What is the difference between a subscription invoice and a renewal invitation?

When configuring your subscription codes (Administration / System Configuration / Subscriptions) you can indicate if the subscription code is a Renewal invitation or not - which implies it is a subscription invoice.

A renewal invitation is a subscription code that records when a member is subscribed until but does not create a debit on the member, nor advance the Subscribed Until date on the subscription when it is raised, - That is when the renewal notice is sent to the member, it is just an invitation for them to renew. A debt is created and the Subscribed Until date is advanced as part of the process of recording the payment once it is received. Raising renewal invitation subscriptions still produces a document that can be distributed to members from within MemNet. Subscription renewal invitations presume cash accounting principles are used.

With a subscription invoice a debt is created on the member and the Subscribed Until date on subscription advanced when it is raised. It is presumed that the invoice will be paid, and it is your responsibility to chase payment if it is not. Subscription invoices presume accrual accounting principles are used.

With either setting, it is always true that the Subscribed Until date on the members subscription is advanced by the period of the subscription whenever an invoice is created for that subscription.

Note:

• With renewal invitations, when a members subscription is overdue their outstanding balance will (typically) be $0 but their subscribed until date will be in the past. You can identify these members by their subscribed until date.
• With subscription invoices, when a members subscription is overdue their outstanding balance will be a positive amount, due to an unpaid subscription invoice on their account and their subscribed until date will (typically) be in the future. You can identify these members by the unpaid invoice. See Aged Debtors Report in Standard Reports.