Every Altitude Card has a spending limit made up of an amount and a time window. You set it when you issue a card and can change it at any time.
The four limit types
When you set a limit, you choose one Frequency:
Per authorization: the most a card can spend on a single purchase.
7 day: a rolling limit across the last 7 days.
30 day: a rolling limit across the last 30 days.
All time: a total lifetime limit for the card.
How rolling windows work
A 7 day or 30 day limit is rolling, not a calendar week or month. It always measures the spend in the period ending today. As older transactions pass out of the window, that amount becomes available again.
For example, on a $1,000 30 day limit, a $400 purchase made 30 days ago stops counting today, so another $400 becomes available.
Holds count against the limit
An authorization counts against the card's limit as soon as it is approved, while it is still pending – an open hold draws down what the card has left, including pre-authorizations like hotel and car rental deposits, which can be larger than the final bill. If a hold is partially reversed or expires, the unused amount is restored to the limit. When the final charge settles it replaces the hold, so nothing is counted twice.
The per authorization limit is checked against the amount the merchant authorizes, not the final bill. A $500 rental deposit needs a per authorization limit of at least $500, even if the final charge will be lower. See How card holds and pre-authorizations work.
Set a limit when you issue a card
On the Issue panel, enter an Amount and choose a Frequency. See Issue a virtual card.
Edit a card's limit
Go to Cards and select the card.
Select Manage, in the row of actions beneath the card image.
Select Edit expense limits.
Update the amount or the frequency, then save.
Track spend against the limit
Open a card to see the limit, the time window, how much has been spent and how much is left.
Note: A card's limit is a spend amount over a time window. There are no merchant or category restrictions on a card. Only admins can set or edit limits.
Ready to do this? Open Altitude and go to Cards. New to Altitude? Open an account. Need help? Email [email protected].