What’s New in FinOps Toolkit 12 – July 2025
As the digital landscape evolves, so do the tools that allow businesses to leverage the full potential of cloud computing. The FinOps toolkit has long been a cornerstone for organizations looking to optimize cloud expenditure while maximizing value. In the July 2025 release, the toolkit introduces several game-changing features, pushing the boundaries of efficiency and adaptability. Whether you are a seasoned FinOps practitioner or just beginning your journey into cloud management, this update is packed with innovations designed for everyone. Let’s explore the key features of FinOps toolkit 12.
The Arrival of FOCUS 1.2
Microsoft Cost Management has recently added support for the FinOps Open Cost and Usage Specification (FOCUS) 1.2, which refines how cost data is managed and reported. Now, with new columns such as ServiceSubcategory and renamed fields like InvoiceId, organizations can anticipate a smoother transition and a more comprehensive dataset. This update aligns all systems using both classic and updated data schemas, ensuring consistency and accuracy across different platforms.
Enhancements in Power BI Reports
Power BI, a crucial component for data-driven decision-making, now reflects these FOCUS 1.2 updates. Compatibility is maintained across all reports, embracing both legacy and modern methodologies in line with current industry practices.
Advancements in FinOps Hubs Schema
A significant leap in this release is the introduction of the v1_2 schema for FinOps hubs, ensuring compatibility with varying data sources. This keeps data consistent irrespective of changes to external datasets and systems, enabling seamless integration and uninterrupted analysis.
Flexible CIDR Support
Network configurations are now more flexible with expanded CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) support. With the ability to define subnets within a range suitable for your needs, scalability and security in network design have been prioritized, addressing the demand for dynamic network environment configurations.
Balancing Cost with Auto-Start Features
In an era where cloud efficiency is paramount, the Data Explorer’s auto-start capability ensures that resource usage aligns with actual demand. By automatically starting when new data needs ingestion, it significantly reduces operational costs without compromising data processing timelines. This automated intervention saves hours of manual monitoring and adjustments, proving to be a vital asset for efficient workload management.
Elevating Security with Managed Exports
Security remains a top priority, and with the latest update, organizations now exert more control over data export schedules. By enabling managed exports, companies can ensure timely data availability within analytics pipelines, all the while retaining control over the security protocols without the need for elevated permissions.
New Insights in Cost Summary Reports
Understanding expenditures is critical for strategic planning. The enhanced Cost Summary Report now offers an executive summary page, detailing top spending areas and identifying future cost-saving opportunities. These insights are presented in an accessible format, enhancing decision-making for both technical experts and business leaders.
Versioning Strategy and Future Horizons
The FinOps toolkit has embraced a new versioning strategy, moving forward collectively with version 12. This strategic shift reflects the toolkit’s growth and aims to support ongoing innovation and expansion, ensuring users always have access to the most advanced cloud management tools available.
The FinOps toolkit 12 release marks a pivotal advancement in how organizations manage cloud expenditures. These updates empower us to analyze more effectively, automate more confidently, and secure more comprehensively than ever before. As we move forward, expect further improvements, deeper insights, and broader capabilities to emerge. The FinOps community continues to thrive, promoting transformative changes across industries, and this toolkit remains at the forefront of that revolution.
Stay connected for what unfolds next, as we continue to build smarter, more efficient, and more impactful cloud operations together.