Recurring subscriptions are a cornerstone of many modern business models. From SaaS (Software as a Service) providers to service-based companies and product delivery platforms, managing subscriptions efficiently can determine whether your operation scales smoothly or descends into administrative chaos. For businesses using Dolibarr ERP/CRM, the good news is that there are robust tools and modules available to support recurring billing workflows natively or through add-ons.

This comprehensive article explores in depth how to handle recurring subscriptions in Dolibarr, including what the core features provide, which additional modules to consider, and how to build a scalable subscription management system that suits your business processes.

1. Introduction to Subscription Management in Dolibarr

Dolibarr is an open-source ERP and CRM platform used by thousands of small and medium-sized businesses worldwide. It combines features like invoicing, customer relationship management, inventory, and accounting, all within a single interface.

Subscription management in Dolibarr is handled primarily through the Recurring Invoices module, which allows you to set up and automate regular invoice generation. Beyond this native module, there are several community and commercial modules available via the Dolistore that offer expanded capabilities, such as payment automation, customer portals, and integration with external systems.

2. Business Use Cases for Recurring Subscriptions

Before diving into the technical aspects, it's important to understand the various use cases that benefit from automated subscription management:

• SaaS licenses billed monthly or annually

• Web hosting and domain services

• Gym memberships

• Maintenance or service contracts

• Magazine or digital media subscriptions

• Equipment leasing

• Managed services (e.g., IT, marketing retainers)

Each of these scenarios has specific requirements in terms of billing frequency, proration, automatic renewals, and failed payment handling. Dolibarr offers flexible configurations to support most of these needs.

3. Enabling the Recurring Invoices Module

To manage subscriptions in Dolibarr:

• Go to Home > Setup > Modules

• Locate the “Recurring Invoices” module

• Activate it

This module allows you to create recurring invoice templates. These templates serve as blueprints for future invoices. You can specify the recurrence interval (e.g., every month, every quarter), start date, and end date, as well as the products or services included.

4. Creating a Recurring Invoice Template

Steps to create a recurring invoice:

• Go to Billing > Recurring Invoices > New Recurring Invoice

• Select the customer

• Add products or services

• Define the frequency: weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly

• Set the first invoice date

• Choose an optional end date

You also define whether invoices are generated automatically or require manual confirmation.

Other settings include:

• Invoice validity period

• Linked payment terms

• Payment method (if set by default)

5. Automatic Invoice Generation

Dolibarr’s cron job system supports automatic generation of recurring invoices. To enable this:

• Activate the scheduled tasks module (cron jobs)

• Set up your server to call the cron file at regular intervals

The job will check each recurring invoice and, if due, will generate a new invoice and mark it with the correct issue date.

Optional configurations include:

• Auto-sending of the invoice by email

• Auto-validation of the invoice (no need for manual confirmation)

• Auto-generation of payment reminders if unpaid after due date

6. Managing Subscription Lifecycle

Each recurring invoice record in Dolibarr provides the following:

• Start date and next execution date

• Status (active, paused, expired)

• Invoice history generated from the template

• Manual override options (pause, stop, renew)

When a subscription period ends, the template will stop generating new invoices unless renewed manually or extended.

7. Integrating Payment Gateways

Dolibarr does not natively support automated payment capture from recurring invoices. However, some modules bridge this gap:

• Stripe Module: Connects with Stripe for automatic billing and recurring payments.

• PayPal Subscriptions: Enables PayPal recurring billing integration.

• Direct Debit (SEPA): Used mainly in Europe for automated bank withdrawals.

These modules may be found on Dolistore or built in-house using the Dolibarr API.

8. Modules from Dolistore to Enhance Subscription Management

Some useful modules include:

• Subscription Management Pro: Adds features like customer subscription dashboards, flexible payment rules, and cancellation flows.

• Autodebit: Automates SEPA payments linked with recurring invoices.

• Customer Portal: Allows customers to view and manage their own subscriptions.

• Multi-currency Recurring Invoices: Supports currency-specific templates and payments.

When selecting modules, consider:

• Compatibility with your Dolibarr version

• Developer support and documentation

• Frequency of updates

9. Handling Proration and Mid-Cycle Changes

By default, Dolibarr’s recurring invoices are fixed per cycle. Handling proration manually involves:

• Adjusting invoice lines to reflect actual service duration

• Creating credit notes or partial invoices for changed subscriptions

• Pausing and restarting the template at a new rate

For advanced billing logic, external billing platforms or custom modules may be more suitable.

10. Notifications and Customer Communication

Dolibarr supports:

• Email templates per customer language

• Automated reminders for overdue invoices

• Event-based triggers (e.g., renewal notices)

• PDF invoice generation with custom branding

All messages sent are logged, and communication history can be accessed per customer.

11. Reporting and Metrics

To track subscription KPIs:

• Use custom reports or dashboards for:

  • MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)

  • Churn rate

  • Active vs. inactive subscriptions

  • Aging reports on overdue invoices

Many metrics can be visualized through external tools connected via the Dolibarr API.

12. Export and Integration Capabilities

Export recurring data to:

• CSV or Excel for offline analysis

• Accounting software

• Data warehouses or CRM tools via API or connector modules

Dolibarr’s REST API supports read/write operations on invoice and customer records, allowing synchronization with external systems like HubSpot, Mailchimp, or QuickBooks.

13. Case Study: Managing a SaaS Business in Dolibarr

Let’s say your company offers a cloud-based accounting tool. Your needs include:

• Monthly billing for users

• Free trial handling

• Auto-renewals

• Payment retries

• Customer self-service portal

Using Dolibarr:

• Create recurring templates for each subscription tier

• Use Stripe integration to automate payments

• Use the customer portal for subscription management

• Automate invoice sending and reminders

With proper configuration, Dolibarr can serve as the complete backend for your SaaS operations.

14. Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

• Missed invoice generation: Ensure cron jobs run properly

• Failed payments: Set up retries or alert notifications

• High churn: Monitor usage patterns and offer flexible plans

• Manual overhead: Use automation modules wherever possible

• Scaling issues: Segment customers, automate reporting, and optimize templates

15. Best Practices

• Always test templates with internal accounts before going live

• Use version control on custom modules

• Backup your database before applying updates or module installations

• Regularly audit active subscriptions

• Provide clear cancellation terms in your invoices and terms of service

Conclusion

Managing recurring subscriptions in Dolibarr is not only possible—it can be highly efficient when set up correctly. With a mix of core functionality, scheduled tasks, and the right selection of modules, businesses can implement a comprehensive system to handle billing, renewals, and customer engagement. While Dolibarr may not be as turnkey as some specialized SaaS billing tools, it offers unmatched flexibility, cost savings, and integration potential.

For companies that already use Dolibarr as their central ERP/CRM, extending its use into subscription management means fewer disconnected systems, better data integrity, and more control over customer relationships. Whether you're billing monthly or annually, for services or products, Dolibarr provides the tools needed to scale recurring revenue with confidence.