The correct answer is to use AWS Cost Categories with rules for untagged resources and AWS Budgets to alert when resources lack tags. This solution works because Cost Categories allow you to define allocation rules based on resource attributes, including a catch-all for untagged resources, directly addressing the need to handle untagged resources for cost allocation without requiring every resource to be tagged. AWS Budgets then provide proactive monitoring by triggering alerts when new untagged resources are created, ensuring ongoing compliance. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of cost governance tools beyond simple tagging enforcement—a common trap is assuming Cost Explorer or SCPs can solve the allocation gap, but Cost Categories are purpose-built for this. Remember the mnemonic: “Categories catch the untagged, Budgets bark at the missing tag.”
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company uses AWS Organizations with consolidated billing. The finance team needs to allocate costs to different departments based on resource tags. However, some resources are not tagged. What is the most effective solution?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS Cost Categories to create rules for untagged resources and AWS Budgets to alert when resources lack tags.
Option B is correct because AWS Cost Categories allow allocation based on rules, and AWS Budgets can notify when untagged resources are created. Option A is wrong because Cost Explorer alone cannot enforce tagging. Option C is wrong because SCPs cannot enforce tagging on all resources. Option D is wrong because Trusted Advisor does not enforce tagging.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Use AWS Trusted Advisor to check for untagged resources.
Why it's wrong here
Trusted Advisor only reports, doesn't enforce.
✗
Use Service Control Policies to deny creation of untagged resources.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs cannot enforce tagging on all resource types.
✓
Use AWS Cost Categories to create rules for untagged resources and AWS Budgets to alert when resources lack tags.
Why this is correct
Cost Categories allocate costs; Budgets can trigger alerts for untagged resources.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
Use AWS Cost Explorer to filter by tags and manually identify untagged resources.
Why it's wrong here
Manual identification is inefficient.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
The first matching ACL entry is used.
There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
→Check inbound versus outbound direction.
→Read the ACL from top to bottom.
→Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SAP-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use AWS Cost Categories to create rules for untagged resources and AWS Budgets to alert when resources lack tags. — Option B is correct because AWS Cost Categories allow allocation based on rules, and AWS Budgets can notify when untagged resources are created. Option A is wrong because Cost Explorer alone cannot enforce tagging. Option C is wrong because SCPs cannot enforce tagging on all resources. Option D is wrong because Trusted Advisor does not enforce tagging.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SAP-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
About these practice questions
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These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company uses AWS Organizations with consolidated billing. The finance team needs to track costs by department, which are tagged with 'department' tags. However, some resources are not tagged. The team wants to ensure that all new resources are tagged, and existing untagged resources are identified. What should they do?
medium
✓ A.Use a service control policy (SCP) to deny resource creation without the 'department' tag, and use AWS Config rules to detect untagged resources.
B.Use AWS Config rules to enforce tagging on existing resources and automatically tag them.
C.Use AWS Cost Explorer to report on untagged resources.
D.Create an IAM policy that requires tagging for all actions and attach it to all users.
Why A: Option A is correct because SCPs can deny resource creation without required tags, and AWS Config rules can identify untagged resources. Option B is wrong because SCPs cannot enforce tags on existing resources. Option C is wrong because IAM policies cannot be enforced across accounts easily. Option D is wrong because Cost Explorer can filter by tags but does not enforce tagging.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
Question Discussion
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This SAP-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SAP-C02 exam.
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