Check usage

Monitoring your usage and license limits is key to managing your SmartFeeds account effectively. The "Check Your Usage" feature provides a detailed overview of your consumption, helping you stay within your plan's boundaries and understand your data trends. This functionality aims to empower all users to autonomously manage their product flows, gain visibility into their subscription, and easily track product movements.

Understanding the Usage Dashboard
Usage-Based Email Alerts
Quick Answers to Common Issues
Related Articles

Understanding the Usage Dashboard

Monitoring Your Usage and License Limits

To access the feature, navigate to the product flow list. For each client, you will see an eye icon on the right labeled "Check Your Usage". Clicking this will open the usage monitoring dashboard.

When you open the "Check Your Usage" window, you will find several key indicators for monitoring a client's consumption.

Header Information

Client Name: Located in the top-left corner. A diamond icon (♦) next to the name indicates an Advanced license, while a puzzle piece icon (🧩) signifies a Plug and Play license.
Timeframe: On the right, an indication shows that all figures presented are based on the last 3 months.
Client Selector: If your contract includes multiple clients, the dashboard will open on the client you selected initially. A dropdown selector will be available, allowing you to switch between different clients without leaving the window.

The Usage Graph : the central part of the dashboard features a detailed graph of your usage.

Contract & Client Views: For contracts with multiple clients, you will see two tabs. The default view shows the usage for the specific client, while the other tab provides a consolidated view of the entire contract. Simply click on a tab to switch between views.
Metric Selection: By default, the graph displays product count. You can click on other available metrics listed below the graph to monitor them instead. Hovering your mouse over the graph reveals more detailed data points.
Flow-Specific View: You can view the cumulative usage of all flows or click on an individual flow to see a more focused graph for that specific data stream.
Contract Limit: A red line on the graph represents the limit set in your contract. This visual aid helps you estimate the total distribution of your products, see how much capacity is remaining, and identify where a sudden increase in products occurred or why you might have received an overage alert.

Add-ons Section : Below the graph, this section displays a complete list of available add-ons. Add-ons that you have not subscribed to will be grayed out.

Action Buttons “Contact Sales”: This button allows you to get in touch with the Arcan sales team directly for questions about upgrading your plan or adding features.

Usage-Based Email Alerts

To ensure you stay informed about your consumption, SmartFeeds sends automated emails related to your usage limits.

Approaching Limit (90%): When your usage reaches 90% of your contractual limit, you will receive an email with the subject line: Your limit{s} {are/is} close to being exceeded.
Limit Exceeded: If your usage surpasses the limit, you will receive an alert with the subject: Your limit{s} {have/has} been exceeded. This initiates a 30-day grace period for you to take corrective action.
Grace Period Reminder: An email reminder will be sent 7 days before the grace period ends, encouraging you to resolve the issue.
Contract Change: If your plan is updated, you will receive a notification email detailing the changes made to your contract.

Quick Answers to Common Issues

Why did I receive an email that my limit has been exceeded?

You received this email because your product flow usage has surpassed the limits defined in your contract. When this happens, a 30-day grace period begins, during which you should take action to either reduce your usage or contact our sales team to upgrade your plan.

How can I see how a single product flow is contributing to my total usage?

On the usage graph, you can click on the name of a specific flow listed below the chart. The graph will update to show the data for only that selected flow, helping you isolate its impact.

My contract covers multiple clients. How can I see the total usage for all of them combined?

In the "Check Your Usage" dashboard, you will find two tabs above the graph. Click on the "Global Contract" tab (or similarly named) to see the aggregated usage data for all clients under your contract.

I deleted a product flow, but my total usage count is still high and I'm over my limit. Why?

Your total usage is the sum of products across all your active flows. If you delete a flow, the products it contained might be captured by another flow whose settings are configured to import them. For example, a flow set up to import all products without specific filters could absorb products from a deleted flow, keeping your total usage count unchanged. To investigate, use the flow-specific view on the usage graph to check the product count of each individual flow. This will help you identify which flow has absorbed the products so you can adjust its settings.

For further assistance with SmartFeeds, consider reviewing these articles:

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