Understanding Meter Reading

Possible meter reading reasons are dependent on the particular situation. If you wish to create meter reading orders for an entire meter reading unit, the system offers fewer meter reading reasons for selection than it does when you choose an individual installation.

You start meter readings that result from an activity in the activity itself, rather than in device meter reading. For example, a device is removed. In this case, the meter reading order is triggered by the removal transaction.

• Periodic meter reading
  • 01 Periodic reading with billing
• Aperiodic meter reading
  • 05 Service territory transfer with billing
  • 02 Interim reading with billing
  • 09 Interim reading without billing
  • 10 Control reading
• Aperiodic meter reading for a process
  • 03 Move-out reading with billing
  • 06 Move-in reading
  • 08 Installation technical
  • 21 Installation billing-related
  • 12 Removal technical
  • 22 Removal billing-related

• A billing order is created at the same time as the meter reading order, provided that the meter reading is relevant to billing and a valid contract exists.
• You can print your meter reading orders or download them to mobile devices.
• A plausible meter reading result changes the status of the billing order to billable.
• Meter reading orders are not created for flat-rate installations. However, a billing order is created, and billing can take place immediately afterward.

You can find the definition of parameter record, schedule master record and schedule record in the SAP Fiori app: Home page→User Profile icon→App Finder→SAP Menu→Scheduling

• Portion

  Grouping of contracts that you want to bill together

• Meter reading unit

  Installations grouped together according to region, consisting of the devices installed there and their registers. Installations are grouped this way for purposes of meter reading and device management. The meter reading unit is the basis for the meter reader's worklist.

• Parameter record

  Data record that contains control parameters for generating schedule records.

  Please note that the keys of MR Unit and Portion are important selection criteria during the SAP for Utilities-core processes in Meter Reading in Billing, especially during parallel processing:

  • Parallel Processing Meter Reading Order Creation via MR Unit (Execute Order Creation App)
  • Parallel Processing Billing via Portion (Mass Activity Billing)
  • Parallel Processing Invoicing via Portion (Mass Processing: Create Bill)

• End of billing period

  Portions should be billed for the first time on this date. The length of the scheduled billing period in conjunction with this date determine the date of the next billing.

• End of meter reading period

  This is used as the basic date for determining the schedules for the further meter reading periods. The date must not be after the end of the billing period for the portion allocated.

• Scheduled billing date

  This is the date on which billing is to begin for the contracts that belong to a portion.

• Scheduled meter reading date

  This is the date on which the meter reading unit can be read for the first time.

• The meter reading unit represents the highest hierarchy level in the meter reading organization. A street route can be maintained for each meter reading unit.
• If a meter reading unit has been defined as the main meter reading unit, then meter reading orders are created simultaneously for the allocated meter reading units, and the meter reading units are read together. The street route can also be maintained jointly for the meter reading units.

The meter reading order is a prerequisite for a meter reading. It is used for monitoring.

All data required for the meter reading:

• Meter reading reason
• Meter reading status
• Meter reading type
• Notes
• Date
• Address
• Expected meter reading

It can be printed and it can be downloaded to external systems (e.g. MDE device).

When a meter reading result is entered for an object for which no meter reading order exists, then the meter reading order (and a billing order, where necessary) is created automatically.

The following lists the meter reading order data according to category:

• Entry-Specific Data
  • Entry number
  • Check number
  • Meter reading status
  • Meter reading reason
  • Meter reading category
  • Meter reader
  • MDE number
• Header Data
  • Device
  • Equipment
  • ID of meter reading document
• Time-Based Data
  • Planned MR date
  • Planned billing date
• Meter Reading Data
  • Expected meter reading
  • Expected consumption
  • Meter reading upper limit
  • Maximum consumption

• The meter reading document ID identifies the meter reading order and meter reading result uniquely. The meter reading document ID is downloaded to the MDE and then uploaded again.

• The entry number is used during fast entry to identify a meter reading order. This entry number is unique for each meter reading unit and target meter reading date.

• The random check number for each register acts as a control during fast entry.

  It makes sure that the meter reading results are entered correctly.

• The meter reading status is always set automatically by the system:
  • 0 Order created
  • 1 Billable
  • 2 Blocked automatically
  • 4 Released by clerk
  • 7 Billed

The MDE number is the number of the MDE (mobile data entry) device to which the meter reading data was downloaded. This number controls the type of order output.

