> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.nops.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Business Unit Economics

> Tie Explorer spend to business metrics like customers or seats, then track cost per unit over time.

**Business Unit Economics** lets you map cloud spend from a **Cost Allocation** report to a business metric—customers, seats, users, or any unit you define—so you can track **cost per unit** by dimension and month. Each saved configuration is called a **model**: one Cost Allocation report, one unit, and the unit counts you enter per dimension.

<Note>
  Business Unit Economics requires the **Operate** plan.
</Note>

## Get started

1. Sign in to [nOps](https://clara.nops.io/dashboard).
2. In the sidebar, open **Operate → Business Unit Economics**, or go to [clara.nops.io/business-unit-economics](https://clara.nops.io/business-unit-economics).
3. Click **Create model**, choose a report saved on Explorer's **Cost Allocation** tab, pick or create a **Unit** (e.g. Customers), and set your **Start month** and **Reporting sample month**.
4. Click **Create & calculate**, enter unit counts in the **Units by dimension** table, then **Save & calculate**.

You can also start from Explorer with a Cost Allocation report already open—use **Create model** from the Reports list, or open `/business-unit-economics/new?reportId=...` with a report ID to pre-select a report.

<Note>
  Only shared or global reports saved on the **Cost Allocation** tab (grouped by allocation value, not a raw dimension) are eligible. If your report doesn't show up when creating a model, open [Explorer](/inform/explorer), switch to the **Cost Allocation** tab, group by an allocation value, and save the report there first.
</Note>

## Key features

### Landing page

* **Portfolio snapshot** cards summarize your models at a glance: **Models**, **Tracked spend**, **Units entered**, and **Avg coverage**.
* **Models by unit** groups models under each unit name. Each row shows the linked report, cost, units entered, **Cost / unit**, and **Coverage** for the reporting sample month.
* The **Units** sidebar lets you create reusable metrics (e.g. Customers, Seats) and attach them when building models. You cannot delete a unit that still has models linked to it.
* Search and open any model to edit settings or unit counts. Use **Delete** to remove a model you no longer need.

### Creating a model

Every model links one Cost Allocation report to one unit:

1. Click **Create model** and select a report saved on Explorer's **Cost Allocation** tab. Spend rows follow that report's allocation values and filters.
2. In **Settings**, fill in:
   * **Explorer report** — the Cost Allocation report whose spend drives the model. Use **Change** to pick a different report, or **Open Explorer** to review it.
   * **Unit** — a reusable metric from the dropdown, or **+ New unit** to create one on the spot.
   * **Start month** — the first month you want to track unit counts (defaults to the previous calendar month).
   * **Reporting sample month** — the month used for **Cost**, **Cost / unit**, and summary cards (defaults to the current calendar month).
   * **Granularity** — currently **Monthly** only.
3. Click **Create & calculate** to save settings and load the units table.

You can only save one model per **report + unit** combination. The same unit on different Cost Allocation reports creates separate models.

### Units by dimension table

After settings are saved, the **Units by dimension** section shows one row per Explorer dimension value:

| Column          | What it shows                                                                                                              |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Dimension**   | The report's grouping value. Rows with no matching dimension appear as **Unallocated**.                                    |
| **Cost**        | Spend for that dimension in the **reporting sample month**.                                                                |
| **Cost / unit** | Cost divided by units entered for the reporting sample month.                                                              |
| Monthly columns | Editable unit-count inputs for each month from your start month through today (labeled **Number of** plus your unit name). |

Use **Save & calculate** to persist your counts and refresh cost-per-unit values.

**Summary** cards above the table show **Total cost**, total units entered, and **Cost per unit** for the reporting sample month.

### CSV workflow

Bulk-edit unit counts offline:

* **Template** — download a CSV with **Dimension** and monthly **Units** columns (for example, `July 2026 - Units`) for each month from your start month through today.
* **Upload CSV** — import counts by matching the **Dimension** column. Only rows that match existing dimensions are updated.
* **Download** — export the full table, including cost and cost-per-unit columns, once the model is saved.

### Manage reports

From a saved model, click **Manage Reports** to deliver a summary by email, Slack, or Teams:

* **Send now** — deliver immediately.
* **Schedule** — once or recurring (daily, weekly, monthly), in your timezone.
* Add **Email recipients**, optional **Slack / Teams channels**, a **Subject**, and an optional **Message**.

Email deliveries include an HTML summary (total cost, total units, cost per unit) and a CSV attachment. Manage recurring schedules from [Reports](/inform/reports) under the **Business Unit Economics** tab.

### Business Unit Economics view in Explorer

Open [Explorer](/inform/explorer) and use the **View By** menu to overlay cost per unit on your chart:

* Pick a model to add a **Cost per unit** series for each dimension on the chart.
* A side panel shows summary cards and a read-only table for the selected month.
* Models appear in the picker as your report name and unit name joined together (for example, **Production spend — Customers**).

Budget and Business Unit Economics overlays cannot be active at the same time.

## FAQs

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do I need an Explorer report to create a model?">
    Yes, and specifically a **Cost Allocation** report. Every model is linked to a shared or global report saved on Explorer's Cost Allocation tab (grouped by allocation value) and inherits its filters and dimensions. Create or choose a Cost Allocation report in Explorer first, then start a model from the Business Unit Economics page or from the Reports list.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I link the same unit to multiple reports?">
    Yes. Each **Cost Allocation report + unit** pair is a separate model. For example, you can track cost per customer on both a production report and a staging report.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What does Unallocated mean?">
    **Unallocated** appears when grouped spend from your Explorer report does not sum to the account total—typically spend that could not be matched to a dimension value. Enter unit counts for Unallocated if you want cost per unit for that remainder.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I change the linked Explorer report?">
    Use **Change** in Settings to link a different report. Spend rows and dimensions will follow the new report's filters and grouping. You may need to re-enter or re-import unit counts for the updated dimensions.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How is Business Unit Economics different from Budgets?">
    **Budgets** set spend targets and alert you when actuals cross thresholds. **Business Unit Economics** divides spend by business metrics you enter (customers, seats, etc.) to show **cost per unit** over time. Both can overlay on Explorer charts, but only one overlay type can be active at a time.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How is this different from Cost Allocation?">
    Cost Allocation is where you define showback rules and build the report — grouping spend by allocation values (departments, teams, products, etc.). Business Unit Economics builds on top of a saved Cost Allocation report: it takes that allocated spend and divides it by unit counts you provide (customers, seats, etc.) to show **cost per unit**. You need a Cost Allocation report before you can create a Business Unit Economics model.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I bulk-edit unit counts?">
    Yes. Use **Template** to download a CSV, fill in unit counts offline, and **Upload CSV** to import them. Match rows by the **Dimension** column and use column headers like `July 2026 - Units`.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

* [Explorer](/inform/explorer) — build the report a model is based on, and overlay cost per unit on your charts
* [Budgets](/operate/budgets) — set spend targets and threshold alerts from Explorer reports
* [Reports](/inform/reports) — manage scheduled Business Unit Economics deliveries