Tip #2 - Cancellation of Offline Subscriptions based on the Expected Payment Date

Tip #2 - Cancellation of Offline Subscriptions based on the Expected Payment Date

Hello everyone,

As you all know, we are coming up with a custom function workflow every week to address specific business scenarios. In continuation of this previous blog, this week we will be seeing about Cancellation of Offline Subscriptions based on the Expected Payment Date.

Business Scenario:


In general, for any business, the customers make payments via online as well as offline. In case of subscription where the automatic collection of charge is enabled (aka online subscription), the customer's card on file will be automatically charged on the renewal date on a regular basis. If for some reason the collection of charge fails on renewal, the Retry Settings (Dunning Settings) will handle the payment collection and sending notification reminders on specified intervals. Upon failure of all the retry attempts, the system will automatically cancel that subscription.

Whereas in the subscription for which the payment is made via cash (or) check, the business (sales) person collects the payment and record it manually into the billing system. There can be situations where even after multiple reminders and personal follow-ups by the salesperson, the customer might not have still paid for the invoice. In such cases, to avoid churn and to keep the cash flow coming, there can be a negotiation between the salesperson and the customer to collect the payment before a final date. This final date can be marked as the Expected Payment Date in that particular invoice.

In most of these scenarios, the customers will usually pay within the expected payment date which was previously agreed upon. However, if the customer fails to do so, the salesperson might have to cancel their subscription manually as there is no business value associated with it. 

Now, let's see how we can automate this process without any manual work. By doing this, you could save a significant amount of time which can be put into developing your business.

Logic Explanation:

As you would have guessed by now, we would be using our Custom Function Workflow to achieve this. Since this scenario involves date based actions, we will be using Date based Workflow. The Date based workflow is something that can be configured to run after a particular date and at a particular time depending on our requirement.

Now, if you were wondering how to configure the custom function to automate our process, please find the answers to your questions below.

What type of Workflow is to be followed?
Date Based Workflow

When is the date of execution?
1 day(s) after the Expected Payment Date.


Are there any additional filters required?

Yes. Execute this workflow only for unpaid invoices.

So to summarize, this custom function should be set to run exactly one day after the expected payment date for the unpaid invoices. After configuring this custom function, you would have to code (the functionality) in such a way that the subscription associated with the invoice is cancelled immediately.

Please be informed that this custom function workflow will work only on the invoices which are created after configuring this custom function.


Code Explanation:

You can refer the code through this GitHub link. The code is written in Deluge script, which is easily understandable to non-programmers. 

1) This snippet of code will be executed only for invoices which are unpaid even after the expected payment date. Kindly replace the "authtoken variable" with your generated authtoken.

2) Initially, we will retrieve the Subscription that is associated with that particular invoice.

3) After retrieving the associated subscription, we will be cancelling it by using the Cancel Subscription API.


Getting started with the Custom Functions: 

1. Go to Settings -> Automation -> Custom Functions.


2. Create a new Custom function. Provide a name for the function. 


3. Choose the module as 'Invoice' and click on 'Create Custom Events'. 


4. Choose Date Based workflow type and Date of Execution as 1 day(s) after Expected Payment Date. You can also set a different Execution Time based on your requirement.

5. In order to run the function for unpaid invoices, Apply Advanced Filter as When Status isn't Paid. 

6. Copy the code which was given above.

7. Save the Custom function and you are good to go.


Further Enhancements:

1)  While using this custom function, there might be a scenario where you would like to exclude a few of your prime customers' subscription from being cancelled automatically without your consent. In order to do this, you can add a Custom Field of type CheckBox to the Subscription. 

While creating a subscription, you can leave this CheckBox marked (or) unmarked in order to differentiate your prime customers from others. Later, you can add this custom field in the Addition Criteria of your workflow, such that the workflow is executed only for your non-prime customers.

Please refer the below image for your reference, where the CheckBox custom field is named as "Cancel subscription automatically?".

2) When the subscription is cancelled, the last renewed invoice will still be in open status. If you would like to void that invoice before cancelling the subscription, you can modify the workflow to address that need. 

Found this useful? Try it out and let us know how it works! If you have questions, do not hesitate to ask!

