Lesson 3 of 4 · 4 min

Reading your usage

You can find the runs behind a number that surprised you.

When usage is higher than expected, the answer is almost always one specific thing, and the record will tell you which.

Steps

  1. Open usage and sort by cost rather than by date.
  2. Look at the top few entries first.
  3. Open one and find the run behind it.
  4. Decide whether that run was worth it, since sometimes it was.

What surprises look like

Usually one of three things: a batch bigger than intended, a long video, or a process that ran repeatedly because it kept failing. All three are visible at the top of a cost-sorted list.

What to watch for

Repeated small charges from retries add up quietly and do not appear at the top of a sorted list. If the total does not match the big items, look for a repeated one.

Reference