> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.braintrust.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Topics automation can exhaust your monthly Topics credit quickly

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Applies to:**
>
> * Plan - Starter
> * Deployment - Braintrust-hosted
> *
> * Use case - Evaluating Topics automation on a Starter plan when the monthly Topics credit is exhausted unexpectedly

**Issue:** Enabling [Topics](https://docs.braintrust.dev/observe/topics.md) with default settings can consume the [monthly Topics credit](https://docs.braintrust.dev/plans-and-limits.md#model-credits) quickly on high-volume projects, especially when using 100% sampling or applying Topics to existing traces.

**Cause:** Topics runs background analysis over matching traces. By default, the [automation uses 100% sampling](https://docs.braintrust.dev/observe/topics/manage.md#adjust-automation), so broad project traffic or historical backfills can use a large amount of Topics credit.

**Resolution:** Lower the Topics sampling rate, narrow the automation with filters, avoid unnecessary historical backfills, and [monitor Topics usage](https://docs.braintrust.dev/admin/billing/monitor-usage.md) separately from processed data usage.

## Resolution steps

### If Topics credit has not been exhausted

1. Lower the sampling rate
   Start with a low sampling rate, such as 1-5%, for high-volume projects. See [Adjust automation](https://docs.braintrust.dev/observe/topics/manage.md#adjust-automation).

2. Add filters
   Limit Topics to the workflows, environments, or trace patterns you actually want to evaluate. See [Adjust automation](https://docs.braintrust.dev/observe/topics/manage.md#adjust-automation) and [Match traces across spans](https://docs.braintrust.dev/observe/filter.md#match-traces-across-spans).

3. Avoid broad backfills
   When first testing Topics, consider applying it only to new traces instead of existing traces. See [Enable Topics](https://docs.braintrust.dev/observe/topics/enable.md).

4. Monitor usage
   Check [billing usage](https://docs.braintrust.dev/admin/billing/monitor-usage.md) for both Topics credit and processed data. These are separate limits.

### If Topics credit has already been exhausted

1. Pause Topics
   Stop the automation so new traces are not processed by Topics. See [Pause/resume automation](https://docs.braintrust.dev/observe/topics/manage.md#pause-resume-automation).

2. Reduce scope before resuming
   Lower sampling and add filters before turning Topics back on. See [Adjust automation](https://docs.braintrust.dev/observe/topics/manage.md#adjust-automation).

3. Wait for the next monthly cycle, add a card, or upgrade
   On Starter without on-demand usage, Topics pauses after the monthly credit is exhausted. [Add a card](https://docs.braintrust.dev/admin/billing/change-plan.md#enable-on-demand-usage) to resume at the overage rates, or see [What happens when I run out of Topics credit?](https://docs.braintrust.dev/admin/billing/faq.md#what-happens-when-i-run-out-of-topics-credit).

## Key limits to monitor

| Limit | Notes |
| - | - |
| [Topics credit](https://docs.braintrust.dev/plans-and-limits.md#model-credits) | Used by Topics token processing |
| [Processed data](https://docs.braintrust.dev/plans-and-limits.md#usage-limits) | Used by logged data, independent of Topics |

Pausing Topics prevents future Topics credit usage but does not restore credit already consumed.


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