# Cortex Code Cost Control
## Overview
Cortex Code Cost Control gives you full visibility into **Snowflake Cortex Code spend** and lets you **set daily credit budgets** to keep AI usage within planned limits — at both the **account default** and **individual user** level.
The page separates limits by usage channel (**Snowsight** vs **CLI**), so you can apply different policies depending on how users access Cortex Code.
***
## What Problem It Solves
Snowflake Cortex Code (code-generation AI) can generate significant and unpredictable compute spend. Without guardrails:
* Individual users may consume disproportionate credits without realizing it.
* There is no easy way to enforce different policies for interactive (Snowsight) vs programmatic (CLI) usage.
* Cost spikes are discovered only after the fact, in the monthly bill.
Cortex Code Cost Control addresses all three by providing **real-time cost monitoring** and **enforceable daily budgets**.
***
## Key Capabilities
### Cost Monitoring
* **Cost trend chart** — view Cortex Code spend over time with configurable date range and granularity (day / week / month).
* **Cost by user** — pie chart breaking down total Cortex Code cost per user for the selected period.
* **Per-user metrics** — total cost, average daily cost, and projected annual cost for every Snowflake user.
### Budget Controls
* **Account default daily budget** — set a single daily credit cap that applies to all users by default, separately for Snowsight and CLI.
* **Per-user overrides** — override the account default for specific users with one of four modes:
* **Default** — inherit the account-level budget.
* **Blocked** — prevent the user from using Cortex Code on the selected channel.
* **Unlimited** — remove any credit cap for the user.
* **Limited** — set a custom daily credit amount (displayed in USD when pricing data is available).
Cortex Code Cost Control — users table with daily credit budget controls
***
## Prerequisites
Cortex Code Cost Control relies on **Seemore helper procedures** deployed in your Snowflake account. If they are not present, the page will show a setup prompt with a link to the installation guide.
Make sure you have completed the steps in [Create Snowflake User and Privileges](https://docs.seemoredata.io/external-docs/fundamentals/getting-set-up/setting-integrations/snowflake/create-snowflake-user-and-privileges) and that the Seemore database objects are deployed for the relevant Snowflake integration.
{% hint style="info" %}
Only users with the **Editor** role in Seemore can modify limits. Viewers can browse costs and limits but cannot change them.
{% endhint %}
***
## How to Use
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
#### Select a Snowflake Integration
Open **Cortex Code Cost Control** from the sidebar. If you have multiple Snowflake integrations, choose the one you want to manage from the integration dropdown.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Choose the Usage Channel
Use the **Snowsight / CLI** toggle to switch between the two channels. Limits and cost data update independently for each channel.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Review Cost Trends
Adjust the date range and granularity to see overall Cortex Code spend and per-user breakdown in the trend and pie charts.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Set the Account Default Budget
In the users table toolbar, set the **Account default daily user budget**. This value applies to every user who does not have an explicit override.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Configure Per-User Overrides
For any user in the table, change their **Daily credit budget** to Default, Blocked, Unlimited, or Limited with a custom amount.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
***
## How Limits Work
| Limit value | Meaning |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Default** (user only) | Inherits the account-level daily budget for the active channel. |
| **Blocked** (`0` credits) | The user cannot consume Cortex Code credits on the selected channel. |
| **Unlimited** (`-1`) | No daily cap — the user can use Cortex Code without restriction. |
| **Limited** (custom amount) | A specific number of credits per day. When pricing data is available, you can enter the limit in USD and Seemore converts it to credits automatically. |
Limits are enforced via two Snowflake parameters:
* `CORTEX_CODE_SNOWSIGHT_DAILY_EST_CREDIT_LIMIT_PER_USER`
* `CORTEX_CODE_CLI_DAILY_EST_CREDIT_LIMIT_PER_USER`
***
## FAQ
* **Does changing a limit take effect immediately?**\
Yes. Limit changes are applied optimistically in the UI and persisted to your Snowflake account within seconds.
* **Can I set different limits for Snowsight and CLI?**\
Yes. Switch the channel toggle and configure each independently.
* **What happens if the Seemore helper procedures are missing?**\
The page displays an empty state with a link to the setup guide. No cost data or limit controls are available until the procedures are deployed.
* **Who can change limits?**\
Only Seemore users with the **Editor** role. Viewers can see costs and current limits but cannot modify them.
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