Cloud cost overruns are not an Azure problem — they are a governance problem. This is the cost management framework I implement for enterprise Azure environments to make cost visible, attributable, and controllable.

• Enforce mandatory tags (environment, cost-centre, owner, project) via Azure Policy deny effect — no tag, no deployment
• Budget alerts at subscription level: 80% forecast triggers email; 100% actual triggers Logic App to notify Slack/Teams
• Use Azure Cost Analysis with tag grouping to show per-team spend — share monthly reports with engineering leads
• Advisor recommendations: review reserved instance opportunities quarterly; 1-year RIs for stable baseline workloads
• Identify idle resources with Azure Monitor: VMs with <5% CPU for 14 days, unattached disks, unused public IPs
• Showback model: assign costs to business units even if centrally paid — accountability follows visibility