Credits & Usage
How Formula Bot messages and tool credits work, what counts toward your limits, credit costs per feature, and tips to manage usage.
Formula Bot uses two types of usage limits: messages for AI conversations and tool credits for specialized features. This guide explains how each works.
Messages
What Counts as a Message
Each time you send a prompt to the AI, it counts as one message:
- Asking a question
- Requesting a chart
- Running analysis
- Follow-up questions
What Doesn't Count
- Viewing results
- Downloading exports
- Managing files
- Changing settings
Message Limits by Plan
| Plan | Messages/Month |
|---|---|
| Free | Limited |
| Starter | 250 |
| Pro | Higher |
| Max | Maximum |
Visit your dashboard for exact limits on your current plan.
Tool Credits
Tool credits are used for specialized AI-powered features beyond basic chat.
What Uses Credits
| Feature | Credits |
|---|---|
| PDF to Excel conversion | 2 |
| Formula generation | 1 |
| Formula explanation | 1 |
| Sentiment analysis | 1+ |
| Language translation | 1+ |
| Text extraction | 1+ |
| Web scraping | 2+ |
Credit usage for enrichments varies based on data volume.
Tool Credits by Plan
| Plan | Credits/Month |
|---|---|
| Free | 0 |
| Starter | 100 |
| Pro | More |
| Max | Maximum |
Enrichment Features
Sentiment Analysis
Analyze text for emotional tone.
Credit usage:
- Small datasets (< 100 rows): 1 credit
- Medium datasets (100-1000 rows): 2-3 credits
- Large datasets (> 1000 rows): 5+ credits
Use cases:
- Customer feedback analysis
- Social media monitoring
- Support ticket categorization
- Review aggregation
Language Translation
Translate text between languages.
Credit usage:
- Small documents: 1 credit
- Medium documents: 2-3 credits
- Large documents: 5+ credits
Supported: 100+ languages including:
- English, Spanish, French, German
- Chinese, Japanese, Korean
- Arabic, Hindi, Portuguese
- And many more
Text Extraction
Extract structured data from unstructured text.
Credit usage:
- Simple extraction: 1 credit
- Complex extraction: 2-3 credits
- Batch processing: 5+ credits
Use cases:
- Invoice processing
- Contract data extraction
- Resume parsing
- Document digitization
Web Scraping
Pull data from websites.
Credit usage:
- Single page: 2 credits
- Multiple pages: 3-5 credits
- Complex sites: 5+ credits
Use cases:
- Competitor price monitoring
- Market research
- Content aggregation
- Data collection
Enrichments in Playbooks use credits each time the Playbook runs. Plan accordingly for scheduled automation.
Checking Your Usage
Dashboard View
See your current usage:
- Look at the sidebar bottom
- Shows messages and credits remaining
- Updates in real-time
Detailed Breakdown
For more detail:
- Go to Billing
- View usage statistics
- See daily/weekly trends
Usage Resets
When Limits Reset
- Usage resets on your billing date
- Monthly plans: Same date each month
- Annual plans: Same date each year
Rollover Policy
- Unused messages do NOT roll over
- Unused credits do NOT roll over
- Use them or lose them each period
Managing Usage
Tips to Conserve Messages
- Combine related questions
- Be specific to avoid follow-ups
- Use Playbooks for repetitive analysis
- Export and work offline when possible
Tips to Conserve Credits
- Batch similar enrichment tasks
- Use credits for high-value analysis
- Check data size before processing
- Test with samples first
Running Low?
Options When Approaching Limits
- Wait - Limits reset on billing date
- Upgrade - Get more allowance
- Prioritize - Focus on essential analysis
Notifications
You'll receive alerts when:
- 80% of messages used
- 90% of messages used
- Limit reached
Exceeding Limits
What Happens
- Chat shows limit reached message
- Tool features are disabled
- Existing data remains accessible
- Can still export previous results
Solutions
- Wait for reset
- Upgrade your plan
- Contact support for options
Billing for Credits
Included in Plan
Credits are included in your monthly subscription. No additional charges for usage within your limit.
No Overage Charges
Formula Bot does not charge overage fees. When you reach your limit, features are paused until reset or upgrade.
Usage Best Practices
For Teams
- Coordinate analysis to avoid duplicate work
- Share results instead of re-running
- Use Playbooks for standard reports
For Heavy Users
- Consider Pro or Max plans
- Schedule intensive work strategically
- Prioritize high-value analysis
For Occasional Users
- Free or Starter plans may suffice
- Upgrade temporarily for big projects
- Downgrade when not needed
Tracking Enrichment Usage
In Chat
When using enrichments, you'll see:
- Credit cost before processing
- Confirmation prompt
- Remaining balance after
In Playbooks
Scheduled enrichments:
- Deduct credits on each run
- Failed runs don't use credits
- Monitor in run history