When a customer buys a subscription product in your webshop, you see two numbers in the order overview: an order number and a subscription number. This is normal behaviour and not a problem. The system deliberately creates two separate records in order to keep track of the subscription life cycle properly.
Subscriptions in Autorespond are based on WooCommerce Subscriptions, included in your package. Read the WooCommerce Subscriptions documentation
Two numbers, one purchase #
When someone buys a subscription product, the system always creates two things at the same time:
- An order, the record of the first payment
- A subscription, the agreement for future payments
These are deliberately two separate objects. The order records what has been paid in the past; the subscription sets out what has to happen in the future.
The parent order #
The order created at the time of purchase is called the ‘parent order’. It has a normal order status, such as ‘Processing’ or ‘Completed’. It is the financial record of the first payment. A subscription always has exactly one parent order.
You will find this order through Shop → Orders. All payments that have actually been received are recorded here.
The subscription #
The subscription is the agreement that keeps track of:
- When the next payment has to take place
- What the billing period is (monthly, annually, etc.)
- Which payments have already been made
The subscription has its own status: ‘active’ means that everything is in order and the next payment will be processed automatically on the scheduled date.
You manage subscriptions through Shop → Subscriptions. Here you see the next payment date and you can pause, cancel or manually renew subscriptions.
Subscription renewals #
Every time a subscription is renewed (automatically or manually), a new renewal order is created. It becomes visible in the ‘related orders’ overview of the subscription.
An annual subscription that has been active for 3 years, for example, therefore has:
- The parent order (year 1)
- Renewal order 1 (year 2)
- Renewal order 2 (year 3)
All renewal orders are also in your regular order overview, so you have a complete financial picture.
Where do you find what? #
In your Autorespond dashboard, go to:
- Shop → Orders, all payment records and invoices
- Shop → Subscriptions, management of active subscriptions and next payment dates
For more information about managing user accounts with subscriptions, see also how user accounts work with WooCommerce Subscriptions.
Frequently asked questions #
Why do I see two numbers for one purchase?
The system always creates two records: an order for the payment and a subscription for future renewals. This is standard behaviour and not an error.
What does ‘parent order’ mean?
The parent order is the first order that was created when the customer bought the subscription. This is the financial record of the first payment.
Can I stop a subscription without cancelling the order?
Yes, go to Shop → Subscriptions and change the status of the subscription to ‘cancelled’. The original order remains in place as a payment record.
