Skip to main content

API & Exports

Cloudaware Cost Management data can be accessed programmatically using Salesforce and Cloudaware APIs, as well as exported via reports.

Use this guide to review common patterns for pulling cost, allocation, and optimization data into downstream systems.

Choose APIs or Report Exports​

  • APIs. Use APIs when:
    • You need automated, machine‑to‑machine data flows.
    • Consumers want near‑real‑time or frequent updates.
    • You plan to join Cloudaware data with other datasets in a data lake or warehouse.
  • Report exports. Use reports when:
    • You want curated, human‑readable views.
    • Updates can follow a scheduled cadence (for example, weekly or monthly).
    • Non‑developers own the configuration.

Both approaches can coexist: APIs for raw datasets, report exports for curated summaries.

Access Data by Using APIs​

Cloudaware runs on Force.com (Salesforce), so you can use:

  • Salesforce APIs. Use Salesforce APIs, such as REST API, SOAP API, and SOQL queries, to query cost, allocation, commitment, optimization, and anomaly objects, along with CMDB context.
  • Cloudaware external APIs. Use Cloudaware external APIs, where available, for specific operations or prebuilt datasets.

To access data by using APIs:

  1. Work with your Cloudaware administrator to:
    • Identify the objects and fields that represent cost, allocation, KPIs, and optimization data.
    • Create an API integration user with appropriate, least‑privilege access.
  2. Use SOQL or REST queries to:
    • Filter by billing period, scope (BU, application, account, customer), or provider.
    • Select the metrics you need (for example, effective cost, on‑demand cost, RI/SP coverage, allocation dimensions).
  3. Load the results into your downstream system (ETL, data lake, warehouse, or integration middleware).

Export Data by Using Reports​

For many use cases, Salesforce Reports provide a simpler integration surface:

  • Build reports over Cost Management and CMDB objects that:
    • Filter to specific periods and scopes.
    • Include the allocation and shared‑cost dimensions required by consumers.
  • Schedule report exports (CSV/Excel or email) to a secure destination or mailbox monitored by downstream jobs.
  • Use automation (scripts, ETL tools) to ingest exported files into BI or finance systems.

See Exports for more on scheduling and governance of report‑based exports.

Best Practices​

  • Keep a clear contract for each integration: which scopes, which metrics, what latency.
  • Reuse the same business mapping and allocation logic used in dashboards and statements so downstream systems see consistent numbers.
  • Version your integrations alongside changes to allocation models or showback/chargeback structures.