# Manage department budgets and overrides

Agent Mission Control user guide > Measure & govern

> Set budgets and per-workflow caps, understand hard caps, and request or approve overrides.

**Who can do this:** Tenant Admin, Department Manager (own departments). Override tiers: Tenant Admin.

## Set a department budget

1. Go to **Settings > Budgets**.
2. On the department's card, enter the **Budget** amount.
3. Choose the **Period**: Monthly, Rolling 30-day, or Fiscal Quarter.
4. Optional: select **Show workflow budgets** and set a budget for each workflow.
5. Select **Save**.

> **Important:** A budget's period is set when it's first saved and can't be changed afterwards.

If workflow budgets add up to more than the department budget, AMC warns you but still saves. Caps are enforced on actual spend.

## What happens as spend grows

| Consumed | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| 80% or more | **Approaching cap.** The department head and workflow owners are notified. Runs continue. |
| 90% or more | **Request override** appears on the Governance Budgets tab. |
| 100% or more | **Over cap.** New runs are halted until an override is approved. |

Track spend on **Governance > Budgets**. Select a department for spend against budget, days remaining, and per-workflow consumption.

## Request a budget override

1. On **Governance > Budgets**, select **Request override** on the department, or go to **Budget Overrides** and select **New request**.
2. Enter the **Amount over budget (USD)**. AMC shows which approval tier the request routes to.
3. Write a **Justification** of 10 to 500 characters. Optionally add a supporting link.
4. Select **Submit request**.

A department can have one pending request at a time. Track yours under **Budget Overrides > Mine**.

## Approve or deny an override

1. Go to **Governance > Budget Overrides** and select your tier.
2. Review the request and its **Justification chain**.
3. Select **Approve** (a note is optional) or **Deny** (a reason is required and sent to the requester).

Approval takes effect immediately. You can only act on tiers your role can approve; others show a lock.

## Configure approval tiers

Under **Settings > Budgets > Override tiers**, a Tenant Admin sets the approval ladder. Each tier has a name, an amount threshold, and an approver: **Super Admin**, **System Admin**, **Department Admin** (routes to the requesting department's admin), or a **Specific Person**. The top tier covers every amount above the previous threshold. Select **Save tiers**.

## Related

- [Read the ROI dashboard and export reports](https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/guide/roi-dashboard/)
- [Review governance and the audit log](https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/guide/governance-audit/)
- [Start a workflow run manually](https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/guide/start-a-run/)

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Source: https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/guide/budgets-and-overrides/ · Last updated 2026-10-21 · Full guide index: https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/llms.txt