Subscription phase alignment issue for subscriptions with end date

[remcotolsma]

Through a customer we discovered a problem with subscription phase alignment for subscriptions with an end date.

Internal HelpScout tickets:

• https://secure.helpscout.net/conversation/2281978665/25807
• https://secure.helpscout.net/conversation/2615782670/27302

Discussed with @rvdsteege at @pronamic HQ, the solution consists of 3 parts.

• Allow partial periods in subscription phase period creation
• No longer use total periods in subscription alignment
• Improve user interface in Gravity Forms subscription alignment settings

Allow partial periods in subscription phase period creation

Related code:

wp-pay-core/src/Subscriptions/SubscriptionPhase.php

Lines 487 to 491 in b0a6a19

	$end_date = $this->add_interval( $start_date );
	if ( null !== $this->end_date && $end_date > $this->end_date ) {
	return null;
	}

	if ( null !== $this->end_date && $end_date > $this->end_date ) {
		// Should we check if start date is before $this->end_date?
		$end_date = $this->end_date;
	}

No longer use total periods in subscription alignment

Related code:

wp-pay-core/src/Subscriptions/SubscriptionPhase.php

Lines 674 to 694 in b0a6a19

	$alignment_interval = new SubscriptionInterval( 'P' . $alignment_difference->days . 'D' );
	$alignment_phase = new self( $phase->get_subscription(), $start_date, $alignment_interval, $phase->get_amount() );
	$alignment_phase->set_total_periods( 1 );
	$alignment_phase->set_alignment_rate( $alignment_difference->days / $regular_difference->days );
	// Remove one period from regular phase.
	$total_periods = $phase->get_total_periods();
	if ( null !== $total_periods ) {
	$phase->set_total_periods( $total_periods - 1 );
	}
	$alignment_end_date = $alignment_phase->get_end_date();
	if ( null === $alignment_end_date ) {
	throw new \Exception( 'The align phase should always end because this phase exists for one period.' );
	}
	$phase->set_start_date( $alignment_end_date );

It would be easier to understand if we extend a possible regular phase end date with the alignment period/interval?

Improve user interface in Gravity Forms subscription alignment settings

Related code:

https://github.com/pronamic/wp-pronamic-pay-gravityforms/blob/325d139b0c88ae43647d639159e3c64551143369/views/html-admin-feed-settings.php#L805-L985

Suggested change in Dutch:

Betalingsdatum uitlijnen
☑️ Betalingsdatum uitlijnen inschakelen
Het is mogelijk om de eerst volgende betalingsdatum uit te lijnen op een vaste dag van de week, maand of jaar. Hiervoor wordt er een extra abonnementsfase toegevoegd aan het begin van het abonnement. Als het aantal perioden vast staat ingesteld krijg je er dus altijd 1 extra periode bij. Het af te rekenen bedrag voor deze uitlijningsfase kan naar rato worden berekend.

[remcotolsma]

⚠️ 🚨 Another important addition: In the screenshot, the fixed periods settings is set to 2, which currently results in 1 period in the alignment phase and 1 period in the regular phase. After the proposed change it will result in 1 period in the alignment phase and 2 periods in the regular phase. This because we believe that this makes more sense? Otherwise the following entry/payment would result in only one alignment period:

Interval: 1 year
Fixed periods: 1
Alignment date: January 1
Entry date: December 15, 2024

This would make more sense?

1. Alignment period: December 15, 2024 - December 31, 2024
2. Regular period: January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025

For this client we can change the fixed periods setting from 2 to 1, for other clients a changelog note?

[rvdsteege]

Re-opening for "Improve user interface in Gravity Forms subscription alignment settings".

The name and description of the setting are already updated in pronamic/wp-pronamic-pay-gravityforms@df49d2d.

[remcotolsma]

Closing this issue, moved the open task to the Pronamic Pay Gravity Forms repository:

• Improve user interface in Gravity Forms subscription alignment settings wp-pronamic-pay-gravityforms#46