What is the fifth step in building an RI strategy?

• A. Allocate RI costs appropriately
• B. Learn the fundamentals
• C. Purchase regularly and often
• D. Measure and iterate

Answer: (A)

After you’ve learned the basics, analyzed usage, and made RI purchases to align with demand, the next essential move is to assign the RI spend and savings to the right cost centers or business units. This cost allocation makes the financial impact visible, enabling chargeback or showback and showing which teams benefited from the reservations. It also supports accurate budgeting and ROI tracking for future RI decisions. Without allocating costs properly, the savings can be misattributed or go unrealized because you can’t clearly see who should bear the cost or benefit. The other steps are about understanding, planning, and procurement cadence; allocating costs appropriately is what ties the strategy to real financial outcomes and accountability, which is why it comes as the fifth step.