Cheers,
Sasidaran K,
Zoho Subscriptions.

    • Sticky Posts

    • Tip #4 : Refer and Earn Workflow system for your Subscription Business

      Hello everyone, We've been coming up with a tip every week to address specific business scenarios which can be implemented for your business. In continuation to the previous post, this week we will be seeing about how you can implement the Refer and Earn Workflow system to acquire more customers. Why are Referrals important? Customer Acquisition is crucial for any business to sustain itself in a constantly evolving market. It involves persuading new consumers to purchase your products. Customers

    • Tip #2 - Cancellation of Offline Subscriptions based on the Expected Payment Date

      Hello everyone, As you all know, we are coming up with a custom function workflow every week to address specific business scenarios. In continuation of this previous blog, this week we will be seeing about Cancellation of Offline Subscriptions based on the Expected Payment Date. Business Scenario: In general, for any business, the customers make payments via online as well as offline. In case of subscription where the automatic collection of charge is enabled (aka online subscription), the customer's

    • Tip #3 : Send SMS Reminders for your Subscription Business

      Hello everyone, As you all know, we are coming up with a tip every week to address specific business scenarios. In continuation to the previous blog, this week we will be seeing how you can use SMS reminders for your Subscription Business. Using SMS messages for your Subscription Business: While managing your subscription business, more often than not, you need to keep your customers informed about upcoming renewals, payment reminders and cancellations. By keeping them informed in advance, you can

    • Tips And Tricks - Announcement

      Hello everyone, Every business is unique and each of them follows a specific workflow. While managing your customers' subscriptions with Zoho, you might have some needs unique to your business. Custom Functions helps you address such needs. This is a start to a series of posts, where we will be coming up with a custom function workflow every week that addresses specific business scenarios. Watch this space for further updates! Also, if you have any specific business scenario which needs to be addressed,

    • Tip #6 : Accessing external URLs from Zoho Subscriptions

      Hello everyone, We have been sharing a tip every week to address specific business scenarios which you can implement for your subscription business. Last week, we shared a tip about implementing the Approval Workflow system. This week, let's look at how you can access external URLs with the help of Custom Link. Business Scenario: Every business functions differently and has its unique requirements. At times, businesses might want to access other websites or applications by appending specific information

    • Recent Topics

    • Adding Images to a Quote in Zoho CRM

      We are currently preparing to use Quotes in Zoho CRM and we are building out our Quote templates.  We came across an issue of not being to add Images of the products to the Quote - specifically in the body of the Quote templates.   This is a problem,

    • Choose Component for User Filter

      This filter in the Choose Component for User Filter would be better if had an Order or Group by function. Also, the Specify the default filter values: is very confusing and limiting.

    • Preventing auto-redirect to Parent Record on Save...

      Our users often create records from the related list on th left side of the screen. They click the blue "plus" button to create the record. This is handy, but for some modules, or situations, they would like to remain on the record AFTER clicking "Save",

    • Uplifted homepage experience

      Editions: All editions. Availability update: 17th February 2026: All editions in the CA and SA DC | JP DC (Free, Standard and Professional editions) 23 February 2026: JP (All Editions) | AU, CN (Free, Standard, Professional editions) 27 February 2026:

    • Zoho Desk - Event Calendar View

      Hi Desk team, Are there any plans to introduce a calendar or timeline view for Events in Zoho Desk? It would be very helpful if we could see Events visually in a calendar and/or timeline. This is very helpful when desk side support activities need to

    • Re-Apply SLA When Ticket Reopened from Closed Status?

      If you have an SLA applied, timers are deactivated when going to "On Hold" status type and reactivated when going back to an Open status type. What we discovered is when a customer replies to a closed case and it reopens, the SLA is not applied and timers

    • Option to Delete Chats in IM

      Currently, there is no option to delete any chats in IM, regardless of their source.

