diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/actions/billing.actions.ts b/apps/rowboat/app/actions/billing.actions.ts
index db2445b3..636287eb 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/actions/billing.actions.ts
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/actions/billing.actions.ts
@@ -21,9 +21,8 @@ import {
     ModelsResponse
 } from "../lib/types/billing_types";
 import { z } from "zod";
-import { WithStringId } from "../lib/types/types";
 
-export async function getCustomer(): Promise<WithStringId<z.infer<typeof Customer>>> {
+export async function getCustomer(): Promise<z.infer<typeof Customer>> {
     const user = await authCheck();
     if (!user.billingCustomerId) {
         throw new Error("Customer not found");
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ export async function authorizeUserAction(request: z.infer<typeof AuthorizeReque
     }
 
     const customer = await getCustomer();
-    const response = await authorize(customer._id, request);
+    const response = await authorize(customer.id, request);
     return response;
 }
 
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ export async function logUsage(request: z.infer<typeof LogUsageRequest>) {
     }
 
     const customer = await getCustomer();
-    await libLogUsage(customer._id, request);
+    await libLogUsage(customer.id, request);
     return;
 }
 
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ export async function getCustomerPortalUrl(returnUrl: string): Promise<string> {
     }
 
     const customer = await getCustomer();
-    return await createCustomerPortalSession(customer._id, returnUrl);
+    return await createCustomerPortalSession(customer.id, returnUrl);
 }
 
 export async function getPrices(): Promise<z.infer<typeof PricesResponse>> {
@@ -80,7 +79,7 @@ export async function updateSubscriptionPlan(plan: z.infer<typeof SubscriptionPl
 
     const customer = await getCustomer();
     const request: z.infer<typeof UpdateSubscriptionPlanRequest> = { plan, returnUrl };
-    const url = await libUpdateSubscriptionPlan(customer._id, request);
+    const url = await libUpdateSubscriptionPlan(customer.id, request);
     return url;
 }
 
@@ -90,6 +89,6 @@ export async function getEligibleModels(): Promise<z.infer<typeof ModelsResponse
     }
 
     const customer = await getCustomer();
-    const response = await libGetEligibleModels(customer._id);
+    const response = await libGetEligibleModels(customer.id);
     return response;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/billing/app.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/billing/app.tsx
index 02da8665..8e7524be 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/billing/app.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/billing/app.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import { z } from "zod";
 import { tokens } from "@/app/styles/design-tokens";
 import { SectionHeading } from "@/components/ui/section-heading";
 import { HorizontalDivider } from "@/components/ui/horizontal-divider";
-import { WithStringId } from "@/app/lib/types/types";
 import clsx from 'clsx';
 import { getCustomerPortalUrl } from "../actions/billing.actions";
 import { useState } from "react";
@@ -31,7 +30,7 @@ const planDetails = {
 };
 
 interface BillingPageProps {
-    customer: WithStringId<z.infer<typeof Customer>>;
+    customer: z.infer<typeof Customer>;
     usage: z.infer<typeof UsageResponse>;
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/billing/callback/page.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/billing/callback/page.tsx
index eae1fa02..c74bd14f 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/billing/callback/page.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/billing/callback/page.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export default async function Page(
 ) {
     const searchParams = await props.searchParams;
     const customer = await requireBillingCustomer();
-    await syncWithStripe(customer._id);
+    await syncWithStripe(customer.id);
     const redirectUrl = searchParams.redirect as string;
     redirect(redirectUrl || '/projects');
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/billing/page.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/billing/page.tsx
index 974c73f9..2ff9141c 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/billing/page.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/billing/page.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@ export default async function Page() {
     }
 
