Managing Subscription Billing

Subscription billing in HWIT Fundamentals allows you to create a contract with your client for a set monthly fee in exchange for a specific bundle of services.

Example: You charge a customer $400/month, which includes weekly home visits and 3 hours of concierge time. Any services exceeding these limits are automatically billed as additional line items.

The Two Components of Subscription Setup

To manage this process automatically, you only need to define two things:

1. The Monthly Charge: What the client pays every month.
2. Included Services: The specific service limits covered by that fee.

Step 1: Setting the Monthly Charge

First, open the property from Properties and select the Billing tab. The Subscription card shows No subscription for this property until you set one up.

• Enable Subscription: Click Add a subscription for this property.

• Define the Billing Item: Select the Item to Bill (e.g., “Monthly Services”) and enter the Monthly Amount (e.g., $400). Make sure Subscription Active is on, then click Create subscription.
• Use Dynamic Descriptions: In the Description for Invoice, use the variable [[month]].
  • Example: “Monthly Home Watch Services for [[month]]” will automatically generate as “Monthly Home Watch Services for April.”

Step 2: Defining Included Services

Once the monthly fee is saved, define exactly what the client gets for that price. In our example, we will include all home visits and 3 hours of concierge time.

• Add Included Items: Under Included items, click Add Another Item.
• Set Limits: Pick the item and set the Included Quantity, such as “3” hours for Concierge time, then click Save Line.

• Flexible Tracking: You can add as many items as needed, such as auto-starting or plant watering, each with its own specific included quantity.

How Invoicing Works Automatically

You continue entering your billable items and home visits as you normally would. When the invoice is generated, the system does the math for you:

1. It adds the Monthly Subscription line item.
2. It lists all performed services but applies a credit for the “Included” portions.
3. Any overages are left as remaining billable totals.

Here is what that looks like on a real invoice: the weekly auto charges are itemized, a credit line reverses the five that were included, and the monthly subscription line is added at the bottom.

Scenario: If you perform 5 hours of concierge work in a month:

• The invoice itemizes all 5 hours.
• A credit is applied for the 3 hours included in the subscription.
• The client is only billed for the remaining 2 hours.

Q: What happens if I don’t use all the included hours in a month? A: By default, subscription limits are “use it or lose it” for the billing period. The system resets the counter when the next subscription invoice is generated. Q: Can I include different types of services in one subscription? A: Yes. You can add as many individual lines to the “Included Services” component as you like, such as 4 Home Visits AND 2 hours of Handyman services. Q: What if I need to change the price mid-contract? A: You can update the Monthly Amount on the Subscription card at any time. The next time an invoice is generated, it will pull the new rate automatically. Q: Does the system bill the subscription in advance or arrears? A: Neither, exactly. The subscription is billed once per calendar month, based on the invoice date. The first invoice you create for that property in a month carries the monthly fee, even a mid-month one. Later invoices in the same month do not charge it again. The [[month]] word prints the month of the invoice date. For example, an invoice dated October 31 says “October”. If you want to bill a monthly fee in advance, use a recurring billable item with the day set to 28 instead. See Billing in advance.

Audit Your Limits: Periodically review your “Included Items” list. If a client consistently goes over their concierge hours, it may be a great opportunity to suggest moving them to a higher subscription tier.