Validate FOCUS data

Validate FOCUS data Compare and validate FOCUS cost and usage data with existing Cost Management actual and amortized datasets.

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📋 Comparing FOCUS with actual cost
📋 Comparing FOCUS with amortized cost
🙋‍♀️ Feedback about FOCUS columns
🧐 See also
🧰 Related tools

This document helps you validate FOCUS data by comparing it to actual and amortized cost data from Cost Management. The goal of this article is to help you familiarize yourself with and transition to FOCUS data with confidence. To learn more about FOCUS, refer to the FOCUS overview.

The comparisons in this document are focused on costs, prices, and quantities to facilitate validating numbers across datasets. For details about text and dates, refer to Updating reports to use FOCUS columns.

Note that FOCUS includes both actual and amortized data in a single dataset so there will be more rows in FOCUS than you will find in either the actual or amortized cost datasets, but there are fewer records than actual and amortized datasets together since many records are duplicated across actual and amortized datasets.

📋 Comparing FOCUS with actual cost

The following mapping can be used to compare FOCUS with an actual cost data in Cost analysis or other cost API or export.

Actual cost column	FOCUS column	Notes
`BenefitId`	`CommitmentDiscountId`	Avoid using `ReservationId` in Cost Management. Prefer `BenefitId` to include savings plans and map to the fully-qualified ID. Actual cost will be 0 for commitment usage.
`BillingPeriodEndDate` + 1 day	`BillingPeriodEnd`	FOCUS uses exclusive end dates (e.g., Feb 1 instead of Jan 31).
`BillingPeriodStartDate`	`BillingPeriodStart`
`ChargeType` == “Usage”	`ChargeCategory` == “Usage” and `CommitmentDiscountStatus` != “Unused”	FOCUS includes unused commitments in the usage charge category.
`ChargeType` == “Purchase”	`ChargeCategory` == “Purchase” and `ChargeClass` == null	FOCUS categorizes refunds into each individual charge category.
`ChargeType` == “Refund”	`ChargeClass` == “Correction”	FOCUS categorizes refunds into each individual charge category. As of September 2024, Cost Management only includes purchase refunds.
`ChargeType` == “RoundingAdjustment”	`ChargeCategory` == “Adjustment”
`CostInBillingCurrency`	`BilledCost`	FOCUS `BilledCost` maps to actual cost that is on the invoice. `BilledCost` cannot be compared to the amortized cost dataset.
`Date`	`ChargePeriodStart`	FOCUS has separate start and end times for the date of the charge. Generally, you only need the start time.
`PayGPrice` * `Quantity` (EA) `PaygCostInBillingCurrency` (MCA only)	`ListCost`
`PayGPrice` (EA) `PayGPrice` * `ExchangeRate` (MCA)	`ListUnitPrice`	FOCUS prices use the billing currency while actual/amortized prices use the pricing currency for MCA.
`PricingModel` == “OnDemand”	`PricingCategory` == “Standard”
`PricingModel` == “Spot”	`PricingCategory` == “Dynamic”
`PricingModel` == “Reservation”	`PricingCategory` == “Committed” and `CommitmentDiscountType` == “Reservation”	FOCUS `PricingCategory` merges all commitments. Use `CommitmentDiscountType` or `CommitmentDiscountCategory` to differentiate commitment discount types. Actual cost will be 0 for commitment usage.
`PricingModel` == “SavingsPlan”	`PricingCategory` == “Committed” and `CommitmentDiscountType` == “Savings Plan”	FOCUS `PricingCategory` merges all commitments. Use `CommitmentDiscountType` or `CommitmentDiscountCategory` to differentiate commitment discount types. Actual cost will be 0 for commitment usage.
`PricingModel` == “Reservation” or `PricingModel` == “SavingsPlan”	`PricingCategory` == “Committed”	FOCUS `PricingCategory` merges all commitments. Actual cost will be 0 for commitment usage.
`ProductId` (MCA)	`SkuId`
`Quantity`	`ConsumedQuantity`	FOCUS `ConsumedQuantity` is only available for usage. There may be cases where `ConsumedQuantity` differs from actual/amortized `Quantity` due to inconsistent units between `Quantity` and `UnitOfMeasure`.
`Quantity`	`PricingQuantity` / `x_PricingBlockSize`	FOCUS `PricingQuantity` is based on the pricing block size, if applicable, while actual/amortized `Quantity` is not. There may be cases where `PricingQuantity` differs from actual/amortized `Quantity` due to inconsistent units between `Quantity` and `UnitOfMeasure`.
`SubscriptionId`	`SubAccountId`	FOCUS subaccount maps to subscriptions.
`UnitPrice` (EA) `UnitPrice` * `ExchangeRate` (MCA)	`ContractedUnitPrice` / `x_PricingBlockSize`	FOCUS `ContractedUnitPrice` is based on the pricing block size while actual/amortized `UnitPrice` is not. In many cases, they will be the same when `x_PricingBlockSize` is 1, but they will differ if pricing block size is larger. FOCUS prices use the billing currency while actual/amortized prices use the pricing currency for MCA.
`UnitPrice` * `Quantity` (EA) `UnitPrice` * `Quantity` * `ExchangeRate` (MCA)	`ContractedCost`	FOCUS prices use the billing currency while actual/amortized prices use the pricing currency for MCA.
`UnitOfMeasure`	`PricingUnit`	FOCUS `PricingUnit` is parsed out of `UnitOfMeasure`. For an exact match, refer to `x_PricingUnitDescription`. FOCUS `ConsumedUnit` matches `PricingUnit` while the quantities may differ based on `x_PricingBlockSize`.

