Each Factorial card can have a spending limit that renews every day, week, month or year, and a list of merchant categories where it works or doesn't. A payment outside those rules is declined before any money is spent, so you don't chase it afterwards.

Set a spending limit

Overview

Match each card to its budget, for example £500 a week for a project card or £100 a month for a subscription card. You need Can manage cards or the permission Change a Factorial card budget and limits.

• Limits apply to virtual and physical cards. A single-use card gets its amount when it's requested, and it can't be changed.
• A payment that would go over the limit is declined.
• A refund gives budget back: the refunded amount can be spent again in the same period.

How to use

1. Go to Treasury > Cards.
2. Open the actions menu on the card and choose View details.
3. Open the Controls tab.
4. In Limit, enter the maximum amount.
5. In Renewal period, choose Daily, Weekly, Monthly or Yearly.
6. Click Update.

The Card payments tab shows the card's budget, what's Spent and what's Available in the current period. Cardholders see the same in My spending > My cards.

Choose where a card can be used

Overview

Restrict a card to the merchants it's meant for: a travel card only at airlines and hotels, or an office card blocked at restaurants. Categories describe the type of business where a card is used, such as airlines or restaurants. They come from the card networks and aren't your expense categories.

How to use

1. Open the card's Controls tab.
2. Under Categories control, choose Allow all categories, Allow specific categories (every other purchase is blocked) or Block specific categories (the card works everywhere else).
3. Select the categories and click Update.

Tips and Best Practices

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Troubleshooting

• A card payment was declined with "Authorization declined due to your spending controls." The payment went over the limit, or the merchant is in a blocked category. Check the card's Controls, then raise the limit or allow the category if the purchase should go through.
• I can't edit the controls. Controls of a single-use card are set when the card is requested and can't be changed, and a cancelled card can't be edited. Otherwise you need Can manage cards or the permission Change a Factorial card budget and limits.
• "Select at least one category." When you allow or block specific categories, choose at least one.

FAQ

1. Can I use a limit and category restrictions on the same card?

Yes, both apply at the same time.

2. Do spending limits work the same on physical and virtual cards?

Yes. Limits and category controls apply the same way to both.

3. Can I change a card's limit after the card is issued?

Yes, at any time from the Controls tab. A single-use card's amount can't be changed.

4. Can employees change their own limits?

No. Cardholders can see their limit and what's left, but only people who manage cards can change it. See Who can manage and request Factorial cards?.

5. Which currency is a card's limit in?

The currency of the cards account the card pays from.

6. When does the limit renew?

At the start of each period you chose in Renewal period: every day, every week, every calendar month or every year.

7. How do I see a card's balance, or how much is left?

Open the card's Card payments tab: it shows the card's budget, what's Spent and what's Available in the current period. Cardholders see the same in My spending > My cards, and the app shows the amount available and spent. The money in the cards account is a different balance: see How do I open a Factorial cards account, add funds and check the balance?.

8. How do I stop an employee spending more than a set amount per month?

Give their card a Limit with Monthly in Renewal period (steps above). A payment over the limit is declined.