Commit be2d93bd authored by Tatyana Golubeva's avatar Tatyana Golubeva
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Move Fulfillment product direction pages

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---
title: "Fulfillment: Fulfillment Platform direction"
description: "The CustomersDot Application and underlying Quote to cash integrations strategy page belongs to the Fulfillment Platform group of the Fulfillment section."
---

 **Last updated**: 2024-05-10

## Mission

> Provide robust billing infrastructure and ensure it is scalable as our business evolves. This initiative centers on building a foundation and optimizing the QTC orchestration with the customersDot application. By strengthening these critical components, contributors will gain the confidence and efficiency needed to deliver enhancements to the CustomersDot application swiftly and reliably. This strategic effort will also enable data integrity and governance, compliance, and reliability while also promoting seamless collaboration and innovation within the Fulfillment section at GitLab.

## Overview

Within [CustomersDot](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/customers-gitlab-com/) our customers and all relevant stakeholders are able to manage billing accounts, subscriptions, add-ons and licenses.

[CustomersDot](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/customers-gitlab-com/) is the central application to contribute for the Fulfillment Platform group.

The Fulfillment Platform group is responsible for the following areas of CustomersDot:

- Authentication system
- Integration with Zuora, Salesforce, and Channel partner marketplace solutions
- CustomersDot admin view and functionality
- Quote-to-Cash (QTC) data architecture and orchestration within CustomersDot
- Audit and compliance initiatives

The Fulfillment Platform group owns, maintains and evolves the underlying architecture and orchestration for GitLab's Quote-to-cash flow (QTC).

## Target audience

The target audience of Fulfillment Platform spans all stakeholder groups, as it enables them to create and manage subscriptions with corresponding payments or quotes, customers, billing accounts, and licenses.

Therefore, we see the following parties interacting with CustomersDot:

1. **Customers:** SSO with gitlab.com.
2. **Fulfillment groups and team members:** Plan and SKU management improvements and Cdot and billing rearchitecture.
3. **Internal stakeholders (Customer Success, Support, Sales, Billing operations):** Multiple active orders, Enabling Admin functions for subscription modifications, and Data integrity initiatives.
We are enhancing the overall customer experience for all our clients, whether they are self-service users, sales-assisted customers, or resellers, by optimizing infrastructure to create cohesive Quote to Cash flows.
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---
title: Fulfillment section direction
description: "The Fulfillment section at GitLab focuses on supporting our customers to purchase, upgrade, downgrade, and renew paid subscriptions."
---

## Fulfillment Section Overview

Fulfillment at GitLab aims to provide a seamless buying experience for customers. We invest in [quote-to-cash](/handbook/company/quote-to-cash/) systems to make purchasing, activating, and managing GitLab subscriptions as easy as possible. This improves customer satisfaction and streamlines our go-to-market (GTM) processes, helping accelerate revenue growth for the company. As GitLab expands its AI offerings and marketplace integrations, the Fulfillment team plays a vital role in enabling these new capabilities for customers while supporting the company's ambitious growth objectives.

### Groups

The Fulfillment team consists of five groups:

1. [Fulfillment Platform](fulfillment_platform/) - Provides the architecture and foundational systems that power all fulfillment systems and integrations.
1. [Subscription Management](subscription_management/) - Enables customers to purchase GitLab products, manage subscriptions, and handle billing through self-service tools.
1. [Provision](provision/) - Facilitates subscription provisioning after purchase by creating licenses for self-managed instances and updating GitLab.com groups with entitlements.
1. [Seat Management](seat_management/) - Handles user assignment of purchased seats and add-ons and provides visibility into seat usage across namespaces.
1. [Utilization](utilization/) - Helps customers view and manage usage for consumable products to optimize their GitLab investments.

## Get Involved

We welcome feedback and contributions to help improve our fulfillment processes:

- For customers and community members: Share your experiences and suggestions through our [public issue tracker](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues) or by contacting your GitLab representative.
- For everyone: Create a merge request to this page and assign it to `@courtmeddaugh` for review, or [open a Fulfillment Meta issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/fulfillment-meta/-/issues/new) with your ideas.

Your insights help us continually improve and align our efforts with user needs.

## Mission

> Enable customer success through frictionless purchasing and subscription management experiences across the entire GitLab platform. Empower customers to easily acquire, provision, and optimize their GitLab investments through intuitive self-service experiences and flexible monetization models that scale with their needs.

GitLab paid plans offer rich feature sets that enable customers to build software faster and more securely. For the Fulfillment section, success is to make it as easy as we can for a customer to transact with GitLab and unlock the value of these rich feature sets in our paid offerings.

