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Overview
DNN Subscription module is an easy to use tool for setting up paid subscriptions on the website with a number of accompanying efficient options: indicate the days users paid subscription should run; allow users to browse the website for free as part of the trial period; edit and send users notification messages and more.

Configuring a subscription
In order to enjoy all the benefits the subscription module offers, click on “Configure a subscription” link on the page the module is installed and follow a simple system wizard to choose between various options.

Step 1   
The first step of the subscription settings offers you to name the subscription, add its description and choose between the two modes: basic and advanced.  Click next once you have completed editing the first step.

Step 2
During the second configuration step you will require to indicate your PayPal email which will be used to receive the payments from the subscribers. For the testing purposes, we would like to recommend you using PayPal Sandbox site to create a business test account which the payments will be submitted to as well as personal test account which the payment will be sent from.

All the required details on the test accounts creation can be found at https://developer.paypal.com/ . Check the “Use sandbox” box to confirm using test accounts and click next.

Step 3
The third page will allow you to choose various options for the way the subscription will work.

• Set the period during which subscribers will be charged and the amount users will be charged.

              In the corresponding drop down menu you may also choose the currency of your preference.

• Indicate the period the subscription will last. You may also indicate if the subscription runs out over a certain period of time or once a user cancels it.

• Reattempt on failure.
  
  The option is presented as a checkbox which you can check if you want a system to keep attempting to transfer the payment which was blocked or wasn’t delivered from subscribers for other reasons. 
  
  Please note that if you check the box the payment transfer won’t be attempted by the system in case the failed transaction stands too close to the transaction that is planned next. The difference between the failed transaction and the next one makes up 14 days.

• Choose the page your subscribers will be directed to after submitting the payment.

              The last option available on this page allows you to choose the page subscribed users will be forwarded   to after submitting the payment. The target page can be chosen from the drop down menu.

Step 4
The next step allows you to set the trial period for the subscribers. If you do not whish to have a trial period at all, simply uncheck the corresponding box.

Step 5
On this page you will see another checkbox which can do the following: if you click yes on the box, all users that visit your site will need to register first and only then will be admitted to the subscription feature. If you’re going to leave the box unchecked, users won’t be required to register on the site in order to access the subscription area.

On the very same page from the drop down menu choose role users will be receiving once subscribed to the site.

 
Finally you’ll be able to remind users using the same email address for the DNN portal registration as the PayPal email address by checking the box in the appropriate point. If their registration and PayPal emails don’t coincide, otherwise users won’t receive a portal role after the payment submission.

 
Step 6
Finally you’re able to wrap up the settings configuring by clicking on the “Finish” button on the last page of the subscription system settings.
Your subscription settings have been saved and the system successfully configured.

Advanced settings for the subscription system

You may have noticed that the system allows you to choose between the basic and advanced modes of configuration. The mode sets the way system configuration is displayed: one by one for the basic mode and grouped settings on one page for the advanced page. We recommend using the advanced mode if you have already configured the subscription module before. 

As in case with the basic mode, click save in order to save the settings you have configured for the system.

Messaging system configuration
The subscription module has the ability to edit notification messages sent to different groups of users. In order to modify the notification templates registered users will be receiving, click on the “Manage messaging systems” link on the page the subscription module is installed. 

After that proceed to messaging system edit by clicking on “Add new messaging system” link since the default system can’t be modified. But you may still check the default system settings in order to better understand how to tune your own one if required. 
 
On the page you’ll find two types of notification messages that can be modified: a greeting message which users gets after subscription completion; subscription cancellation and expiration messages when user either cancelled their subscription or it has expired.

Each message type has the following fields: email which the message is sent from; subject and message body. Each filed can be modified and filled with the details you need.

Using tokens in the template body message

Let’s take a look at the message body and learn how to enhance it with the available tokens. There are 5 tokens available in total: username, last name, first name, user mail and admin mail. Tokens automatically change the values they correspond to for each user in the message body – {$username} for user name; {$lastname} for last name etc. For example, if the email is sent to several different users, the system will automatically change names to the required ones if necessary tokens were inserted.

Please note that it is prerequisite for each token to look like {$tokenname} in order for the system to recognize it. All the tokens that can be used for the template are listed underneath each message template.

After you finish making all the required changes and setting up a new messaging system, click save to preserve the changes made.

The messaging system you have set up will appear next to the default messaging system on the corresponding page. If necessary you may go back and modify the created messaging system or create a brand new one for the new group of users.

You may now use the notification system you have configured.