Credits and billing
Why was I charged for this?
The five charges that surprise people, and why they exist.
The surprise nearly always comes from assuming only outbound things are charged. They are not: what is charged is the action the platform performs, whether it leaves or not. These are the five that surprise most.
| Charge | Why it exists |
|---|---|
| Creating or duplicating a process | Building the circuit is system work, not just sending it |
| Uploading a document | It is stored encrypted, indexed and made searchable by content |
| Sending an email | It leaves our sending infrastructure, exactly like an SMS |
| Generating a report | It is computed when generated; downloading it later is not charged again |
| Each webhook delivery | It is a call to your system, one per event |
What is NOT charged though people think it is
Important
What most changes an estimate and almost nobody knows: **cost follows the action, not the recipient**. A bulk send to three hundred people consumes once, not three hundred times. If you were calculating per recipient, you are pricing it far higher than it is.
How to find out exactly what it was
- 1
Open the breakdown on the credits screen.
- 2
Sort by item, not by date: spend concentrates in two or three things.
- 3
Compare with last month; what changed is what needs explaining.
Watch out
If a charge is explained by none of this, check it against the activity log before assuming a billing error. Spend nobody recognises deserves knowing who launched it.
Worth knowing
Some items have a declared price and are not charged today. A name appearing in a list does not mean you are being charged for it.
›Can I see the detail per action?
Yes, each charge is recorded with its reference.
›Is anything refunded if I void a send?
No: the send already happened.
›Do reminders cost extra?
Chasing an already-sent request is not charged again.
A real case
The situation
A company estimates the annual amendment for 300 staff by multiplying by 300.
What you do
- Checks that a bulk send counts as one action
What you get
The estimate drops substantially and the decision changes.
The situation
Consumption appears that nobody recognises.
What you do
- Checks which activity generated it and when
What you get
The charge has a name and a date.
The situation
An action is repeated and consumes twice.
What you do
- Checks first whether it already happened
What you get
You stop paying for the same thing.
The situation
An automated process generates consumption overnight.
What you do
- Reviews which scheduled activities run
What you get
Automated spend becomes known.
The situation
Somebody on the team consumes unknowingly.
What you do
- Checks consumption by user
What you get
The conversation happens with the right person.
The situation
Consumption rises in a specific period.
What you do
- Compares with the same previous period
What you get
The increase is explained.
This article answers
- why am i charged when creating a process
- i do not understand a credit charge
- charged for uploading a document
- consumption i do not recognise