    • Is it possible to make tags "required"

      We would like to be able to make the tag field a requirement for agents before they can close a ticket. This would help with monthly reporting, where a lot of tickets end up with no tag, causing manual work to go back and add the correct tag for each

    • Showing the map along with mileage expense

      When you use the GPS to track mileage, it shows you the map of the actual path travelled. It would be very useful and practical to save that map with the mileage expense, so that when the report is created, it provides a map of each mileage expense associated

    • ID:2406331

      Hello, I have sent the form (ID:2406331) but no answer after two days. This is a paid subscription, I am not allowed to use the eighth paid slot of 50GB email space anymore, only 7 are being used. Is anyone going to help me please so I can use the eighth

    • CRM x WorkDrive: File storage for new CRM signups is now powered by WorkDrive

      Availability Editions: All DCs: All Release plan: Released for new signups in all DCs. It will be enabled for existing users in a phased manner in the upcoming months. Help documentation: Documents in Zoho CRM Manage folders in Documents tab Manage files

    • Approval Workflow for Purchase Orders Abrir

      The requirement is , that all purchase orders greater than or equal to 5000 go through an approval process from certain people, but within books I only see that the approvers can be by levels or any approver but we cannot enter a rule like these. Can

    • I would like to know wich person viewed the file

      I have a franchise and my Operative Manual is in WorkdriveI, the user can´t download but despite I know How many views the file had, I would like to know wich person viewed the file Is it possible? thank you

    • Transaction Rule Matching

      Q1. Is there a method to have the Transaction Rules applied across multiple Bank Accounts? Q2. To match "contains" text in Transaction Rules, is a wildcard or regular expression required? Is it case sensitive? Would searching for "issue" in the following

    • Notebook on Mac: Fuzzy fonts in list view

      Hi, I am running Notebook on Mac OS 26. Generally it works fine, and the font display in the notes themselves is crisp. However, in the notes list (left of the open note) the font of the note titles as well as first lines is noticeable fuzzy. Attached

    • Trigger workflows from SLA escalations in Zoho Desk?

      Hey everyone, I’m currently working with SLA escalation rules in Zoho Desk and ran into a limitation that I’m hoping someone here has solved more elegantly. As far as I can tell, SLA escalations only support fairly limited actions (like changing the ticket

    • Zoho CRM Email Templates 100% Width No Background How?

      Hi, On the Zoho CRM Email Templates in setup > customization > templates > new templates > I choose blank template, but still it puts in a gray background and a max width for the email. I just want to make an email that looks like an email I would send from gmail that has no background or max width. How do you do this? 

    • ZOHO CRM Quote Export / Quote Report

      How can I either Export my quote list, or create a Report that shows all quotes AND includes the NOTES field in a column. I attempted to Run a Report which includes ALL FIELDS, however it does not include the Notes Field (but oddly does include the fields

    • Introducing Radio Buttons and Numeric Range Sliders in Zoho CRM

      Release update: 1. 2 March 2026: Currently out for CN, JP, AU and CA DCs (Free and standard editions). For other DCs, this will be released by mid-March. 2. 26 March 2026: CA, SA, AU, JP, CN DCs - Free, Standard, Professional, Enterprise, Ultimate, CRM

    • All new Address Field in Zoho CRM: maintain structured and accurate address inputs

      Availability Update: 29 September 2025: It's currently available for all new sign-ups and for existing Zoho CRM orgs which are in the Professional edition exclusively for IN DC users. 2 March 2026: Available to users in all DCs except US and EU DC. 24

    • Adding a Mark Up

      Can you use the discount column to be a mar up column on estimates and invoices?

    • URGENT. Recovering email without eArchive

      Hello, I have deleted some email from my trash but do not have eArchive. Is it possible to recovery without this? many thanks!

    • Subscription Statuses - Dunning

      How are other companies handling the scenario when customers don't pay and dunning takes over? Our issue is that in my situations, we want our customers to be able to catch up their late payments and continue their subscription after the dunning process

    • Logo Doesnt appear on email

      Hi, 1. PROBLEM: mails sent to customer from zoho invoice ( Estimates and incoices etc.) Logo doesnt appaer on email. 2. SUGGESTION: there must be an option to select from google fonts if we want specific font to the pdf templates. thanks

    • How to see Statement Details Shown in Unclassified Transactions in All Transactions?

      All, The list of Unclassified Transactions show the Statement Details and Descriptions. What is the method to see that column in the All Transactions list? -Thanks!

