The Force Oriented Cost Information System (FOCIS) is a computer program developed by the Institute Defense Analyses (IDA) to assist partner nations in improving their defense management. FOCIS allows a user to rapidly and accurately analyze various force structures and their fully burdened cost, and as such, is a valuable tool for host-nations seeking to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of their defense sector. This document is a non-technical guide intended to bring new task leaders up to speed on what FOCIS is, how it works, how FOCIS can be integrated into a work plan, the benefits of using FOCIS, and common pitfalls to avoid.