As nonprofit organizations continue their journey into the cloud, managing and understanding everything in their Azure environment can feel overwhelming—especially as more resources, users, and services come into play. That’s where Azure Resource Graph Explorer can be a game changer. But what exactly is it, and why should nonprofits care?
What Is Azure Resource Graph Explorer?
Azure Resource Graph Explorer is a powerful tool built into the Azure portal that lets you search, filter, and analyze your Azure resources at scale. Think of it as a search engine for everything in your Azure environment—from virtual machines to storage accounts, policies, and role assignments.
It uses a query language called Kusto Query Language (KQL) to help you explore your environment quickly and efficiently. If that sounds a little technical, don’t worry—we’ll break it down.
Why Is This Important for Nonprofits?
Many nonprofits use Microsoft Azure to host virtual servers, store data, manage applications, or even run services for their communities. But as the environment grows, keeping track of what you have, where it is, and how it’s configured becomes a challenge.
Azure Resource Graph Explorer gives you a bird’s-eye view of your entire cloud landscape, which can help in several key ways:
- Cost Management – Easily see all resources that are running to avoid surprises on your invoice.
- Security and Compliance – Identify outdated or misconfigured resources that might introduce risk.
- Inventory Reporting – Export clean lists of resources for IT audits or internal reviews.
- Policy Enforcement – Quickly check if your resources follow organization policies (e.g., naming conventions or tags).
What Can You Do with It?
Here are a few practical examples of what nonprofits can do with Azure Resource Graph Explorer:
- Find all virtual machines across all subscriptions in seconds.
- Check if resources are missing tags like
department,project, orenvironment. - Review access controls and permissions to spot over-permissioned accounts.
- Generate reports for board members or auditors without manually clicking through the portal.
Do I Need to Know Code?
Not necessarily. While Resource Graph Explorer uses KQL, Microsoft provides pre-written query examples that you can run and customize with just a few tweaks. Once you’re familiar with the basics, you can adjust queries to fit your specific needs—without being a developer.
For example, here’s a simple query to find all virtual machines:
Resources
| where type == "microsoft.compute/virtualmachines"And one to find resources without a specific tag:
Resources
| where tags['Environment'] == ""How to Get Started
To access Azure Resource Graph Explorer:
- Sign in to the Azure Portal.
- In the search bar, type "Resource Graph Explorer" and select it.
- You’ll see a query editor where you can begin exploring with sample queries or create your own. You'll type your query into the editor, select run query, and in the panel below you will find your results.
Understanding the Azure Resource Graph Explorer Interface
When you open Azure Resource Graph Explorer in the Azure portal, the layout is designed to help you write, run, and analyze queries efficiently. Let’s break it down into key sections you’ll see on the screen:
1. Query Editor Panel
This is the heart of the tool—where you type your Kusto Query Language (KQL) commands.
- Write or paste your query in this box (e.g.,
Resources | where type contains "virtualmachine"). - You can also load sample queries from the "Queries" pane to get started.
- Use the Run Query button to execute the command and see results instantly.
Tip for Nonprofits: Start with sample queries like “List all resources” or “Find all VMs”—these are helpful for learning without writing your own queries from scratch.
2. Results Pane
Once you run a query, your results will appear directly below the editor.
- Displays in a table format (like Excel) showing columns such as resource name, type, location, tags, etc.
- You can sort and filter the data right in this panel.
- Use the “Export” button to download the results to CSV, JSON, or Power BI for reporting or documentation.
Example Use Case: A nonprofit IT admin might export this list to review resource tagging or monthly usage.
3. Query Explorer (Sidebar Panel)
On the left-hand side of the screen is a navigation panel called the Query Explorer.
- Offers predefined sample queries you can run instantly.
- You can save your own queries for future use—great for recurring reports or audits.
- Saved queries can be organized into folders for easy access.
Why this matters: If your nonprofit runs the same query each quarter (like checking untagged resources), you can save it here and re-run it in one click.
- Write or paste your query in this box (e.g.,
You can also export your results to CSV or Power BI for deeper analysis or reporting.
Final Thoughts
Nonprofits don’t always have the luxury of large IT teams, but Azure Resource Graph Explorer offers a way to gain control and visibility into your cloud environment—without needing a team of engineers. Whether you're managing cost, tightening security, or preparing for an audit, this tool can help you make informed decisions and reduce complexity.
If you’re using Microsoft’s $2,000 in annual granted Azure credits for nonprofits, you’ll want every dollar to count. Azure Resource Graph Explorer helps ensure you're not leaving resources running unnecessarily—or leaving your environment vulnerable.
