.. include:: aliases.rst Meter Readings ============== Through this function users may enter, review, and edit meter readings to be used in the billing process. Prepare for Meter Reads ----------------------- Through this function, prepare to collect meter readings using route sheets or AMR devices and enter or edit those readings manually. The readings from the AMR Devices are pulled into the system through the Import Meter Reads feature. Report-Route Sheets-Create printed route sheets for one or more routes to manually collect meter readings. Select the AMR Device - Create a file of one or more routes to be loaded into the handheld for meter collections. - From the menu bar, select **Billing>Meter Reads>Prepare for Meter Reads**. The Prepare for Meter Reads dialog box displays |image654| Figure 525: Prepare for Meter Reads **Limit options**. Select the desired limit options - **Active Company**\ Process for all locations in the currently open company* - **Cycles**\ Click **Select Cycles**. In the Select Cycles dialog box, select one or more cycles. Then click **OK**. To remove all cycles selected, click **Clear** - **Routes**\ Click **Select Routes**. In the Select Routes dialog box, select one or more routes. Then click **OK**. To remove all routes selected, click **Clear** - **Communities**\ Click **Select Communities**. In the Select Communities dialog box, select one or more communities. Then click **OK**. To remove all selected communities, click **Clear** - **Location/Customer**\  Click **Browse** and, from Search enter the criteria for the desired location. To remove the selections in the **Location** and **Customer** fields, click **Clear** - **Bill group**\ Click **Browse** and, from Search for the desired bill group **Code Filters**. Click **Add** and add the desired code filter(s) **Output type**. Click the drop-down list arrow and select the desired service from those shown - **Manual Reading**. Open the Enter Meter Reads window to review, enter, or edit meter reads for the selected locations - **AMR-(Name of the AMR).** Create a file to be loaded into the AMR device - **Report – Route Sheet**. Print a route sheet for manually collecting the meter reads - **Report – Meter Exceptions**. Create a printable report of meter read exceptions. Read exceptions uncover read situations that could cause incorrect billings **Sort order**. Select the order in which the report or file should list the meters, by *Route + Read Sequence* or by *Service Address* Meter selection modifiers. - **All Meters**\ *.* Includes all meters that meet the limit option and code filter criteria - **Specific Meters**\ *.* Allows the user to limit the report or file to only meters identified as having at least one of the selected exceptions - **Current customer**\ *.* Limits the report or file to only current occupied locations - **Must read meters**\ *.* Limits the report or file to only meters that have exceeded their maximum number of consecutive estimates - **Meter on Status**\ *.* Limits the report or file based on meter on/off status - **Utility Active Status**\ *.* Limits the report or file based on the utility status. (Active or Inactive) - **Read Type**\ *.* Limits the report or file based on the read type. Create Route Sheet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - From the menu bar, select Billing>Meter Reads>Prepare for Meter Reads. The Prepare for Meter Reads dialog box displays Set the Limit Options and Code Filters Under Output type select **Report – Route Sheet** Set the Sort order Select the Meter Selection Modifiers Click **Process.** The Meter Reading Route Sheet report opens to a preview window, from which it can be saved or printed |image655| Figure 526: Meter Reading Route Sheet Create File for AMR Device ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - From the menu bar, select Billing>Meter Reads>Prepare for Meter Reads. The Prepare for Meter Reads dialog box displays Set the Limit Options and Code Filters Under Output type select AMR-(Name of AMR) Set the Sort order Select the Meter Selection Modifiers Click **Process.** The **Save As** dialog box opens |image656| Figure 527: Select AMR File Location Browse to a location, enter a name for the file, and click **Save.** A message will appear that the file has been saved successfully |image657| Figure 528: Meter Reading Export Completion Message Click **OK** to clear the message Manually Enter Reads ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - From the menu bar, select Billing>Meter Reads>Prepare for Meter Reads. The Prepare for Meter Reads dialog box displays Set the Limit Options and Code Filters Under Output type select Manual Reading Set the Sort order Set the Meter selection modifiers Click **Process.** The **Enter Meter Readings** screen opens, displaying the meter and read information in a grid for review or editing |image658| Figure 529: Enter Meter Readings Set the **Current Date** to the day the readings were captured Click into the grid in the **Current Read** column and type the new read Press the **Enter** key; the cursor will move to the next current read in the grid. Continue typing the reads and pressing enter to move through the list. Each read will be set to the Current Date entered on the first read as the Enter key is pressed **Note:** Manually re-entering the same read or read date will result in the meter being marked as read, but with zero usage. Skipping the row altogether however (by using the arrow keys), will result in the meter being unread. When all reads have been entered, click **Save** Along the right side of the screen are buttons for accessing additional functions **Preview**. Preview the Meter Readings report, an edit list of the reads that have been entered or captured |image659| Figure 530: Meter Reading Sheet **Calculate Estimate**. Calculate an estimated read for the selected meter **Estimate All**. Calculated estimated reads for all meters to which the list has been limited **Copy Current Read**. Contact a UMS technical representative before using this option. This option will copy the Current Read to the Prior Read, and is normally only used during conversion **Review Change-outs**. A changed out meter will only display the current meter information in the grid; use this button to review the readings and date information from the removed meter **Save**. Save changes to the meter read information Estimate Meter Reads ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - From the menu bar, select **Billing>Meter Reads>Prepare for Meter Reads**. The Prepare for Meter Reads dialog box displays Set the Limit Options and Code Filters Under Output type select Manual Reading Set the Sort order Set the Meter selection modifiers Click **Process.