How to set up billing in Terra (GCP)

Read on to learn how to set up billing so you can work in Terra GCP. Once you set up your billing, Terra takes care of interfacing with Google Cloud, so many funding and resources management tasks can be done in Terra.

Interested in Enterprise Terra? 

Terra is available for individual use and also offers optional enterprise-level licenses for organizations with unique data or security needs. To learn more about Enterprise Terra, see the Terra plans for more information and to get started. 

Overview: Setting up billing in Terra

Terra runs on the Google Cloud Platform (GCP); all storage and analysis costs are ultimately paid through a Google Cloud Billing account linked to a Terra Billing Project. To make a workspace for storing and analyzing data, you will first need to set up a Google Cloud billing account and link it to Terra. 

When you don't need to set up billing to work in Terra

• If you have access to a shared workspace
• If you have access to shared funding (team billing project)

To learn more about billing options for groups with a shared funding source, see Best practices for managing shared funding. 

Try Terra for free with $300 in Google Cloud credits for new Google Cloud Billing accounts

If you've never logged into the Google Cloud console or set up a Google Cloud billing account, you are eligible for $300 in free Google Cloud credits you can use for working in Terra. For step-by-step instructions, go to Claim $300 Google credits to explore Terra. Down the line, you convert your free credits account to a paid account. 

 Step 1. Set up a Google Cloud Billing account

The first step in setting up billing in Terra is to set up a Google Cloud Billing account if you don’t have one already. Most users have two options: through a third-party reseller or via a self-managed GCP Billing Account. Note that your institution may have an existing Google Cloud billing account that you can use. 

Account setup options (most users)

Other options for billing (some users)

• Researchers at the Broad Institute can request a Google Cloud Billing subaccount.
  See more details below (click on the third tab).
• Do you have STRIDES credits?
  See How to access STRIDES for step-by-step instructions.

Hint (setting up a Google Billing account)Talk to your institutional procurement office and see if they have an existing account or a preferred account set-up method with Google (such as a third-party reseller). 

To help determine whether setting up your GCP billing account through a Google partner or by yourself is the best approach for you, read Paying for your cloud costs in Terra.

Details for each option

• Use a third-party reseller

  This is a good option if you do not want to navigate GCP console or are new to cloud computing. Note that the third-party reseller will be the Cloud Billing account owner, so you may need to ask the reseller if you want full access to detailed cost breakouts and spending reports in the GCP console.

  What can a third-party reseller offer?

  Third-party resellers can facilitate and manage billing, helping to alleviate anxiety around spending in the cloud. They will work with you to set up a billing environment and a budget. They may have tools to help visualize storage, egress and compute charges, broken out by project and/or workspace. For researchers on grants, they can do purchase orders, and even help prepay with grant funding so you can spend when you need to.

  There are many options for third-party resellers, who provide additional options for accessing and managing Google Accounts at no extra cost.

  Examples of third party resellers

  • Carahsoft
  • Sada Systems.

  To get started, you should contact the third-party reseller directly.

  Steps to set up a GCP billing account with aa third-party reseller

  1. Choose a partner
  Select a reseller that operates in your region and has a partnership with Google Cloud Platform.

  Resellers often have local expertise and can provide localized support. You can search for partners based on your location and organization type.

  2. Contact the reseller
  Visit the reseller’s website or contact their sales team directly to inquire about setting up a GCP billing account through them.

  Provide details about your organization, such as your company name, location, and the specific GCP services you are interested in.

  3. Agree to terms and conditions
  Review and agree to any terms and conditions or contractual agreements that the reseller may have regarding the provisioning and billing of Google Cloud services.

  4. Billing setup by the reseller
  The reseller will set up the billing account on your behalf. This typically involves creating an account within their systems and linking it to Google Cloud Platform.

  5. Payment and billing management
  Once the billing account is set up, you may need to provide payment information to the reseller, as they will handle the billing for the Google Cloud services you use.

  6. Account management
  After setup, you should receive instructions on how to manage your billing account, including viewing invoices, managing payment methods, and accessing usage reports.

  7. Support and further assistance
  The reseller may also provide ongoing support and assistance for managing your Google Cloud billing account, such as help with billing inquiries or changes to your service plan.

• Create a self-managed Google Cloud Billing account

  Creating a Google Cloud Billing account backed by a credit card or bank account is a good option if you want to have full control over your billing and are comfortable working in the GCP console. As the Cloud Billing account owner, you will enjoy permissions that may make some things easier (such as setting up Google Cloud alerts or setting up spend reporting). 

  How to set up a Google Cloud Billing account

  Go to the Google Developers Console Billing page, click on Add billing account and follow the instructions. For detailed instructions and screenshots, see this article. 

  Create new billing account popup screenshot

  Remember to use the same Google ID you use to log into Terra for the Cloud Billing account.

  Google Cloud Billing account caveats

  You will need to provide billing information, which can be a personal or institutional credit card or bank account, as well as personal information to verify your identity (address and birthday). Note that if you have signed up for $300 in GCP credits, you will have already set up this part.

• Request a Broad Cloud Billing sub-account

  Users internal to the Broad Institute may request a Google Cloud Billing sub-account to bill Terra usage costs to a Broad Institute-managed cost object.

