Short Answer
The most common way to upload usage data into a billing system is via an API connection. Metered consumption data can be captured from the SaaS product and streamed in either real time or batch mode. Once the data is received by the billing system, it will typically be cleansed and then rated to determine the line item charges to put on a customer invoice.
Trigger Logic / Key Formula
Trigger: – Event in app (e.g., API call, GB processed, session started) → Logged by metering system → Batched or streamed in real-time via API → Posted to billing platform with timestamp + quantity
How It Works
To sync usage data through APIs, start by instrumenting your SaaS product to track billable events like number of transactions, volume of data processed, or start/stop times for usage. Then follow these steps:
- Aggregate usage events in real-time or batches using queues or data pipelines.
- Format data to match the billing platform’s API schema (e.g., `customer_id`, `metric`, `timestamp`, `quantity`).
- Post the payload to the billing platform’s usage endpoint using REST or webhook-based APIs.
- Confirm delivery and validate records to avoid duplicate or missing entries.
This integration can run nightly in batch or in real time, depending on how frequently you invoice and the volume of data.
Real-World Example
CareAcademy synced usage from their Learning Management System product into their billing system using metered APIs. This allowed them to automate session-based billing without manual data loads, enabling high-volume invoicing at scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Billing systems generally do not meter. For security reasons, most SaaS companies prefer to develop their own functionality to meter consumption within the product itself.
Billing is typically performed on a monthly basis for usage. As a result, most usage data delays do not impact the invoicing process. Late events that span billing periods can be handled with surcharges appended to a future invoice.
Yes. Many APIs allow streaming ingestion alongside daily or hourly batching.
Want to automate your usage data sync at scale? Explore Ordway’s Usage-Based Billing Platform
