Basics of Your AWS Bill and Cost Explorer | AWS Tutorial for Beginners, with the New UI Experience

Summary

In this video, viewers learn how to navigate and understand AWS billing details. Starting from the AWS console, the presenter explains how to access the billing dashboard using the root account and view specific bills. The video highlights recent updates in the billing interface, showing detailed breakdowns of charges by service, region, and usage type. Additionally, the presenter introduces Cost Explorer, a tool for deeper analysis of costs and charges. With tips on filtering and organizing data, the video provides valuable insights for AWS users looking to manage their expenses effectively.

Takeaways

• 💰 AWS bills can sometimes be surprising, so it's important to understand the details behind the charges.
• 📧 You can view your AWS bill by clicking the link in the billing email you receive.
• 🔍 To access detailed billing information, navigate to the 'Billing Dashboard' in the AWS console using your root account.
• 📊 The Billing Dashboard provides an overview of your account costs and trends, allowing you to identify where your highest charges are coming from.
• 🗓️ You can change the date range on the Billing Dashboard to view bills from previous months.
• 🧾 AWS provides a breakdown of charges by service, which helps identify the primary sources of your expenses.
• 🌍 You can view usage and charges across different regions, highlighting where you may be incurring costs.
• 🔍 Cost Explorer can be used to dive deeper into your AWS expenses and explore cost patterns over time.
• ⚙️ When using Cost Explorer, remember to enable it the first time, and it may take up to 24 hours for data to populate.
• 📈 You can customize your views in Cost Explorer by adjusting date ranges and grouping by service or usage type for better insight into your billing.

Q & A

How can I access my AWS billing details?

You can access your AWS billing details by logging into the AWS console and clicking on the billing dashboard located at the top right of the screen. It's important to use your root account for full access.

What information can I find on the billing dashboard?

The billing dashboard provides a general overview of your account's spending, including the total amount billed, major charges by service, and trends over time.

How do I view specific bills from previous months?

To view specific bills, navigate to the 'Bills' section on the left side of the billing dashboard and adjust the date range to select the desired month.

What should I do if I see unexpected charges on my bill?

If you encounter unexpected charges, you can break down your bill to identify which services incurred the costs by using the detailed breakdown features available in the billing dashboard.

How does Cost Explorer help in analyzing my AWS costs?

Cost Explorer allows users to analyze their AWS spending by providing detailed insights into costs over time. Users can filter, group, and view costs based on different criteria to better understand their billing.

What are some useful features of Cost Explorer?

Cost Explorer offers features such as the ability to change the date range, group costs by service or usage type, and filter results based on specific criteria, including regions and charge types.

How can I ensure I include all relevant charges when analyzing my costs?

When using Cost Explorer, make sure to check the charge type settings to include or exclude credits as needed. This helps ensure you see all relevant charges, even those that resulted in zero costs.

What should I do if I’m using Cost Explorer for the first time?

If you are using Cost Explorer for the first time, you will need to enable it. Keep in mind that it may take up to 24 hours for your billing data to appear after enabling.

What types of charges might appear on my AWS bill?

Your AWS bill can include various charges such as usage fees for services like SageMaker, Route 53, and AWS Config. It may also show zero-cost charges for services included in the free tier.

How can I stay updated with AWS billing tutorials?

To stay updated with AWS billing tutorials, consider subscribing to the presenter’s channel for more videos on AWS topics.