Azure Cost Analysis tool - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Azure Cost Analysis tool

Start: Open Azure Portal

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Navigate to Cost Management

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Select Cost Analysis

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Choose Scope (Subscription/Resource Group)

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Set Time Range and Filters

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View Cost Data Visualization

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Analyze and Export Reports

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End

This flow shows how a user opens Azure Portal, navigates to Cost Analysis, sets filters, views cost data, and exports reports.

Execution Sample

Azure

1. Open Azure Portal
2. Go to Cost Management
3. Click Cost Analysis
4. Select Subscription
5. Set Time Range to Last 30 days
6. View cost chart

This sequence shows the steps to open and view cost data for a subscription in the last 30 days.

Process Table

Step	Action	Input/Selection	Result/Output
1	Open Azure Portal	N/A	Azure Portal homepage loads
2	Navigate to Cost Management	Click on 'Cost Management + Billing'	Cost Management dashboard opens
3	Select Cost Analysis	Click 'Cost Analysis' tab	Cost Analysis page loads
4	Choose Scope	Select Subscription 'MySubscription'	Scope set to 'MySubscription'
5	Set Time Range	Select 'Last 30 days'	Cost data filtered for last 30 days
6	Apply Filters	No additional filters	Full subscription cost data shown
7	View Visualization	Default chart type (e.g., Cost by Service)	Cost chart displayed with breakdown by service
8	Export Report	Click 'Export' and choose CSV	Cost data exported as CSV file
9	End	N/A	User finishes cost analysis session

💡 User completes cost analysis by viewing and optionally exporting cost data.

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 4	After Step 5	After Step 7	Final
Scope	None	Subscription 'MySubscription'	Subscription 'MySubscription'	Subscription 'MySubscription'	Subscription 'MySubscription'
Time Range	None	None	Last 30 days	Last 30 days	Last 30 days
Filters	None	None	None	None	None
Visualization	None	None	None	Cost by Service Chart	Cost by Service Chart
Exported File	None	None	None	None	CSV file with cost data

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why do we need to select a scope like a subscription before viewing cost data?

Selecting a scope tells Azure which set of resources to analyze. Without it, the tool cannot show relevant cost data. See execution_table step 4 where scope is set.

What happens if we do not set a time range filter?

The tool may show default or all-time data, which can be overwhelming. Setting a time range filters the data to a manageable period, as shown in step 5.

How does exporting the report help after viewing the cost chart?

Exporting saves the cost data for offline review or sharing. This is the final step (step 8) where data is saved as a CSV file.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, what is the scope selected at step 4?

A Subscription 'MySubscription'

B Management Group 'MyManagementGroup'

C Resource Group 'MyResourceGroup'

D No scope selected

💡 Hint

Check the 'Input/Selection' column in execution_table row for step 4.

At which step is the time range filter applied?

A Step 3

B Step 5

C Step 7

D Step 2

💡 Hint

Look for 'Set Time Range' action in execution_table.

If the user skips exporting the report, which variable in variable_tracker remains 'None' at the end?

A Scope

B Time Range

C Exported File

D Visualization

💡 Hint

Check the 'Exported File' row in variable_tracker for the final value.

Concept Snapshot

Azure Cost Analysis tool lets you see and understand your cloud spending.
Steps: Open Azure Portal > Cost Management > Cost Analysis.
Select scope (subscription/resource group), set time range, and view cost charts.
Use filters to narrow data.
Export reports for offline use.
Helps track and control cloud costs easily.

Full Transcript

The Azure Cost Analysis tool helps users track their cloud spending by showing cost data visually. First, open the Azure Portal and navigate to Cost Management. Then select Cost Analysis. Choose the scope, such as a subscription, to focus the data. Set a time range like the last 30 days to filter costs. The tool displays charts breaking down costs by service or resource. Users can apply filters to narrow the view. Finally, users can export the cost data as a CSV file for offline review. This process helps users understand and manage their Azure costs effectively.