WhatsApp Portal for Subscription
Availability: 🇮🇩 Indonesian Business Account only
WhatsApp Subscription is a PayChat feature that enables merchants to collect recurring payments directly through WhatsApp. It combines two systems working together:
Accept Order acts as the registration portal — customers discover the subscription, select a plan, and sign up entirely within WhatsApp.
FlexiBill Bill Collection powers the recurring billing engine — once a customer registers, FlexiBill automatically generates and delivers a bill on every cycle based on the frequency you set.
This means merchants only need to set up one event. Everything after the first registration — billing, notifications, and payment tracking — is handled automatically.
WhatsApp Subscription is built on top of Accept Order and FlexiBill. Accept Order must be activated in your DOKU Dashboard before you can create a Subscription event. Refer to Activate Accept Order if you have not done this yet.
How the System Works Together
WhatsApp Subscription connects two DOKU products into a single seamless flow:
Registration
Accept Order (PayChat)
Serves as the customer-facing portal. Customers chat with the bot, select a subscription plan, and submit their registration — all inside WhatsApp. Name, phone, and email are auto-filled from their WhatsApp profile.
Recurring Billing
FlexiBill — Generate Bill
Once a customer successfully registers, FlexiBill's Generate Bill API is triggered automatically. It handles all subsequent billing cycles — creating, scheduling, and delivering bills via WhatsApp and/or email on every due date.
Under the hood: When a customer completes registration through Accept Order, the system internally calls FlexiBill's Generate Bill API with bill_type: "RECURRING". This creates the recurring billing schedule that runs for the duration of the subscription. Merchants do not need to call this API manually — it is triggered automatically upon successful registration.
Features and Benefits
🔁 Automated Recurring Billing
Once a customer registers, FlexiBill automatically generates and sends a bill on every billing cycle. No manual action is needed from the merchant.
📋 Pre-filled Customer Data
Customer identity fields (Name, Phone Number, Email) are automatically populated from the customer's WhatsApp profile during registration — no additional forms required.
🛍️ Product-Based Subscription Plans
Merchants define the available subscription tiers (e.g., Basic, Premium, VIP) via Price Reference in Accept Order. Customers choose their plan during the WhatsApp chat.
⚡ End-to-End WhatsApp Experience
Customers register, select a plan, pay, and receive every subsequent billing notification — all without leaving WhatsApp.
📊 Dual Dashboard Monitoring
Registration activity is visible in the Accept Order transaction list. Recurring billing and payment status are tracked separately in FlexiBill Bill Collection. See Dashboard & Monitoring for details.
💸 Flexible Fee Management
Additional service fees can be passed to the customer or absorbed by the merchant, configurable per event.
🔒 Reduced Fraud Risk
Payment is tied to a verified WhatsApp identity and confirmed customer registration, significantly reducing fraudulent orders.
Customer Journey
A step-by-step view of what happens from event creation to recurring billing:
WhatsApp Subscription vs. Standard Accept Order
Payment frequency
One-time per event
Recurring (daily / weekly / monthly / quarterly / annually)
Billing engine
Accept Order only
Accept Order (registration) + FlexiBill (recurring billing)
Custom field setup
Merchant configures manually
Name, Phone, Email auto-filled from WhatsApp
Customer identification
Customer manually enters details
Pulled directly from WhatsApp profile
Billing trigger
Customer initiates each time
Automatic on every cycle via FlexiBill
Monitoring
Accept Order transaction list
Accept Order (registration) + FlexiBill Bill Collection (payments)
Use case
Flash sales, one-off orders, events
Memberships, subscriptions, recurring services
Use Cases
Description A gym wants to automate its monthly membership billing instead of manually chasing customers each month.
Solution Create a Subscription event with three price tiers (Basic, Premium, VIP) and set billing frequency to Monthly. Publish the QR code at the front desk or share the link on social media.
How Members scan the code, select their membership tier in WhatsApp, and their identity is captured automatically. After the first payment, FlexiBill takes over — sending a billing notification every 30 days without any action from the gym.
Features Used
Price Reference for membership tiers
Monthly billing frequency
Auto-filled customer fields
Description An online education provider offers weekly tutorial sessions at different price points per subject.
Solution Use a Subscription event with Weekly billing and Price Reference per course tier. Students subscribe via WhatsApp and are billed automatically every 7 days.
How Students tap the event link, select their course plan, and complete the first payment. FlexiBill then sends billing notifications every week — no manual reminders needed.
Features Used
Price Reference for course tiers
Weekly billing frequency
Auto-filled customer fields
Description A savings cooperative needs to collect fixed monthly contributions from members without manual follow-up.
Solution Members subscribe to a savings plan directly from WhatsApp. FlexiBill handles monthly billing automatically.
How Members scan the QR code, confirm their savings plan, and complete the first contribution. Each subsequent month, a bill is sent via WhatsApp automatically.
Features Used
Price Reference for savings plan tiers
Monthly billing frequency
Auto-filled customer fields
FAQ
Is WhatsApp Subscription a separate product from Accept Order?
No. WhatsApp Subscription is an event type within Accept Order, combined with FlexiBill for recurring billing. You create and manage it through the same Accept Order form in your DOKU Dashboard, with the Event Type set to Subscription.
Do I need to integrate with FlexiBill myself?
No. The FlexiBill Generate Bill API is triggered automatically when a customer completes registration through the WhatsApp Subscription event. Merchants do not need to build or manage this integration manually.
What happens to the custom fields when I select the Subscription event type?
The system automatically pre-fills Name, Phone Number, and Email using the customer's WhatsApp account data. You do not need to configure these fields manually.
Can customers choose their own billing frequency?
No. The billing frequency is set by the merchant at the event level. Customers see the frequency during the chat before confirming their subscription.
Can I offer multiple subscription plans within a single event?
Yes. Use Price Reference to define up to 10 plan tiers within one event. Each tier has its own title, description, and amount.
Where do I monitor registrations vs. payments?
Registrations are visible in the Accept Order transaction list. Recurring billing and payment status are tracked in FlexiBill Bill Collection. See Dashboard & Monitoring for the full breakdown.
Last updated
Was this helpful?