Set up recurring payment for a register subscription

This guide explains how to link a member subscription sold at the register to recurring collection (monthly or quarterly) via Stripe SEPA. The subscription is created on the customer account when the ticket is confirmed; the SEPA mandate is set up immediately after in a prefilled payment window.

Prerequisites: subscription configured at the register, Stripe online payment enabled, and SEPA direct debit checked in account preferences.

Enable SEPA on Stripe

1. In Activiteez: Preferences → Payments, Bookings, Notifications → check SEPA direct debit (in addition to connected Stripe).
2. In the connected account’s Stripe Dashboard: enable SEPA Direct Debit.

Without SEPA enabled on both sides, recurring direct debit setup will be blocked or incomplete. See How do I know if my customer was debited via Stripe SEPA?.

Configure the subscription item

In Cash register → Manage (or Cash item list), expand the relevant item.

1. Payment recurrence

Recurrence block:

• Frequency: Monthly or Quarterly (per your plan).
• Number of recurrences: planned debit count, or -1 for unlimited debits until cancellation.
• Subscription options (optional): delay before first debit, discount on early instalments, commitment.

These values are applied automatically when setting up payment.

2. Triggers

Triggers block:

1. Associated action: Add a subscription — plan name, credits, validity, etc.
2. … then: Set up a payment.

On sale confirmation, Activiteez first creates the subscription on the customer, then opens the payment setup window with the ticket amount and recurrence settings already filled in. Choose SEPA, check the customer email and send the request (the customer signs the Stripe mandate).

Note: the second trigger Set up a payment does not require the Multi… button: the payment window opens automatically after ticket confirmation. Multi… is for other split-collection cases (see What is the Multi… button for?).

Initial sale at the register

1. Open the register.
2. Select the customer (contact email recommended for SEPA).
3. Add the subscription item to the ticket.
4. Confirm the ticket (usual collection method for any counter portion if needed).
5. On confirmation: subscription is added to the account; the Online payment / direct debit setup window opens with recurrence prefilled.
6. Choose SEPA, check amount and first debit date, then send the request to the customer.

Check whether recurring payment is active

From the customer record

1. Open the record (Account list → Edit).
2. Stripe direct debits section (if shown): Recurring payment label, amount, status (active / pending) and Next payment.
3. … menu on the record: Search Stripe subscription… to list active mandates.

From customer entries

1. On the record or customer list, entries button (list icon).
2. On a subscription ticket line: card icon with SEPA or status pending payment / confirmed depending on progress.
3. Check Stripe status link on a payment entry if available.

If no Stripe direct debits section appears and no SEPA line is visible on the ticket, recurring payment is not (yet) in place.

Catch-up: subscription on account without direct debit

The subscription may have been created (+ Abo or sale without completed SEPA) without configuring the direct debit.

Recommended — credit the existing subscription ticket

1. In Cash register, select the customer.
2. Click Credit Client (Customers panel).
3. In the Ticket dialog, choose the unpaid ticket for the subscription purchase (or the ticket listed with the amount still due).
4. Enter amount and payment type, then confirm — or use Online payment from the entry if the ticket is open.
5. The payment setup window usually picks up recurrence from the ticket; complete SEPA.

Alternative — new ticket

1. In Cash register, select the customer.
2. Credit Client → new ticket option.
3. Create the credit entry, then on the open ticket click Online payment.
4. In the window, set recurrence manually (frequency, number of payments, first debit date) before sending the SEPA request.

See also Credit a customer at the register.

Common issues

• SEPA not enabled message: check SEPA direct debit in Activiteez preferences and SEPA Direct Debit in Stripe.
• Payment window does not open: check … then → Set up a payment on the item and that the sale was confirmed (not only pending).
• Email required: a valid email is required on the customer for recurring online payment.
• Overdrawn account or pending lines: selling a recurring item may be refused if the customer has a negative balance or pending payments — settle the account first.

Related guides: Set up and sell a subscription at the register, Configure cash register items.