This guide shows you how to read the Usage section of your billing settings. It is for any merchant who wants to know how many personalized items count this period and what Shopify is charging for them. You will learn what each tile means, where its number comes from, and why a tile can show a dash.
Where to find your usage
Open the dashboard and go to Settings, then Billing. Scroll down to the section titled Usage this period.
The period is the current billing period of your Shopify subscription. When that period is not known, Composerie counts from the start of the calendar month instead.
The page loads the billing figures when you open it. It does not refresh as each order arrives. Reload Billing to see newer figures. Processing can affect when an item appears.
How an item becomes a charge
Composerie counts every billable personalized item you sell and reports it to the usage meter on your Shopify plan. Shopify then charges it on your Shopify invoice, at the prices in your plan. So the same item is seen twice: Composerie counts it, and Shopify bills it. The tiles tell you which of the two a number comes from.
To see which items count, read usage fees explained.
What each tile means
The section shows three tiles.
Billable items is the number of billable personalized items this period. When Shopify reports a count for your usage meter, the tile shows Shopify’s number with the caption Reported by Shopify. Otherwise it shows the count Composerie keeps itself, with the caption Counted by Composerie this period. This tile always has a number, even when Shopify cannot be reached.
Pricing model is how your Shopify plan charges for usage. A plan with price tiers shows Volume or Graduated, with the number of price tiers underneath, for example “3 price tiers from your Shopify plan”. With Volume, the tier your total reaches sets the price of every item. With Graduated, each tier charges only the items that fall inside it. A plan without a usage meter shows Flat rate, with the caption No usage fees.
Current Shopify usage cost is what Shopify has charged for usage so far this period, taken from your Shopify contract. On a flat-rate plan it reads $0.00, with the caption “This plan doesn’t charge per item”.
Below the tiles
On a plan with price tiers, the Usage tiers list shows each tier from your Shopify contract. Each row names its range, such as “Up to 1000 items” or “Above 1000 items”, then its price per item and any fixed amount for the tier. A flat-rate plan has no tiers, so the list does not appear.
Sometimes a line appears under the tiles, in the form “{billable} of {total} personalized items this billing period are billable”. It only shows when it adds something to the tiles, for example when some items this period were free during a trial.
When a tile shows a dash
A dash means Shopify did not supply that value. The caption under it tells you why.
- Not available right now means Composerie could not load your plan’s pricing from Shopify when the page opened. A note under the tiles says so, with a View in Shopify link to your plan. Reload the page later. If it keeps happening, check your plan in Shopify.
- Not reported by Shopify yet appears on Current Shopify usage cost when your plan has a usage meter but Shopify has not reported a cost for this period yet.
- Available once you choose a plan in Shopify means you have not approved a plan yet. See approve Shopify billing.
Why does Pricing model say Flat rate?
Your Shopify plan has no usage meter, so Shopify charges nothing per item and you pay only the plan's recurring price. You see this on a test plan and on a development store. Your items are still counted under Billable items.
Why is the billable count lower than my total orders?
Some orders contain no personalized items, and items sold during a trial do not count. When items were left out this period, the line under the tiles shows the billable count out of the total.
Does the usage cost include my plan's price?
No. Current Shopify usage cost covers usage only. Your plan's recurring price is shown under Current plan on the same page, and Shopify charges both on your Shopify invoice.
Next: learn which items count in usage fees explained.