specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: Microsoft Project
providerId: microsoft-project
created: '2026-05-04'
# Provenance stamped 2026-08-11: this artifact was written by the API Evangelist
# bulk sweep dated 2026-05-04, not harvested from the provider. See roadmap#35.
method: generated
modified: '2026-05-05'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - FinOps
  - FOCUS
  - Cost Management
  - Microsoft
  - Project Management
description: 'FOCUS-aligned FinOps for Microsoft Project: tiered per-user subscriptions (Planner, Plan 1,
  Plan 3) plus optional one-time on-prem licenses, billed monthly via Microsoft 365 commerce.'
sources:
  - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/project/compare-microsoft-project-management-software
  - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/admin/api-request-limits-allocations
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: Microsoft Corporation
serviceCategory: Project Management
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Tiered Subscription
  billingFrequency: Monthly
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
    - Usage
    - Purchase
    - Tax
    - Adjustment
    - Credit
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: Microsoft Project
  ServiceCategory: Project Management
  ProviderName: Microsoft
  PublisherName: Microsoft Corporation
  InvoiceIssuerName: Microsoft Corporation
  BillingCurrency: USD
  PricingUnit: seat-month
  ChargeCategory: Usage
meters:
  - name: planner_seats
    unit: seat-month
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - tenant
      - assigned_user
  - name: plan1_seats
    unit: seat-month
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - tenant
      - assigned_user
  - name: plan3_seats
    unit: seat-month
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - tenant
      - assigned_user
  - name: standard_2024_licenses
    unit: license
    aggregation: count
    dimensions:
      - tenant
  - name: professional_2024_licenses
    unit: license
    aggregation: count
    dimensions:
      - tenant
  - name: power_platform_requests
    unit: request
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - user
      - environment
principles:
  - name: Visibility
    description: Use the Microsoft 365 admin center license-usage report and the Power Platform admin
      center capacity reports to expose per-tenant seat consumption and Power Platform request usage
      over time.
  - name: Allocation
    description: Allocate Plan 1 / Plan 3 seats by Microsoft 365 license group; tag each Project
      Online tenant with cost-center metadata to roll up to PMO budget owners.
  - name: Optimization
    description: Right-size between Planner-included, Plan 1 ($10), and Plan 3 ($30) per actual usage;
      avoid blanket Plan 3 assignment for users who only need Planner. Reserve on-prem one-time licenses
      for users who never need cloud collaboration. Plan migration off Plan 5 before 2026-05-01 EOS.
  - name: Accountability
    description: Review monthly Plan 3 utilization against checked-in projects; reclaim seats from
      inactive users; enforce a finance approval step on >100-seat additions.
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com