Connect Dot with your own AI key

Applies to: Workspace administrators using Dot BYOK.

Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) connects Dot to an AI provider account controlled by the customer. In the current implementation, Dot supports OpenAI or a custom OpenAI-compatible chat-completions endpoint.

Before you start

• Have an API key from the chosen provider. Do not paste the key into chat, email, support tickets, or screenshots.
• Know the provider's model name. Optical character recognition (OCR) invoice capture requires a model that accepts images.
• For a custom provider, have its OpenAI-compatible API base URL.
• Confirm the provider's own pricing, data-handling, regional access, and usage limits before enabling it.

Connect the provider

1. Open Configuration, then Dot.
2. Turn on Enable Dot.
3. Choose OpenAI or Custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint.
4. For a custom endpoint, enter its API Base URL. Enter the exact Model name.
5. Paste the API key into API Key (your own), then save.
6. Select Test Connection. Continue only when Point confirms success.
7. Optionally enter a Daily Brief Email. Scheduled brief delivery remains off until the related schedule is enabled.

How Point handles the connection

• The API key is encrypted at rest and displayed as a mask after it is saved.
• The key is sent to the configured provider only when Point makes an authorized AI request.
• Dot reads through restricted tools for supported financial questions; its output should cite the related document numbers.
• Smart categorization proposes ledger accounts for review. It does not post them automatically.
• OCR creates a draft vendor bill for review. It does not post the bill automatically.
• A user remains responsible for checking every suggestion before applying or posting it.

Troubleshoot the connection

Message or symptom	Check
Authentication failed	Replace the key from the provider and test again.
Model not found	Copy the exact model identifier supported by that account.
Endpoint error	Confirm the base URL is OpenAI-compatible and does not include an extra path.
OCR unavailable	Use a model that accepts image input.
Rate or quota error	Check the provider account's quota, billing, and rate limits.
Unexpected answer	Open the cited records and verify the output before acting.

Compatibility boundary

Do not assume every AI provider works. Direct Claude support is not present in the current Point client, and Gemini requires a compatible endpoint plus live verification before it can be documented as supported.