Check discount sharing before comparing project costs
On this page
This check is due for a source refresh. Confirm the current documentation before you rely on provider-specific details.
Lower project costs can reflect shifted fees and credits, not lower usage, so check discount sharing and attribution before declaring savings. For Compute Engine hardware-resource CUDs, confirm which projects can receive discounts and how commitment fees and credits are split.
What you need first
- Tool
- Google Cloud console is Google's web interface for cloud services and billing. Select the billing account, then choose Committed use discounts from the Billing navigation menu to view commitments.
- Access
- Ask an authorized billing colleague for read-only commitment, scope, attribution, and cost results for the chosen billing account if you cannot view them. This review requires no settings changes.
- If you do not use that tool
- Send your billing administrator the billing account, hardware commitments, project list, and report dates. Request the current CUD scope, attribution allocations, project fees and credits, and subscription fees not assigned to projects.
Why this is worth a look
Project totals can mislead when discounts or commitment costs move between projects. Project scope limits discounts to the purchasing project; Billing account scope covers eligible usage across linked projects.
Proportional attribution follows each project's share of eligible usage. Prioritized attribution follows specified allocations, then shares any remainder proportionally.
Run this check
CHECKLISTUse these steps in Google Cloud console or send them to an authorized billing colleague. Review one billing account for a named reporting period. Record displayed currency and units. Do not change settings.
Scope
[ ] Record the Cloud Billing account, projects, and report start and end dates.
[ ] Open Billing's Committed use discounts (CUDs) page in Google Cloud console.
[ ] Identify the Compute Engine hardware-resource commitments to review. Exclude OS-license and spend-based commitments.
[ ] Request read-only results from an authorized billing colleague for anything you cannot view.
Sharing and allocation
[ ] Read or request the Resource-based CUDs scope on the CUD scope & settings page: Project or Billing account.
[ ] Confirm that projects expected to share discounts are linked to this billing account.
[ ] Record whether attribution is proportional or prioritized for the commitments being compared.
[ ] For prioritized attribution, record target projects, resource allocations in displayed units, and any unprioritized remainder.
[ ] If sharing is disabled, mark attribution preferences as inactive until sharing is enabled.
[ ] Leave settings unchanged. Do not select another scope or save changes.
Cost comparison
[ ] Request commitment fees and credits by project for the recorded period, with the currency stated.
[ ] Include subscription fees not assigned to projects in the billing-account comparison.
[ ] Ask the billing owner whether sharing or attribution changed during the period. Request effective times for any changes.
[ ] Flag cost differences that may reflect allocation rather than usage. Do not label them as reduced resource use without a usage comparison.How to confirm it
- 01
Set the comparison boundary
Choose one billing account, its Compute Engine hardware-resource commitments, the projects, and report dates. Exclude OS-license and spend-based commitments because this sharing review does not apply to them.
- 02
Check who can receive discounts
Record the current CUD scope with the checklist. Flag Project scope if you expected discounts to reach other linked projects. Billing account scope still requires eligible resource usage.
- 03
Check how fees and credits are split
Record the attribution type and any project allocations. Ask the billing owner to confirm the intended split. Treat attribution preferences as inactive if sharing is disabled.
- 04
Separate allocation from usage
Compare project fees and credits alongside subscription fees not assigned to projects. Split the reporting period at confirmed settings changes, then compare resource usage before calling a lower project cost a usage reduction.
Before making changes
Do not use today's settings as proof of past allocation. This review assumes one billing account and a defined reporting period; request effective times for changes. Hardware-resource commitments are measured in underlying resources, not a spending threshold.
If the owner plans to enable sharing with prioritized attribution, ask them to configure attribution first. Enabling sharing first temporarily spreads fees and credits proportionally.