Create Budget by Template

Overview

In this section, you will learn how to quickly create an AWS Budget using the pre-configured templates provided by AWS. Templates offer a simplified approach to budget creation with recommended settings for common use cases.

Creating a Budget Using Templates

1. Access the AWS Management Console and navigate to AWS Billing and Cost Management:
   • Sign in to the AWS Console
   • Search for and select Billing and Cost Management in the services search bar

2. Navigate to the Budgets section:
   • In the left navigation pane, select Budgets
   • Click the Create a budget button

3. Select the template option for budget setup:
   • Choose Use a template (simplified)
   • From the available templates, select Monthly cost budget

4. Configure your budget settings:
   • Enter a descriptive name for your budget
   • Set your monthly budget amount
   • Review the email recipients for alerts
   • Click Create budget to finalize

ℹ️ Information: The monthly cost budget template automatically configures alerts at 80% of actual spend and 110% of forecasted spend, helping you stay informed about both current and potential future costs.

5. Verify your budget has been created successfully:
   • You should see a confirmation message
   • Your new budget will appear in the budgets list

Monitoring Your Budget

6. View your budget history:
   • Select your newly created budget
   • Navigate to the Budget history tab to see historical performance

7. Review the budget overview:
   • The overview provides a snapshot of your current spending against your budget
   • Visual indicators show your budget status at a glance

8. Monitor budget health and alerts:
   • Check the Budget health section to see your current status
   • Review any active alerts that have been triggered

9. Return to the budget history for trend analysis:
   • Historical data helps identify spending patterns over time
   • Use this information to refine future budgets

10. Understand the template alert configuration:
    • Review the alert thresholds and notification settings
    • Note how the template has configured both actual and forecasted alerts

💡 Pro Tip: While templates provide a quick start, consider creating customized budgets for specific projects or departments using tags. This allows for more granular cost tracking and accountability across your organization.

⚠️ Warning: Budget alerts are based on billing data that updates approximately every 8-12 hours. There may be a delay between when costs are incurred and when alerts are triggered.