We champion a "self-service first" approach while also supporting sales-assisted transactions. Our goal is to enable flexible monetization models including both seat-based subscriptions and usage-based add-ons. We're continuously working to simplify subscription management and support customers' preferred purchasing channels and payment methods. Given the diversity of customers we serve across various countries, organization sizes, and industries, we strive to excel at both direct transactions and sales through [channels and alliances](/handbook/sales/#channels--alliances).

### Operating Principles

In our team, we operate based off the below principles.

#### 1. Provide an Excellent Customer Experience

- Design purchasing, management and provisioning experiences that are intuitive and self-service first
- Ensure consistent reliability and performance across all customer touchpoints
- Support customer growth with clear upgrade paths and flexible subscription management options
- Focus on automation to reduce manual intervention and improve accuracy

#### 2. Drive Strategic Focus

- Maintain rigorous alignment with company strategy and objectives
- Validate decisions through quantitative and qualitative data (customer research and feedback)
- Push back on work that doesn't clearly align with key priorities
- Balance team capacity with strategic initiatives to maintain quality & avoid burnout

#### 3. Drive Results Through Collaboration

- Partner closely with cross-functional teams to align on customer solutions
- Drive early alignment on quarterly OKRs and key project milestones
- Share visibility into progress and blockers through clear communication
- Maintain focus on revenue impact and business outcomes

#### 4. Balance Innovation with System Health

- Thoughtfully prioritize technical debt alongside new feature development
- Invest in system maintenance to ensure long-term scalability
- Focus on foundational improvements that enable future capabilities
- Build scalable, maintainable systems that grow with our customer base

## Future Outlook

Looking beyond our FY26, the Fulfillment section looks for opportunities to:

- Achieve near-complete automation of standard subscription management processes
- Expand our global payment and billing capabilities to support GitLab's growth in new segments and markets
- Develop more flexible subscription and payment models to meet the diverse needs of our expanding customer base
- Support the exploration of new tier structures and product offerings to make our platform accessible to more customers
- Integrate advanced analytics and AI to provide predictive insights for customer renewal and expansion opportunities

### Impact on GitLab's addressable market

We expand our addressable market by launching new product offerings and improving operational efficiency by providing a seamless end-to-end subscription management experience. This enables our Sales teams to spend more of their time on strategic discussions with customers. It also allows our Support and Finance teams to be more efficient.

Recent accomplishments that have expanded our addressable market include:

- The introduction of GitLab Duo Enterprise and Duo Pro add-ons, which open up new revenue streams and address evolving customer needs in AI-assisted development.
- Enabling Ultimate trials on existing GitLab.com Premium namespaces, which has facilitated upgrades and increased adoption of our most comprehensive offering.
- Improvements in self-service capabilities, which have made GitLab more accessible to a broader range of customers, particularly in the SMB segment.

## Recent Accomplishments

We continue to balance delivering new business opportunities while improving our technical systems foundations.

### Recent Pricing & Packaging Highlights

1. 2025-05 [GitLab Duo functionality within Premium and Ultimate subscriptions at no extra cost](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/gitlab-premium-with-duo/)
1. 2025-04 [GitLab Duo with Amazon Q add-on](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/gitlab-duo-with-amazon-q-agentic-ai-optimized-for-aws/)
1. 2024-08 [GitLab Duo Enterprise add-on](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/gitlab-duo-enterprise-is-now-available/)
1. 2024-01 [GitLab Duo Pro add-on](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/gitlab-duo-pro/)

### Recent Customer Experience Improvements

1. FY26-Q1 Introduced [automatic removal of dormant users on GitLab.com](https://docs.gitlab.com/user/group/moderate_users/#automatically-remove-dormant-members)
1. FY26-Q1 Enabled customers to [pay for invoice with a credit card](https://docs.gitlab.com/subscriptions/customers_portal/#pay-for-an-invoice)
1. FY25-Q4 Launched block seat overages feature in beta
1. FY25-Q3 Launched GitLab Duo Enterprise trials
1. FY25-Q3 Improved Duo seat assignment with sorting, filtering, and expanded bulk UI assignments for up to 100 users at a time
1. FY25-Q3 Launched [Manage Non-billable to Billable Promotions feature](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/administration/settings/sign_up_restrictions.html#enable-role-promotion-approval)
1. FY25-Q3 Expanded self-service renewal and auto-renewal for subscriptions with multiple rate plans
1. FY25-Q3 Enabled self-service Ultimate trials on existing gitlab.com Premium namespaces (previously required internal GitLab team member intervention)
1. FY25-Q3 Rolled out [Beta GitLab.com Opt-in Block Seat Overages](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/administration/settings/sign_up_restrictions.html#turn-on-restricted-access)
1. FY25-Q3 Completed Duo Offline Licensing for Offline customers running Custom Models

