Create spending pots to subdivide budgets and give specific teams or managers the ability to reward colleagues within their allocated amounts.
Purpose: Break down overall budgets into manageable allocations for different departments, locations, or teams.
⚠️ Note: You need Rewards Admin permissions or Budget Collaborator access to create spending pot
What Spending Pots Control
Spending pots define:
Who can give rewards (pot spenders)
How much they can spend per cycle
What reward types they can give
Spending cycle length before budget resets
Approval requirements for rewards
Before You Start
Prerequisites:
Budget already created (spending pots sit within budgets)
Reward types already created (you'll assign these to the pot)
Decided who should be pot spenders
Determined appropriate spending amounts
📖 Recommended: Review the Mo Rewards Quick Guide to understand the complete rewards structure.Where do I create them?
Accessing Spending Pot Creation
Method 1 (Quickest):
Click Rewards in the sidebar
Click Manage in the top right
Find the budget you want to add a pot to
Click Create spending pot
Method 2:
Click dropdown in top right
Select Manage Organisation
Navigate to Rewards section
Find the budget and click Create spending pot
Creating Your Spending Pot
Step 1: Spending Pot Details
Spending Pot Name
Enter a clear, descriptive name
Examples: "South East Region", "Marketing Team", "Customer Service Q1"
Use names that indicate the team, location, or purpose
Spending Cycle Length
Choose how often the spending allowance resets
Options: Monthly, Quarterly, Bi-annually, Annually, One-time
Example: Monthly = pot spenders get their allocation every month
Cycle timing considerations:
More frequent cycles = more regular recognition opportunities
Longer cycles = larger individual allocations possible
Balance frequency with administrative overhead
Align with team working patterns
Step 2: Who Can Give Rewards (Pot Spenders)
Pot spenders can spend from this pot by giving rewards to colleagues.
How to add pot spenders:
Individual users: Search and select specific people
Groups: Select entire groups (e.g., "Management", "Team Leads")
Mix both: Combine individuals and groups as needed
Example:
Add "Management" group (all managers can give rewards)
Add individual "Angelyn Bartell" from HR
Result: All managers plus Angelyn can spend from this pot
Who should be pot spenders:
Team managers and leaders
HR team members
Anyone with recognition responsibilities
People who regularly appreciate colleagues
Step 3: Amount Each Pot Spender Can Spend
Choose how to allocate the spending amount
Option A: Each Pot Spender Gets This Amount
What it means: Every pot spender receives the full amount you specify
If using currency: Each person gets £200 (for example)
If using points: Each person gets 200 points (for example)
Example: 5 pot spenders × £200 each = £1,000 total per cycle
Best for: When you want consistent allocations per manager
Option B: Split Amount Between All Pot Spenders
What it means: The total amount is divided equally among all pot spenders
If using currency: £1,000 split among 5 people = £200 each
If using points: 1,000 points split among 5 people = 200 points each
Example: £1,000 total ÷ 5 pot spenders = £200 per person
Best for: When you have a fixed total budget to allocate
🪙 Important for Points Users: Enter amounts in points if your organisation uses the points system (e.g., 500 points, 1000 points). The same allocation logic applies whether using currency or points.
Notification Option:
☑ Tick "Notify all pot spenders" box
Sends email to pot spenders informing them of:
Their spending allocation
How long they have to spend it
What they can spend it on
Recommended: Always notify pot spenders so they're aware of their allocation and can start recognising colleagues.
Step 4: What Rewards Can They Give
Select which reward types (created earlier) are available in this pot.
Assigning reward types:
View available reward types from your organisation
Select relevant rewards for this pot
Choose approval settings for each reward type
Approval options per reward:
No approval required: Reward issues immediately
Approval required: Reward goes to queue for review
When to require approval:
High-value rewards
Sensitive recognition situations
When you want oversight of spending
Training new pot spenders
When approval NOT needed:
Low-value spot rewards
Trusted pot spenders
Established recognition culture
Quick turnaround important
Example reward configuration:
"On the Spot" (£5) - No approval
"Great Work" (£20) - No approval
"Employee of the Month" (£50) - Requires approval
"Special Recognition" (£100) - Requires approval
For creating reward types, see Creating Reward Types.
Step 5: Save and Activate
Review all settings for accuracy
Click "Create" or "Save" to create the spending pot
Spending pot appears under your chosen budget
Activate the pot: Toggle the switch next to the pot name to "on"
Important: The spending pot must be activated
(toggled on) before pot spenders can use it.
Understanding Spending Pot Calculations
How Mo Calculates Potential Spend
For each spending pot:
Number of pot spenders × Amount per spender × Number of cycles per year
Example 1 - Monthly Cycle:
5 pot spenders
£200 each per cycle (or 200 points)
Monthly cycle = 12 cycles per year
Total: 5 × £200 × 12 = £12,000 per year
Example 2 - Quarterly Cycle:
3 pot spenders
£400 each per cycle (or 400 points)
Quarterly cycle = 4 cycles per year
Total: 3 × £400 × 4 = £4,800 per year
These calculations contribute to your budget's "Calculated max yearly spend" - see Creating a Budget for more details.
Managing Your Spending Pot
Viewing Pot Status
From the spending pots page, you can see:
Pot name and parent budget
Active/inactive status
Current spending cycle progress
Number of pot spenders
Allocated amounts
Editing Spending Pots
To modify an existing pot:
Find the pot in the Rewards → Manage section
Click to open pot details
Edit settings as needed
Save changes
What you can edit:
Pot spenders (add or remove)
Spending amounts
Reward types available
Approval requirements
Cycle length
Activating and Deactivating
To activate: Toggle switch to "on" position To deactivate: Toggle switch to "off" position
When to deactivate:
End of special recognition programme
Budget exhausted
Restructuring rewards
Temporary pause needed
Note: Deactivating prevents new spending but
doesn't affect already-issued rewards.
Troubleshooting
Pot Spenders Can't Give Rewards
Check these factors:
Spending pot is activated (toggle is "on")
Cycle hasn't ended (check cycle dates)
They haven't exhausted their allocation
Reward types are assigned to pot
Solutions:
Activate the spending pot
Wait for new cycle to begin
Consider increase allocation if consistently depleted
Verify reward types are configured
Calculated Spend Exceeds Budget
This happens when:
Too many pot spenders
Individual allocations too high
Multiple pots in same budget
Cycle frequency too often
Resolution options:
Reduce pot spender numbers
Lower individual allocations
Lengthen cycle periods
Increase parent budget amount
Spread pots across multiple budgets
Rewards Stuck in Approval Queue
Common causes:
Approval required but no approvers active
Reward would exceed budget
System error or notification failure
Solutions:
Verify budget approvers are checking Mo regularly
Check budget hasn't been exhausted
Contact support if rewards stuck without reason
Related Guides:
Mo Rewards Quick Guide - Overview of rewards structure
Creating a Budget - Parent budget setup
Creating Reward Types - Define rewards first
Rewarding Colleagues in Moments - How pot spenders use allocations