Cost Allocation

Distribute shared costs across the workloads that consume them

  2 minute read  

Cost-allocation rules distribute shared costs, such as support charges or shared infrastructure, across the workloads that consume them, without changing the underlying billing records. The Cost Allocation page hosts the Custom Distribution Rules that define this behavior. It provides:

  • Distribution rules: Create rules that take a pool of shared cost and spread it to the right consumers.
  • Allocation strategies: Split costs equally, proportionally by spend, or proportionally by usage.
  • Filters: Define which cost rows are allocated and which workloads receive them.
  • Ordering: Control the sequence in which rules execute.

Access the Cost Allocation page

  1. Log in to the CloudBolt Platform.
  2. In the sidebar, select Settings.
  3. Select Cost Allocation.

Cost Allocation overview

Section Description
Custom Distribution Rules The ordered list of allocation rules. Each rule card shows its execution position (#1, #2, …); drag and drop cards to reorder.
Add Rule Opens the form to create a new cost-allocation rule.
Rule details Select a rule to view its full definition, edit it, or delete it.

Create a cost-allocation rule

  1. Select Add Rule.
  2. Enter a Name and, optionally, a Description.
  3. Choose a Strategy Type (see below).
  4. In the Shared Cost section, add filters that define which cost rows are the input for allocation, for example, all rows from a shared support account.
  5. In the Distribute across workloads where section, add filters that define which entities receive the allocated costs.
  6. Save the rule.

Allocation strategies

Strategy Type How costs are split
Equal Split Each target workload receives the same share of the shared cost.
Proportional by Spend Each target’s share is proportional to its spend, measured by the Cost Basis you choose: Effective Cost, List Cost, or Amortized Cost.
Proportional by Usage Each target’s share is proportional to its consumption of the Usage Metric you choose.

Filters

Both the Shared Cost and Distribute across workloads where sections use the same filter builder. Each filter is a Field, an operator, and a Value. Operators include equals (=), not equals (!=), numeric comparisons, Contains, Not Contains, Regex, and In. Where applicable, values are autocompleted from your billing data.

Rule order

Rules execute in the order shown on the list page. To change the execution order, drag and drop the rule cards. Each card displays its current position (#1, #2, …).

Edit or delete a rule

Open a rule from the list to reach its detail page, where you can edit any part of the definition or delete the rule.