## Customer Feedback

We've seen improvements in customer satisfaction and reductions in customers needing assistance, which we can attribute to improvements such as:

- The introduction of Block Seat Overages and Manage Non-billable to billable promotions helping customers looking for more predictable billing
- Our enhanced Duo seat assignment features improving the user management experience for larger organizations
- The ability to self-service renew subscriptions with multiple rate plans has reduced friction in the renewal process for many customers

We continuously incorporate this feedback into our product development process to ensure we're meeting our customers' evolving needs.

## FY26 goals and alignment with company objectives

The Fulfillment team is committed to aligning our priorities with GitLab's strategic objectives. See below some of our focus areas this year. Please note the below list is not all-inclusive due to the SAFE nature of some of our work.

### Objective 1: Support First Order Growth

**Target Contribution:** Enable seamless paths to first purchase through modernized licensing, enhanced self-service experiences, and strategic new product offerings

#### Key Initiatives

- Enable migration of Self-managed Ultimate trials to cloud licensing
- Enable Ultimate + Duo Enterprise trials for free Self-managed customers
- Implement temporary extension capabilities using cloud licensing
- Build a scalable discount promo system for self-service purchases in the Customers Portal
- Enhance self-service purchasing and subscription management capabilities by enabling credit card payments for invoices and introducing a streamlined, unified purchase flow to support the self-service purchase of any product
- Increase renewal rate for subscriptions on auto-renew and auto-renewal eligibility for subscriptions not yet on auto-renew.
- Streamline pre-authorized support contact management
- Partner with Growth team to streamline trial-to-paid conversion processes
- Support bundled pricing and provisioning of new `Duo with Amazon Q` offering

### Objective 2: Accelerate Customer Value

**Target Contribution:** Improve the quote-to-cash experience and enhance Premium tier value through streamlined processes and flexible upgrade paths

#### Key Initiatives

- Partner with EntApps to implement centralized data model for Salesforce integration
- Improve monitoring and visibility of transaction data flow through a CDot error monitoring system
- Increase data accuracy and reliability in the integration between CustomersDot and Salesforce through short-term error improvements
- Build scalable foundation for future QTC improvements through participation in the newly founded QTC Steering committee
- Support flexible upgrade paths between Premium and Ultimate
- Enable Duo Enterprise purchase availability for Premium customers
- Partner with Cloud Connector to ensure accurate feature mapping changes

### Objective 3: Enable Customer-Focused Innovation

**Target Contribution:** Enable flexible pricing models and streamlined user management to support evolving customer needs and purchasing preferences

#### Key Initiatives

- Evaluate introduction of alternative GitLab offerings
- Support enhanced billing model for future flexibility
- Enhance Duo provisioning and licensing capabilities
- Implement new Seat Assignment Model and improve handling of seat overages
- Enhance Duo seat provisioning with additional UI and backend customization options

## Challenges and Opportunities

As we continue to evolve our fulfillment processes and offerings, we face several challenges and opportunities:

Challenges:

- Balancing the needs of diverse customer segments, from SMBs to large enterprises
- Maintaining system performance and reliability as we scale and add new features
- Ensuring seamless subscription management for an increasing number of products and add-ons

Opportunities:

- Leveraging automation to further streamline fulfillment processes
- Expanding our presence in cloud marketplaces to reach new customer segments
- Developing more flexible subscription models to meet evolving customer needs

## Roadmap

Due to the [not public](/handbook/communication/confidentiality-levels/#not-public) nature of most of our projects, our product roadmap is internal.

We have [Fulfillment FY26 Plans and Prioritization](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/Product/-/issues/13890) (also Not Public), that GitLab team members can reference to track all planned initiatives by theme.

### Roadmap Prioritization

To learn more about our roadmap prioritization principles and process, please see [Fulfillment Roadmap Prioritization](/handbook/product/groups/fulfillment-guide/#fulfillment-roadmap-prioritization)

## Key Metrics

While we don't publicly share specific numbers, we monitor key metrics across support, self-service adoption, and revenue impact to ensure alignment with GitLab's growth objectives.

