How Prepay, Credits, and Rollovers Work in Protiv

The Mental Model: Prepay Is a Credit Balance

Protiv prepay works like a credit balance on your account.

1. You prepay credits at the start of a billing term

2. Those credits sit on your account

3. Each month, usage may draw down from that balance

4. Unused credits roll forward as long as your account stays active

Prepay is not tied to a specific month.
It’s a running balance that adjusts as your usage changes.

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What Prepay Is Not

Prepay is:

❌ Not a monthly charge

❌ Not locked to specific months

❌ Not forfeited if your usage slows down

This is a common source of confusion with other billing models, so it’s worth calling out directly.

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How Prepay Is Set Up

When you start or renew a billing term, Protiv sets your prepay based on:

1. Your recent average usage

2. Your selected term (Quarterly or Annual)

That amount is added to your account as prepaid credit.

Example:
You renew on a Quarterly term based on recent usage.
Three months’ worth of credits are added to your account at once.

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How Credits Are Used Each Month

Each month, Protiv calculates your monthly charge.

What happens next depends on whether your usage is above or below the monthly minimum.

If usage is at or above the minimum:

1. That amount is deducted from your prepaid credit balance

If usage is below the minimum:

1. The minimum is charged as cash

2. Your prepaid credit balance does not change

This prevents credits from being burned during low-usage months.

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What Happens When Usage Is Low

If your team slows down or pauses work for a period:

1. Monthly usage may drop

2. Minimums may apply

3. Prepaid credits remain untouched

Those unused credits stay available for future months.

This is common for:

1. Seasonal businesses

2. Project-based work

3. Temporary slowdowns

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What Happens When Usage Increases

If your usage increases and prepaid credits start running low:

1. Protiv will top up credits so service isn’t interrupted

2. The top-up amount is based on recent actual usage

Note:
Top-ups exist to keep your account running smoothly as usage grows — they are not penalties.

Your credit balance will never go negative.

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What Happens at Term Renewal (True-Ups)

At the end of your billing term, Protiv reviews recent usage.

If usage has changed:

1. Your next term’s prepay is true-upped

2. This aligns your prepaid credits with how you’re actually using the platform

True-ups happen at renewal and do not retroactively change past charges.

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Do Credits Expire?

No.

Unused prepaid credits:

1. Roll forward into the next term

2. Do not expire as long as your account remains active

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Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: Seasonal slowdown

1. Usage drops for two months

2. Minimums apply

3. Credits remain untouched

➡️ Credits are available when work ramps back up.

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Scenario 2: Busy month

1. Usage exceeds the minimum

2. Credits are deducted accordingly

➡️ Credit balance decreases.

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Scenario 3: Sustained growth

1. Usage trends higher over time

2. Credits run low mid-term

➡️ Protiv tops up credits to match usage.

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Where You Can Check Your Credit Balance

You can view your prepaid credit balance at any time in:

1. Settings → Billing

2. Your monthly invoice

3. The Billing / Usage Report

These views show:

1. Starting credit balance

2. Monthly deductions

3. Remaining balance

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Where to Go Next

If you’re looking for answers to a specific billing question, start with the article that best matches your situation:

1. How Protiv Billing Works

2. What Counts as a Billable User

3. How Your Monthly Protiv Invoice Is Calculated

4. Managing Payments, Invoices, and Billing Settings

Each article focuses on one billing topic at a time, with examples.

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