> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://learn.withessential.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://learn.withessential.com/administration/settings/essential-billing.md). # Manage Essential billing View your Essential software charges, save a payment card, buy technician seats, and open past invoices. > **Where to find it:** Sidebar → **Settings** → **Account** → **Essential billing**. You need the **Manage Essential Billing** permission. It is granted to the default Back Office Admin role and to custom admin roles. The **Essential billing** entry appears in Settings once Essential staff have set up your billing account with its terms and start date. Until then there is nothing to pay, no card is required, and adding users never asks about seats. ## Understand the summary * **Paid** shows payments received during the current calendar month in your business’s timezone. * **Expected remaining · estimate** shows the expected renewal charge still to come this month. Seat changes and adjustments may change it. * **Outstanding invoices** shows unpaid balances, including earlier invoices. It is separate from the estimate. * **Purchased seats** shows the capacity retained for the current billing period. **Seats in use** shows eligible active technicians using that capacity. Billing follows your agreed monthly renewal date. Removing a technician frees their seat for reuse during the period and does not create a mid-period credit. At renewal, purchased capacity resets to the eligible technician count, subject to your minimum. Free-seat allowances appear as discounts on invoices. ## See your next invoice **Next invoice** shows the renewal invoice as it would issue today: the technician seats that will be billed at the next period's price, the free-seat allowance as a discount, any pending adjustments, and the total before tax. It uses today's technician count, so adding or removing technicians before the renewal date changes the amount. When Essential has scheduled new terms for the renewal, the note under the lines says so. ## Add or change your card 1. In **Payment card**, select **Add card** or **Change card**. 2. Select **Enter card details** or **Enter replacement card**. 3. Enter the card details and select **Save card**. Complete any bank verification requested. Your current card stays on file until you select **Save card**. Select **Keep current card** to close the replacement form, or **Cancel adding card** to close it without adding your first card. The saved card is used for future Essential charges. Saving it does not automatically collect existing outstanding invoices; open those invoices with **View invoice** to pay them. Businesses approved for external payment follow the arrangement agreed with Essential staff. ## Confirm a seat charge when adding a technician When billing is active and no purchased seat is free, adding a technician buys a new seat. Before the save, Essential shows **Add 1 seat to your subscription?** with the prorated amount charged now for the rest of the current period and the increase to your monthly subscription from the next renewal. **Seats to add** starts at the number the change needs; use the plus and minus buttons to buy more if you are about to add more people, and the title and quote update. It cannot go below the number needed. Choose **Buy seats and continue** to buy the seats on one invoice and save, or **Cancel** to leave the user or role unchanged. Seats you bought stay available through the period, so later technician additions use them without another charge. The confirmation appears in three places: * **Settings → Users → Add user**, when the new user gets a role with mobile access. * **Settings → Users**, when you save a role change that makes an existing user a technician. * **Settings → Roles & Permissions**, when you grant mobile access to a role that users already hold. The count covers only holders who are not technicians through another role. No confirmation appears when a freed seat covers the addition, when the user is marked No charge, or when the business has no active billing. ## Buy seats ahead of adding technicians Seat purchases are available while your billing account is active. 1. In **Technician Seats**, select **Buy seats**. 2. Enter the number of **Additional seats**. 3. Select **Review quote**. Check the charge before tax and the number of remaining days, including today. 4. Select **Confirm purchase**. The purchase follows your payment arrangement. The seats become available through the current period. Unused purchased capacity resets at renewal; buying ahead does not permanently increase your agreed minimum. A zero-charge purchase does not create an invoice. If the period or charge has changed while you reviewed the quote, review a fresh quote before confirming again. ## View invoices and payments Open **Invoice history** for invoice status, totals, paid amounts, remaining balances, and due dates. Select **View invoice** to open the Stripe invoice or **PDF** to download its document. Use **Load older invoices** to retrieve more history. Missing cards or outstanding balances do not automatically suspend your access. Contact Essential about payment arrangements, billing corrections, or stopping renewal. Stopping renewal does not refund the current period or clear an existing balance. Related: [Add and manage users and their roles](/administration/settings/review-users-and-their-roles.md). --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://learn.withessential.com/administration/settings/essential-billing.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. 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