Create Subscription

Audience: Low-code Engineers, Software Developers

Skill Prerequisites: Actions, Tokens, Authorize.Net

Creates a recurring subscription in Authorize.Net, using its Automated Recurring Billing (ARB) service. You give it a credit card, a billing name, an amount and a schedule, and Authorize.Net charges the card on that schedule.

The first charge happens on the start date, which is always the day after the action runs. Nothing is charged when the action runs. The action returns the new subscription ID, which you need to change the subscription later with Update Subscription.

It can also run actions when Authorize.Net sends a webhook notification about the subscription, for example when it's suspended or cancelled.

note

This action requires the Authorize.Net feature (AUTHORIZE) to be licensed. Authorize.Net support is a separate add-on package (DnnSharp.Authorize.Net). If you don't see the Authorize.Net actions, the add-on isn't installed.

Typical Use Cases

• Start a monthly or yearly membership from a sign-up form
• Offer a trial period at a lower price, then bill the regular amount
• Bill a fixed number of installments, for example 6 monthly payments
• Save the subscription ID with the user's record, so you can update the subscription later
• React to Authorize.Net notifications, for example suspend a member's access when their subscription is suspended

Don't use it to

• Charge a one-time payment, or charge the first period right away. Use Make a Payment with Credit Card.
• Bill a bank account. This action only accepts a credit card. For a one-time bank payment, use Make a Payment with Electronic Check.
• Change an existing subscription. Use Update Subscription.
• Cancel a subscription. There's no action for this. Cancel it in the Authorize.Net Merchant Interface.
• Refund a subscription payment. Use Refund a Transaction.

Related Actions

Action Name	Description
Update Subscription	Changes the amount, card, billing details or number of payments of a subscription.
Make a Payment with Credit Card	Charges a card once through Authorize.Net.
Make a Payment with Electronic Check	Charges a bank account once through Authorize.Net.
Add a Simple Checkout to a Button	Sends the user to a payment page hosted by Authorize.Net.
Refund a Transaction	Refunds an Authorize.Net transaction.
Stripe Create Subscription	Creates a recurring subscription in Stripe instead.
Run SQL Query	Saves the subscription ID in your database.

Input Parameter Reference

Parameter	Description	Supports Tokens	Default	Required
API Login ID	The API Login ID of your Authorize.Net account. Use the sandbox account's ID while testing.	Yes	empty string	Yes
Transaction Key	The Transaction Key that goes with the API Login ID. It's masked in the action editor.	Yes	empty string	Yes
Go Live	When checked, the request goes to the Authorize.Net production environment and real cards are billed. When unchecked, it goes to the sandbox.	No	false	No
Card Number	The credit card number. Spaces and dashes are removed before it's sent.	Yes	empty string	Yes
Card CCV	The card's security code.	Yes	empty string	Yes
Subscription Name	A name for the subscription, shown in the Authorize.Net Merchant Interface, for example Gold Membership.	Yes	empty string	No
Subscription Amount	The amount billed for each regular payment, with a decimal point and no currency symbol, for example 8.95. It must include tax, shipping and any other charges.	Yes	0	Yes
Subscription Trial Amount	The amount billed for each trial payment. It's only sent when Trial Occurrences is set and the amount is above 0.	Yes	0	No
Expiration Month	The card's expiration month, for example 7 or 07. A one-digit month gets a leading zero.	Yes	empty string	Yes
Expiration Year	The card's expiration year, for example 30 or 2030. Only the last two digits are sent.	Yes	empty string	Yes
Interval Length	How many days or months between payments. Authorize.Net accepts 7 to 365 days or 1 to 12 months. It must be at least 1, or the action fails.	Yes	empty string	Yes
Interval Unit	Days or Months. Can be set with an expression that returns 0 (Days) or 1 (Months).	Yes	Days	Yes
Total Occurrences	The total number of payments, including trial payments. Use 9999 for a subscription with no end date. It must be at least 1, or the action fails.	Yes	empty string	Yes
Trial Occurrences	How many of the first payments are billed at the trial amount. It's ignored when Total Occurrences is 9999.	Yes	0	No
First Name	The billing first name.	Yes	empty string	Yes
Last Name	The billing last name.	Yes	empty string	Yes
Country	The billing country.	Yes	empty string	No
State	The billing state or province.	Yes	empty string	No
City	The billing city.	Yes	empty string	No
Address	The billing street address.	Yes	empty string	No
Postal Code	The billing postal or ZIP code.	Yes	empty string	No
Company	The billing company name.	Yes	empty string	No
Response Result Code TokenName	The name of a token to store the result code in. See Output Parameters Reference.	No	empty string	No
Response Message TokenName	The name of a token to store the response message in.	No	empty string	No
Response SubscriptionId TokenName	The name of a token to store the new subscription ID in.	No	empty string	No
Response Customer ProfileId TokenName	The name of a token to store the customer profile ID in.	No	empty string	No
Response Customer PaymentProfileId TokenName	The name of a token to store the customer payment profile ID in.	No	empty string	No
Response Customer Address Id TokenName	The name of a token to store the customer address ID in.	No	empty string	No
Response Ref Id TokenName	The name of a token to store the reference ID in.	No	empty string	No
Response SessionToken TokenName	The name of a token to store the session token in.	No	empty string	No
On Success	Actions that run when Authorize.Net creates the subscription.	No	empty list	No
On Error	Actions that run when Authorize.Net rejects the request.	No	empty list	No
On Subscription Payment Created	Actions that run when Authorize.Net notifies you that the subscription was created. See Webhook notifications.	No	empty list	No
On Subscription Payment Updated	Actions that run when Authorize.Net notifies you that the subscription was updated.	No	empty list	No
On Subscription Payment Suspended	Actions that run when Authorize.Net notifies you that the subscription was suspended.	No	empty list	No
On Subscription Payment Terminated	Actions that run when Authorize.Net notifies you that the subscription was terminated.	No	empty list	No
On Subscription Payment Cancelled	Actions that run when Authorize.Net notifies you that the subscription was cancelled.	No	empty list	No
On Subscription Payment Expiring	Actions that run when Authorize.Net notifies you that the subscription has only one payment left.	No	empty list	No