📋 Comparing FOCUS with amortized cost

The following mapping can be used to compare FOCUS with an amortized cost data in Cost analysis or other cost API or export.

Amortized cost column	FOCUS column	Notes
`BenefitId`	`CommitmentDiscountId`	Avoid using `ReservationId` in Cost Management. Prefer `BenefitId` to include savings plans and map to the fully-qualified ID.
`BillingPeriodEndDate` + 1 day	`BillingPeriodEnd`	FOCUS uses exclusive end dates (e.g., Feb 1 instead of Jan 31).
`BillingPeriodStartDate`	`BillingPeriodStart`
`ChargeType` == “Usage”	`ChargeCategory` == “Usage” and `CommitmentDiscountStatus` != “Unused”	FOCUS includes unused commitments in the usage charge category.
`ChargeType` == “Usage” or `ChargeType` == “UnusedReservation” or `ChargeType` == “UnusedSavingsPlan”	`ChargeCategory` == “Usage”	FOCUS includes unused commitments in the usage charge category.
`ChargeType` == “Purchase”	`ChargeCategory` == “Purchase” and `ChargeClass` == null and `ServiceName` != “Azure Savings Plan for Compute” and `ServiceName` != “Azure Reservations”	FOCUS includes commitment purchases and all refunds in the purchase charge category.
`ChargeType` == “Refund”	`ChargeClass` == “Correction”	FOCUS includes refunds in the purchase charge category.
`ChargeType` == “RoundingAdjustment”	`ChargeCategory` == “Adjustment”
`ChargeType` == “UnusedReservation”	`CommitmentDiscountStatus` == “Unused” and `CommitmentDiscountType` == “Reservation”	FOCUS separates the commitment discount status and type in separate columns.
`ChargeType` == “UnusedSavingsPlan”	`CommitmentDiscountStatus` == “Unused” and `CommitmentDiscountType` == “Savings Plan”	FOCUS separates the commitment discount status and type in separate columns.
`ChargeType` == “UnusedReservation” or `ChargeType` == “UnusedSavingsPlan”	`CommitmentDiscountStatus` == “Unused”	FOCUS separates the commitment discount status and type in separate columns.
`CostInBillingCurrency`	`EffectiveCost`	FOCUS `EffectiveCost` maps to amortized cost. `EffectiveCost` cannot be compared to the actual cost dataset.
`Date`	`ChargePeriodStart`	FOCUS has separate start and end times for the date of the charge. Generally, you only need the start time.
`PayGPrice` * `Quantity` (EA) `PaygCostInBillingCurrency` (MCA only)	`ListCost`
`PayGPrice` (EA) `PayGPrice` * `ExchangeRate` (MCA)	`ListUnitPrice`	FOCUS prices use the billing currency while actual/amortized prices use the pricing currency for MCA.
`PricingModel` == “OnDemand”	`PricingCategory` == “Standard”
`PricingModel` == “Spot”	`PricingCategory` == “Dynamic”
`PricingModel` == “Reservation”	`PricingCategory` == “Committed” and `CommitmentDiscountType` == “Reservation”	FOCUS `PricingCategory` merges all commitments. Use `CommitmentDiscountType` or `CommitmentDiscountCategory` to differentiate commitment discount types.
