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

# Workflow Files

> How the monthly workflow file allowance works, what happens when it runs out, and how to get more

## Overview

Each plan includes a number of workflow files a month. A workflow file is one file a workflow processes. When a workspace has used them all, workflows stop taking new files until the allowance resets or more are added.

The number for each plan is on [Plans & Pricing](/account/plans-pricing). On team plans it's per seat, pooled across the workspace: everyone's workflows draw from the same total, so one member is never stopped while a colleague has room. Every seat the workspace pays for counts, including empty ones.

## What counts

Every file a workflow processes counts once, for example:

* an upload it files
* an email attachment it saves
* a Google Drive file it renames
* each file a scheduled workflow goes through

**What doesn't cost extra:**

* A run that fails gives its file back. If you then retry it and it succeeds, the file counts once.
* A file that waits for an approval and then carries on counts once, not twice.
* A file goes through a workflow once however many steps it has.

**What to watch:**

* A schedule set to **Every file, every run** counts every file it goes through, every time it runs. Narrow it to a folder and put **Check File Details** first. See [On a Schedule](/workflows/triggers#on-a-schedule).
* Work the agent does on its own, like a live table that keeps itself up to date as files change, also counts as workflow files.

Assistant tasks and organizing a folder on demand with ⌘K are counted separately. See [Usage and limits](/account/usage-and-limits).

## When the count resets

The allowance resets each month on your billing date, not on the 1st. The reset date shows in **Settings** > **Usage** and in every banner about the limit. Files you've bought apply to the current period only and don't roll over.

## See your usage

Open **Settings** > **Usage** and find **Workflow files this period**. It shows how many files have been used of the total, and underneath:

* how many files weren't processed this period, if any
* how many of the total were bought, if any
* when it resets
* on team plans, **Shared by every seat**

Owners, admins and members can see it.

The Workflows page stays quiet about the allowance until it matters. Once a workspace has used three quarters of it, a line above the tabs says so, for example **1,520 of 2,000 files used this month**, with the reset date.

## When the limit is reached

When all the files are used, a banner appears on the Workflows page, in **Settings** > **Workflows**, and on a workflow's **Activity** tab in the editor:

* **Monthly file limit reached**, or **N files not processed this month** once files have been turned away.
* It says new files are being left where they are, and when filing resumes.

**What happens to those files:**

* They're left exactly where they are. Nothing is moved, renamed or deleted.
* They show under **Activity** as skipped, with "Not filed — this workspace reached its monthly file limit." Up to the first 20 files each period are listed, and the count shows "20+ files" beyond that.
* They don't count against the allowance.
* They aren't processed later on their own when the allowance comes back. Uploads, attachments and shared files that arrived while the limit was reached stay as they are. A scheduled workflow may pick files up on a later run, depending on how it's set up.

When there's room again, after the reset or after buying more, the banner changes to **N files not processed earlier this month** and says your workflows are running again.

If the workspace's plan isn't active, for example billing is paused, the banner says **Workflows are paused on this workspace** instead. Filing starts again when the plan does. Buying files doesn't help in that case: click **View plan**.

## Get more files

You can add files for the current period, or move to a plan with a bigger allowance.

### Buy a file pack

**Before you start:**

* You must be the workspace owner. In a personal workspace, that's you.
* The workspace must be on a paid plan with a workflow file limit, and its plan must be active.
* Packs can't be bought for a subscription managed through the App Store or Google Play.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Usage">
    Open **Settings** > **Usage**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Buy the pack">
    Under **Workflow files this period**, click **Buy 1,000 files for \$69**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pay">
    Complete the checkout. The files are added to this period when the payment goes through, and the Usage row shows how many were bought.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Packs apply to the current period and don't roll over. Buy another if you need more.

### Change the plan

On the Workflows page's banner, owners and admins see **Get more files**, which opens the plans page. See [Plans & Pricing](/account/plans-pricing) to upgrade or add seats.

## Tips

* **Narrow sources.** Watch the folder where new files land, not the whole account. A new **File Uploaded** source on The Drive AI starts on **Root only** for this reason.
* **Skip duplicates.** **Skip duplicate files** on a source stops exact copies from being processed.
* **Filter early.** On a schedule, use **New and changed files only** unless the rule is about age.

## What's next?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Plans & Pricing" icon="credit-card" href="/account/plans-pricing">
    Compare allowances across plans.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Approvals and activity" icon="clipboard-check" href="/workflows/approvals-and-activity">
    Find the files that weren't processed.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


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