Spend Controls let admins block specific card transaction types on all company cards before the money leaves.
Before you start
- You need to be a company Admin to manage Spend Controls.
- Custom controls (Liquor stores, Pubs and bars, International transactions, ATM withdrawals) require a Premium or Enterprise plan. Essentials admins can view the controls but cannot enable them.
- Spend controls are found in Settings → Preferences → Cards → Spend controls.
Note: Online transactions and Digital wallet controls are coming soon. See Understanding Spend Controls — what’s blocked and why for the full list.
What you’ll find in Spend controls
There are two types of rules.
Budgetly default rules — always on, managed by Budgetly, cannot be changed:
- High risk transactions — blocks transactions associated with high-risk merchants, categories, and currencies. Active for every company automatically.
Company rules — off by default, toggled on by your admin (Premium and Enterprise only):
- ATM withdrawals
- Liquor stores
- Pubs and bars
- International transactions
How to enable or disable a control
- Navigate to Settings → Preferences → Cards.
- Scroll to the Spend controls section.
- Toggle the rule you want to change on or off.
- Click Save preferences.
Changes take effect immediately once saved, and are recorded in the Action Log with the admin’s name, the rule that changed, and the time.
What each control does
| Control | What it blocks |
|---|---|
| High risk transactions | Transactions associated with high-risk merchants, categories, or currencies. The specific criteria are set by Budgetly and may change from time to time. |
| ATM withdrawals | Cash withdrawals at ATMs for all company cards. Withdrawals can also be blocked per user under Users → [User] → Preferences. |
| Liquor stores | Liquor stores, bottle shops, and wine merchants. |
| Pubs and bars | Bars, pubs, and nightclubs. |
| International transactions | Transactions in any non-AUD currency. |
For a full explanation of what each rule includes and its limitations, see Understanding Spend Controls — what’s blocked and why.
Common questions
Which plans get Spend Controls?
All plans see the Spend controls section and the Budgetly default rule (High risk transactions). Only Premium and Enterprise companies can enable Company rules.
Do controls apply to existing cards?
Yes. When you enable a rule, it applies to all company cards immediately — including cards already issued. The next transaction attempt on any card is evaluated against the new rule.
Can I set controls per user or per card?
Not yet. All controls are company-wide, except for ATM withdrawals which can also be blocked per user under Users → [User] → Preferences. Per-card and per-budget controls are planned for a future release.
What happens when a transaction is blocked?
The transaction is declined at the point of sale. The cardholder receives a push notification and email with the specific rule name. The decline is also recorded in the Action Log.
What happens if we downgrade from Premium to Essentials?
All Company rules are disabled immediately and the configuration is deleted. If you upgrade again later, you start from scratch — rules are off by default.
Does this affect bill payments?
No. Spend Controls apply to card transactions only. Bill payment controls are on the roadmap for a future release.