** The **Enter Meter Readings** screen opens, displaying the meter and read information in a grid for review or editing For a single meter: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ - Select the meter to be estimated from the list in the grid Click **Calculate Estimate**. The Estimate a Meter Reading dialog box opens |image660| Figure 531: Estimate a Single Meter Reading Choose whether to base the estimate on **Date Range**\ *,* **Manual**\ *,* or **Minimum** - **Date Range**\ *.* Enter a **From date** and **To date**. The system will find the average usage for the date range and calculate the estimated read by average usage - **Manual**\ *.* Enter an estimated consumption amount for the location - **Minimum**\ *.* The system will estimate a new read with consumption equal to the minimum allowance for the location’s rate code Click **OK** Click **Save** For a group of meters: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ - Click **Estimate All**. The **Estimate All Meter Reads** dialog box opens |image661| Figure 532: Estimate All Meter Readings Choose whether to base the estimate on *Date Range, Manual,* or *Minimum* - **Date Range**\ *.* Enter a **From date** and **To date**. The system will find the average usage for the date range and calculate the estimated read by average usage - **Manual**\ *.* Enter an estimated consumption amount for the location - **Minimum**\ *.* The system will estimate a new read with consumption equal to the minimum allowance for the location’s rate code Click **OK** Click **Save** Review Read Exceptions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - From the menu bar, select **Billing>Meter Reads>Prepare for Meter Reads**. The **Prepare for Meter Reads** dialog box displays Set the Limit Options and Code Filters Under Output type select Manual Reading Set the Sort order Set the Meter selection modifiers |image662| Figure 533: Reading Exceptions - **No Exception**\ *.* Include meter readings that did not generate an exception - **Rollover Meter**\ *.* Rollover exceptions are created when the current meter read is smaller than the prior meter read. This makes it appear that the meter counter has reached the maximum recordable number and started again from zero - **Change Out Meter**\ *.* Meters changed out during the current billing period - **High Usage**\ *.* Meters with usage that falls above the set variance amount. UMS allows the variance to be set based on service and revenue class - **Low Usage**. Meters with usage that falls below the set variance amount - **Date Exception**. Reads with dates that fall outside the Minimum and Maximum number of days for the billing period - **Zero Usage**. Reads that have a new current date, but the recorded reading is the same as the prior reading - **Inactive with Usage**. Readings for meters associated with inactive services - **Estimated Reads**. Readings flagged as estimates - **Unread Meters**. Meters that do not have a current read or current read date - **Meters with Situation Codes**\ *.* If the company has been configured to use Situation codes, this option will include any such meters - **Meter off With Usage**\ *.* Meters turned off in the billing system those have current recorded usage - **High-Off Season Usage**\ *.* For seasonal rates, this option identifies meters that are showing High usage for the off season - **Negative usage**\ *.* Identifies meters that are reporting a negative usage. Note: If the current read is smaller than the prior read, and the amount of difference between the two reads is one-half or less of the maximum usage for the meter’s number of dials, the usage will be treated as negative. If the difference is more than one-half of the maximum usage available to the meter, it will be treated as a rollover read Click **Process.** The **Enter Meter Readings** screen opens, displaying the meter and read information in a grid for review or editing Print Meter Exceptions Report ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - From the menu bar, select Billing> Meter Reads>Prepare for Meter Reads. The Prepare for Meter Reads dialog box displays Set the Limit Options and Code Filters Under Output type select Report – Meter Exceptions Set the Sort order Set the Meter selection modifiers Click **Process.** The **Meter Exceptions – Detailed** screen opens to be reviewed, saved, or printed |image663| Figure 534: Example of Meter Exceptions Report Import Meter Reads ------------------ This function allows the user to import a file of meter reads into UMS. - Navigate to Billing>Meter Reads>Import Meter Reads Select the **Device Type** from the options in the list Click **Browse** to find the location of the import file Set a **Read Date**. This acts as a default date for import records that do not have a read date. Select the **Resequence** option - *No Resequence.* Do not resequence the route on import - *AMR Route Sequence.* Resequence the route to match the sequence held by the AMR software - *Meter Read Date + Time.