> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.ringtonic.app/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.ringtonic.app/guides/extended-storage.md).

# Extended Storage

Extended Storage keeps all the call and form records of a workspace, however old they are, instead of removing them at the end of your plan's retention window. You turn it on per workspace and pay only for the older data it keeps: **$1.00 per GB per month**, averaged over the month.

<figure><img src="https://2905537093-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FXSbXRgC7knjpaMCHwuKc%2Fuploads%2FFS1Z5ZEY7QgPg1TA9mqI%2FXnapper-2026-09-29-14.23.56.png?alt=media&amp;token=5d2a311b-13e5-4099-a2e3-1f813bf2b578" alt=""><figcaption><p>The Extended Storage page under Settings, with the workspaces table, this billing period, the spend alert, and your invoices</p></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
Extended Storage is available on every plan, including lifetime deals, while your plan is active. Only the **workspace owner** can turn it on or off.
{% endhint %}

***

## How it works

* **Nothing is deleted for age** while Extended Storage is on, and the deletion‑warning banner disappears for that workspace.
* **You pay only for the older data:** the records older than your plan's retention window. Newer records are part of your plan.
* **You can turn it off at any time.** A 14‑day removal period starts, and billing continues through it. After it, records older than your plan's window are removed.

{% content-ref url="/pages/gl8tJlKl3jrXgj5UnLri" %}
[Data Retention](/guides/data-retention.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

***

## Turn on Extended Storage

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### Open the "Keep everything" window

Start from any of these places:

* **Settings → Extended Storage:** click **Keep everything** on the workspace's row.
* **Dashboard:** click **Keep this data** on the deletion‑warning banner. It acts on the workspace you are in.
* **Data Retention page:** click **Keep everything from $1.00/GB/mo**.
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Review the terms

The window shows the workspace, the price, today's estimate (*"Today: about \[size] → about \[amount]/month"*), how you will be billed, and what is kept: call records, transcripts, and form submissions. Call recordings are not included.

If the Agency plan would give you a longer window, the window also offers **or upgrade to Agency for 12 months**.

<figure><img src="https://2905537093-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FXSbXRgC7knjpaMCHwuKc%2Fuploads%2FNnLw4mR2sP7E4Z0Zvt5z%2FXnapper-2026-09-29-14.20.13.png?alt=media&amp;token=755c071a-bada-41d3-b7f6-0e3d97a5bf7e" alt=""><figcaption><p>The Keep everything window with the price, today's estimate, how it is billed, and what is kept</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Confirm

| The window says                                                             | Click                    | What happens                                                                                   |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| "Billed monthly in arrears to \[card] •••• \[last 4 digits]…"               | **Keep everything**      | Your saved card is used, and Extended Storage turns on at once.                                |
| "Billed monthly in arrears on your existing Extended Storage subscription…" | **Keep everything**      | The workspace joins the Extended Storage subscription you already have, and turns on at once.  |
| "You'll add a card on the next screen."                                     | **Continue to checkout** | A secure checkout page asks for your card and billing address, then returns you to Ring Tonic. |

The message **"Extended Storage is on for \[workspace]"** confirms it. The status changes to **On since \[date]**, and you receive a confirmation email. Your card is charged with the first monthly invoice.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="info" %}
You can turn on one workspace at a time. If your bank needs to confirm a payment, our payment provider, Stripe, emails you a link to confirm it.
{% endhint %}

### If Ring Tonic needs your billing address

Tax is calculated from your billing address. If your account has none, the window shows *"We need your billing address to calculate tax — nothing was changed. Add it in the Billing Portal, then try again"*.

1. Click **Open Billing Portal** and add your billing address.
2. Return to Ring Tonic and click **Keep everything** again.

<figure><img src="https://2905537093-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FXSbXRgC7knjpaMCHwuKc%2Fuploads%2Fbu8MSv1ZUTNranq8aiGT%2FXnapper-2026-09-29-14.30.29.png?alt=media&amp;token=f4ac9389-50aa-48de-b6ce-12d5c02e1986" alt=""><figcaption><p>The Keep everything window asking for a billing address, with the Open Billing Portal link</p></figcaption></figure>

Nothing is charged and nothing is turned on until you try again.

***

## How billing works

| Item                      | Details                                                                                                                   |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Price**                 | $1.00 per GB per month, charged per day: one GB kept for one day costs $1.00 ÷ 30.4375 (the length of an average month)   |
| **What counts**           | Call and form records older than your plan's retention window, in each workspace with Extended Storage on                 |
| **Measurement**           | Once a day for each workspace. A day that could not be measured is not billed.                                            |
| **Invoice**               | Monthly in arrears, on its own subscription and invoice, separate from your plan. One invoice covers all your workspaces. |
| **After you turn it off** | Billing continues through the 14‑day removal period, then stops                                                           |

The **Est. $/month** column shows today's size multiplied by the price. For a workspace that is on, it comes from the latest daily measurement. For a workspace that is off, click **Estimate** on its row. The estimate grows as more records pass your plan's window.