Output Parameters Reference

Each token is only created if you enter a name for it. The tokens are set before On Success or On Error runs, so you can use them in both lists.

Parameter	Description
Response Result Code TokenName	Ok if the subscription was created, Error if it wasn't.
Response Message TokenName	The first message code and text from Authorize.Net, separated by two spaces, for example I00001 Successful. On an error, it tells you why, for example that the subscription is a duplicate.
Response SubscriptionId TokenName	The ID of the new subscription. Save it, because Update Subscription needs it.
Response Customer ProfileId TokenName	The ID of the customer profile Authorize.Net linked to the subscription, if it returned one.
Response Customer PaymentProfileId TokenName	The ID of the customer payment profile, if Authorize.Net returned one.
Response Customer Address Id TokenName	The ID of the customer address, if Authorize.Net returned one.
Response Ref Id TokenName	The reference ID. The action doesn't send one, so it's normally empty.
Response SessionToken TokenName	The session token Authorize.Net returned, normally empty.

What happens when it runs

1. The action checks that Interval Length and Total Occurrences are at least 1. If not, it fails with an error and nothing is sent.
2. It sends the subscription to the sandbox or production environment, depending on Go Live. The start date is always tomorrow.
3. It stores the output tokens you named.
4. If the result is Ok, it saves the current tokens for webhook notifications (see below) and runs On Success.
5. If the result is Error, for example because the card was rejected or a value is invalid, it runs On Error. The action doesn't raise an error in this case, so put your error handling in On Error.

If Authorize.Net doesn't answer at all, the action fails with an error. You can catch it with the On Error of an enclosing Execute Actions.

Webhook notifications

The On Subscription Payment ... lists only run if you set up a webhook in the Authorize.Net Merchant Interface. Point it at this URL on your site, and select the subscription events you want:

{YourSiteUrl}/DesktopModules/DnnSharp/Common/WebHandlers/AuthorizeCreateSubscriptionHandler.ashx

See the Authorize.Net webhooks documentation for the setup steps.

Authorize.Net event	List that runs
net.authorize.customer.subscription.created	On Subscription Payment Created
net.authorize.customer.subscription.updated	On Subscription Payment Updated
net.authorize.customer.subscription.suspended	On Subscription Payment Suspended
net.authorize.customer.subscription.terminated	On Subscription Payment Terminated
net.authorize.customer.subscription.cancelled	On Subscription Payment Cancelled
net.authorize.customer.subscription.expiring	On Subscription Payment Expiring

When a notification arrives, the lists run with the tokens from the original run, for example the user's form values and the subscription ID token.

These tokens are kept for 7 days after the subscription is created. A notification that arrives later is ignored, and so is a notification for a subscription that wasn't created by this action. Other events, such as payment events, are ignored too.

Considerations

• Test in the sandbox first. Leave Go Live unchecked and use a sandbox account's API Login ID and Transaction Key. Authorize.Net's sandbox accepts test card numbers such as 4111111111111111. Check Go Live only with production credentials.
• Keep credentials out of the action. Load the API Login ID and Transaction Key into tokens from a protected place, instead of typing them into each action.
• Card data and PCI. Your site receives and passes on the full card number and security code, so your site is in scope for PCI DSS. Use HTTPS, don't save card fields to your database, and don't log them. On success, the action saves the current tokens for 7 days for webhook notifications, and these can include your form's card fields. If you'd rather not handle card data, use Add a Simple Checkout to a Button for one-time payments.
• No payment happens now. The first payment is tomorrow. The card isn't charged when the subscription is created, so a bad card may only show up at the first payment, and a declined payment can suspend the subscription. If you need to charge the first period now, charge it with Make a Payment with Credit Card, and count that when you set Total Occurrences.
• Trials. Total Occurrences includes the trial payments. For example, 1 trial month plus 12 regular months is 13. A trial isn't possible with 9999 occurrences, because the action ignores Trial Occurrences then. The trial amount is only sent when it's above 0, so test a free trial in the sandbox before you rely on it.
• Check the interval. The default unit is Days, and Authorize.Net needs at least 7 days. Set Interval Unit to Months for monthly billing.
• Save the subscription ID. Without it, you can't update the subscription from your application.
• Duplicates. Authorize.Net rejects a subscription that duplicates an existing one, so a double submit usually ends in On Error.

