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Sometimes you need to update a subscription after the current billing period has already been invoiced — for example, you forgot to apply a price increase at renewal, a contract amendment was signed late, or an extra product should have been added at the start of the period. This guide walks you through how to apply a subscription change retroactively using the advanced update flow, with either At last renewal or At selected date, and explains how each transition invoice mode (Generate transition invoice vs Refund and re-invoice) impacts the customer’s invoices.

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When to use a retroactive update

Use a retroactive update when:
  • The change should have taken effect earlier in the current billing period (or in a past period)
  • The invoice for the current period has already been issued and you want to correct it
  • You need a clean audit trail and version history of the change
If the change can simply apply going forward, use Next renewal or Immediately instead — there’s no need for a retroactive update.

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Choose when to apply the update

In the advanced update flow, the When to apply the update step controls the effective date of the change:
  • At last renewal — Applies the update retroactively as of the start of the current billing period. This is the most common option when you want the change to look as if it had been configured from the beginning of the period.
  • At selected date — Applies the update at a specific date you pick. Choose a date in the past to make the change retroactive to that exact day (for example, mid-period when a contract amendment was signed).

Example 💡

A subscription renewed on March 1st with a monthly plan at €100. On March 20th you realize a new add-on should have been included since March 1st.
  • Select At last renewal to apply the add-on as of March 1st — the full period is recalculated as if the add-on had always been there.
  • Select At selected date and pick March 10th if the add-on should only apply from that day onward — the period is split, and only the portion after March 10th includes the add-on.

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Choose the transition invoice mode

Once you’ve picked the retroactive effective date and the new subscription configuration, the Configure transition options step lets you decide how the already-issued invoice should be corrected. Two modes are available for retroactive updates:

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Generate transition invoice

A single transition invoice is issued on top of the existing invoice to settle the difference between what was originally billed and what should have been billed for the period.
  • The original invoice for the current period is kept as-is (not refunded)
  • A new invoice is generated for the delta — either a charge (if the customer owes more) or a credit note (if the customer was overcharged)
  • Best when you want a lightweight correction and to preserve the original invoice for accounting continuity

Example 💡

Original invoice for March: €100 (already paid).You apply a retroactive update At last renewal to add a €30/month add-on.With Generate transition invoice, Hyperline issues an additional invoice of €30 for March. The customer keeps their original €100 invoice and receives a second €30 invoice covering the add-on for the same period.

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Refund and re-invoice

The original invoice for the current period is fully refunded (via a credit note), and a brand new invoice is issued reflecting the updated subscription configuration.
  • The customer ends up with one credit note cancelling the original invoice, plus a new invoice for the corrected amount
  • Best when the original invoice is materially wrong and you want the final billing to look as if the new configuration had been in place from the start of the period
  • Only available for updates At last renewal

Example 💡

Original invoice for March: €100 (already paid).You apply a retroactive update At last renewal to swap the plan from €100/month to €150/month.With Refund and re-invoice, Hyperline issues a credit note of €100 cancelling the original invoice, and a new €150 invoice for March reflecting the new plan. The customer’s net balance for the period is now €150 instead of €100.
Refund and re-invoice is only available when applying the update At last renewal. For updates At selected date in the past, use Generate transition invoice to settle the delta.

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Step-by-step instructions

1

Open the subscription and start an update

Navigate to the customer’s subscription details page, click on the Actions dropdown, then select Update subscription.Choose Advanced update to access the full transition configuration.
2

Choose when to apply the update

Select either:
  • At last renewal to apply the change retroactively from the start of the current billing period
  • At selected date and pick a date in the past for a mid-period retroactive change
3

Choose the update source

Select Update current subscription to edit the existing configuration, or Update to a template or a plan to reset the configuration from a template or plan. Make the changes that should have been in place as of the effective date (add a product, change a price, swap the plan…).
4

Configure transition options

Under Transition invoice, choose how to correct the already-issued invoice:
  • Generate transition invoice — issues an additional invoice for the delta, keeping the original invoice intact
  • Refund and re-invoice — refunds the original invoice and issues a new one reflecting the updated configuration (only with At last renewal)
Use the invoice preview at this step to review both the transition invoice (or refund and new invoice) and the following invoice. This is the safest way to confirm the financial impact before applying the change.
5

Review and confirm

Review the update summary, then confirm. The subscription is updated retroactively and the corresponding invoices (transition invoice, or credit note and new invoice) are generated immediately.

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What happens after the update

  • The subscription configuration reflects the change as of the effective date
  • The corrective invoices (transition invoice or credit note + new invoice) are issued and follow your usual collection rules
  • The change is recorded in the versions tab, preserving a full audit trail of what changed and when
Is something still unclear? Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team via the in-app chat if you need additional support.