For decision-makers
Reading the numbers when you own the budget.
Start with projects and estimated cost to understand where captured AI usage goes. You do not need to know token formats or Git commands.
Start with a question
| Question | Where to look | What to check before deciding |
|---|---|---|
| Which work areas account for most usage? | Project or shared-repository estimates | Assignments, unassigned usage, and pricing coverage. |
| What changed during this period? | Daily estimates and model breakdowns | Compare the same scope, capture coverage, and pricing basis. |
| What usage is associated with a reviewed change? | Personal pull-request view | Only uniquely linked, recorded merged PRs are included; the amount covers the selected usage period. |
| Where is work happening before a merge? | Personal branch view | A branch is a named line of work in a repository, not necessarily a feature or completed task. |
Higher project cost invites investigation of its model mix and workload; lower cost may reflect missing activity or rates.
Keep three distinctions clear
Estimated usage cost is not the bill. Subscriptions, discounts, credits, and other costs can differ. Pricing coverage describes captured records, not all organizational AI spending. Use provider invoices for reconciliation.
Associated work is not proven business value. Allocations do not measure customer benefit, employee performance, time saved, or return on investment. A lower cost per commit can mean work was split into more commits. Read how to interpret cost and linked work.
A team view is a shared subset. Members choose repository usage and earlier history to share. Team permissions control per-member visibility; personal PR and branch details stay personal. Installing the GitHub App shares no usage. See how team numbers work and current plans.
Use the record in a review
Choose a period and work area, check coverage, and discuss changes with the people doing the work. Pair the evidence with your goals, quality indicators, and completed outcomes. Compare like-for-like periods; a ratio cannot rank people or unrelated projects.
Environmental estimates need their assumptions and ranges. They are not metered readings or an audited emissions inventory; see the methodology.
Cost per completed business task, forecasting, and outcome valuation require additional records and agreed definitions. These remain future directions.