A milestone is an event-based alternative to a calendar start date for a phase. Instead of setting a fixed date for a phase to begin, you define a named event, such as a report being delivered or an onboarding session being completed. When that event occurs, you mark the milestone complete, which activates the phase and starts billing for it.
Milestones let you sign a contract before the exact start date of a phase is known, and lock it in later when the event actually happens.
How milestones work on a quote or subscription
A quote or subscription can include one milestone per phase. Each milestone is triggered separately.
Two scenarios are supported:
Milestone on the first phase: The subscription starts when an event occurs. The customer signs the contract without a specific start date, then you mark the milestone complete when the event happens. This activates the subscription and starts billing.
Milestone on a later phase: The first phase runs with a fixed start date. The later phase begins when a downstream event completes. Billing for the later phase does not start until the milestone is marked complete.
Set up a milestone
Milestones can be configured when creating a quote or adding a subscription directly.
When creating a quote or subscription, open the phase start date picker on any phase.
Select At a milestone as the start type.
Enter a name for the milestone in the Define milestone field and Save milestone.
Set the phase duration.
If the next phase also has a milestone, and that milestone is not marked complete before this duration ends, the subscription lapses. See full milestone deadline details.
Continue building the rest of the quote or subscription as usual.
After a subscription is created, milestones can be adjusted via an amendment.
What happens if a milestone is not completed?
When a milestone is on any phase but the first phase, the prior phase has a maximum duration (set as the phase duration on the quote or subscription). If the milestone is not marked complete before that prior phase's duration ends, the subscription lapses, meaning it does not automatically advance to the milestone phase.
A lapsed subscription is recoverable. You can reactivate it by amending the subscription to extend the prior phase duration or remove the milestone.
A phase with a maximum duration shows its duration with a note that it ends when the next phase starts. For example,
1 year or until phase 2 starts.A phase without a maximum duration shows its duration normally. For example,
1 year.
Note: The milestone deadline rule only applies when a milestone phase has a prior phase. A milestone on the first phase has no prior phase and is not subject to this rule.
Mark a milestone as complete
When a milestone event occurs, mark the milestone complete to activate the phase.
On the subscription, open the Manage dropdown.
Select Mark milestone as completed.
Set the date the milestone was met.
A live preview of the resulting invoice schedule appears based on the date you choose.
Click Mark milestone as completed to activate the phase.
Milestone ordering and dates
Milestones complete in order. If a subscription has more than one milestone, the first unactivated milestone must be marked complete before the next one is available.
The milestone date can be set in the past or in the future. However, the milestone completion date cannot be earlier than the date a previous milestone was marked complete.
How milestones affect reporting
A milestone deal is recorded as a completed booking at the time the contract is signed. It does not contribute to ARR (annual recurring revenue) until the milestone that starts the phase is marked complete.
Report on outstanding milestones
To review all outstanding milestones in the account, head to Customers > All subscriptions. In the Filters dropdown select Status and then Pending milestone.