# A Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up an Automated Subscription Course

This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step walkthrough to help you create and sell your first subscription-based course with automatic timed access.

### Step 1: Create Your Subscription Product on Shopify

Before setting up the course content, you need to create a product in your Shopify store. This product will be the item customers purchase to gain access.

* From your Shopify Admin, navigate to **Products** -> **Add product**.

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* Fill in the necessary details like the title, price, description, and images.
* Crucially, go to the Variants section and create a new Option named "Plan".
* Add the Option values: "Monthly" and "Yearly".
* Set a specific price for each variant.
* Note: Don’t forget to uncheck the box "This is a physical product".

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### Step 2: Set Up Recurring Payments with the Shopify Subscriptions App

This step activates the automatic billing feature for your monthly and yearly plans.

* Install the [Shopify Subscriptions app](https://apps.shopify.com/shopify-subscriptions) from the Shopify App Store.
* In the app, select **Subscription plans**.

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* Create the Monthly plan:
  * For Products, select the product you created in Step 1.
  * IMPORTANT: Be sure to select the specific "Monthly" variant for this plan.

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* Create the Yearly plan:
  * Repeat the process, selecting the product and the specific "Yearly" variant.

<figure><img src="https://3532245007-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FuRJ3j93eHyen8t2flj5y%2Fuploads%2FojviUEZKLC609O0hKmu0%2Fcourse%206.10.png?alt=media&#x26;token=d91cf27c-b608-4f31-bc91-4d21f4110fe7" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Common Error: A frequent mistake is selecting only the product without choosing the specific variant, which prevents the system from distinguishing between your plans.

### Step 3: Link the Course and Activate Timed Access in LDT

This is the most critical step, connecting your Shopify product to your course content and enabling automatic access management.

* Go to **Apps** -> **LDT Online Courses** -> **Courses**.
* Choose the course you want to set up.

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* Find the **Auto enroll via Shopify Products** section and click **Link product**.

<figure><img src="https://3532245007-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FuRJ3j93eHyen8t2flj5y%2Fuploads%2F33LoaQ0nyCY49Gli1tN1%2Fcourse%206.13.png?alt=media&#x26;token=5dd2b1f6-71c2-4f9e-83f6-d8166738dd8b" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* Select the subscription product you created in Step 1.

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* The Most Important Configuration:
  * After linking the product, click on "Specific variants".
  * CHECK BOTH the Monthly and Yearly variants.
  * Toggle on "Limit time access".
  * Set the corresponding access days for each variant:
    * For the Monthly variant: Enter 31 days so the course will be renewed for the next 31 days after the customer pays for the next monthly cycle
    * For the Yearly variant: Enter 366 days so the course will be renewed for the next 366 days after the customer pays for the next yearly cycle

<figure><img src="https://3532245007-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FuRJ3j93eHyen8t2flj5y%2Fuploads%2FEKGWVh2BuY0S955sWVjK%2Fcourse%206.17.png?alt=media&#x26;token=c99d9508-5e3e-4144-ae76-d6f3ab1a8750" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* Click Save to finish.

### Step 4: Test Your Setup

To ensure your entire system is working correctly before you go live.

* Instructions: Follow our guide on [how to grant free course access using a 100% discount code](https://helpdesk.ldtsoft.work/ldt-online-course/get-started/how-to-grant-free-course-access-using-a-100-discount-code) to simulate a customer's purchase and verify that the enrollment and timed access features function as intended.

Conclusion: Once you complete these steps, you will have a fully automated subscription course system that manages billing and access seamlessly. Always remember to double-check that you have selected the correct variants in both Step 2 and Step 3.