Billing Operations
Part of Subscription billing operations
Aligning billing dates with fulfilment cutoffs
Work backwards from packing to set the billing attempt, payment review and customer-change cutoff for a recurring order.
For each recurring packing run, set the order-release deadline first. Put the customer-change cutoff before it, then place the billing attempt after that cutoff and before release; the time between the attempt and release is the payment-review window.
For a first parcel, set an entry cutoff to decide whether a sign-up joins the imminent run or the next eligible run. Apply the change cutoff and billing attempt to the run assigned to that parcel.
Order Fulfilment and Billing Sequence for Recurring Subscriptions
- Entry Cutoff
- Determines if sign-up joins imminent or next eligible run
- Customer-Change Cutoff
- Before order-release deadline; allows edits before dispatch
- Billing Attempt
- After customer-change cutoff, before release; includes retries if needed
- Payment Review Window
- Time between billing attempt and release for payment resolution
- Order-Release Deadline
- Last time confirmed order can reach warehouse for planned dispatch run
Start at the packing deadline
Identify the last point at which a confirmed order can reach the warehouse and still join the planned dispatch run. Set the customer-change cutoff before that order-release deadline so accepted edits can be applied before release.
Keep billing, customer changes and carrier handover as separate events tied to the parcel they affect. If payment is unresolved at release, move the parcel to a later run and update the customer.
Use the same named local time zone for each clock-time cutoff, such as AWST, ACST or AEST. New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia observe daylight saving; Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not.
Setting Up a Consistent Billing and Fulfilment Workflow
- Identify the packing deadlineDetermine the latest time an order can arrive at warehouse for current dispatch run
- Set customer-change cutoffPlace before packing deadline to allow changes before release
- Schedule billing attemptAfter change cutoff, early enough to review payment before release
- Confirm timezone alignmentUse consistent local time zone (e.g., AEST, AWST) across all cutoffs
- Handle unresolved paymentsMove parcel to later run and notify customer if payment not resolved at release
Key Timeframe Considerations by Australian Region
- Regions Observing Daylight Saving
- New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, ACT, South Australia
- Regions Not Observing Daylight Saving
- Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory
- Recommended Timezone Usage
- Use named zones like AEST, AWST, ACST for consistency
Check the first-cycle rule
A selling plan describes how a product can be sold and purchased. Pay per delivery means a customer pays for goods or services per delivery; the offer and software configuration determine whether a sign-up near a run is assigned to that parcel or the next one.
Set an entry cutoff for assigning the first parcel. A sign-up before it can join the imminent run; a sign-up after it starts with the next eligible run, subject to the offer and software configuration.
For the assigned parcel, put the first billing attempt after its customer-change cutoff and early enough before release to review the payment result. State when that first attempt occurs.
In Shopify, a billing cycle is a scheduled interval when a subscription contract attempts to bill a customer for a set of items. It inherits its default schedule and contract information from the source contract, but its schedule and contract information can be edited for an upcoming order without changing the source contract.
State whether an edit made after release affects that parcel or a later one. Check the account, order and fulfilment records against the dates set, so the first parcel’s charge timing, run assignment and customer-facing dates agree.
Impact of Sign-Up Timing on First Parcel Assignment
- Sign-Up Before Entry Cutoff
- Assigned to imminent run; first charge applies to this parcel
- Sign-Up After Entry Cutoff
- Starts with next eligible run; first charge reflects that run’s timing
Fit retries into the window
Set the billing attempt and any retries required by your policy to finish before the order-release deadline. If payment remains unresolved at release, move the parcel to a later run and update the customer.
Pros and Cons of Early Billing Attempts
- Pros
- Allows sufficient time for retry attempts and payment resolution before release
- Cons
- Risk of delayed processing if payment fails and no retry window remains
Make customer-facing dates agree
Compare the product page, checkout terms, confirmation, account view and packing schedule. Customers should be able to identify the expected charge, the cutoff for changing the relevant parcel and its planned dispatch window.
If a customer signs up after the entry cutoff, show the first eligible run rather than a generic monthly date. Give the first charge timing that applies to that run.
