Spending controls
TeamMate meters AI usage in Platform Credit Units (PCU). Spending controls let a workspace admin keep that usage predictable by limiting it at two independent levels: the shared workspace credit balance and an optional per-user monthly cap.
The two limits
| Limit | Scope | Set where |
|---|---|---|
| Workspace credit balance | The whole workspace | Settings → Usage & Billing (Buy Credits) |
| Per-user monthly cap | One member, per month | Settings → Usage & Billing (Edit cap) |
Before an agent runs an expensive operation such as a chat response, TeamMate runs a pre-flight check. The operation is blocked if either limit is exceeded:
- Workspace out of credits — the workspace credit balance has reached zero. The member sees a message asking them to purchase more credits.
- Per-user cap reached — the member’s usage for the current month has reached their configured cap. The member is asked to contact a workspace admin to raise the cap.
If billing is disabled for the workspace, both checks are skipped and usage is not limited. Per-user caps only take effect once a cap value is set; a member with no cap is limited only by the workspace balance.
Set a per-user monthly cap
- Open Usage & Billing
Go to Settings → Usage & Billing.
- Find the member
Locate the workspace member you want to limit in the user cap controls.
- Edit the cap
Choose Edit cap and enter the monthly limit in PCU. Save to apply it.
- Reset usage if needed
Use Reset usage to clear a member’s tracked usage for the current period and start a new cycle. Caps otherwise track usage per monthly cycle automatically.
When a limit is hit
| Trigger | Member experience | Admin action |
|---|---|---|
| Workspace balance reaches zero | Operations are blocked with a “purchase more credits” message | Buy credits from Usage & Billing |
| Member reaches their monthly cap | Operations are blocked with a “monthly usage limit reached” message | Raise the cap, or reset usage, from Usage & Billing |