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Cost Dashboard

The Cost Dashboard is your central hub for understanding AWS spending across all connected accounts. It provides an at-a-glance summary of total costs, trends, forecasts, and the status of your cost optimisation efforts.

Accessing the Dashboard​

Navigate to Cost Analysis from the main navigation menu. The Cost Dashboard is the default view when you open the Cost Analysis page.

info

The Cost Dashboard requires an active CUR connection. If you see a setup prompt instead of cost data, complete the CUR Setup first.

Dashboard Layout​

The Cost Dashboard is organised into several key sections:

CUR Status Card​

Located at the top of the page, this card displays the current state of your CUR data connection:

  • Active -- Data is flowing and up to date. The last sync timestamp is displayed.
  • Pending Data -- CUR is configured but awaiting the first data delivery from AWS.
  • Not Configured -- CUR setup has not been completed.
  • Error -- There is a problem reading CUR data. Check the CUR Setup troubleshooting section.

Cost Summary Card​

The primary summary card displays:

MetricDescription
Total SpendAggregate cost for the selected time period
Daily AverageMean daily spend across the period
ForecastProjected spend for the current month based on usage trends
Month-over-Month ChangePercentage change compared to the previous equivalent period

The forecast is calculated using your recent spending patterns and adjusts dynamically as more data becomes available throughout the month.

Monthly Cost Chart​

A time-series chart showing daily or monthly spend over the selected period. This visualisation makes it easy to spot trends, seasonality, and anomalies at a glance.

Features:

  • Hover over any data point to see the exact cost for that day or month.
  • Toggle between daily and monthly aggregation.
  • Anomaly markers appear as highlighted points on the chart when anomalies are detected.

Cost Trend Chart​

A dedicated trend line showing the direction of your spending over time. The trend chart includes:

  • Actual spend -- Historical cost data
  • Trend line -- Smoothed trend indicator showing the overall direction
  • Forecast projection -- Estimated future spend based on current patterns
tip

A rising trend line combined with a flat forecast may indicate that a short-term spike is pulling up the average. Check the Anomaly Detection view for more details.

Running a Cost Analysis​

To generate or refresh your cost analysis:

  1. Click the Run Analysis button in the top-right corner of the dashboard.
  2. The Analysis Progress Monitor appears, showing the current stage of the analysis pipeline.
  3. Analysis typically completes within 1-2 minutes depending on the volume of cost data.
  4. Once complete, all dashboard components refresh with the latest data.

Analysis Progress Monitor​

When an analysis is running, a progress indicator shows the current stage:

StageDescription
InitialisingValidating CUR data availability
Fetching DataRetrieving cost records for the selected period
ProcessingComputing breakdowns, trends, and aggregations
Generating RecommendationsAnalysing usage patterns for optimisation opportunities
Checking BudgetsEvaluating spend against configured budget thresholds
Detecting AnomaliesScanning for unusual spending patterns
CompletingSaving results and updating the dashboard

You can navigate away from the page during analysis. The results will be available when you return.

Time Period Selection​

Use the time period selector to change the analysis window:

  • Last 7 Days -- Best for spotting recent changes and day-to-day variability
  • Last 30 Days -- Standard monthly review
  • Last 3 Months -- Quarterly trend analysis
  • Last 6 Months -- Identifies medium-term patterns and seasonal effects
  • Last 12 Months -- Full year-over-year comparison
  • Custom Range -- Select specific start and end dates for ad-hoc analysis
note

Changing the time period updates all dashboard components, including the service breakdown, region analysis, and trend charts. The analysis does not need to be re-run for different time periods -- data is available immediately once an analysis has been completed.

Anomaly Banner​

When the anomaly detection engine identifies unusual spending patterns, an alert banner appears at the top of the dashboard. The banner shows:

  • The number of detected anomalies
  • The most significant anomaly (by cost impact)
  • A link to the full Anomaly Detection view

Dashboard Cards at a Glance​

Below the main charts, the dashboard displays summary cards for quick access to deeper analysis:

CardShowsLinks To
Top ServicesYour 5 highest-cost services with spend amountsService Breakdown
Top RegionsCost distribution across AWS regionsRegion Analysis
Budget StatusCurrent spend vs. budget limits with threshold indicatorsBudgets
RecommendationsCount of available optimisation recommendations with projected savingsRightsizing
AnomaliesNumber of active anomalies detected in the current periodAnomaly Detection

Multi-Account View​

When connected to an AWS Organization with multiple accounts:

  • The default view shows aggregate spending across all accounts.
  • Use the account selector in the top navigation to filter to a specific account.
  • The Cost Summary Card shows account-level breakdowns when viewing the aggregate.

Exporting Data​

You can export cost data from the dashboard:

  • CSV Export -- Download raw cost data for use in spreadsheets or external tools
  • PDF Report -- Generate a formatted cost report suitable for management review

Export options are available from the menu in the top-right corner of the dashboard.

Polling and Auto-Refresh​

When a cost analysis is in progress, the dashboard automatically polls for updates and refreshes when the analysis completes. You do not need to manually refresh the page.

For completed analyses, the dashboard displays the timestamp of the last analysis run. Cost data is not live -- it reflects the state as of the most recent analysis.

tip

Schedule regular cost analyses to keep your data current. Many teams run a daily analysis to maintain up-to-date spending visibility, complemented by the automated anomaly scanner that runs independently.

Next Steps​