***

## The Extended Storage page

Go to **Settings → Extended Storage**:

* **Workspaces:** every workspace you own, with its status, estimated size, what is kept, estimated monthly cost, and actions.
* **This billing period:** the GB‑months kept so far (one GB kept for an average month), their cost, and the next invoice date.
* **Spend alert:** see [Spend alert](#spend-alert).
* **Invoices:** your last 12 Extended Storage invoices, with a **View** link. An invoice marked **(late usage)** bills usage that reached our billing provider after its regular invoice, at the price you had on those days.
* **Meter health:** the last reported day and any days waiting. If it says *"We are checking your usage records with our billing provider"*, nothing is needed from you.

If the page shows **Extended Storage needs an active plan** or **Extended Storage is not available yet**, your plan's retention window applies.

### Status and actions

| Status                                    | Meaning                                                                                    | Actions                           |
| ----------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------- |
| **Off**                                   | Your plan's retention window applies.                                                      | **Estimate**, **Keep everything** |
| **Enabling…**                             | An enable is in progress. See [Finish or abandon an enable](#finish-or-abandon-an-enable). | **Resume checkout**, **Abandon**  |
| **On since** *date*                       | Nothing in the workspace is deleted for age.                                               | **Turn off**                      |
| **Cancels** *date* **via billing portal** | On, but the subscription was cancelled in the Billing Portal and ends on that date.        | **Turn off**                      |
| **Removing — billed until** *date*        | Turning off. Billing continues until the removal date.                                     | **Resume**                        |
| **Removing — billing stopped**            | The subscription has ended. The removal period continues without billing.                  | **Turn back on**                  |

While an enable is in progress for one of your workspaces, no row offers **Keep everything**, **Resume**, or **Turn back on**.

***

## Turn off Extended Storage

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### Click "Turn off"

Click **Turn off** on the workspace's row. The window explains that billing continues until your data is removed, about 14 days from now. To keep a copy, click **Download my data** first.

<figure><img src="https://2905537093-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FXSbXRgC7knjpaMCHwuKc%2Fuploads%2F2fcZzmZMH3pvBBGy45Lu%2FXnapper-2026-09-29-14.32.22.png?alt=media&amp;token=a164a358-8252-4b74-ac6d-f291fc732664" alt=""><figcaption><p>The Turn off Extended Storage window with the removal terms and the Download my data button</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Confirm

Click **Turn off**. The status changes to **Removing — billed until** *date*, and you receive an email.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

After you turn it off:

1. The 14‑day removal period starts, and the Data Retention page shows the removal date.
2. If the workspace has records older than your plan's window, you receive the retention warning email, and the Dashboard shows the deletion date.
3. On or after the removal date, those records are removed, and the workspace shows **Off**.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Removal is **permanent**. Use **Download my data** before the removal date to keep a copy.
{% endhint %}

### Resume or turn back on

Before the removal date, you can stop the removal from the Extended Storage page or the Data Retention page:

* **Resume:** while the Extended Storage subscription is still active. One click; billing continues without a break.
* **Turn back on:** after the subscription has ended (**Removing — billing stopped**), for example when a payment could not be collected. It shows the full terms again. The workspace joins your active Extended Storage subscription if you have one, or a new subscription starts.

***

## Finish or abandon an enable

A workspace shows **Enabling…** while an enable is not complete, for example when you left the checkout page.

* **Resume checkout** reopens the checkout page, for up to 24 hours.
* **Abandon**, then **Yes, abandon**, cancels the enable. Nothing is charged and nothing is turned on.
* An enable left unfinished for more than 24 hours is abandoned automatically.

While it is in progress, the Dashboard banner shows *"Extended Storage is being enabled for this workspace"*, with a link to finish or abandon it.

<figure><img src="https://2905537093-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FXSbXRgC7knjpaMCHwuKc%2Fuploads%2Fj1PoUcKd0gTfKd07pUH7%2FXnapper-2026-09-29-14.32.54.png?alt=media&amp;token=10870d2b-e863-42f5-9d66-6081616c8d5e" alt=""><figcaption><p>A workspace row with the Enabling… status and the Resume checkout and Abandon buttons</p></figcaption></figure>

***

## Spend alert

A spend alert emails you when this billing period's Extended Storage charges pass an amount you choose.