     const customer = await requireBillingCustomer();
-    const usage = await getUsage(customer._id);
+    const usage = await getUsage(customer.id);
     return <BillingPage customer={customer} usage={usage} />;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/lib/billing.ts b/apps/rowboat/app/lib/billing.ts
index 7a0c00ee..ff586a47 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/lib/billing.ts
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/lib/billing.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { WithStringId } from './types/types';
 import { z } from 'zod';
 import { Customer, AuthorizeRequest, AuthorizeResponse, LogUsageRequest, UsageResponse, CustomerPortalSessionResponse, PricesResponse, UpdateSubscriptionPlanRequest, UpdateSubscriptionPlanResponse, ModelsResponse, UsageItem } from './types/billing_types';
 import { redirect } from 'next/navigation';
@@ -14,7 +13,7 @@ const BILLING_API_KEY = process.env.BILLING_API_KEY || 'test';
 let logCounter = 1;
 
 const GUEST_BILLING_CUSTOMER = {
-    _id: "guest-user",
+    id: "guest-user",
     userId: "guest-user",
     name: "Guest",
     email: "guest@rowboatlabs.com",
@@ -23,7 +22,6 @@ const GUEST_BILLING_CUSTOMER = {
     subscriptionPlan: "free" as const,
     subscriptionStatus: "active" as const,
     createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-    updatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
 };
 
 
@@ -41,7 +39,7 @@ export class UsageTracker{
     }
 }
 
-export async function getCustomerForUserId(userId: string): Promise<WithStringId<z.infer<typeof Customer>> | null> {
+export async function getCustomerForUserId(userId: string): Promise<z.infer<typeof Customer> | null> {
     const usersRepository = container.resolve<IUsersRepository>("usersRepository");
 
     const user = await usersRepository.fetch(userId);
@@ -64,10 +62,10 @@ export async function getCustomerIdForProject(projectId: string): Promise<string
     if (!customer) {
         throw new Error("User has no billing customer id");
     }
-    return customer._id;
+    return customer.id;
 }
 
-export async function getBillingCustomer(id: string): Promise<WithStringId<z.infer<typeof Customer>> | null> {
+export async function getBillingCustomer(id: string): Promise<z.infer<typeof Customer> | null> {
     const response = await fetch(`${BILLING_API_URL}/api/customers/${id}`, {
         method: 'GET',
         headers: {
@@ -86,7 +84,7 @@ export async function getBillingCustomer(id: string): Promise<WithStringId<z.inf
     return parseResult.data;
 }
 
-async function createBillingCustomer(userId: string, email: string): Promise<WithStringId<z.infer<typeof Customer>>> {
+async function createBillingCustomer(userId: string, email: string): Promise<z.infer<typeof Customer>> {
     const response = await fetch(`${BILLING_API_URL}/api/customers`, {
         method: 'POST',
         headers: {
@@ -266,7 +264,7 @@ export async function getEligibleModels(customerId: string): Promise<z.infer<typ
  * const billingCustomer = await requireBillingCustomer();
  * ```
  */
-export async function requireBillingCustomer(): Promise<WithStringId<z.infer<typeof Customer>>> {
+export async function requireBillingCustomer(): Promise<z.infer<typeof Customer>> {
     const user = await requireAuth();
     const usersRepository = container.resolve<IUsersRepository>("usersRepository");
 
@@ -283,7 +281,7 @@ export async function requireBillingCustomer(): Promise<WithStringId<z.infer<typ
     }
 
     // fetch or create customer
-    let customer: WithStringId<z.infer<typeof Customer>> | null;
+    let customer: z.infer<typeof Customer> | null;
     if (user.billingCustomerId) {
         customer = await getBillingCustomer(user.billingCustomerId);
     } else {
@@ -291,7 +289,7 @@ export async function requireBillingCustomer(): Promise<WithStringId<z.infer<typ
         console.log("created billing customer", JSON.stringify({ userId: user.id, customer }));
 
         // update customer id in db
-        await usersRepository.updateBillingCustomerId(user.id, customer._id);
+        await usersRepository.updateBillingCustomerId(user.id, customer.id);
     }
     if (!customer) {
         throw new Error("Failed to fetch or create billing customer");
@@ -312,7 +310,7 @@ export async function requireBillingCustomer(): Promise<WithStringId<z.infer<typ
  * const billingCustomer = await requireActiveBillingSubscription();
  * ```
  */
-export async function requireActiveBillingSubscription(): Promise<WithStringId<z.infer<typeof Customer>>> {
+export async function requireActiveBillingSubscription(): Promise<z.infer<typeof Customer>> {
     const billingCustomer = await requireBillingCustomer();
 
