Credits and Billing Questions

A billing pod connects your workspace to a Google Cloud billing account. You can create multiple billing pods (each linked to a different billing account) to fund different workspaces. You can learn more about how to set up a billing account on our User Support Hub.

Billing is assigned when the workspace is created by selecting a billing pod, and it cannot be changed afterward.

If you need to use a different billing account, you will need to duplicate the workspace and select a different billing pod during creation.

Once a billing pod is selected for a workspace, it cannot be changed. If you need to use a different billing account, you will need to duplicate the workspace and select the correct billing pod during creation.

Yes. A single billing pod can be used for multiple workspaces. All compute and storage costs from those workspaces will be charged to the billing account associated with that pod.

Billing pods can be shared with collaborators. Any user who has been granted access to the pod can use it when creating workspaces, and costs will be billed to the associated billing account.

It depends on your billing account. Google Cloud Platform (GCP) billing accounts have a limit on the number of projects that can be created (typically around 5 by default). Each workspace in the Researcher Workbench corresponds to a GCP project, so this limit can affect how many workspaces you are able to create.

If you reach this limit, you may not be able to create new workspaces or billing pods until you:

• Delete unused workspaces
• Request a project quota increase through your GCP billing account
• Use a different billing account

If you encounter errors when creating new workspaces, this may be related to project quota limits.

Initial credits are assigned to the researcher using the All of Us Researcher Workbench and apply to all projects and workspaces created by that researcher. You can create as many workspaces as you want as long as you have a credit balance or have a billing account set up.

However, please note that initial credits cannot be combined with credits from other researchers using the Researcher Workbench.

Initial credits are available through your default initial credits billing pod, which is managed by the All of Us platform and cannot be modified or linked to a personal GCP billing account.

We recommend establishing your GCP Billing Account before your initial credits run out. Once a workspace is unlinked from an active billing account, you will not be able to start new apps or run analyses unless you create a new billing pod connected to your own GCP billing account.

If your billing pod does not appear as an option, it may be because:

• Your billing account is not properly linked
• Required permissions have not been granted
• You have not been added to the billing pod

Make sure your billing account is correctly configured and that you have access to the pod. Please follow our guide to ensure the correct configuration.

If you are unable to create apps or run analyses, it may be due to:

• Your initial credits being exhausted or expired
• Your billing pod not being correctly configured
• Missing required permissions on your GCP billing account

Please confirm that your billing pod is active and properly linked before launching apps.

It's difficult to accurately predict how much a research project could cost. The total cost of a research project depends on how you use compute and storage resources in the Workbench. You can view estimates collected by our team to help inform an estimated cost for your project.

You cannot set a spending limit on a workspace, but you can set up notifications for your credit usage and remaining balance. You can also set up budget alerts with your Google Cloud Platform (GCP) billing account.

The All of Us Researcher Workbench requires a valid Google Cloud Platform (GCP) billing account to cover costs associated with a workspace. In the absence of a credit card, you can request an invoiced billing account with GCP or use GCP resellers for this purpose.