WHMCS 'Disable Auto Renew' vs Registrar Instruction

[thisismatt]

I use Heart Internet as my registrar for now. They have a domain control panel which allows you to set a domain to renew automatically or not; you simply change a status between 'On expiry' (i.e. renew on expiry) or 'Cancel' (i.e. do not renew).

Which instruction is actually followed if there is a difference between WHMCS and Heart?

So, as an example - 

In Heart's control panel, domain.com is set to new 'On Expiry'
In WHMCS, domain.com is set to 'Disable Auto Renew'

Will domain.com be renewed (because Heart believes it should) or not (because WHMCS believes it should not)?

[brian!]

Matt,

41 minutes ago, thisismatt said:

They have a domain control panel which allows you to set a domain to renew automatically or not; you simply change a status between 'On expiry' (i.e. renew on expiry) or 'Cancel' (i.e. do not renew).

Which instruction is actually followed if there is a difference between WHMCS and Heart?

the two are quite different...

if you set it to renew @ Heart, then the domain will renew - regardless of whether WHMCS generates an invoice or not (or even whether you've been paid by the client).... and the same if set to cancel @ heart, the domain will not renew automatically.

if you, or the client, disables auto renew in WHMCS that this simply stops the generation of a renewal invoice for that domain - it doesn't change any setting with the registrar.

https://docs.whmcs.com/Domains_Configuration#Automatic_Renewal

Quote

• Domain renewals can be enabled for auto submission to the domain registrar as soon as you receive payment for them
• This setting is independant of the auto registration and so you can enable this without enabling auto registration
• To turn this on, go to General Settings > Domains and tick the Auto Renew on Payment checkbox
• Automatic renewal should always be turned off at the registrar, as this would override WHMCS' behaviour and renew regardless of if you get paid or not
   
• By default, all domains are set to auto-renew.
• But this is not the same as what domain regstrars commonly mean by auto-renew.
• In this case, we mean that an invoice will generate x days (as per your settings) prior to the due date and once paid, the domain will renew.
• It won't ever renew without payment being made.
• It is possible however to set a domain's auto renewal setting to off so that no invoice will generate and it will be allowed to expire.
• This can be done by ticking the Disable Auto Renew checkbox on the domains management page in the admin area or by the client themselves through the toggling of the option in the client area domain details page.
• When the Disable Auto Renew button is clicked in the client area, WHMCS checks for any outstanding invoices and if the domain is invoiced on it's own that invoice is cancelled, or if an invoice for multiple items just the line item for the domain in question is removed from it.
  • Disabling auto-renewal via the admin area will not trigger the automated invoice cancellation, allowing an existing renewal invoice to be kept, or cancelled manually as desired.
  • The Upcoming Domain Renewal Notices will still be sent as normal and clients can renew the domain manually if they wish.

48 minutes ago, thisismatt said:

Will domain.com be renewed (because Heart believes it should) or not (because WHMCS believes it should not)?

it will be renewed by Heart... hence why the advice is nearly always to keep the setting disabled with the registrar and let WHMCS handle the billing and renew automatically when payment has cleared.

the exception to the rule is usually if you have a good client, who may sometimes be a later payer and you don't want to run the risk of them losing the domain - particularly useful if it's a TLD that doesn't have a grace period and can expire immediately (e.g .eu) - but generally, you keep it disabled and let WHMCS do all the work.

 

[thisismatt]

As ever, thanks Brian.

So in the case of Heart, which of these options should I be choosing to 'disable' auto renewal of domains? I'm presuming "Cancel"? Any ideas?

[brian!]

9 minutes ago, thisismatt said:

So in the case of Heart, which of these options should I be choosing to 'disable' auto renewal of domains? I'm presuming "Cancel"? Any ideas?

from those options, i'd go with Cancel....

https://www.heartinternet.uk/support/article/how-do-i-make-sure-a-domain-is-not-renewed.html

https://www.heartinternet.uk/support/article/how-do-i-cancel-my-domain-name-or-stop-it-from-renewing.html

Quote

Your domain name will remain active for the full duration you have registered it for.  However, you can set your domain name to cancel when it comes up for renewal.

You can set your domain name to cancel at any time, but it will only actually cancel on the expiration date.

i'd suggest contacting Heart support to confirm this.... the implication of the above is that cancel just prevents auto renewal, but check that you can still renew after expiry... e.g if you have a late payer... it's been years since I have used Heart for domain management and they've been through a number of owners since then.

[thisismatt]

Thanks again. I had already asked Heart, but got a less-than-confident reply, so posed here.

Am in process of applying for Nominet TAG, so will self-manage shortly (I hope) and not have to fret too much about interaction via Heart!

 

Will keep reading

[brian!]

28 minutes ago, thisismatt said:

Am in process of applying for Nominet TAG, so will self-manage shortly (I hope) and not have to fret too much about interaction via Heart!

cool - you can take your time paying Nominet because you won't get an invoice from them until the month after submitting the renewal!

[twhiting9275]

In a case like this, you'd almost want a provider specific registration module, so that you don't run into issues.

If Heart has a 'default' for the above, then set it to 'Cancel'. It won't ever expire if WHMCS can renew through them. This way, WHMCS will manage all of your renewals, instead of running to Heart

At least that's what I'm reading from what you posted. Like @brian! mentioned, it's always best to contact the provider directly though.