* Resequence the route into the order in which reads were entered to the AMR |image664| Figure 535: Import Meter Reads When the file finishes processing, a message will display the number of reads that imported successfully |image665| Figure 536: Imported Meter Reads Are Successful Message Click **OK** to clear the imported records message. The Import error list will open in a preview window. Some of the most common errors are *This Meter ID does not exist, Read will not be updated; newer read may exist in database,* and *Invalid File or Format* |image666| Figure 537: Imported Meter Reads Error Report - **This Meter ID does not exist**\ *.* The listed meter ID appeared in the import file but could not be matched to a meter serial number in the billing system - **Read not updated; newer read may exist in database**\ *.* The meter read in the file has an older date than the current read already listed in the database - **Invalid File or Format**\ *.* The indicated record within the import file did not match what UMS expected based on the configuration file **Review Meter Read Exceptions** to view and edit potentially invalid reads - **Unread meters** should include any records that generated an *Invalid File or Format* or *Meter ID does not exist* error - To re-read meters, select **Create a Route Sheet** or **Create a File for AMR Device** that is limited to the Specific Meter exception types that require a new read Make Corrections to Reading Dates --------------------------------- Use this option to correct meter reading dates according to company, customer/location, routes, cycles, and/or bill groups. Please note that this option changes the date for all reads within the selected limit option and code filter criteria, and it cannot be reversed once processed. - From the menu bar, select **Billing>Meter Reads>Make Corrections** to Reading Dates. The **Make Correction to Meter Reading Dates** dialog box displays |image667| Figure 538: Make Correction to Meter Reading Dates **Limit options**. Select the desired limit options - **Active Company**\ *. Process for all locations in the currently open company* - **Cycles\ *. **\ Click the **Select Cycles** button. In the Select Cycles dialog box, select one or more cycles. Click **OK**. To remove all cycles selected, click **Clear** - **Routes\ *.** Click **Select Routes**. In the **Select Routes** dialog box, select one or more routes. Click **OK**. To remove all routes selected, click **Clear** - **Communities**\ *.* Click **Select Communities**. In the Select Communities dialog box, select one or more communities. Click **OK**. To remove all selected communities, click **Clear** - **Location/Customer**\ *.*  Click **Browse** and, from Search enter the criteria for the desired location. To remove the selections in the **Location** and **Customer** fields, click **Clear** - **Bill group\ *.** Click **Browse**\ *.* From **Search**, locate the desired bill group - **Code Filters**. Click **Add** and add the desired code filter(s) - **Change prior date.** Click in the checkbox to select this option, and then indicate a date in the **New** prior date field - **Change current date.** To change the current meter reading date, click in this box. Then indicate a date in the **New current date** field Click **Process**. The processing takes place in the background and the screen refreshes When the necessary dates have been changed, click **Close** to exit Resequence Route ---------------- Use the Resequence Route functionality to reorder the locations along a route to match the order in which they are normally read. - From the menu bar, select Billing>Meter Reads>Resequence Route. The Choose a Route to Resequence dialog box displays |image668| Figure 539: Choose A Route to Resequence In the **Route** field, click the drop-down list arrow and select the route to resequence. Click **OK**. The **Resequence Route** dialog box displays. |image669| Figure 540: Choose Route to Resequence Change the order of the routes by selecting a location in the list and clicking the up/down arrows on the right-hand side of the screen - To move the selected location to the top or bottom of the list, click the double up/down arrows - As the location is moved up or down the list, the sequence number will change to indicate the location’s new position along the route - **Date sequence** button orders the devices based on the last read date/time. - **Resequence** button orders the devices sequentially starting from 1. - **Reset** button reverts any changes made to the sequence. Click **OK** Multi-Register AMR Import ------------------------- UMS has the ability to import readings for multi-register meters. UMS comes with built-in support to import multi-register readings from **"Neptune ARB NSight file layout"**. The default AMR import configuration file for **"Neptune ARB NSight"** is installed with the UMS Server software and is located under **"\\Config\\NeptuneARBNSightImport.xml"**. The AMR Type **"Neptune ARB NSight"** in **tblAMRType** should be set to **True** for **IsImport**. When importing meter reads on the **Import Meter Reads** screen, select **Neptune ARB NSight**. Go to the Service Configuration screen > System Settings and set the **AMR Import Configuration File Path** to **Config\\NeptuneARBNSightImport.xml** as seen in the graphic below. UMS Server Configuration ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |image670| Figure 541: Server Configuration When importing the Meter Read File at Billing Menu > Meter Reads > Import Meter Reads, select **"Neptune ARB NSight"** as the file layout. |image671| Figure 542: Import Meter Reads Standard UMS Server Configuration ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |image672| Figure 543: Standard Server Configuration Any of the xml import layout files from **AmrImport** found at **Program Files\\CUSI\\UMS Server\\Config** can handle multi-register meters by adding the three lines to the **AmrImport.xml** file. The **START\_POSN** and **END\_POSN** must be change to match the import file.