Examples

tip

To understand how to use the below examples, please see Running Examples.

The examples assume that earlier actions put the API credentials in the [AnetLoginId] and [AnetTransactionKey] tokens, and that the form has CardNumber, CardCode, ExpMonth, ExpYear, FirstName, LastName and PostalCode fields.

1. Monthly membership with no end date

This action creates a monthly subscription of 19.95 in the sandbox. On success, it saves the subscription ID with the user's record. On error, it shows the reason.

{
    "Title": "Create Subscription",
    "ActionType": "CreateSubscription",
    "Description": "Start the monthly membership",
    "Parameters": {
        "AuthorizeNetAPILoginID": "[AnetLoginId]",
        "AuthorizeNetTransactionKey": "[AnetTransactionKey]",
        "AuthorizeNetLiveMode": false,
        "AuthorizeNetCardNumber": "[CardNumber]",
        "AuthorizeNetCCV": "[CardCode]",
        "AuthorizeNetSubscriptionName": "Monthly Membership",
        "AuthorizeNetAmount": "19.95",
        "AuthorizeNetExpirationMonth": "[ExpMonth]",
        "AuthorizeNetExpirationYear": "[ExpYear]",
        "AuthorizeNetIntervalLength": "1",
        "AuthorizeNetIntervalUnit": "1",
        "TotalOccurrences": "9999",
        "AuthorizeNetFirstName": "[FirstName]",
        "AuthorizeNetLastName": "[LastName]",
        "AuthorizeNetPostalCode": "[PostalCode]",
        "AuthorizeNetResponseResultCodeTokenName": "AnetResult",
        "AuthorizeNetResponseMessageTokenName": "AnetMessage",
        "AuthorizeNetResponseSubscriptionIdTokenName": "SubscriptionId",
        "OnSuccess": [
            {
                "Title": "Run SQL Query",
                "ActionType": "RunSql",
                "Parameters": {
                    "ConnectionString": "",
                    "QueryTimeout": "",
                    "SqlQuery": "UPDATE dbo.Members SET SubscriptionId = '[SubscriptionId]' WHERE UserId = [User:UserId]",
                    "BindTokens": "",
                    "OutputTokenName": "",
                    "ExtractColumns": "",
                    "OnError": [],
                    "ShowErrors": false
                }
            },
            {
                "Title": "Display Message",
                "ActionType": "ShowMessage",
                "Parameters": {
                    "Message": "<p>Your membership is active. Your first payment will be taken tomorrow.</p>"
                }
            }
        ],
        "OnError": [
            {
                "Title": "Display Error Message",
                "ActionType": "ShowError",
                "Parameters": {
                    "Message": "<p>We couldn't start your membership: [AnetMessage]</p>"
                }
            }
        ]
    }
}

2. Trial month, then 12 regular months

This action bills 1.00 for the first month and 29.00 for the next 12 months, so Total Occurrences is 13. When Authorize.Net later notifies you that the subscription was suspended, for example after a declined payment, it logs the subscription ID. That only works within 7 days of creating the subscription, and only if the webhook is set up.

{
    "Title": "Create Subscription",
    "ActionType": "CreateSubscription",
    "Description": "Start the plan with a trial month",
    "Parameters": {
        "AuthorizeNetAPILoginID": "[AnetLoginId]",
        "AuthorizeNetTransactionKey": "[AnetTransactionKey]",
        "AuthorizeNetLiveMode": false,
        "AuthorizeNetCardNumber": "[CardNumber]",
        "AuthorizeNetCCV": "[CardCode]",
        "AuthorizeNetSubscriptionName": "Pro Plan",
        "AuthorizeNetAmount": "29.00",
        "AuthorizeNetTrialAmount": "1.00",
        "AuthorizeNetExpirationMonth": "[ExpMonth]",
        "AuthorizeNetExpirationYear": "[ExpYear]",
        "AuthorizeNetIntervalLength": "1",
        "AuthorizeNetIntervalUnit": "1",
        "TotalOccurrences": "13",
        "TrialOccurrences": "1",
        "AuthorizeNetFirstName": "[FirstName]",
        "AuthorizeNetLastName": "[LastName]",
        "AuthorizeNetResponseResultCodeTokenName": "AnetResult",
        "AuthorizeNetResponseMessageTokenName": "AnetMessage",
        "AuthorizeNetResponseSubscriptionIdTokenName": "SubscriptionId",
        "OnError": [
            {
                "Title": "Display Error Message",
                "ActionType": "ShowError",
                "Parameters": {
                    "Message": "<p>We couldn't start your plan: [AnetMessage]</p>"
                }
            }
        ],
        "OnSubscriptionPaymentSuspended": [
            {
                "Title": "Log Error",
                "ActionType": "LogError",
                "Parameters": {
                    "Message": "Authorize.Net subscription [SubscriptionId] was suspended."
                }
            }
        ]
    }
}

Revised 09/27/2026