# Orders

An order is a customer's request to purchase items. Orders contain one-time sales items, subscription items, or both. Orders generate [invoices](/docs/dev-docs/invoices) that the customer must pay to receive the items.

For detailed information on order API endpoints and their properties, see [Order operations](/docs/dev-docs/api/orders/).

## Types of order items

Two types of items can be included in an order:

- [One-time sales](/docs/dev-docs/one-time-sales): Single, non-recurring, charges for products or services. Example: A one-time purchase of an internet modem.
- [Subscriptions](/docs/dev-docs/subscriptions): Recurring charges for products or services that are billed at regular intervals, such as monthly or annually. These periods are referred to as service periods. An invoice is generated for each service period. Example: A monthly pre-paid subscription to an internet service provider.


## Billing status

`billingStatus` describes the status of the most recent invoice in the order.

| **BillingStatus**  | **Description** | **When your application receives this billingStatus:** |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| `unpaid` | Invoice is issued to the customer. It is not paid. The payment time-frame has not exceeded. | Email the invoice to the customer, see [Automate emailing invoices](/docs/tutorials/automate-emailing-invoices#automate-emailing-invoices). If autopay is turned off, [Collect a payment](/docs/data-tables/manage-customer-payments-and-billing#collect-or-register-a-payment). |
| `past-due` | Invoice is issued to the customer. It is not paid. The payment time-frame has exceeded by more than 24 hours. | [Send a past due invoice email notifications](/docs/tutorials/automate-emailing-invoices#send-a-past-due-invoice-notification). Let the customer know they have a past due invoice with in-app messaging. Depending on your service costs, you may want to remove access and delivery. |
| `abandoned` | An invoice is not paid, or not paid in full, and has been abandoned by the customer. | Remove service access and delivery. |
| `paid` | Invoice is paid by the customer. | Grant service access and delivery. Send an invoice email confirmation; see [Send a paid invoice notification](/docs/tutorials/automate-emailing-invoices#send-a-paid-invoice-notification). |
| `partially-paid` | Invoice amount is partially paid by the customer | Attempt to collect the remaining balance using email outreach. |
| `voided` | Invoice amount is set to zero. Voiding retains the invoice number and lists it in reports but changes the amounts to zero. | Remove service access and delivery, if it was granted. |
| `disputed` | Invoice amount paid is disputed by the customer or merchant | Remove service access and delivery. |
| `refunded` | Invoice amount is fully refunded to the customer. | Remove service access and delivery, if appropriate. |
| `partially-refunded` | Invoice amount is partially refunded to the customer. | No action required. |


## Order forms

Use order forms to collect payment for an order. Rebilly provides [hosted payment forms](/docs/dev-docs/create-a-hosted-payment-form) and also [Billing portals](/docs/settings/billing-portals). To create your own form, see [Get started](/docs/dev-docs#get-started).

Order forms create an invoice for payment. When an order is created it has the `pending` status. When you collect the payment against the invoice, the order status is set to `active` and the `activationTime` property is also set.

To find information on the most recent invoice:

- Reference the `recentInvoiceId`, or [`expand`](#expand-resources) the `recentInvoice` element in the API resource. For more information, see [Search filters](/docs/dev-docs/search-filters).
- Use the [retrieve a list of invoices](/docs/dev-docs/api/invoices/getinvoicecollection/) operation.
- Use the UI to [view invoices](/docs/data-tables/manage-invoices#view-invoices).


## Expand resources

Some Rebilly API resources support the use of a query string parameter named `expand`. This parameter is used to request that additional resources are returned in the `_embedded` property of the response. The `expand` property accepts a comma-separated list of objects. For more information, see [Embedded resources](/docs/dev-docs/expand-embedded-resources).

## Subscription order renewals

Rebilly automates the scheduling and generation of renewal invoices. If `autopay` is active, the payment against the invoices is scheduled automatically. To stay informed on changes to the subscription, or when invoices get paid, see [Webhooks](/docs/dev-docs/webhooks-configuration).

Alternatively, use the UI to automate notifications and related tasks. [Create event-based email notifications](/docs/automations/email-notifications#create-event-based-email-notifications) using the invoice paid and subscription activated events.

## Configure automatic abandonment of pending orders

Use this process to configure the automatic abandonment of pending orders. An order is abandoned when it is created but not activated before the abandon time is reached. When an order is abandoned all associated payable invoices are abandoned.

Only pending orders can be abandoned.

Choose from the following options to set the `abandonTime`:

- To explicitly set the date and time, the order must be abandoned, when creating an order use the [`abandonTime` parameter](/catalog/all/orders/postsubscription#!t=request&path=0/abandonTime).
- To deactivate automatic abandonment, pass a `null` value in the [`abandonTime` parameter](/catalog/all/orders/postsubscription#!t=request&path=0/abandonTime).
- To calculate the `abandonTime` automatically based on the time it was created (`createdTime`) and the TTL of the pending order (`organization.settings.billing.pendingOrderTTL`), do not send the `abandonTime` parameter.