Analysis / Procurement and spend
Trace a cloud cost spike to resources and activity
Which resources and activity are associated with a cloud cost spike? Inspect permitted billing data, reporting limits and a reusable review method in Proforma.
Engineering and operations lead · Finance reviewer
Bring this question into Chat
Your starting prompt.
Investigate [cost increase] for [Google Cloud project] using permitted billing, inventory and activity Data. Drill from service to SKU to exact resource references where supported. Keep unmatched costs and missing permissions visible. Compare dated resource changes with the cost window, distinguish temporal association from causation, and list what additional evidence the owner must review. A current inventory snapshot does not establish historical state. Do not stop or delete resources.
Copy this starting point, then replace the placeholders with your own inputs.
Method and review
Keep the assumptions visible.
Normalize suppliers, units, currencies and purchasing periods. Separate recurring commitments, one-off purchases and contract assumptions before proposing savings.
For this task, check
Detailed export attribution covers only supported services. Inventory and activity are optional, separately authorized read sources; a nearby deployment does not prove the cause of a cost increase.
Before you begin
- Permitted inputs covering the listed reporting windows
- Review the Google Cloud setup and supported export coverage
- Review live Connection and Action availability before enabling recurring work
Work with permitted files or queryable data. Verify the result against the original records.
Synthetic illustrative example
See the method in practice.
Synthetic input. Illustrative output checked locally; this is not a live Proforma run or customer result. Resource references and dated inventory provide partial evidence; one billing row has no supported resource reference.
These invented records explain the method. They are not a recorded Proforma run.
| Cost row | Resource reference | Net USD | Dated activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| VM core | vm-warm-a | 60 | Created during deployment |
| Disk | disk-warm-a | 10 | Attached to vm-warm-a |
| Network | Unavailable | 5 | No matching resource |
| Cost row | Matched reference | Evidence | Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| VM core | vm-warm-a | Exact reference; deployment nearby | Investigate purpose |
| Disk | disk-warm-a | Exact reference; attachment recorded | Review dependency |
| Network | Unmatched | USD 5 remains unattributed | Request more evidence |
Method
Join exact billing resource references to authorized inventory observations without multiplying cost rows. Link dated activity separately and preserve the unmatched USD 5. A nearby deployment supplies a question to investigate, rather than a causal explanation.
What the result tells you
USD 70 has matching resource evidence and USD 5 remains unmatched in this sample. Current configuration cannot reconstruct historical state by itself. No resource was changed or classified safe to delete.
Take the next step
Make it your investigation.
Copy the prompt above, create or open your Workspace, and paste it into Chat. Add the inputs you have permission to use and adapt the assumptions with your agent.
Start exploringYour prompt is carried by copy and paste. Signing up does not submit it or start this work automatically.
Start from the reusable template
Inspect the disclosed sample, then sign in and choose Install. Live Google Cloud setup, recipients and schedules require separate review.
Inspect Cloud Cost and ActivityReview Google Cloud setupOr start with your own agent
The setup prompt includes this public task. Your agent will help you connect when needed and use the access you approve.