AI providers

OpenAI

Set up a separate OpenAI project with a spending cap, create a key, and send it to us. About 10 minutes.

Open in ChatGPTOpen in Claude

You need this from us first

  • Suggested monthly spending cap (optional)

Don't have it? Ask your Uplifted contact.

What we need
1 API key from a project made just for us
Time
about 10 minutes
Who can do this
an Owner of your OpenAI API organization (Owners manage billing and projects)
Plan needed
prepaid credits on your API account. Minimum top-up is $5. A ChatGPT subscription does not include API use.

We recommend a separate project for our work. It keeps our usage apart from yours, and you can cap its monthly spend.

Before you start

Step 1: Add credits (skip if you already have some)

  1. Open Billing

    Log in to platform.openai.com. Open Settings, then Billing.

  2. Add credits

    Click Buy credits or Add to credit balance (you will see one of them). Add a payment method if asked. Pick an amount and confirm.

    Tip

    Auto-recharge is on by default. Turn it off if you don't want automatic top-ups.

Step 2: Create a project for us

  1. Open Projects

    In Settings, open Projects. Click Create project.

  2. Name it

    Name it "Uplifted Consulting" and click Create.

Step 3: Set a monthly spending cap

  1. Open the project's Limits

    Make sure the new project is selected (top left). In Settings, under the project, click Limits.

  2. Set the cap

    In Spend, click Edit spend limit. Type a Monthly spend limit (we will suggest one). Turn on Enforce a hard limit so usage stops at the cap. Save.

Step 4: Create the API key

  1. Open API keys

    With the new project still selected, open API keys (in Settings, under the project). Click Create new secret key.

  2. Fill in the form

    Name it "Uplifted Consulting". If you can choose who owns the key, choose Service account. This way the key keeps working even if someone leaves your team. Check that the project is ours. Leave permissions on All. Click Create secret key.

  3. Copy the key

    Copy the key straight away. It starts with sk-.

    Careful

    OpenAI shows the key only once. If you lose it, create a new one.

Send it to us

Send it with OneTimeSecret

Paste the key into OneTimeSecret, create the link, and send us only the link. Label it "OpenAI API key".

Something not right?

I don't see Billing, Projects, or Limits

You are not an Owner of the organization. Ask an Owner to do these steps, or to make you an Owner.

I don't see a Service account option

Only Owners can create service account keys. Ask an Owner, or create a key owned by you. That works too, but it stops working if you leave the organization.

We get errors about credits or limits

Your credit balance may be empty, or the project hit its monthly cap. Add credits in Billing, or raise the cap in the project's Limits.

Last checked: 22 Oct 2026 against OpenAI's spend limits guide.

Doing several tools? Tick them all on Your tools and get one prompt or checklist.
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