Connecting OpenAI — API Key Setup
Trade2Base's AI features — quote drafting, reply suggestions, campaign copywriting, and review responses — all run through the OpenAI API. You connect your own API key so charges go directly to your OpenAI account and your data stays under your control. Setup takes about 5 minutes.
Why you need your own OpenAI key
Trade2Base does not bundle a shared OpenAI subscription because:
Your API key gives you a direct relationship with OpenAI under your own terms. Your job notes and customer data are sent only through your key, not pooled with other Trade2Base customers.
You see exactly what you're spending on AI directly in your OpenAI dashboard. There's no markup from Trade2Base. Most trade businesses spend £3–£10/month.
You set your own monthly spending limit in OpenAI. If you hit it, AI features pause until the next cycle. No surprise bills.
Creating your OpenAI API key
Open your browser and go to platform.openai.com. Sign in with your OpenAI account, or create one if you don't have one (it's free to create).
Click your profile icon in the top-right, then select "API keys" from the dropdown menu. Or go directly to platform.openai.com/api-keys.
Click "Create new secret key". Give it a name like "Trade2Base" so you can identify it later. Click "Create secret key".
The key is shown once. Copy it now and keep it somewhere safe — you cannot view it again after closing the dialog. If you lose it, you'll need to create a new one.
Setting a usage limit in OpenAI
Before pasting your key into Trade2Base, we recommend setting a monthly spend limit in OpenAI so you can't accidentally overspend.
In platform.openai.com, click "Settings" in the sidebar, then "Billing", then "Usage limits".
Enter a monthly budget limit. We recommend starting with $10 (roughly £8). This is plenty for normal AI usage across all four features.
Click "Save". OpenAI will stop processing requests if you hit this limit, preventing unexpected charges.
OpenAI is pay-as-you-go. Go to Billing → Payment methods to add a card, then Billing → Overview to add credit (minimum $5). You need credit loaded before API calls will work.
Connecting the key to Trade2Base
In Trade2Base, click the gear icon at the bottom of the sidebar to open Settings.
Select the "AI" tab in the Settings sidebar.
Paste your OpenAI API key into the "OpenAI API key" field. It starts with "sk-".
Click "Test connection". Trade2Base sends a small test request to OpenAI. If everything is set up correctly, you'll see a green "Connected" confirmation.
Click "Save settings". AI features are now active across Trade2Base for all users on your account.
Troubleshooting
Check that you copied the full key — it should start with sk- and be around 50 characters long. If you closed the dialog before copying, create a new key in OpenAI and try again.
This means your OpenAI account has no credit loaded. Go to platform.openai.com → Billing → Overview and add a payment method and credit. You need at least $5 loaded to start.
After connecting, refresh your browser. If AI buttons still don't appear, check that the connection test passed (green tick). If not, contact Trade2Base support.
Next steps
With your key connected, try AI quote drafting on your next job — just open a job, enter your site notes, and click AI Draft Quote.
Still need help? Contact support
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