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Recurring Product Subscriptions Documentation

Menu Location: Products > Recurring > Product Subscriptions

Access Level: Manager / Administrator

Last Updated: 2026-03-01

Overview

The Recurring Product Subscriptions report provides a complete exportable database of all customer recurring product subscriptions. This comprehensive data export shows every customer who has recurring products set up, what products they receive, quantities, and frequencies.

Primary Functions:

  • View all customer recurring product subscriptions in one table
  • Export complete dataset to CSV
  • Analyze recurring product patterns
  • Audit customer subscription configurations
  • Generate reports for management and inventory planning

Page Layout

Header Section

  • Export CSV Button: Top right, downloads full dataset
  • Page Title: "Products > Recurring > Product Subscriptions"
  • Breadcrumb Navigation: Shows path back to Products and Recurring

Main Content Area

Sortable, searchable DataTable with columns:

  • Customer ID
  • Name (First + Last)
  • Classification ID
  • Product Name
  • Quantity
  • Frequency

Report Data & Columns

Column Description Source
Customer ID Unique customer identifier custy.id
Name Customer full name custy.first_name + custy.last_name
Classification ID Product classification ID cust_order_contents_recur.prod_class_id
Product Name Name of recurring product product_classification.name
Quantity Quantity customer receives cust_order_contents_recur.qty
Frequency How often (e.g., every order, every other order) cust_order_contents_recur.how_often

Data Source:

  • Pulls from cust_order_contents_recur table
  • Joins with custy for customer names
  • Joins with product_classification for product details
  • Filters to active subscriptions only (qty > 0 AND how_often > 0)
  • Ordered by customer last name, first name, then product name

Table Features

Sorting

  • Click any column header to sort
  • Click again to reverse sort order
  • Multi-column sorting available

Searching

  • Search box in top right filters entire table
  • Searches across all columns
  • Real-time filtering as you type

Pagination

  • Shows 10 entries per page (default)
  • Adjustable via "Show entries" dropdown
  • Navigation buttons at bottom

Export & Download Options

Export Formats:

  • CSV: Complete dataset export

Export Process:

  1. Click "Export CSV" button (top right)
  2. File downloads as: recurring_products.csv
  3. Opens in Excel or Google Sheets
  4. Contains all rows (not just current page)

CSV Columns: 

Customer ID, Name, Classification ID, Product Name, Quantity, Frequency

Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Monthly Recurring Analysis

Goal: Generate monthly report of all recurring subscriptions

Steps:

  1. Navigate to Products > Recurring > Product Subscriptions
  2. Click "Export CSV"
  3. Save as recurring_YYYY-MM.csv
  4. Open in Excel
  5. Create pivot table by product name
  6. Sum quantities to see total recurring demand

Analysis:

  • Identify which products have most recurring subscriptions
  • Calculate monthly recurring revenue potential
  • Plan inventory based on guaranteed demand

Use Case 2: Customer Service - Check Customer's Recurring Items

Goal: Verify what recurring products a customer has set up

Steps:

  1. Navigate to report page
  2. Use search box to enter customer name or ID
  3. Review their recurring product list
  4. Note quantities and frequencies
  5. Clear search when done

Use For:

  • Answering customer inquiries
  • Troubleshooting order issues
  • Verifying recurring setup

Use Case 3: Product Discontinuation Planning

Goal: Identify customers affected before discontinuing product

Steps:

  1. Export CSV
  2. Open in Excel
  3. Filter Product Name column to discontinued item
  4. Note all affected customers
  5. Create contact list for notification
  6. Plan substitution or removal strategy

Important: Always notify customers before removing their recurring products.

Use Case 4: Inventory Demand Forecasting

Goal: Calculate minimum inventory needs based on recurring orders

Steps:

  1. Export CSV
  2. Open in Excel
  3. Create pivot table: Product Name (rows), Sum of Quantity (values)
  4. Add frequency calculations to estimate weekly/monthly needs
  5. Use totals for minimum stock levels

Formula: 

Weekly Need = (Qty × Subscribers with frequency 1) +
              (Qty × Subscribers with frequency 2 ÷ 2) + ...

