Understand Meter Results in Billing

Meters calculate usage values that flow into billing when a subscription renews. Connect a meter to a metered component before using Metering for invoice charges.

Key rules:

• A meter must be attached to a metered component before it creates charges.
• The component must be added to the subscription.
• Segment values must match the values used in component pricing.
• Events received after the grace period closes are not included in the current billing period and are not automatically applied to a future period.

How meters connect to billing

A meter does not create charges by itself. To bill from meter results, configure the following items:

1. A metered component in the Product Catalog with the meter attached.
2. The component added to a subscription.
3. Events flowing into the stream.

After setup, Maxio uses the meter's usage value to calculate charges at the end of each billing period.

How usage accumulates

During a billing period, Maxio processes incoming events and updates meter values in real time.

At the end of the billing period, Maxio:

1. Reads the meter result.
2. Applies the component's pricing.
3. Creates the invoice charge.
4. Resets the meter value for the next billing period.

Segmented usage results

If a meter uses a segment, Maxio calculates usage separately for each segment value.

Example: 

A meter segmented by region can calculate separate usage totals for:

• us-east
• eu-west
• ap-southeast

Each segment value can have separate pricing on the metered component.

Where to review meter results

Review meter activity in the following areas:

• Metering > Streams > Events: Confirms that events were received and validated.
• Metering > Streams > Meters: Shows meter configuration and calculated usage.
• Subscription components: Shows the metered component added to the subscription.
• Invoices: Shows the final charge generated from the metered component.

Viewing usage on a Subscription

To see current usage for a Subscription:

1. Go to Billing > Subscriptions and open the Subscription.
2. Click the Components tab.
3. Find the metered Component.

The quantity displayed reflects all events processed so far in the current billing period.

Viewing usage on an Invoice

At billing time, the metered component's quantity is set to the meter's final usage value for the period. The invoice line item shows the component name, the usage quantity, and the price applied.

If segmentation is used, each segment appears as a separate line item.

Billing timing and grace period

The Subscription Processing Grace Period gives Maxio extra time to receive usage data before finalizing a billing period.

Use a grace period when events may arrive shortly after the billing period ends. Events received after the grace period may not be included in the closed billing period.

To set a grace period:

1. From Advanced Billing, go to Config > Settings > Metering.
2. Locate the Subscription Processing Grace Period and enter a value.
3. Save your settings.

Test billing before renewal

Preview usage-based charges before the billing period ends to confirm that meter results and component pricing are working as expected.

To test billing before renewal, use one of the following options:

• Generate a Proforma Invoice from the subscription.
• Or, configure the metered component with a short billing interval, such as 1 day, during testing.

After testing, confirm that the invoice quantity, segment values, and pricing match your expected usage-based charge.