     if (USE_BILLING && billingCustomer.subscriptionStatus !== "active" && billingCustomer.subscriptionStatus !== "past_due") {
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/lib/types/billing_types.ts b/apps/rowboat/app/lib/types/billing_types.ts
index adb13a8b..0ac385d6 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/lib/types/billing_types.ts
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/lib/types/billing_types.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+/**
+ * 🚨 ATTENTION: DO NOT MODIFY THIS FILE! 🚨
+ * 
+ * This file contains billing types that are manually copied
+ * from the billing service repository. Any manual changes will be
+ * overwritten during the next sync.
+ * 
+ * If you need to modify billing types:
+ * 1. Make changes in the billing service repo
+ * 2. Copy the updated file from there
+ * 3. Never edit this file directly
+ * 
+ * This file is a manual copy - keep it in sync with the source!
+ */
 import { z } from "zod";
 
 export const SubscriptionPlan = z.enum(["free", "starter", "pro"]);
@@ -57,7 +71,7 @@ export const LogUsageRequest = z.object({
 export const CustomerUsageData = z.record(z.string(), z.number());
 
 export const Customer = z.object({
-    _id: z.string(),
+    id: z.string(),
     userId: z.string(),
     email: z.string(),
     stripeCustomerId: z.string(),
@@ -65,7 +79,7 @@ export const Customer = z.object({
     subscriptionPlan: SubscriptionPlan.optional(),
     subscriptionStatus: z.enum([ 'active', 'past_due' ]).optional(),
     createdAt: z.string().datetime(),
-    updatedAt: z.string().datetime(),
+    updatedAt: z.string().datetime().optional(),
     subscriptionPlanUpdatedAt: z.string().datetime().optional(),
     usage: CustomerUsageData.optional(),
     usageUpdatedAt: z.string().datetime().optional(),
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/workflow/page.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/workflow/page.tsx
index 008f4317..864d31c4 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/workflow/page.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/workflow/page.tsx
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export default async function Page(
 
     let eligibleModels: z.infer<typeof ModelsResponse> | "*" = '*';
     if (USE_BILLING) {
-        eligibleModels = await getEligibleModels(customer._id);
+        eligibleModels = await getEligibleModels(customer.id);
     }
 
     console.log('/workflow page.tsx serve');
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/src/application/use-cases/conversations/run-conversation-turn.use-case.ts b/apps/rowboat/src/application/use-cases/conversations/run-conversation-turn.use-case.ts
index 635a960d..eb3c70e8 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/src/application/use-cases/conversations/run-conversation-turn.use-case.ts
+++ b/apps/rowboat/src/application/use-cases/conversations/run-conversation-turn.use-case.ts
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ export class RunConversationTurnUseCase implements IRunConversationTurnUseCase {
             }
         } finally {
             // Log billing usage
+            console.log('finally logging billing usage');
             if (USE_BILLING && billingCustomerId) {
                 await logUsage(billingCustomerId, {
                     items: usageTracker.flush(),
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/src/application/use-cases/projects/create-project.use-case.ts b/apps/rowboat/src/application/use-cases/projects/create-project.use-case.ts
index c439c788..8a5d4e10 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/src/application/use-cases/projects/create-project.use-case.ts
+++ b/apps/rowboat/src/application/use-cases/projects/create-project.use-case.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ export class CreateProjectUseCase implements ICreateProjectUseCase {
             }
 
             // validate enough credits
-            const result = await authorize(customer._id, {
+            const result = await authorize(customer.id, {
                 type: "create_project",
                 data: {
                     existingProjectCount: count,