This article walks through adding or removing users to a Cloud Billing account on Google Cloud console, so that team members who need to create their own Terra Billing projects or view detailed cost breakdowns can do so, and colleagues who are no longer in the group cannot.
What can Google Cloud Billing account users do?
It's not necessary to be a user on the Cloud Billing account to work in Terra!Cloud Billing account users have additional permissions in Terra (see below) and are typically admins or funding managers.
Create Terra billing projects
If you have access to a Cloud Billing account, you will be able to create Terra Billing projects in your Billing page (https://app.terra.bio/#billing).
Enable spend reporting
Spend reporting can be a helpful tool for tracking costs in your Terra billing project. To enable spend reporting in Terra, you must be an admin or owner on the Cloud Billing account. This step only needs to be done once per Cloud Billing account, so it's not a reason to grant permission to more team members than is necessary.
To learn more about spend reporting, see our article How to set up spend reporting in Terra.
Considerations for adding users to a Google Cloud Billing account
Advantages of adding collaborators to a Google Cloud Billing account
Adding collaborators to your Google Cloud Billing account shares the responsibility for billing and gives additional users control over billing and costs. For example, if a PI adds other lab members to their account, those members can create separate Terra Billing projects to manage funding for distinct projects.
Disadvantages of adding collaborators to a Google Cloud Billing account
On the other hand, adding collaborators to your account gives them more control; therefore, the process of removing them can be a bit more involved. For example, if someone leaves your team you may need to transfer their account role to another collaborator, or remove or disable all their Terra billing projects. You may not be familiar with the workspaces created under the old team member's Terra billing projects, but they will show up on your list of projects under your Google Cloud Billing account (found under the Account Management section for your Billing account).
Add users to a Google Cloud Billing account (step by step)
1. Go to Google Cloud Billing (https://console.cloud.google.com/billing) and click the Billing account name for the Cloud Billing account under the My Billing Accounts tab.
2. In the left-side panel, select Account Management (the gear icon).
3. Select the Add Principal button on the right.
4. In the popup form, add your colleague's Terra ID (the email they use to sign into Terra) in the New principals field.
5. Assign their role to choose how much access they have. They need at least Billing Account User level permission in order to create billing projects in Terra.
6. Click the blue Save button.
What to expect
Creating Terra Billing projects
Once on the Cloud Billing account, your colleague can create billing projects in Terra by going to Billing from the main navigation menu.
Then, click on the Create button.
Access to Billing information on Google Cloud console
Those with admin or owner permission on the Cloud Billing account can also access information like billing reports and cost breakdowns. See Terra expenses and breaking down a Google bill for more details.
Removing users from a Google Cloud Billing account
When to remove someone from your Cloud Billing account
When you no longer want someone to create billing projects or access billing reports and cost breakdowns on Google Cloud, you must remove them from the Billing account on Google Cloud.
How to quickly control spendYou can remove the Google Cloud Billing account on any Terra billing projects created by a former user, if you have Owner permission for their billing projects. You can also disable billing for their workspace projects in the Google Cloud console.
To learn more, see Best practices for managing shared funding.
1. Start at Billing on the Google Cloud console (https://console.cloud.google.com/billing).
2. Click the Billing account name for the Cloud Billing account under the My Billing Accounts tab.
3. Select Manage billing account (marked by a gear icon at the top of the page).
4. Expand the principal role (i.e., Billing Account User) and select the trash can icon to remove the user from that role.
What to expect
Once you complete these steps, the removed users cannot create new projects in Terra funded by the Google Cloud Billing account or view cost reports or breakdowns on Google Cloud console.