FinOps Scopes

A FinOps Scope is a segment of technology-related spending to which FinOps Practitioners apply FinOps concepts.

With FinOps Scopes, practitioners create the context that drives how to apply the FinOps Framework. This helps frame conversations and expectations about which Personas, Domains, and Capabilities are in-scope for the FinOps practice.

Scopes are more than a single type of infrastructure

• A Scope may operate across multiple types of infrastructure (e.g. AI or Licensing)
• There may be multiple Scopes within a single type of spend (e.g. Public Cloud)
• Unique KPIs and thresholds for metrics may be associated with a Capability in a Scope, even if that Capability is included in other Scopes

Scopes are driven by the business & technology strategy

• Organizations can determine their own custom FinOps Scope(s) based on the mix of technologies and spend that is important to their business
• Framework Capabilities can be prioritized or excluded by Scope based on business objectives
• FinOps Personas can be engaged or excluded as appropriate for each FinOps Scope

Scopes determine which Personas, Domains, and Capabilities are Engaged

We can visualize the concept of creating a FinOps Scope by viewing the Framework poster from the top-down.

Elements of the FinOps Framework – such as Personas, Domains, and Capabilities – act as foundational building blocks for your FinOps Scopes. Selection or exclusion of these elements should reflect your organization’s FinOps Maturity, business priorities, and situational context. Practitioners can then apply these Scopes to structure their FinOps activities, define ownership boundaries, and align teams around measurable outcomes. As your practice evolves, the Framework elements included or excluded will change. Scopes provide a construct to build the context to focus improvement efforts and benchmark maturity across different areas of FinOps.

FinOps Scopes for Public Cloud

Public Cloud remains the foundational FinOps Scope, since the practice of FinOps emerged to address the cost management challenges of cloud.

FinOps Scopes for Cloud+

Feedback from the FinOps community, FinOps Foundation Working Groups, and conversations with the TAC identified that FinOps teams are managing additional scopes (Cloud+) of technology spend.  FinOps Scopes for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and for Data Center are the first to be listed in the FinOps Framework alongside Public Cloud.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

A sample Framework poster highlighting which Personas, Domains, and Capabilities may be involved in the FinOps Scope for SaaS as driven by business and technology priorities.

Elements of the FinOps Framework highlighted for the FinOps Scope for SaaS – such as Personas, Domains, and Capabilities – act as foundational building blocks for your FinOps Scopes. Greyed areas remain part of the Framework and represent building blocks that could also included – their selection should reflect your organization’s FinOps Maturity and situational context.

Data Center

A sample Framework poster highlighting which Personas, Domains, and Capabilities may be involved in the FinOps Scope for Data Center as driven by business and technology priorities.

Elements of the FinOps Framework highlighted for the FinOps Scope for Data Center – such as Personas, Domains, and Capabilities – act as foundational building blocks for your FinOps Scopes. Greyed areas remain part of the Framework and represent building blocks that could also included – their selection should reflect your organization’s FinOps Maturity and situational context.

Custom Scopes

Apply the FinOps Framework to create a FinOps Scope for Licensing  or  FinOps Scope for AI are driven by business and technology priorities.

Applying elements of the FinOps Framework to create a FinOps Scope for Licensing  or  FinOps Scope for AI are driven by business and technology priorities.  The highlighted Personas, Domains, and Capabilities act as foundational building blocks. Greyed areas remain part of the Framework and represent building blocks that could also included – their selection should reflect your organization’s FinOps Maturity and situational context.