.. include:: aliases.rst
Conservation Rate
=================

In certain geographic areas, customers are given an allotment for
expected usage during the bill period. Often the calculation of the
allotted usage is determined by a very complex equation. This equation
includes variables such as square footage of the building,
evapotranspiration, number of residents, etc. UMS now provides the
ability to set up a 'Conservation Rate' which uses specific tiers based
on the formula and the variables/demographics setup for the
customer/location. Conservation Rates are composed of a set of tiers
that specify which formula to use until a predetermined percentage of
the usage allotment is met, then the next tier will be used.

Formula
-------

Formulas are a set of mathematical expressions that result in a number
during billing. These formulas can be constructed from Variables and
Demographic Items.

Manage and Setup Conservation Rates
-----------------------------------

To manage Conservation Rates in UMS, go to the \ **Setup Rates** menu
item. Once there you can edit an existing Conservation Rate, or click
add to create a new Conservation Rate. This will launch the
**Conservation Rate** window. From here you can set up
the \ **Code**, \ **Description**, and other common attributes of a
rate. The part specific to Conservation Rates can be found on
the \ **Conservation tiers **\ tab. From there, you can set up any
number of tiers. Each tier has a \ **Charge** amount per unit, a max
percentage of allocation used for the tier to be in effect, and a
formula selection.

|image773|

    Figure 621 - Conservation Rate

Manage and Setup Formulas
-------------------------

**Conservation Rates** utilize **Formulas**. \ **Formulas** can be set
up from the Conservation Rate screen, or you can go directly to
the \ **Setup Formulas** screen by selecting the Setup Formulas menu
item in UMS.

-  A new formula may be added by selecting the \ |Add Icon.png| icon

-  An existing formula may be edited by selecting the formula from the
   list and then selecting \ |Edit Icon.png| icon 

-  An existing formula may be deleted by selecting the formula from the
   list and then selecting the \ |Delete Icon.png| icon

|image777|

    Figure 622 - Formula Designer

The \ **Formula Designer** window sets up the actual billing formula to
be used. To create a new billing formula: 

-  Enter a code for the formula in the \ **Code** field

-  Enter a brief description of the formula in
   the \ **Description** field

-  Select the precision for rounding calculated values in the \ **Round
   Increment** field

-  Select the direction to which values are to be rounded in
   the \ **Round Direction** field

-  Select the variable for which the dates of the formula will be valid
   from the \ **Period Days Variable** drop-down box

-  Use the items from the \ **Variables**, \ **Demographic Items**,
   and \ **Formulas** lists to build the rate formula

-  Double-click/right-click an item to add it to the formula

-  Variables will be added to the formula and used within it in the
   order in which they are added. To create a new variable
   from \ **Formula Builder**, click on the \ |Add Icon.png| icon
   under \ **Variables** grid. User can also search for an existing
   variable by entering part or all of either the “Code” or
   “Description” fields into the filter above the **Variables** grid
   with the appropriate field selected from the drop-down box.

You will see the formula being built in the designer area on the
right-hand side of the window. A formula is built one level at a time,
as shown in the designer area of the window. Each level of the formula
may be viewed as a set of parentheses added around the most recently
included items. To make a change to an item or operation in the
formula: 

-  Select the level of formula to which the edit is to be made

-  Selecting a different operation from the \ |Change Operation
   Icon.png| icon above will change the operation on the selected level
   in the formula

-  Double-clicking a new variable, demographic item, or formula while a
   level of the formula is selected will insert the new item into the
   selected level as an Add operation

-  Right-click a variable, demographic item or formula and choose one of
   the four operation (Add, Subtract, Multiply or Divide) to insert the
   new item into the selected level with the selected operation.

-  Selecting the \ |Delete Icon.png| icon above the formula will delete
   all additions to the formula at and above the selected level

-  The formula may be copied to the computer’s clipboard by selecting
   the segment of the formula to copy and then selecting the \ |Copy
   Icon.png| icon above the formula

-  Changes to the formula may be saved by selecting the \ |Checkbox
   Icon.png| icon at the bottom of the window

-  During calculation, the variable details and the demographic
   variances are not prorated. The variable/variance should be effective
   on or before the period start date and expire on or after the period
   end date to be included in the calculation.

Setup Formula Variables
-----------------------

Custom rate variables may be added in the Setup menu using the
“\ **Setup Variables**\ ” option. 

-  A new variable may be added by selecting the \ |Add Icon.png|  icon

-  An existing variable may be edited by selecting the variable from the
   list and then selecting the \ |Edit Icon.png| icon 

-  An existing variable may be deleted by selecting the variable from
   the list and then selecting the \ |Delete Icon.png| icon

    |image781|

    Figure 623 - Setup Variables

In the \ **Variable Detail** window, the rate variable may be
configured.

-  Enter a rate code in the \ **Code** field 

-  Enter a brief description in the \ **Description** field

-  **Sum Values** instructs the billing system to Sum the values where
   the To Date is between the Service Period Start and End Date. The
   from date is ignored when this check box is checked. For a
   consumption based rate the service period days are typically the
   Prior and Current Read Date.

-  Select the + icon at the bottom of the window to enter information
   about the variable

-  Enter dates in the \ **From** and **To** fields to indicate the dates
   for which the rate’s value is to be applied

-  Enter the rate variable’s value in the \ **Value** field

-  An existing value may be deleted from the variable by selecting the
   value and then selecting the \ |Delete Icon.png| icon from the bottom
   of the window.

|image782|

Figure 624 - Variable Detail