🔒 Permissions: Workspace Admins can view and adjust Extra usage on the Budget page. Creators and Members don't have access to this setting. Learn more about roles →
Extra usage is a dollar cap that controls what happens when your workspace reaches the usage included in your plan for the current billing period. Setting it to $0 means users won't be able to message Minis or workforce agents until the next period. Setting it above $0 keeps things running, with any additional usage billed at your plan's standard rate.
When to use this
You want predictable bills. Keep Extra usage at $0 so your workspace never goes beyond the usage included in your plan for the period.
You want users to keep messaging Minis and workforce agents past the included usage. Set Extra usage above $0 to allow additional usage up to your chosen cap.
Your team has reached the included usage and can't message Minis or workforce agents. Raising Extra usage from $0 lets work continue while you review patterns and plan.
You want a hard ceiling on additional spend. The Extra usage value is the most a workspace can spend beyond the included usage in the current period.
How it works
Your plan includes a set amount of usage each billing period. Usage is counted every time someone messages a Mini or a workforce agent. The Budget page in Workspace Admin shows your current-period usage against the amount included in your plan.
When the included usage is reached, what happens next depends on your Extra usage setting:
Extra usage at $0. Users won't be able to message Minis or workforce agents until the next billing period starts or you raise the cap. People can still view records, but new messages won't go through.
Extra usage above $0. Users can keep messaging Minis and workforce agents, and any usage beyond the included amount is billed at your plan's standard rate. The Extra usage value is the most that can be added to the next invoice for this period.
Extra usage applies to the current billing period only, and resets at the start of each new period.
Step 1: Open the Budget page
Go to Workspace Admin → Budget. You'll see your current-period usage at the top of the page, with the Extra usage and Extra Memory Storage controls below.
Step 2: Decide how much extra to allow
Think about how your team uses Minikai and what you're comfortable with on your invoice if a busy month happens.
Zero risk of overspend. Leave Extra usage at $0. Users won't be able to message Minis or workforce agents once the included usage is reached.
Continuity above all. Set a comfortable cap so your team can keep working without interruption.
Somewhere in between. Pick a number that feels manageable as a worst-case line on your next invoice.
Step 3: Save the change
Enter the dollar amount you want to allow, then save. The change applies straight away for the current period.
You can lower Extra usage at any time. If your workspace has already gone beyond the included usage in the current period, the cap can't go below what's already been used, but you can lower it to limit further spend.
⚠️ A reminder before going live: If you keep Extra usage at $0, users won't be able to message Minis or workforce agents the moment the included usage runs out. Let your team know what to expect so a busy week doesn't catch a shift mid-handover.
Tips for setting Extra usage
Start with $0 for the first month. See how your team's actual usage tracks against the included amount before deciding whether to allow additional spend.
Review at the end of each period. If you're regularly reaching the included usage, it might be worth talking to us about a different plan rather than relying on Extra usage.
Treat Extra usage as a safety net, not a budget. It's the most your workspace can spend on additional usage, not what we expect you to spend.
ℹ️ Good to know: Extra usage is charged only when used. If your workspace stays within its included usage, the Extra usage cap has no effect on your invoice. Additional usage is billed at your plan's standard rate, which is shown on your Order Form and on your Stripe invoice.
Need help?
If you're not sure what to set, we're happy to help. Open the Help Desk from the Minikai app and we'll walk you through it.