Configure Cloud Cost Management for Microsoft Azure

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configure Cloud Cost Management for Microsoft Azure

    The Cloud Cost Management application for Microsoft Azure, available on the ServiceNow Store, helps you manage and optimize your Azure cloud expenses by analyzing usage and billing data. It is designed for use on desktop and not supported on mobile devices. Note that reported values may slightly differ from Azure billing due to currency conversions or rounding.

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    To configure Cloud Cost Management for Azure, you need Microsoft Azure console administrator permissions and the sysadmin role in ServiceNow.

    Key Setup Steps

    • Install and activate the app: Download Cloud Cost Management and necessary supporting plugins from the ServiceNow Store. Some plugins may require approval from your ServiceNow representative.
    • Assign roles: Assign appropriate Cloud Cost Management roles to users and groups based on their responsibilities.
    • Configure MID Servers: Set up MID Servers with Service Principal credentials to enable Discovery to access your Azure account’s configuration item (CI) data.
    • Discover cloud resources: Schedule Discovery jobs to keep your CMDB updated with current Azure resources.
    • Download billing and price sheet data: Schedule jobs to download billing data and price sheets from Azure. This data underpins analysis, reporting, and cost-saving recommendations.
    • Configure cost management features: Enable and schedule jobs for Rightsizing, Unused Machines, Business Hours, and Unassigned Resources to optimize cloud spending.

    Key Features and Benefits

    • Rightsizing: Analyzes resource usage and recommends optimal sizing to reduce over-provisioning and underuse, supported by confidence ratings and predicted savings.
    • Unused Machines: Identifies idle resources and provides options to power off or terminate them to cut unnecessary costs.
    • Business Hours: Applies policies to identify and manage resources running outside of business hours, enabling scheduled start/stop to save costs.
    • Unassigned Resources: Detects resources not associated with change groups to ensure proper assignment and governance throughout resource lifecycle events.

    What You Can Expect

    By following this configuration, ServiceNow customers can maintain an up-to-date inventory of Azure resources, gain insights into cost inefficiencies, and implement automated actions to reduce cloud spend. The application supports proactive management of Azure cloud costs through scheduled discovery, billing data integration, and actionable recommendations that align with organizational policies and usage patterns.

    The Cloud Cost Management application is available on the ServiceNow Store.

    General requirements and limitations

    • Cloud Cost Management isn't supported on mobile devices.
    • Values in reports might vary slightly from provider billing values due to currency conversion or rounding.

    Requirements and limitations for Microsoft Azure

    You must have Microsoft Azure console administrator permissions to work in the Microsoft Azure console

    Download and activate Cloud Cost Management

    Role required: sys_admin.

    Step Description Do this

    Get the app.

    Get the Cloud Cost Management app from the ServiceNow Store.

    Visit the ServiceNow Store website to get the Cloud Cost Management app and supporting apps.

    Activate all supporting plugins and applications.

    Activate the plugins listed on the ServiceNow Store page for Cloud Cost Management. You might need to request some of the plugins from your ServiceNow representative.

    		 For instructions, see:

    Overview: Setting up Cloud Cost Management

    Here's an overview of your set up process. Detailed instructions appear in the table that follows.

    Setup process for the Cloud Cost Management app

    Navigate to Workspaces > Cloud Cost Management Workspace > Admin. The Admin page enables you to set up a provider and preferences.

    Initial home page of the Cloud Cost Management app

    Setting up Cloud Cost Management

    Step Description Action

    Assign roles to Cloud Cost Management users and groups.

    You assign Cloud Cost Management roles to user groups and to individual users based on user activities and responsibilities.

    		 Cloud Cost Management roles

    Configuring MID Servers to access CI data on provider accounts for Cloud Cost Management.

    To enable Discovery to communicate with your Microsoft Azure account, you specify your Service Principal credentials while configuring the MID Servers that communicate with your Microsoft Azure account.

    		 Configuring access to CI data on your Microsoft Azure account

    Discover your cloud resources.

    You schedule the Discovery process to ensure that the CMDB data on resources remains current.

    		 Discovering your cloud resources for use

    Schedule and manage the jobs that download billing data for Cloud Cost Management.

    Billing Download jobs download, organize, and store billing data for your payer account on the schedule that you specify. The system analyzes the data to generate reports and to make recommendations for changes in your cloud operations that can lead to cost savings.

    		 Set up access to Microsoft Azure billing and usage data

    Schedule and manage the Cloud Cost Management jobs that download price sheets.

    A Price Sheet Download job downloads and stores price sheet data. The Rightsizing and Unused resources processes use price sheet data when generating recommendations.

    		 Schedule and manage the Cloud Cost Management jobs that download Microsoft Azure price sheets
    Configure the Cloud Cost Management features:
    • Rightsizing
    • Unused Machines
    • Business Hours
    • Unassigned Resources
    • The feature analyzes resource usage to recommend better sizes for resources that are wasting money by being over-provisioned or underused. A confidence rating and predicted savings support each recommendation. You schedule Rightsizing jobs to resize the resources you specify.
    • The Unused Machines feature analyzes usage data to identify resources that are wasting money because they are not used. You schedule Unused Machines jobs to power-off or terminate the resources that you specify.
    • A Business Hours job applies policies to identify resources that are running when they should be powered off, reports them, and can start and stop them on a schedule that you specify. Running only during specified business hours can significantly reduce your cloud spend.
    • Unassigned Resources policies help you to identify the resources that are not associated with a change group and to assign them appropriately. When a resource is assigned to the correct group, the resource can be appropriately governed even as it goes through stages such as patching, upgrading, and reconfiguring.