Purpose:
The purpose of this guideline is to establish clear procedures and responsibilities for the management, purchase, allocation, and monitoring of OpenAI credits within Neftaly. This ensures operational efficiency, cost transparency, responsible usage, and compliance with organizational financial and ethical standards.
1. Scope
This policy applies to:
- All Neftaly employees, contractors, and authorized partners using OpenAI credits.
- Departments and projects that require AI services funded by organizational resources.
- Finance, IT, and Compliance teams responsible for procurement, distribution, and monitoring of OpenAI credits.
It covers:
- Credit purchasing and recharging.
- Budget allocation and usage monitoring.
- Financial reconciliation and reporting.
- Policy enforcement and audits.
2. Objectives
The key objectives are to:
- Ensure transparent management and tracking of OpenAI credits.
- Optimize usage to maximize productivity and minimize unnecessary costs.
- Prevent unauthorized use or fraud.
- Align AI credit usage with Neftaly’s financial and ethical policies.
- Enable effective monitoring, reporting, and continuous improvement.
3. Governance and Responsibilities
3.1 Oversight Authority
- Finance Department: Authorizes purchases, approves budgets, reconciles invoices.
- IT Department: Manages allocation, tracks usage, monitors system integration.
- Department Heads: Request credits, approve departmental usage.
- Compliance: Ensures adherence to Neftaly policies, OpenAI terms, and regulatory standards.
3.2 Credit Management Committee
A Credit Management Committee (CMC) is established to oversee usage:
- CIO (Chair)
- CFO
- IT Head
- Compliance Officer
- Departmental representatives
Responsibilities include:
- Approving large credit purchases or reallocations.
- Reviewing usage reports and anomalies quarterly.
- Ensuring policies and best practices are implemented.
4. Credit Procurement Process
4.1 Budget Planning
- Departments submit projected AI credit requirements annually and quarterly.
- Finance consolidates requests and approves budgets based on operational needs and historical usage.
4.2 Purchase Authorization
- All OpenAI credit purchases must be approved by Finance and IT.
- Authorization levels:
- Level 1 (≤R5,000) – Department Head + Finance verification
- Level 2 (R5,001–R20,000) – Finance Director + IT Head approval
- Level 3 (>R20,000) – CFO + CIO approval
- Emergency purchases require documented justification and executive approval.
4.3 Credit Acquisition
- Finance executes the purchase through official Neftaly payment channels.
- IT verifies receipt and links credits to the respective accounts or projects.
- Documentation is stored in the centralized OpenAI Credit Ledger.
5. Credit Allocation
5.1 Allocation Requests
- Departments submit Credit Allocation Request Forms (CARF) specifying:
- Intended project/use
- Estimated consumption
- Expected outcomes
- IT validates requests and allocates credits based on budget and project priority.
5.2 Allocation Principles
- Credits are assigned using the least privilege principle to prevent over-allocation.
- Allocation is based on department/project need and approved budget.
- Unused credits are reported and may be reallocated to other projects.
5.3 Reallocation
- Departments can request additional credits or reallocation during the quarter with justification.
- IT and Finance review and approve any adjustments to maintain compliance and prevent over-expenditure.
6. Monitoring and Reporting
6.1 Real-Time Monitoring
- IT maintains a centralized Credit Usage Dashboard showing consumption by project, department, and user.
- Automated alerts notify department heads when usage reaches 80% of allocated credits.
6.2 Monthly Reports
- IT and Finance produce monthly reports including:
- Department-wise consumption
- Project-based allocation and usage
- Budget variance
- Reports are reviewed by the Credit Management Committee for decision-making.
6.3 Quarterly Reviews
- The committee assesses efficiency, identifies high-cost projects, and recommends optimizations.
- Adjustments are communicated to departments and implemented for the next cycle.
7. Security and Compliance
- All credit management activities comply with Neftaly’s Data Protection Policy (NeftalyP402-3) and IT Security Policy (NeftalyP512-4).
- Users may not use credits for personal projects or external commercial work.
- Misuse triggers disciplinary measures, including revocation of access, reimbursement of costs, or HR action.
8. Cost Optimization
- Departments are encouraged to optimize prompts and AI requests to reduce unnecessary credit consumption.
- Batch processing and shared project accounts are recommended where feasible.
- Finance and IT periodically negotiate with OpenAI for volume discounts or enterprise packages.
9. Incident Management
9.1 Discrepancy Handling
- Discrepancies between predicted and actual credit usage must be reported within five (5) business days.
- Finance investigates with IT and OpenAI support for resolution.
9.2 Unauthorized Usage
- Any unauthorized or suspicious credit use triggers immediate investigation.
- Accounts may be temporarily suspended, and disciplinary measures applied as needed.
10. Documentation and Record Keeping
- All purchase orders, allocation requests, approvals, and usage reports are stored securely for five years.
- IT maintains a secure repository for real-time and historical usage data.
- Finance keeps invoices, receipts, and ledger entries for auditing purposes.
11. Training and Awareness
- Mandatory training for all users on responsible credit usage and AI ethics annually.
- Refresher courses for departments handling high volumes of credits.
- Awareness campaigns to share best practices for efficient credit use.
12. Policy Review
- Annual review or upon major changes in OpenAI pricing, technology, or operational needs.
- Updates are approved by CFO and CIO and communicated to all stakeholders.
13. Conclusion
The Neftaly Open AI Credits Recharging Management Guidelines ensure responsible, efficient, and transparent management of AI credits. By implementing clear procedures, monitoring, and accountability, Neftaly safeguards operational efficiency, financial integrity, and ethical AI use.