• Is a prerequisite for billing
• Is created in addition to the meter reading order if a meter reading is relevant to billing
  • 01 Periodic reading with billing
  • 02 Interim reading with billing
  • 03 Move-out reading with billing
  • 05 Service territory transfer with billing
• Contains data for billing
  • Planned billing date
  • Portion
  • Installation
  • Status
• Is also created for installations with flat-rate
• Is also created for installations with RTP rate

• Single order
  • all registers of 1 single meter reading unit
  • all registers of 1 single contract
  • all registers of 1 single installation
  • all registers of 1 single device
• Meter reading category
  • Meter reading performed by utility company
  • Meter reading performed by customer
  • Meter reading estimated
  • Meter reading derived

• The meter reading orders should be created using the meter reading category planned in the meter reading unit. If you do not select this field, the system creates single orders using the meter reading category Reading performed by utility company.
• Contracts should be ignored if meter reading orders already exist for them.
• A service order/notification should be suppressed.
• An interval check should be run

Automatic derivation is the extrapolation of a meter reading result from another meter reading result that lies within the entry interval.

• Mass order creation selects several meter reading units.
• Mass order creation can be planned as a background job.
• Mass order creation as variant with the following criteria:
  • meter reading units
  • meter reading reason
  • meter reading order creation period
• The background job can be started:
  • on a certain date/time of day
  • after another job
  • after an event

• The meter reading orders should be created using the meter reading category planned in the meter reading unit. If you do not select this field, you can specify which meter reading category should be used.
• Contracts should be ignored if meter reading orders already exist for them.
• An interval check should be run.

• Meter reading interval: only one meter reading and billing
  • no further order is created

  • if a customer moves out on March 31, a periodic meter reading should not take place on March 28.

• Entry interval: Only one entry of meter reading results
  • Further meter reading orders exist.
  • However, the results are derived (extrapolated).

  • The periodic billing on April 25 is to be derived from an interim meter reading taken on April 15.

• Both intervals are stored in the meter reading unit
• Customizing:
  • Priority for meter reading interval
  • Automatic derivation for entry interval

You define the two settings concerning the two kinds of interval checks in Customizing on the SAP Fiori app on the Home page→User Icon profile→App Finder→SAP Menu→Search in SAP Menu→Customizing-Execute Project→SAP Reference IMG→SAP Utilities→Device Management→Meter Reading→Meter Reading Order→Order Creation

• Activity: Priorities of the meter reading reasons

  Do you wish to suppress a periodic meter reading of a final meter reading?

• Activity: Automatic derivation

  For which meter reading reasons do you want to use automatic derivation?

You can specify a separate final meter reading interval value for every company code and division. You enter this value in the control parameters for entering meter reading results.

Both intervals are only relevant for periodic meter reading and are therefore stored in the meter reading unit.

User-definable pool of texts containing placeholders that can be turned into individual messages

• Beware of the dog!
• Please call by at & house
• Please check &

You define these static notes in meter reading order Customizing. You can store them at connection object or device location level.

The static notes are defined in Customizing in the SAP Fiori app Home page→User Profile icon→App Finder→SAP Menu→Search in SAP Menu→Customizing- Execute Project→SAP Reference IMG→SAP Utilities→Device Management→Meter Reading→Meter Reading Order→Order Creation

You might, for example, expand the variable in the entryPlease call by at & defined in Customizing with the name of the contact person Mr Clinton when you are maintaining the connection object. In this case, the note Please call by at Mr Clinton would be printed on the field worker's meter reading order. You can use up to five variables (placeholders) in any note.

Priorities enable you to define the sequence in which notes are printed on a form. They also enable you to specify that notes should only be printed out on specific forms.

• You can also usedynamic notes for field service.
• Possible notes are proposed by the system
  • Installation & blocked manually against meter reading
  • Device &1 blocked since &2
  • Device and meter reading already entered
• You can assign the notes to an installation, a connection object, or adevice.
• At runtime, the system determines the applicable notes, fills the variables (&), and writes them to the selected form or to the download file.

