specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: Airbase
providerId: airbase
created: '2026-07-03'
modified: '2026-07-03'
reconciled: false
tags:
- Spend Management
- Accounts Payable
- Procurement
- Corporate Cards
- Paylocity
- FinOps
- Cost Management
- FOCUS
description: >-
  FinOps view of Airbase (Airbase by Paylocity). Airbase is itself a spend
  management platform, so there are two cost lenses. (1) Cost of Airbase: a
  contract-priced SaaS subscription (quote-based, packaged by company size and
  modules enabled) rather than a usage-metered API bill - the developer API is
  an entitlement of the platform, not a separately metered product. (2) Airbase
  as a FinOps/spend-visibility tool: the platform and its API surface the very
  spend data (bills, cards, transactions, reimbursements, POs, GL coding) that a
  finance/FinOps team uses to allocate and control non-payroll spend. No numeric
  vendor rates are reconciled here.
notes: >-
  Airbase does not publish public per-unit API pricing; the platform is
  contract-priced. Verify current packaging with Airbase/Paylocity sales. This
  file models the cost/allocation shape, not confirmed invoice line items.
sources:
- https://www.airbase.com/
- https://developer.airbase.io/
- https://www.airbase.com/integrations-overview
- https://www.paylocity.com/company/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/paylocity-announces-completion-of-acquisition-of-airbase-inc/
- https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: Airbase (Paylocity)
serviceCategory: Financial Management and Spend Management
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Subscription / Contract
  billingFrequency: Annual
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
  - Purchase
  - Adjustment
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: Airbase by Paylocity
  ServiceCategory: Financial Management
  ProviderName: Airbase
  PublisherName: Paylocity
  InvoiceIssuerName: Paylocity
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Purchase
  PricingCategory: Subscription
meters:
- name: platform_subscription
  description: Contract-priced platform subscription; packaged by company size and modules enabled. Not usage-metered per API call.
  unit: contract
  aggregation: flat
  dimensions:
  - account
  - modules
- name: managed_spend_volume
  description: Total non-payroll spend managed through Airbase (bills, cards, reimbursements) - the value the platform governs, not a vendor fee.
  unit: currency
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - department
  - vendor
  - gl_code
principles:
- name: Visibility
  description: Use the Transactions, Bills, Cards, and Reimbursements APIs to surface all non-payroll spend in real time with GL coding.
- name: Allocation
  description: Map spend to departments, vendors, budgets, and GL codes via the platform's coding and the API's transaction data.
- name: Optimization
  description: Enforce pre-approval and policy via the Approvals and Purchase Requests workflows to prevent off-policy spend before it happens.
- name: Accountability
  description: Assign approvers and budget owners; reconcile card and bill spend against budgets during the monthly close.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com