  Before you request a sub-account, please speak to your grant administrator and primary investigator (PI) to determine the availability of funding, and to discuss a monthly and total budget for Terra.

  Once you are ready to request a sub-account, please fill out the form at this link (you must be signed in to your Broad Institute email to access this form).

Step 2. Link the Cloud Billing account to Terra

Unless you are using a third-party reseller (who will take care of linking the accounts), the next step is to link the Google Cloud  Billing Account to your Terra account. This step lets Terra and Google communicate about cost and billing. You must use the same Google ID for both the Cloud Billing account and your Terra user name.

You'll do this step in the Google Cloud console (separate from Terra).  

You must be an administrator on the Google Cloud Billing accountThis will automatically be true if you created the Cloud Billing account. If you can't follow the directions below, or know that you are not an administrator on the billing account, you need to contact an administrator and ask them to add you.

Note: The Cloud account owner or admin may be the PI or business administrator in your office.

2.1. When logged into Google with your Terra user ID, go to the Google Cloud Console Billing page.

2.2. Select the checkbox beside the Google Cloud billing account you will use for Terra.

2.3. On the right panel, below Permissions, select the Add Principal button.

2.4. Add "terra-billing@terra.bio" under New Principal in the form.

2.5. In the dropdown, select the role Billing > Billing Account User.

2.5. Click Add.

2.6. Don't forget the Save button!

Note: "terra-billing@terra.bio" will appear in the list as "terra-billing@firecloud.org." This is expected!

Step 3. Create a Terra Billing project 

Once Terra is linked to a Cloud Billing account, you can create a Terra Billing project. The billing project allows you to create a workspace in Terra to store and analyze data.

Note:  You're automatically designated as the owner when you create a new Terra Billing project.

3.1. Go to the Billing page from the main navigation (click on your name to expand the drop-down, and select Billing).

3.2. Click on the "+ Create" button at the top left.

3.3. Select GCP Cloud Billing account.

If prompted to Enable Billing Permissions, use the Google identity of the Google Cloud Billing account, and click Allow. This lets Terra access Cloud Billing accounts associated with your Terra user name (Google ID).

3.4. Enter a unique name for your Terra Billing project.

Billing project name requirements       

• Only contains lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens
• Starts with a lowercase letter
• Doesn't end with a hyphen
• Is between 6 and 30 characters

3.4. Select the Google Cloud Billing account that will fund the Billing project.
You may see multiple Cloud Billing accounts that you can select for this Terra Billing project. If you need to locate a Billing account ID, navigate to the Google Developers Console and click on Billing. Look for the number below Billing account ID.

Protect your group from getting locked out of billing! If your Terra Billing project will be used by a group (such as members in a research lab, or scientists with a common funding source), create more than one individual with "owner" permissions. That way, you will not be locked out of the Billing project if the sole owner leaves the group. You have two options:

Add a second owner. See step-by-step instructions below.
       - or - 
Create a Terra Managed Group and give the group "owner" permission. See Managing access to shared resources (data and tools)for step-by-step instructions to create a Terra managed group.

• 1. From your billing page, click on the Terra Billing project.

  2. Under the Members tab, select the blue Add Users button. 

  3. Update their role to owner by selecting Edit role after clicking on the three dots icon.
  
  

Terra Billing projects versus Google projectsDespite the name, Terra Billing projects and Google projects are not related. Google projects are how Google organizes all the Google Cloud resources you use. There is one for each workspace created after September 27, 2021. Terra automatically generates a Google Project in Google Cloud when you create a workspace. 

Terra Billing projects are an internal mechanism for tracking billing resources on Terra. You can have as many of them as you need, all linked to the same Google Cloud Billing account.

You will not see a Terra Billing project if you log into Google Cloud console (https://console.cloud.google.com/billing/<your-billing-account-id>/manage). However, if you create a workspace, you will see the workspace Google project (format = <Terra-billing-project-name><first-letters-of-workspace-name>). 

Note: Creating a project on the Google Cloud console will not create a project in Terra. You can only create Terra Billing projects in Terra.

Next steps and billing resources

Once you have Cloud billing set up and linked to Terra, you can create workspaces to store data and run analyses. All cloud costs will be covered by the Terra Billing project you assign when you create the workspace. 

See Working in Terra on GCP for Getting Started docs, videos and Quickstart workspaces to try. 

Create (clone) a workspace

For step-by-step instructions, see How to clone a workspace.

What to expect

Your Terra Billing project should appear in the dropdown menu in the workspace modal. 

Need more than five workspaces? Request a project quota increase. There is a limit on how many Google projects you can have in a single Google Cloud Billing account (the default is five), and Terra creates a Google project for each workspace. It's a little unfortunate that they're both called "projects", since the Terra Billing project is not at all connected to the Google project.

Because most Terra users want more than five workspaces, we recommend requesting a project quota increase right away when you set up your paid Cloud Billing account. Quota increases can take several days to process and must be made by the individual. 

To learn more, see How to troubleshoot and fix stalled workflows. 

Additional billing resources links

Overview: Terra costs and billing (GCP).

Best practices for managing shared funding.

Set up billing with $300 Google credits to explore Terra. 

Managing access to shared data and tools with groups