> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.buildassistants.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Understanding The Billing Portal

## Background & Purpose

How to navigate and use the Workspace Billing Portal to manage subscriptions, usage-based billing, wallet balance, transaction history, and card settings. Understanding this portal ensures there's no disruption in service, provides full transparency into billing events.

## Step-by-Step Process

### 1. Access the Billing Portal

* From your workspace, go to **Settings > Billing**
* You will see:
  * Card on file
  * Auto-pay toggle
  * Current subscription info
  * Wallet balance
  * Transaction history

### 2. Understand Subscription vs Wallet

* **Subscription** = Monthly recurring charge for platform access (plus extras like phone numbers or voice features)
* **Wallet** = Prepaid balance for usage-based billing (e.g., calls, messages)
* Usage charges are deducted from the **wallet**, not charged directly to your card each time

### 3. Update Payment Info

* Click **"Update Card Info"** to change the card used for refilling the wallet or paying subscription fees

### 4. Enable Auto-Pay (Recommended)

* Click **"Enable Auto-Pay"** to ensure your wallet refills automatically when it drops below a certain threshold
* This prevents service interruptions during high-usage periods (like large call deployments)

### 5. Add Wallet Balance Manually

* If auto-pay is off, click **"Add Balance"** to manually fund the wallet
* Funds are immediately available for usage billing
* We recommend to always **ENABLE AUTOPAY** - this will help avoid disruptions

### 6. Review Transaction History

* Transactions are categorized as:
  * **Credit**: Funds added to your wallet (manual or auto-pay)
  * **Debit**: Usage deductions (e.g., \$0.05 for a message)
* This history acts as a ledger and shows every charge and refill

### 7. Download Invoices

* For **credit transactions**, click **"Download Invoice"** to access a PDF of the charge
* Includes full metadata (Stripe ID, reference info)

### 8. Trace Usage Events

* Each **debit transaction** includes an event link (e.g., call or message)
* Click the link to open the original event in a new tab and verify the charge (e.g., call duration, usage type)
* Click 3 dots (...) to open event and capture more information

### 9. Review Sub-Account Level Charges

* Sub-account actions (like adding phone numbers or voice features) roll up to the main workspace billing
* You can:
  * See all numbers added under the **Subscription** section
  * View associated sub-accounts for each item
  * Repeat for **Voice Knowledge Bases**

## FAQs

### Q: What's the difference between a subscription and the wallet?

**A:** Subscription = platform access + add-ons. Wallet = pay-as-you-go usage.

### Q: Why am I seeing lots of tiny charges?

**A:** Those are usage debits from your wallet, not your card. Your card is only charged when adding balance.

### Q: How do I stop my wallet from running dry?

**A:** Enable **auto-pay** to auto-refill your wallet below a certain threshold.

### Q: How do I trace where a charge came from?

**A:** Click the **event link** in the transaction history to see the specific call/message.

### Q: Can I download invoices for charges?

**A:** Yes, invoices are available for all credit (card) transactions.

## Key Recommendations

* ✅ **Always enable auto-pay** to prevent service disruptions
* ✅ Monitor wallet balance regularly for usage patterns
* ✅ Download invoices for accounting and record-keeping
* ✅ Use event links to trace and verify charges
* ✅ Review transaction history to understand billing patterns