Domain renewal as client's first transaction

[macconnect]

How are others dealing with domain renewals when the client and domain do not already exist in WHMCS? As of now, we manually create the client account (migrating from an older billing system), then manually create a domain transfer order without invoice or confirming email. We accept and complete the transfer order (without actually doing the transfer at the registrar) then manually update the domain expiration date and do a domain renewal order.

 

Isn't there an easier way? It would be much nicer if we could simply allow existing domain clients to order domain renewal as a first transaction.

[othellotech]

We're doing it almost exactly the same, but adding them prior to the renewal as "transfers" at zero cost, and getting WHMCS to handle the invoicing etc

 

There are a couple of "problems" noted

#1 is that sometimes the domain gets renewed by whmcs and extended a year by the "transfer" going through - the short-term solution is to set the registrar to email and manually correct the dates again (which also stops it submitting a transfer request

 

we've been putting the original id of the domain in as the EPP code to track back to the old system

 

#2 is that not all domains have periods which get extended (.uk, .gb.com etc) so the transfer process for those is "flawed" at present