than the first phase, otherwise the customer will be charged twice during the first phase
tidal hazel
It could be as long as a year + 120 days
proper trout
The first phase could be as long as a year + 120 days?
tidal hazel
No sorry, the second phase
So we have monthly or yearly plans
so with the policy start date factored in the 2nd phase could start 1 month + 120 days in the future or 1 year + 120 days in the future
proper trout
I still don't understand. You said "No sorry, the second phase", but they your last message makes it sound like you're still talking about the first phase
tidal hazel
sorry mate my heads falling off with this
- Charge Immediately
- Start subscription billing in the future
Do subscription schedules work the same way as normal subscriptions? I don't understand the delay in the invoice
proper trout
Subscription Schedules are built on top of normal subscriptions. Each phase in the Subscription Schedule handles a different state of a Subscription. So the first phase can have Subscription A with a monthly billing cycle, and the second phase can have Subscription A with a yearly billing cycle. They work together, not separately.
Does that clarify things at all?
tidal hazel
Yes I think so, so my checkout would remain the same, creating a payment intent from the subscription. But I'd associate a subscription schedule with it also straight away
proper trout
Yup
tidal hazel
ok thank you for the help, I think I just need to go and test it out try to understand it more