1. In **Spend alert**, enter a whole‑dollar amount, from $1 to $100,000.
2. Click **Save**. To turn the alert off, clear the field and click **Save**.

<figure><img src="https://2905537093-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FXSbXRgC7knjpaMCHwuKc%2Fuploads%2FDjwiaEs5rThrWMu5ORS1%2FXnapper-2026-09-29-14.33.21.png?alt=media&amp;token=0961bf18-971e-4c56-bdfa-697f4a05c3a4" alt=""><figcaption><p>The Spend alert section with the amount field and the Save button</p></figcaption></figure>

The alert is sent at most once per billing period, and again if you change the amount. It is only an email: it never turns Extended Storage off.

***

## Emails and notices

The workspace owner receives these emails:

| Email                                                                | When                                                                                                                                               |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Extended Storage is on** (or **resumed**) **for \[workspace]**     | After you turn it on or resume it. It shows the price, today's estimate, and your next invoice date.                                               |
| **Extended Storage is turning off for \[workspace]**                 | After you turn it off, or when your plan or the subscription ends. It shows the removal date, **Download my data**, and a button to keep the data. |
| **Extended Storage passed your \[amount] alert this billing period** | When your spend alert amount is passed                                                                                                             |
| **Your Extended Storage estimate on the \[plan] plan**               | After you change your plan while Extended Storage is on. It shows the old and the new estimate for each workspace.                                 |

The "on", "resumed", and "turning off" messages also appear as a notice on your Dashboard. Click **Dismiss** to remove one. The retention warning email includes a **Keep this data** button when you can turn on Extended Storage for that workspace.

***

## Who can see what

|                                                       | Owner                   | Admins and managers                                         | Members      |
| ----------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ------------ |
| **Extended Storage page**                             | Every workspace you own | The current workspace: status, estimated size, what is kept | Not shown    |
| **Prices, charges, invoices, and the spend alert**    | ✅                       | ❌                                                           | ❌            |
| **Turn on, turn off, resume, abandon**                | ✅                       | ❌                                                           | ❌            |
| **Extended Storage state on the Data Retention page** | ✅ with the actions      | ✅ state only                                                | ✅ state only |

***

## Frequently asked questions

<details>

<summary>What data does Extended Storage keep and bill?</summary>

* ✅ **Call records**, with their transcripts and the details stored with each call.
* ✅ **Form submissions.**

Only records older than your plan's window count. These are never billed:

* ❌ **Call recordings.** Retention never deletes them. With [external storage](/guides/aws-s3-external-storage.md), they stay in your own bucket.
* ❌ **Aggregated analytics.** Totals, trends, and charts are kept for all time on every plan.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What happens if a payment fails?</summary>

1. Extended Storage stays on while the payment is retried, and nothing is deleted. If your bank needs to confirm the payment, Stripe emails you a link.
2. The invoice shows **Payment failed** in **Invoices**. Click **View** to open it.
3. If the payment still cannot be collected, the subscription ends. Your workspaces change to **Removing — billing stopped**, and you receive an email. Usage before that is still owed.
4. To keep the data, click **Turn back on** before the removal date.

</details>

<details>

<summary>How is the estimate calculated?</summary>

1. Ring Tonic counts the workspace's call and form records older than your plan's window, and the details stored with those calls.
2. It multiplies each count by the average space that kind of record takes, adds a safety allowance for database overhead, and rounds up to the next whole MB.
3. The monthly cost is that size, in GB, multiplied by the price.

The **Estimate** button can show a figure up to one hour old.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What happens if the price changes?</summary>

* You always turn Extended Storage on at the price you see. If it changed after you opened the page, reload the page.
* Your current billing period closes early and is invoiced at the old price. Each day is billed at the price your subscription had on that day.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What happens when my plan ends or changes?</summary>

* **Plan ends:** every workspace with Extended Storage on starts the 14‑day removal period, billing continues through it, and you receive an email for each workspace. An enable in progress is abandoned. If you subscribe again before the removal date, click **Resume**.
* **Plan changes:** the billed data depends on your plan's window. For example, moving from Agency (365 days) to Indie (180 days) makes more records count. The plans page shows *"Extended Storage estimate on \[plan]: \[old] → \[new]/month"*, and you receive an email after the change.

</details>

***

## Best practices

* **Set a spend alert.** Your charges grow as more records pass your plan's window.
* **Download a copy before you turn it off.** Use **Download my data** in the turn‑off window or on the Data Retention page.
* **Turn it on only where you need it.** You pay only for the workspaces whose history you keep.