Billing, licenses and auto-upgrade explained

This guide explains how Briefcase billing works end-to-end - the tier-based pricing model, how billable documents are counted, what billing quarters mean, how to assign licenses to connections, and how auto-upgrade keeps your accounts accessible without surprise per-document fees.

Pricing model at a glance

Briefcase uses a tier-based license model. Every connection (client/entity) needs a license assigned to it. Each tier has the same full feature access and unlimited users - the only difference is the quarterly billable-document allowance.

• Low - up to 75 billable documents per quarter

• Medium - up to 250 billable documents per quarter

• High - up to 750 billable documents per quarter

• Ultra - up to 1,500 billable documents per quarter

See current pricing on the pricing page.

What counts as a billable document?

Only documents that have been actioned in your ledger count. Items still in review, duplicates and archived items do not count.

• Published invoices, receipts and credit notes - 1 billable document each

• Exported bank statements - 2 billable documents each

• Reconciled supplier statements - 2 billable documents each

Billing quarters

Quarterly limits are measured against your subscription's own quarter, not the calendar quarter.

• Your quarters run from your subscription start date (e.g. if you started on 1 November 2025, your quarters are Nov-Jan / Feb-Apr / May-Jul / Aug-Oct).

• The billing page shows up to 4 quarters of historical document data so you can see trends.

Assigning licenses to connections

Every connection needs a license to be accessed. You can manage assignments from Settings > Billing.

1. Go to the billing page.

2. Find the connection you want to assign in the licenses table.

3. Pick a tier (Low / Medium / High / Ultra). If you don't have an unassigned license at that tier, Briefcase will flag it as a pending change to your license counts and prompt you to confirm the subscription update.

4. Confirm to apply - prorated charges (if any) hit your subscription that day.

Auto-upgrade

Auto-upgrade keeps connections inside their license limit without you having to monitor usage manually. When a connection goes 10% over its quarterly limit, Briefcase will automatically upgrade it to the next tier that fits its volume.

How it works

1. A connection's billable documents tick past 110% of its tier limit (e.g. 83+ documents on a Low license).

2. Briefcase tries to use an unassigned license already on your subscription at the right tier and reassigns it to that connection.

3. If you don't have a spare, Briefcase upgrades your license to the next tier. You're charged a prorated amount the same day.

4. Billable actions on the connection resume immediately - no interruption.

Turning auto-upgrade on or off

Toggle auto-upgrade any time from the billing page. Only admins can change this setting.

What happens if I opt out?

If auto-upgrade is off and a connection hits its quarterly limit, the following billable actions are blocked until you manually upgrade the connection's license:

• Publishing invoices, receipts or credit notes

• Exporting bank statements

• Reconciling supplier statements

You also lose the 10% buffer that auto-upgrade applies - actions are blocked at 100% of the limit rather than 110%.

Downgrades

You can reduce subscription license counts at any time, subject to your plan's minimums.

• Per-connection downgrades are blocked if the connection has already exceeded the lower tier's quarterly limit. For example, a connection on Medium that has published 100 documents this quarter cannot be downgraded to Low (which has a 75-doc limit).

• If you want to downgrade a connection that's over its target tier's limit, wait until the next billing quarter.

Who can manage billing

Only admins can:

• View the billing page

• Buy, upgrade or downgrade licenses

• Assign or unassign licenses to connections

• Toggle auto-upgrade on or off

• View past invoices and update payment details

You can change who has admin access on the organisation settings page.

FAQs

How are auto-upgrades billed?

Prorated charges are applied to your Stripe subscription the same day the upgrade happens. You can see the breakdown on your next invoice.

What if a connection is only a few documents over the limit?

Auto-upgrade only triggers at 10% over the quarterly limit, so small overages don't cause a tier change. For example, a Low connection won't auto-upgrade until it crosses 83 billable documents (110% of 75).

Can I turn auto-upgrade off later?

Yes. You can toggle auto-upgrade on or off any time from the billing page. If you turn it off, connections that hit their quarterly limit will have billable actions blocked until you manually upgrade them.

What counts as a "billable document"?

Published invoices, receipts and credit notes count as 1 each. Exported bank statements and reconciled supplier statements count as 2 each. Items in review, duplicates and archived items don't count.

Why doesn't my usage match my billable document count?

Usage on the dashboard counts every document uploaded, while billable documents on the billing page count only documents that have been published, exported or reconciled. The time period may also differ - usage often shows the last 90 days, while billing uses your specific subscription quarter.

When does my billing quarter reset?

Your quarters run from your subscription start date, not the calendar quarter. You can see your current quarter's dates on the billing page.

What happens if a connection has no license assigned?

The connection loses product access until you assign a license, and it won't be auto-upgraded. Assign one from the billing page.

What is a "pending change" when I assign a license?

If you assign a tier where you don't currently have an unassigned license available, Briefcase flags it as a pending change. You'll be prompted to confirm the subscription update before the new license is purchased and assigned.

Why can't I downgrade a connection?

You can't downgrade a connection if it has already exceeded the lower tier's quarterly limit. For example, a Medium connection that has published 100 documents this quarter can't be downgraded to Low (75-doc limit). Wait until the next quarter to make the change.

Who can manage billing in my organisation?

Only admins can view the billing page, buy or change licenses, and toggle auto-upgrade. Change admin access on the organisation settings page.

Got a question we haven't covered? Email support@briefcase.so.