You can fund a Spendesk physical card with a monthly budget, one-off top-ups, or a combination of both. This article explains each method and how to choose the right one for your team.
For: Account Owners and Admins (to set up budgets) and Requesters (to manage their own card), on all Spendesk plans.
Table of Contents
Before you start
Define a monthly budget
Top up the card
Combine a monthly budget and top-ups
Expected results
Troubleshooting
FAQs
Related articles
Before you start
Roles: Admins and Account Owners can view and manage all company cards. Requesters can only view and manage their own card.
Plan: Available on all Spendesk plans.
Prerequisite: The physical card must be ordered and activated before you can set or edit its budget.
Cards ordered with a €0 (or $0) monthly limit: available again in the EEA and the US. Availability in the UK is still pending confirmation from Spendesk's card partner, Adyen.
👥 Only Admins and Account Owners can set or edit a monthly budget for another user's card. Requesters can only manage their own card.
Define a monthly budget
As an Admin or Account Owner, you can set a monthly budget when ordering the card or at any time after it has been activated.
Go to the Cards tab.
Select the physical card you want to manage.
Enter or edit the monthly budget amount.
The monthly budget is the amount available on the card. Spendesk automatically reloads it at the start of each month.
This budget is pre-approved by the Admin, so it can be higher than the standard approval policy (the rule that defines spending limits without manager sign-off) set up in Spendesk.
Top up the card
If the card is used infrequently, request a one-off top-up instead of setting a recurring monthly budget.
As a Requester:
Go to the Cards tab (or select Add money in the mobile app).
Select Top up.
Enter the amount you need.
Enter a short explanation for the top-up.
Click Top up card.
Wait for approval if required. Depending on your approval policy, the request is processed immediately or sent to your approver(s).
Once approved, Spendesk adds the funds to your physical card automatically.
As an Admin or Account Owner:
Go to the Cards tab.
Select the card you want to top up.
Select Top up.
Enter the amount.
Click Load.
💡 If no monthly budget has been set for your physical card, you can only use the card by requesting top-ups each time.
Combine a monthly budget and top-ups
If you exhaust your monthly budget but still need funds, request a top-up. This lets you keep using your physical card until the next month's budget reloads.
Follow the steps in Define a monthly budget and Top up the card above to set both up.
Expected results
Your physical card shows the correct available balance after the monthly reload or top-up.
Requesters can spend up to the monthly budget or top-up amount without needing approval, unless approval is required by policy.
Troubleshooting
Symptom: A payment is declined even though the card limit looks sufficient.
Cause: The available balance is the monthly budget (or limit) minus what's already been spent that month, not the full limit shown.
Resolution: Go to the Cards tab and check the card's current available balance before the transaction. If it's insufficient, request a top-up.
Symptom: You can't order a new physical card with a €0 (or $0) monthly limit.
Cause: This was a known limitation. It has been resolved for cards issued in the EEA and the US.
Resolution: Try again from the Cards tab. If you're ordering a card in the UK and still can't set a €0 limit, contact support@spendesk.com for the latest status.
Symptom: A top-up request is stuck with no response.
Cause: The request is waiting on an approver who hasn't reviewed it yet.
Resolution: Follow up directly with your approver. If you still need help, contact support@spendesk.com.
FAQs
Can I set a monthly budget after my card is activated?
Yes. You can set or edit your monthly budget at any time from the Cards tab.
How do I request a top-up for my card?
Go to the Cards tab and select Top up. Depending on your approval policy, this may require approval from your approver.
What happens if I reach my monthly budget before the end of the month?
Request a top-up to keep using your card until the next monthly reload.
Can I change my card's limit?
Yes. Increasing the limit doesn't reload funds — it only updates the available limit to reflect the new amount.
Can I order a physical card with a €0 monthly budget?
Yes, in the EEA and the US. This is used, for example, to allow a card to work only through top-ups for tighter spend control. UK availability is still pending confirmation.
For further questions, contact support@spendesk.com.