Use Case 5: Customer Segmentation

Goal: Identify customers by recurring product preferences

Steps:

  1. Export CSV
  2. Filter by specific product or classification
  3. Create list of customers who subscribe to that category
  4. Use for targeted marketing or product recommendations

Examples:

  • Customers with recurring organic products → offer organic expansion
  • Customers with recurring dairy → promote new dairy items
  • Customers with many recurring items → VIP candidates

Understanding Frequency Values

The Frequency column typically contains values like:

  • 1: Every order (100% frequency)
  • 2: Every other order (50% frequency)
  • 3: Every third order (33% frequency)
  • 4: Every fourth order (25% frequency)

Note: Exact interpretation may vary by system configuration. Check with developer for business-specific frequency mappings.

Troubleshooting

Issue: Customer Not Showing in List

Check:

  1. Verify customer actually has recurring products set up
  2. Confirm quantity > 0 and frequency > 0 (zero values excluded)
  3. Try searching by customer ID instead of name
  4. Clear any existing search/filter

If Not Found: Customer may not have active recurring subscriptions. Check their account directly.

Issue: Product Name Shows as Blank

Symptoms: Classification ID shown but Product Name column is empty

Cause: Product classification may have been deleted or renamed

Check:

  1. Verify classification ID exists in product_classification table
  2. Check if product was soft-deleted
  3. May need database cleanup

Issue: Export Contains More Rows Than Visible

This is Normal: Table shows paginated view (10, 25, 50 per page), but CSV export includes all rows regardless of pagination.

Best Practices

Data Management

  1. Monthly Exports: Save CSV exports monthly for historical tracking
  2. File Naming: Use consistent naming: recurring_YYYY_MM_DD.csv
  3. Backup: Keep exports in organized folder structure
  4. Trending: Compare month-over-month to spot trends

Analysis Tips

  1. Pivot Tables: Use Excel pivot tables for summary views
  2. Filter Progressively: Use DataTable search to narrow before exporting
  3. Cross-Reference: Compare with inventory and sales data
  4. Segment Analysis: Group by product categories or customer tags

Inventory Planning

  1. Recurring subscriptions = guaranteed demand
  2. Add 10-15% buffer for quality/waste
  3. Don't stock below recurring minimums
  4. Review monthly for changes in demand

Things to Avoid

  • ❌ Deleting products without checking recurring impact
  • ❌ Assuming all recurring items fulfill every week (check frequency)
  • ❌ Ignoring this data when planning promotions
  • ❌ Failing to update customers when recurring items change

Quick Reference Card

Task Action
Export all recurring data Click "Export CSV" button
Find customer's recurring items Search customer name in search box
Sort by product popularity Click "Product Name" column, count duplicates
See total subscribers Export CSV, count unique Customer IDs
Check specific product Search product name in search box
Monthly backup Export CSV, save as recurring_YYYY_MM.csv
  • Recurring Landing Page (recurring_landing.php) - Main recurring hub
  • Recurring Conflicts (recurring.php?problems=only) - Current week conflicts
  • Top Recurring Products (recurring_top_products.php) - Popularity ranking
  • Customer Info (customer_info.php) - Individual customer management

Typical Workflow:

  1. Recurring Subscriptions → Export CSV → Excel analysis → Inventory planning

FAQs

How often is this data updated?

Real-time. Shows current customer recurring configurations.

Can I edit recurring subscriptions from this page?

No, this is a read-only report. Edit from individual customer accounts.

What does "Classification ID" refer to?

The product classification/category the recurring item belongs to. Links to product database.

How do I calculate total monthly demand?

Export CSV, sum quantities accounting for frequency (divide by frequency value for weekly rate, multiply by 4 for monthly).

Can I see historical recurring data?

No, this shows current state only. Save monthly CSV exports to track changes over time.

Why don't quantities match order totals?

Frequency affects fulfillment. Frequency = 2 means every other order, so actual fulfillment is 50% of orders.

End of Documentation

For additional help, contact your system administrator or Kiva Logic support.