---
title: "Budget and Schedule"
slug: "budget-and-schedule"
description: "Set your ad budget and schedule with options for daily budgets, flights, pacing, and bidding to optimize your campaign effectively."
tags: ["Ad Set", "Budget", "Schedule", "Dayparting", "Pacing"]
updated: 2026-03-16T17:16:07Z
published: 2026-03-16T17:16:07Z
canonical: "help.quantcast.com/budget-and-schedule"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.quantcast.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Budget and Schedule

The Budget & Schedule section of the Ad Set setup page contains controls for setting your budget, schedule, bidding, dayparting, pacing, agency fees, and third-party vendor fees.

## Budget

If you have credits to use, you can select to use your credits here. Click the toggle switch to select to use your credit.

> **Note**: Credits only apply to an Ad Set with budget set to Flights. Currently using credits will disable Agency Fee, Third Party Fee, Audio, and CTV.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/9a180fa0-df3b-4942-a5f6-b3905cf917d9/Images/Documentation/budgetschedule.PNG?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-08T07%3A45%3A43Z&se=2026-11-08T08%3A45%3A43Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=IVgt%2FTkffe46sv%2Fx4oseQTnZPYqMsJctnRV1GOmaKOo%3D)

You can choose to set a **Daily Budget** or **Flights.**

> **Note:** Once selected, you cannot change between daily budget and flights.

- **Daily Budget** will aim to hit the allocated amount daily.

> **Note**: if we do not hit the daily budget, the unspent budget will not carry over to the next day.

- **Flights** allow you to divide your budget over the campaign. Unlike Daily Budget, the system will recalibrate delivery on Even or Pacing Ahead flights if we don't hit a spending goal one day. If you have set up custom pacing, the budget can be reallocated only for days without custom pacing implemented. We recommend leaving a few days at the end of each flight without custom pacing.

> **Note:** Budget will not be shifted to another flight by the system. You must do so manually.

Define the **Schedule** for the dates you would like your ad set to be delivered.

- **A start and end date** is selected to deliver the budget within a specific timeframe. *Flights can* *only be set with a scheduled start and end date.*
- **Pacing:** For flights, you can choose your pacing. The options are Even, Custom, or Pacing Ahead by 10%, 20%, or 25%.
  - If you choose **Custom**, you can alter your pacing to not run ads on specific days, or to target dates that serve your needs.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/9a180fa0-df3b-4942-a5f6-b3905cf917d9/Images/Documentation/custompacing.PNG?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-08T07%3A45%3A43Z&se=2026-11-08T08%3A45%3A43Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=IVgt%2FTkffe46sv%2Fx4oseQTnZPYqMsJctnRV1GOmaKOo%3D)

Additional Settings in this section include **Bidding**, **Dayparting**, **Agency Fee,** and **3rd Party Vendor Fee.**

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/9a180fa0-df3b-4942-a5f6-b3905cf917d9/Images/Documentation/additionalsettings budget.PNG?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-08T07%3A45%3A43Z&se=2026-11-08T08%3A45%3A43Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=IVgt%2FTkffe46sv%2Fx4oseQTnZPYqMsJctnRV1GOmaKOo%3D)

- **Bidding**:
  - **Automatically optimized eCPM**
    - The Quantcast AI will automatically optimize your eCPM.
  - **eCPM Cap**
    - If you want an eCPM cap, click the **eCPM Cap** checkbox. If checked, enter the desired value.
  - **eCPM Target**
    - The eCPM target sets an eCPM goal that Quantcast attempts to reach.

> **NOTE:** An eCPM Cap will keep your daily eCPM below the value entered. Capping eCPM may restrict full-budget delivery.

- **Dayparting**

The Quantcast AI automatically serves your ads to your target audiences at the most effective times of the day. You may also **run ads based on a schedule** by clicking and dragging on the grid to highlight the days and hours you would like your ads delivered.

Next, you will set your [Targeting](/v1/docs/targeting).