# Create, Update, and Schedule Subscriptions

Use the Stripe Dashboard or API to create or update a subscription. It can start immediately or at a later scheduled date.
### Creating subscriptions in the Dashboard
**To start immediately:**
1. Log into your Stripe Dashboard and navigate to the [Subscriptions dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com/subscriptions).
1. Click on the **+ New** button.
1. Complete information for the following fields:
- Customer
- Product (with Tax rate or Coupon if needed)
- Payment method
- Memo (optional)
**Scheduled to start in the future**
To schedule a subscription that starts in the future select a future date as the start date under **Duration.** Then, click **Schedule subscription**.
**Backdated**
A [backdated subscription](https://docs.stripe.com/billing/subscriptions/backdating) starts in the past, usually for migrations to Stripe or record keeping purposes.
Select a start date in the past that you want the billing cycle to start on under **Duration.** Select the date that you want to start the billing cycle on. Then click **+ Create subscription** button. The subscription will start on the date you selected.
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### Updating existing subscriptions
Update existing subscriptions any time through the Dashboard or Stripe API. [Subscription schedules](https://docs.stripe.com/billing/subscriptions/subscription-schedules) can automate changes to subscriptions over time.
The start date of an existing subscription can't be updated. [Certain changes](https://docs.stripe.com/billing/subscriptions/prorations#what-triggers-prorations) to a subscription can trigger [prorations](https://docs.stripe.com/billing/subscriptions/prorations#how-prorations-work).
**Update existing subscriptions immediately in the Dashboard:**
1. In the [Stripe Dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com/subscriptions) select the desired subscription
1. Click **+ Action** and select **Update subscription**
1. Make desired changes, for example, adding a new product or changing the subscription’s end date or [billing cycle](https://docs.stripe.com/billing/subscriptions/billing-cycle)
1. Click **Update subscription** to submit your changes
**Scheduling update to existing subscriptions in the Dashboard:**
Follow the same process as above, but in the final step select, click **Schedule update** and select when your changes will apply (end of current period or on a custom date).
To automate multiple changes overtime, you can [add phases](https://docs.stripe.com/billing/subscriptions/subscription-schedules?dashboard-or-api=dashboard#managing) to subscriptions that define when changes occur and what properties of the subscription to change. Phases must be sequential, meaning only one phase can be active at a given time. A subscription can have up to 10 phases.
### Using the Stripe API
* [Create or update a subscription via the API](https://docs.stripe.com/billing/subscriptions/build-subscriptions#with-code)
* [Schedule subscriptions or updates](https://docs.stripe.com/billing/subscriptions/subscription-schedules)