`PricingModel` == “SavingsPlan”	`PricingCategory` == “Committed” and `CommitmentDiscountType` == “Savings Plan”	FOCUS `PricingCategory` merges all commitments. Use `CommitmentDiscountType` or `CommitmentDiscountCategory` to differentiate commitment discount types.
`PricingModel` == “Reservation” or `PricingModel` == “SavingsPlan”	`PricingCategory` == “Committed”	FOCUS `PricingCategory` merges all commitments.
`ProductId` (MCA)	`SkuId`
`Quantity`	`ConsumedQuantity`	FOCUS `ConsumedQuantity` is only available for usage. There may be cases where `ConsumedQuantity` differs from actual/amortized `Quantity` due to inconsistent units between `Quantity` and `UnitOfMeasure`.
`Quantity`	`PricingQuantity` / `x_PricingBlockSize`	FOCUS `PricingQuantity` is based on the pricing block size, if applicable, while actual/amortized `Quantity` is not. There may be cases where `PricingQuantity` differs from actual/amortized `Quantity` due to inconsistent units between `Quantity` and `UnitOfMeasure`.
`SubscriptionId`	`SubAccountId`	FOCUS subaccount maps to subscriptions.
`UnitPrice` (EA) `UnitPrice` * `ExchangeRate` (MCA)	`ContractedUnitPrice` / `x_PricingBlockSize`	FOCUS `ContractedUnitPrice` is based on the pricing block size while actual/amortized `UnitPrice` is not. In many cases, they will be the same when `x_PricingBlockSize` is 1, but they will differ if pricing block size is larger. FOCUS prices use the billing currency while actual/amortized prices use the pricing currency for MCA.
`UnitPrice` * `Quantity` (EA) `UnitPrice` * `Quantity` * `ExchangeRate` (MCA)	`ContractedCost`	FOCUS prices use the billing currency while actual/amortized prices use the pricing currency for MCA.
`UnitOfMeasure`	`PricingUnit`	FOCUS `PricingUnit` is parsed out of `UnitOfMeasure`. For an exact match, refer to `x_PricingUnitDescription`. FOCUS `ConsumedUnit` matches `PricingUnit` while the quantities may differ based on `x_PricingBlockSize`.

🙋‍♀️ Feedback about FOCUS columns

If you have feedback about our mappings or about our full FOCUS support plans, please start a thread in discussions. If you believe you’ve found a bug, please create an issue.

If you have feedback about FOCUS, please create an issue in the FOCUS repository. We also encourage you to consider contributing to the FOCUS project. The project is looking for more practitioners to help bring their experience to help guide efforts and make this the most useful spec it can be. To learn more about FOCUS or to contribute to the project, visit focus.finops.org.

🧐 See also

🏦 FinOps hubs – Open, extensible, and scalable cost reporting.
📊 Power BI reports – Accelerate your reporting with Power BI starter kits.
🖥️ PowerShell module – Automate and manage FinOps solutions and capabilities.
🌐 Open data – Data available for anyone to access, use, and share without restriction.

📋 Comparing FOCUS with actual cost

📋 Comparing FOCUS with amortized cost

🙋‍♀️ Feedback about FOCUS columns

🧐 See also

🧰 Related tools