Free write tokens are counted
Free write tokens (e.g. OpenAI cache writes) are counted in the dashboard even though they don’t directly contribute to cost:
- Part of overall token usage.
- Gives a complete picture of system usage for future optimization.
- May carry indirect costs (latency, resource usage, CO2) not captured by billing.
- Pricing models may start billing them later; historical data is only available if collected from the start.