Billing Schedule
A billing schedule defines when and how often a customer is invoiced, for example monthly, quarterly, or annually, and on which dates. In CSP billing, it determines the cadence of recurring invoices and how subscription charges, usage, and one-time items are grouped onto them.
Key Takeaways
- The billing schedule sets invoice frequency and dates.
- It groups subscriptions, usage, and one-time items onto invoices.
- Aligning it to customer terms supports predictable cashflow.
- It is distinct from the subscription term, which is the commitment length.
How a billing schedule works
Each customer or contract has a schedule that determines when invoices are generated and what they include. A partner might bill one customer monthly and another annually, or split usage and subscriptions onto different cadences. The schedule drives the automated invoice run each period.
Why it matters for Microsoft CSPs
Billing schedules let partners match invoicing to how each customer wants to be billed, which improves cashflow and reduces disputes. Managing many schedules by hand is error-prone, so partners automate them.
Billing schedule vs subscription term
The subscription term is the commitment length (for example one year). The billing schedule is how often the customer is invoiced within or across that term.
How Work 365 supports this
Work 365 manages flexible billing schedules and runs invoicing automatically to each one. See Billing and Invoicing.
Related terms: Billing Automation, Subscription Management, Annual Term, Monthly Billing.
Related Work 365 Resources
- Blog: Billing Schedules in CSP Billing: The Missing Layer Between Contracts and Invoices
- Product: Billing and Invoicing
FAQ
What does a billing schedule control?
How often and on what dates a customer is invoiced, and what is grouped on each invoice.
Is the billing schedule the same as the subscription term?
No. The term is the commitment length; the schedule is the invoicing cadence.