- Support ticket reduction related to subscription management
- Self-service subscription management adoption rates
- Seat utilization rates across different subscription types
- Trial conversion rates for new products and add-ons
- Revenue impact of new product offerings and pricing changes
- System uptime and performance metrics for critical fulfillment services

## Recent Accomplishments and Learnings

See [Fulfillment Recap issues](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/Product/-/issues/?sort=updated_desc&state=closed&label_name%5B%5D=Fulfillment%20Recap&first_page_size=20) for recaps of other recent milestone accomplishments and learnings (internal when needed).

## Key Links

1. [Fulfillment Guide](/handbook/product/groups/fulfillment-guide/): Documentation covering CustomersDot Admin tools and internal processes that fall outside the [core product documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/).
2. [Dev - Fulfillment Sub Department](/handbook/engineering/development/fulfillment/): R&D team, priorities, prioritization processes, and more.
3. [Internal Handbook - Fulfillment](https://internal.gitlab.com/handbook/product/fulfillment/): documentation that can't be in the public handbook. Minimize this to only [Not Public](/handbook/communication/confidentiality-levels/#not-public) information, such as revenue-based KPIs or sensitive project documentation.
4. [GitLab Docs: Subscribe to GitLab](https://docs.gitlab.com/subscriptions/)
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---
title: "Fulfillment: Provision direction"
description: "Strategy page for the category of plan provisioning owned by group Provision."
---

## Mission

The Provision group's mission is to provide a seamless customer experience in accessing GitLab subscriptions, add-ons and trials, while providing key license delivery and usage data to internal teams for data-driven insights.

## Feature Overview and Maturity

_What features are the Provision group responsible for and how mature are they?_

**Legend**:

- 🙂 **Minimal**: Available and works for a small number of use cases. Some transparency for internal teams.
- 😊 **Viable**: Available and works for the majority of use cases. Some transparency for internal teams.
- 😁 **Complete**: Fully functional for all eligible use cases. Full transparency for internal teams.
- 😍 **Lovable**: Glowing reviews from external and internal users.

| Feature | Maturity | Description |
|----------|:--------:|-------------|
| Self Managed: Cloud Licensing | 😍 Lovable | License generation, feature provisioning and customer experience through online cloud licensing. |
| Self Managed: Offline Licensing | 😊 Viable | License generation, feature provisioning and customer experience through offline cloud licensing. |
| Self Managed: Legacy Licensing | 😊 Viable | License generation, feature provisioning and customer experience through legacy licensing. |
| Self Managed: Trial Provisioning | 🙂 Minimal | License generation, feature provisioning and customer experience for Self Managed Ultimate trials. |
| GitLab.com: Subscription Provisioning | 😊 Viable | Feature provisioning, group-to-subscription linking and customer experience through cloud licensing.  |
| GitLab.com: Trial Provisioning | 😁 Viable | Trial provisioning to GitLab.com groups. |

## 1-year Plan

## Team Focus Areas

### Top Priorities FY25

Over the next 12 months, the Provision team has three primary objectives:

1. Support the release of new main plan product offerings
1. Expand trial availability and experience
1. Streamline provisioning processes

#### Support release of new main plan product offerings

One of Provision's primary focus areas this year will be supporting the release of new main subscription products and features. We assist with ensuring features are accurately provisioned to customers on GitLab.com, GitLab Dedicated, and self managed instances.

#### Expand and improve trial availability

In FY24, we launched the ability for [GitLab.com Premium customers to trial Ultimate functionality](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/9549) within their existing namespace and workflows. This year, we will continue to expand on this experience. Following that, we are planning to expand on self managed trials by doing the following:

1. [Transition Self Managed Ultimate trials to Cloud Licensing](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/12173)
1. [Allow Self Managed trial initiation from the customer's instance](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/13819)

### Streamline provisioning processes

In addition to feature projects, we are constantly iterating on our provisioning processes to make them as streamlined and efficient as possible. In FY25, we intend to work on [defining future provisioning architecture](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/customers-gitlab-com/-/issues/7912) and create a blueprint for aligning GitLab.com, self managed and GitLab Dedicated provisioning.

Besides the top initiatives outlined in our 1 year plan, we have some additional areas of attention outlined below. For a comprehensive list of our upcoming and ongoing projects, check out our [GitLab Epic Roadmap](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/roadmap?state=all&sort=START_DATE_ASC&layout=MONTHS&timeframe_range_type=CURRENT_YEAR&label_name[]=Fulfillment+Roadmap&label_name[]=group::provision&label_name[]=Category:Plan+Provisioning&progress=COUNT&show_progress=true&show_milestones=false&milestones_type=GROUP&show_labels=false). Note internal-only epics will not be visible.
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