Credits and billing
Keeping spend under control
Know where it goes, cap it, and avoid running dry mid-send.
Spend usually goes out of control for one reason: someone launches a large batch without looking, or SMS is used by default where email would have done. Both show up in the breakdown.
Where it goes in practice
| Item | Typical weight | How to reduce it |
|---|---|---|
| Signature sends | The bulk | Little to do: it is the work itself |
| SMS and WhatsApp | The one that surprises people | Use only for people who do not read email |
| Document reading | Steady | Turn it off for types that yield no useful data |
Three measures that avoid surprises
- 1
Low-balance alert
Set so it arrives with room to top up, not once it is gone.
- 2
Check the breakdown monthly
Ten minutes. It is where you spot SMS left on by default in a three-hundred-person process.
- 3
Do the sum before a large batch
Four hundred sends are four hundred. Checking the balance first avoids stopping halfway.
Watch out
Running out mid-batch breaks nothing, but it splits the work in two and forces you to reselect whatever was left.
Worth knowing
Before cutting, check whether the spend is saving you something. A signature send costs less than the time to print, courier and file the paper.
›Can I see spend per team?
Yes, in the breakdown.
›Can I cap an individual?
It is controlled by permissions: someone who cannot launch large batches cannot spend in bulk.
›Am I warned before an expensive batch?
The total is shown before you confirm.
A real case
The situation
Spend spikes one month for no obvious reason.
What you do
- Looks at the breakdown
- Finds a 300-participant process had SMS on by default
- Restricts it to people without email
What you get
The following month returns to normal without anyone missing their notices.
The situation
Spend is discovered at month end.
What you do
- Checks consumption during the month
What you get
The correction arrives in time.
The situation
An automated process consumes more than expected.
What you do
- Reviews which activities it generates
What you get
Spend that runs on its own gets controlled.
The situation
Nobody knows which department consumes what.
What you do
- Checks consumption by department
What you get
The conversation happens with data.
The situation
You want to set a limit and do not know where.
What you do
- Estimates from previous months' consumption
What you get
The limit is set on a basis.
The situation
The balance runs out mid-campaign.
What you do
- Warns before reaching the threshold
What you get
The campaign is not interrupted.
This article answers
- see what credits are spent on
- cap a team's spend
- alert when credits run low
- monthly consumption report