    • Non-Avalara Tax Automation wtih Zoho Books

      We are paying a ridiculous amount for Avalara. Our team wants to make a change, but they're the only software fully integrated with Zoho. We also don't have the bandwidth to do this manually, so we do need some sort of automated software solution. We

    • Migrating to the new outgoing webhook model in Zoho Connect

      Dear User, Outgoing webhooks configured across the Zoho Connect Integrations page, Zoho Flow, and Zapier will stop working after May 31, 2026. This is due to an upcoming upgrade to our outgoing webhook flow. This update is mandatory only for networks

    • Create formula calculations in Assemblies for scaling quantities

      Something we have been encountering with our composite items is dealing with scaling of quantity of one or more items within the composite assembly relative to the number of complete units being sold. I.e. running the equation 2(n-1) on one of the assembly

    • Lastest update

      The latest update to notepad has completely trashed all my notes. If I go to view it it just opens up a screen with a box with dotted lines around it for me to add something I can import saved nodes but you can't view them at all. Anybody else having

    • Tip #67- Exploring technician console: Disable Input Devices- 'Insider Insights'

      Hello Zoho Assist Community! Picture this: you are in the middle of a critical remote session, carefully configuring a system or running an important update, and the customer accidentally clicks somewhere or types something that undoes your progress.

    • What matters more in Zoho implementations: tools or system architecture?

      I recently worked on a full-stack migration for a catering equipment business using Zoho One with Shopify, and it raised a few interesting observations. The setup included migrating a large product catalog (around 9,700+ SKUs), integrating multiple supplier

    • Facturation électronique 2026 - obligation dès le 1er septembre 2026

      Bonjour, Je me permets de réagir à divers posts publiés ici et là concernant le projet de E-Invoicing, dans le cadre de la facturation électronique prévue très prochainement. Dans le cadre du passage à la facturation électronique pour les entreprises,

    • [Webinar] Solving business challenges: One tool for documents, forms, PDFs, e-signatures, and more

      Hi Zoho Writer users, Most businesses rely on multiple tools, such as a word processor, form builder, e-signature provider, and PDF editor, for their document workflows. Managing multiple subscriptions, switching between tools, and moving data across

    • Deposit on invoice

      I'm trying to figure out how to customize an Estimate to include a Deposit/Retainer Invoice line within the Estimate. I tried creating my own custom field called "Deposit" where I manually inputted the deposit amount, which was nice. However, my employer

    • Zoho NOTEBOOK: What are file size restrictions?

      I understand that Zoho NOTEBOOK is a free product, and what it offers is great. But I'm wondering what the file size restrictions are. When I record an audio note in Zoho Notebook, what is the maximum length of recording time/audio file size? When I wish to upload MP4 video, what is the maximum video size I can upload per Zoho Notebook restriction? Moreover, does Zoho Notebook use its own storage structure, or can I upgrade my storage for Zoho Notebook to add larger file attachments, videos and audio

    • Concern Regarding Stock Validation in Inventory Management

      Hi Zoho Team, We would like to highlight a concern regarding stock validation in the inventory system. As per standard inventory management practices, if the stock level is zero, the system should not allow users to create a shipment, packing slip, or

    • Automation Series #2: SLA vs Supervisor Rule in Zoho Desk

      SLA vs Supervisor Rule: Keeping tickets on track in Zoho Desk This post is part of the "Desk Automation Series," Chapter 1. Through this series, we will help you choose the right automation type in Zoho Desk by comparing commonly confused automations

    • Zoho Recruit - Email Relay

      Good day, Has anyone succeeded in setting up an email relay for Office 365? If I add the details from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/pop-imap-and-smtp-settings-8361e398-8af4-4e97-b147-6c6c4ac95353, I get the connection error. Regards, Eka

    • Better use of contacts

      Zoho inventory has the ability to add multiple contacts to customers. However Zoho inventory doesn't currently provide a way to link a contact to objects like sales orders. This means that while you can tell what company has placed a sales order you can't

    • Notebook AI limits

      Hi folks, Working with the AI transcription tools in Notebook, on the Mac App, which I find quite handy, but the one thing I am struggling with is the inability to either edit or copy the results of the transcript: I can't click in any of the boxes, and

    • Next Page