Offer payment in installments

Spread the payment for a subscription or a course over several due dates. You can let the user choose this option when paying, or you can build a custom payment schedule yourself from the order.

Understand how it works

There are two ways to create a payment schedule, and they do not work in the same way. Keep this distinction in mind before configuring anything.

First option: the user chooses to pay in installments when paying, within the limit you have set for the product. The total is divided into equal parts, and the user pays the first installment immediately. This payment confirms the order. The following installments are scheduled.

Second option: you build the payment schedule from the order, with the amounts and dates of your choice. In this case, nothing is paid when the schedule is created. All installments are scheduled, including the first one. You then collect each payment in turn.

In both cases, the same rule applies: services are delivered as soon as the first payment is collected. The user receives their subscription or credits without waiting for the balance to be paid.

Enable partial payments on the billing account

This is the master switch: without it, no product can be paid for in installments.

1. Go to Administration›Settings›Billing›Billing Accounts and open the relevant account.
2. In the Payments tab, enable Allow partial payments.
3. Set the Interval between due dates: a value and a unit — days, weeks, or months. An interval of 1 month creates a monthly payment schedule.
4. Click Save.

Allow installment payments on a product

The number of installments is set product by product. You can offer staggered payment for an annual subscription without offering it for a credit pack.

1. Go to Administration›Settings›Billing›Products & Services and open the product.
2. Find the Payment in installments setting.
3. Choose the maximum number of installments, up to 12. The No option disables staggered payment for this product.

The user can then freely choose, when paying, between 1 installment and this maximum. The total amount is divided into equal parts, and the dates are based on the interval set on the billing account.

Build a custom payment schedule

When equal installments are not suitable — a higher deposit, dates aligned with the season, or a payment arrangement granted to a member — build the payment schedule yourself.

1. Go to Administration›Dashboard›Billing›Invoices & Transactions and open the order.
2. Click Schedule.
3. Add your lines with Add a deadline: an amount and a Due Date for each one. The Distribute evenly button fills in the amounts at once if you want to start from a balanced basis.
4. Watch the Total installments: it must match the Remaining to pay exactly.
5. Click Create the schedule.

There are two limits to know: the payment schedule can only be created once per order, and creating it does not deliver any service. Delivery takes place when the first payment is collected, just as with staggered payment chosen by the user.

Collect installments

The payment schedule appears in the order, with each line showing its status: Pending, Paid, or Cancelled.

1. Open the order in Administration›Dashboard›Billing›Invoices & Transactions.
2. Click Add a payment: the amount of the next installment is pre-filled, and the window indicates which installment it refers to.
3. Choose the collection method — manual entry or payment terminal — then save.

The order’s Remaining to pay is updated after each collection, and the order becomes paid when the last installment is settled.

Let reminders do the work

Upcoming and overdue installments trigger automatic e-mail reminders, with no action required from you. Five messages are sent throughout the cycle:

1. three days before the due date;
2. on the due date;
3. then, if the payment is overdue, around three days, one week, and two weeks later.

After two weeks overdue, reminders stop. You must then contact the member again yourself.