Create a Dedicated Storage Account
Before configuring Azure Cost Management Exports, you'll need a storage account where Azure will save the export files. Cloud Ctrl will read from this storage account to import your cost data.
Why a Dedicated Storage Account?
We recommend creating a new storage account specifically for cost exports rather than using an existing one. This:
- Isolates permissions — Cloud Ctrl only needs access to cost data, not other organisation resources
- Simplifies security reviews — clear separation of billing data from operational data
- Avoids accidental access — no risk of granting broader permissions than intended
Step 1. Create the Storage Account
- Sign in to the Azure Portal
- Navigate to Storage accounts → + Create
- Configure with the following recommended settings:
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Resource Group | Create new or use an existing billing/finance resource group |
| Storage account name | e.g. costexports or {company}billingexports |
| Region | Same region as your primary workloads |
| Performance | Standard |
| Redundancy | Locally-redundant storage (LRS) is sufficient |
- Click Review + create, then Create
📖 For detailed instructions, see Microsoft's guide to creating a storage account →
💡 Cross-subscription / cross-tenant exports: If the storage account will receive exports from subscriptions in a different subscription or tenant (a common CSP scenario), you must also enable cross-tenant replication on the storage account. After creation, set Configuration → "Allow cross-tenant replication" to Enabled, or run:
az storage account update \ --name <storage-account-name> --resource-group <rg> \ --allow-cross-tenant-replication true
Step 2. Create the Cost Exports Container
Azure Cost Management writes export files into a blob container within the storage account. You need to create this container before configuring exports.
In the Azure Portal:
- Open the storage account you just created
- In the left menu, click Data storage → Containers
- Click + Container
- Enter a name (e.g.
cost-exports) and click Create
Or via Azure CLI:
az storage container create \
--account-name <storage-account-name> \
--name cost-exports \
--auth-mode login
💡 You will enter this container name when adding a Cloud Account in Cloud Ctrl.
Step 3. Note the Storage Account Name
Once created, record the Storage Account name. You'll need it for:
- Step 6 of the Application Registration — granting Cloud Ctrl read access
- Configuring Cost Management Exports — specifying where Azure saves the export files
- Adding a Cloud Account in Cloud Ctrl — entering the storage account details
What's Next
Continue to Application Registration & Permissions →