SharePoint Embedded uses pay-as-you-go billing through your Azure subscription. Billing must be configured before any user can access Notate's SharePoint Embedded storage. Notate uses the passthrough billing model: Microsoft bills consumption directly to your organization's Azure subscription. Shafer Systems is not in the payment path.
Understanding the billing meters
|
Meter |
Unit |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Storage |
$ per GB |
Total data stored in SharePoint Embedded containers, including active and archived content. |
|
API transactions |
$ per transaction |
Each Microsoft Graph API call Notate makes to access or modify container content. |
|
Egress |
$ per GB |
Data transferred out of the SharePoint Embedded platform. File downloads to Office desktop and web apps are exempt. |
Cost control. You pay only for what you use. Archive inactive data to minimize storage costs, and monitor usage in Azure Cost Management.
Step-by-step billing setup
Step 1: Create an Azure subscription
If your organization does not already have an Azure subscription you can use, create one in the Azure portal. You need Owner or Contributor permissions on it.
Step 2: Create an Azure resource group
Within the subscription, create a resource group to associate with SharePoint Embedded billing. It is the billing anchor for all SharePoint Embedded consumption and will also host the provisioning function (see Setting up container provisioning). Choose the region deliberately: the provisioning function needs App Service quota in that region, and many subscriptions carry zero quota in some regions. If you have no reason to prefer one, East US 2 or South Central US are safe choices.
Step 3: Configure SharePoint Embedded in the Microsoft 365 admin center
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Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center at admin.microsoft.com.
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Go to Setup and find the Billing and licenses section.
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Select Activate pay-as-you-go services, then Get Started.
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On the Settings tab, select Apps, then SharePoint Embedded.
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Follow the on-screen instructions to turn on SharePoint Embedded apps.
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Select your Azure subscription, resource group and region when prompted.
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After pay-as-you-go is enabled, select SharePoint Embedded again and press Turn On.
Important. No user can access Notate's SharePoint Embedded storage until valid billing is configured. Complete this step before beginning any user migration.
Billing management and cost monitoring
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Sign in to Microsoft Cost Management for Azure.
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Under Cost Management, select Cost analysis.
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Select Add filter, choose Product, and select the SharePoint Embedded product.
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Optionally add a Tag filter to view costs by container or organizational unit.
Usage can take up to 24 hours to appear. You need at least read access to the resource group chosen during billing setup.
Disconnecting or turning off SharePoint Embedded
Warning. If you turn off SharePoint Embedded or disconnect the linked Azure subscription, all users immediately lose access to every application built on the service, including Notate's storage. Read and write permissions are revoked instantly. Exercise extreme caution before disabling the service.
Next: Setting up container provisioning.