Introduction

Invoices in circuly are generated automatically based on the events and actions that occur throughout the subscription lifecycle. Different types of charges, from the initial payment at checkout to recurring billing cycles, ad-hoc fees, and end-of-subscription buyouts, each produce a distinct invoice type.

Understanding the different invoice types helps your finance and operations teams accurately interpret billing records, reconcile accounts, and handle exceptions such as cancellations, refunds, or corrections.

Below is an overview of each invoice type available in circuly and what it represents in a subscription context.

Invoice Types

Initial

The initial invoice is created for the first payment of a subscription order when the charge occurs at checkout. Depending on your setup and the nature of the order, it can include a combination of the following:

• First billing period charge
• Prepaid duration charge
• Setup fees
• Shipping costs
• Deposits

Recurring Payment

Recurring payment invoices are generated automatically on each regular billing cycle — for example, monthly — for each active subscription. There is a one-to-one relationship between a recurring payment and its invoice, meaning each billing cycle produces exactly one recurring payment invoice per subscription.

Cumulated Invoice

A cumulated invoice is a consolidated invoice that groups multiple recurring payment invoices into a single document. This is commonly used to simplify billing and accounting by combining recurring charges into one invoice rather than issuing several separate ones.

A few requirements and configuration details to be aware of:

• Only recurring payment invoices can be grouped into a cumulated invoice.
• The recurring payments being grouped must share the same billing date.
• Invoices can be grouped either by order ID or by customer ID, depending on the configuration set up for your account.

One-Time Payment

One-time payment invoices are issued for ad-hoc charges that fall outside the regular subscription billing schedule. Common examples include:

• Damage fees
• Manual charges
• Extra services

Delayed Payment

A delayed payment invoice serves the same purpose as an initial invoice, but is issued when the first charge for a subscription order does not occur at checkout. This invoice type is commonly used by merchants who want to verify or process orders before charging the customer — for example, to avoid issuing refunds for orders that may later be cancelled due to failed or invalid credit card checks.

Cancellation

A cancellation invoice is issued when an existing invoice is cancelled. It reverses the original invoice for accounting purposes.

Refund

A refund invoice is issued when money is returned to the customer. It acts as a credit invoice and is used to accurately reflect the reimbursement in your accounting records.

Replacement

A replacement invoice is generated when an existing invoice needs to be corrected or superseded. Common reasons for issuing a replacement invoice include:

• Corrections to invoice details
• Changes in tax information

Buyout

A buyout invoice is issued when a customer chooses to purchase the product out of their subscription. It covers the remaining buyout value owed for the product at the time of purchase.

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