Linking to parent subscriptions

Overview

In Found, a parent subscription is a primary billing subscription that can have one or more "child" subscriptions linked to it. When a child subscription is linked, the child's contribution amount is automatically deducted from the parent subscription's invoices.

This is used to model split-funding scenarios — for example, where a private payer funds the majority of a resident's care, and a local authority funds a portion. Linking the local authority subscription (child) to the private payer subscription (parent) ensures the parent's invoice reflects the deduction.

What it is

• A parent subscription is a top-level billing subscription on a booking.

• A linked (child) subscription is a subscription on the same booking whose contribution is deducted from the parent's invoice line items.

• A parent can have multiple child subscriptions linked to it.

• A child can only be linked to one parent.

• Subscriptions cannot form chains — a subscription that is already linked as a child cannot itself be a parent.

Where it is

Linking is available from the subscriptions list on a booking:

1. Open a booking and go to its Subscriptions tab.

2. Find the subscription you want to make a child.

3. Open the row actions menu on that subscription.

4. Choose Link to parent subscription.

The same row actions menu provides Unlink subscription for any subscription currently linked to a parent.

How to do it

Linking a subscription to a parent

1. From the subscriptions table on a booking, click the row actions menu on the child subscription.

2. Select Link to parent subscription.

3. In the dialog ("Link this child subscription to a parent subscription. The child's contribution will be deducted from the parent's contribution."), choose the parent from the Parent subscription dropdown. Only eligible subscriptions appear.

4. If the parent already has invoices issued, a backdating preview appears showing the adjustment amount and period that will be created on the parent.

5. If an adjustment is generated, optionally choose a follow-up action (for example, add the adjustment to the next invoice).

6. Click Link subscription to confirm.

You'll see a confirmation: "Subscription linked successfully."

Unlinking a subscription

1. From the subscriptions table, click the row actions menu on the linked child subscription.

2. Select Unlink subscription.

3. Confirm in the dialog ("This will remove the link between this subscription and its parent subscription. The parent subscription's invoices will no longer include deductions for this subscription.").

4. Click Unlink subscription.

5. Please note you can only unlink a subscription where invoicing hasn't taken place

How it works

When a child subscription is linked to a parent:

• The child's contribution is deducted from the parent's invoice line items going forward.

• If the parent has already been invoiced for periods covered by the new link, a retroactive adjustment is created on the parent's pending adjustment set.

• Subsequent changes on the child (start date, end date, contribution amount, cancellation) generate matching deduction adjustments on the parent so the two stay in sync.

The activity log on each subscription records when it was linked or unlinked, including the related subscription reference and contract name.

Best practice

Prefer starting new subscriptions over linking existing ones.

When you link a child to a parent, the deduction applies from the child's start date. If that start date is in the past, the link will backdate all the way to that date and create retroactive adjustments on the parent for every invoice period already covered. On a long-running subscription this can produce a large, hard-to-reconcile adjustment.

Our recommended approach:

• Where possible, end the existing subscriptions at a clean cut-off date and start new subscriptions (parent and child) from that date, with the link in place from day one.

• This avoids any backdated adjustments on the parent and keeps each invoice period cleanly attributable.

• Only link existing subscriptions when you genuinely need the historical deduction to flow through to the parent — and always review the backdating preview shown in the link dialog before confirming.

Transaction export

Linked subscriptions are reflected in the transactions export through the adjustments and invoice lines they generate on the parent:

• The child's deduction appears against the parent's transactions with the same nominal coding. This is displayed as a invoice transaction for the gross amount and a credit transaction for the linked child. The net value of these 2 transactions is the value of the invoices raised.

• A third transaction is reported for the linked child invoice with its corresponding nominal code.

• Retroactive adjustments created at the point of linking are exported as adjustment entries against the parent, dated according to the periods they cover.

Rules

A child subscription can only be linked when all of the following are true:

• It is not cancelled.

• It is not on hold.

• It is not stopped.

• It is not already linked to another parent.

• It does not have other subscriptions linked to it (no chained linking).

• Its billing contract module type is not "Billable extras" or "Day care".

• Its start date is on or after the parent's start date.

The target parent must also satisfy these conditions:

• Not cancelled, on hold, or stopped.

• Not already a linked child of another subscription.

• Same module type restrictions as above.

• The booking must not be locked.

Both subscriptions must:

• Belong to the same booking.

• Belong to different funders.

Unlinking constraint: A subscription cannot be unlinked if it has already generated invoices of its own.

Ending or cancelling: A parent subscription cannot be ended or cancelled while it still has active linked child subscriptions. End the children first.