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Multi-Account Setup Guide

Learn how to monitor multiple AWS accounts in CloudWise.

Overview​

CloudWise supports monitoring costs across multiple AWS accounts. Each account requires its own IAM credentials and connection setup.

Adding Multiple AWS Accounts​

Step 1: Prepare Your AWS Accounts​

For each AWS account you want to monitor:

  1. Ensure Cost Explorer is enabled
  2. Have administrative access to create IAM users
  3. Note down the AWS Account ID

Step 2: Add First Account​

  1. Go to Settings → AWS Accounts
  2. Click "Add Account"
  3. Follow the setup wizard to create IAM credentials
  4. Test the connection

Step 3: Add Additional Accounts​

  1. Repeat the "Add Account" process for each additional AWS account
  2. Each account needs its own IAM user with Cost Explorer permissions
  3. Use descriptive names to identify each account (e.g., "Production", "Development", "Staging")

IAM Setup for Each Account​

Required Permissions​

Each AWS account needs an IAM user with these permissions:

  • ce:GetCostAndUsage
  • ce:GetRightsizingRecommendation
  • ce:GetReservationCoverage
  • ce:GetReservationPurchaseRecommendation
  • ce:GetReservationUtilization
  • ce:ListCostCategoryDefinitions

Creating IAM Credentials​

  1. Log into the AWS Console for the account
  2. Go to IAM → Users
  3. Create a new user with programmatic access
  4. Attach the CloudWise cost policy
  5. Save the Access Key ID and Secret Access Key
  6. Enter these credentials in CloudWise

Account Management​

Viewing All Accounts​

  • The Settings → AWS Accounts page shows all connected accounts
  • Each account displays its connection status and last sync time
  • You can see which accounts are active or have connection issues

Account Naming​

  • Use clear, descriptive names for each account
  • Consider using naming conventions like:
    • Company-Production
    • Company-Development
    • Company-Staging
    • Department-ProjectName

Switching Between Accounts​

  • The CloudWise dashboard allows you to filter data by specific accounts
  • Use the account selector to view costs for individual accounts
  • You can also view combined costs across all accounts

Cost Data Consolidation​

Combined View​

  • CloudWise automatically aggregates costs across all connected accounts
  • The main dashboard shows total spending across your organization
  • Individual service breakdowns include data from all accounts

Account-Specific Analysis​

  • Filter by specific accounts to analyze individual account costs
  • Set up separate budget alerts for each account
  • Compare spending patterns between different accounts

Best Practices​

Account Organization​

  • Group related accounts (production vs. development)
  • Use consistent naming conventions
  • Document which account serves which purpose

Security Considerations​

  • Use dedicated IAM users for CloudWise (don't reuse existing users)
  • Regularly rotate access keys
  • Monitor IAM user activity in AWS CloudTrail
  • Use least-privilege access principles

Cost Management​

  • Set different budget thresholds for different account types
  • Monitor production accounts more closely than development
  • Consider the purpose of each account when setting alerts

Troubleshooting​

Connection Issues​

  1. Verify IAM credentials are correct
  2. Check that Cost Explorer is enabled in the AWS account
  3. Ensure the IAM user has the required permissions
  4. Test credentials in the AWS CLI if available

Missing Cost Data​

  1. Allow 6-8 hours for cost data to appear after connecting
  2. Verify the account has actual AWS usage to report
  3. Check that billing data is available for the account
  4. Contact support if data is still missing after 24 hours

Permission Errors​

  1. Review the IAM policy attached to the user
  2. Ensure all required Cost Explorer permissions are granted
  3. Check if there are any organizational policies blocking access
  4. Verify the user has access to Cost Explorer in the AWS console

Need Help?​

For assistance with multi-account setup:

  • Check our FAQ section
  • Contact support through the Help Center
  • Review AWS documentation on Cost Explorer permissions