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

# Balance & Alerts

> Pre-send balance checks, the BILL_001 error, and how to avoid interrupted campaigns.

The Gateway checks your balance **before** forwarding any message to Meta. If the balance is at or below zero, the request is rejected immediately and nothing is sent.

```json theme={null}
{
  "isSuccess": false,
  "errors": {
    "code": "BILL_001",
    "group": "PAYMENT_REQUIRED",
    "description": "Insufficient balance. Please top up your account to continue sending messages."
  }
}
```

<Warning>
  When you receive `BILL_001`, **pause any active campaigns immediately**. Continuing to send produces a stream of rejected requests, and partially delivered campaigns are harder to reconcile than paused ones.
</Warning>

## Balance alerts

Set up alerts before you need them, in [Dashboard](https://gateway.connexease.com) → Billing → Balance Alerts. An alert threshold that covers a day or two of normal volume gives you time to top up without interrupting traffic.

## Planning for high volume

<Tip>
  Estimate the total cost of a campaign before starting it and pre-load your wallet. Multiply the recipient count by the rate for that market and category from the [Pricing Table](/essentials/billing/pricing-table), then add \$0.001 per message for the infrastructure fee.
</Tip>

<Tip>
  Use `is_fake=true` while testing. The balance check still runs, so you can verify your integration handles `BILL_001` correctly without spending anything.
</Tip>

## Getting help

For questions about your balance, invoices, or specific charges, contact [gateway@connexease.com](mailto:gateway@connexease.com) or start a live chat from the Gateway Dashboard.