Agentic workflow cost is broader than token spend. The unit cost includes inference, retrieval, tool orchestration, monitoring, human review, exception recovery, and support overhead.

Track cost per completed outcome, not cost per request. A more expensive route can still be better if it resolves work cleanly, reduces reopens, and avoids downstream risk.

Unit economics should be reviewed by cohort and workflow class. This prevents high-volume easy work from hiding low-volume cases where automation is expensive, risky, or not yet mature.