You define the dynamic notes in Customizing in the SAP Fiori app: Home pageUser Profile iconApp FinderSAP MenuSearch in SAP MenuCustomizing- Execute ProjectSAP Reference IMGSAP UtilitiesDevice ManagementMeter ReadingMeter Reading OrderOrder Creation

Dynamic notes are determined dynamically at runtime. You may not delete them. The dynamic notes are either output on a form, or written to a download file for mobile data entry.

The priority defined in Customizing determines the sequence in which several notes are sorted on the form or in the download file. You can determine valid recipient groups and forms for the notes using the form group.

The following is an example:

The dynamic note Installation & blocked manually against meter reading is always allocated to an analysis device, has the priority 1, and is also assigned to group 0001. You define the form group in the Customizing. It determines the forms in which this note appears. The dynamic note is supplied with a data record for the variable & by the executing program. If several notes are printed on the form or written to the download file, this note appears before all the other notes.

These are determined by MR type and MDE number in the MR order.

Note that you can override the default value during output.

Example: All orders have to be printed out due to a fault in the MDE devices.

• SAP supplies sample forms for printing the meter reading document and the for meter reading card. You can define additional forms yourself in the SAP for Utilities Print Workbench.

• Download is also controlled by a form in the print workbench.

  This means that you can download all data that exists in SAP for Utilities.

• SAP Enhancement EDMEL35C enables you to determine for each business partner whether you want to send the MR customer chart by mail or e-mail.

It uses the Raw Data Interface (RDI)

• Spool file RDI normal mode:
  • Data fields have a predefined length.
  • Many blanks in the data stream.
• Spool file RDI simple mode:
  • Blanks are removed.
  • The file is smaller.
  • The length of the data fields varies.
• IDoc (Intermediate Document)
  • SAP standard format for electronic data exchange

To perform the download, SAP supplies the form class IS_U_DM_MR_DOWNLOAD and the application form IS_U_METER_READING_DOWNLOAD based on it. During output, this form is converted into the format specified in the print parameters of Meter Reading Order Output.

The raw data stream comprises a control structure, page information, and the data records themselves. It does not contain any layout information. This means that the target system has to interpret the raw data stream, and convert it into a document.

• Download
  • All data can be selected using the Print Workbench
  • Variant 1: Spool file
  • Variant 2: IDoc (advantage: IDoc status monitoring)
• Upload
  • Posting of MR results via BAPI_MTRREADDOC_UPLOAD
    • Identification via MR order ID
    • Identification via serial number, material number and register number
  • Variant 1: Import Spool file
    • Customer specific program necessary
    • Customer specific program uploads the spool file and calls the BAPI
  • Variant 2: Import IDoc
    • Inbound function module must be allocated to the partner profiles
    • Inbound function module reads IDoc data and calls the BAPI

The MR order ID is the most important key field during down- and upload processes. The MDE devices should be able to store this important key of the SAP system and give it back in the upload data structure to enable the backend SAP system to uniquely identify the master data which are waiting for the MR result.

If you use the IDoc-variant you should read the following information:

• The IDoc type used in download is SAPRDI01.
• The IDoc type used in download is ISU_MR_UPLOAD01.
• The transaction for IDoc types is WE30.
• The transaction for partner profiles is WE20.

  Here you must configure the inbound partner profiles for the message type ISU_MR_UPLOAD. If you double-click on the process code, you can see the function module mentioned in the bullet- point Variant: Import IDoc (it‘s not the BAPI, BAPI comes later!).

• Monitoring level
  • Installation
  • Business partner
  • Meter reading unit
• Monitoring object
  • Schedule record
  • Meter reading order
  • Meter reading result
  • Billing order
• List with information on the following:
  • Device and register
  • Meter reading result
  • Meter reading status
  • Plausibility

Automatic monitoring of missing and implausible meter reading results

• Follow-up actions are started after specific periods depending on status, meter reading reason, and meter reading type.
• You define follow-up actions in the SAP enhancement EDMLADUE.
• If a further follow-up action is not defined, the result is estimated automatically.

The following image illustrates an example:

• Mass entry
  • Periodic meter readings
  • Automatic: Upload
  • Manual: Fast entry
    • Without correction: Implausible values are reset.
    • With correction: Validation is possible.
• Single entry
  • Interim readings
  • Control readings
• Entry is possible even if meter reading orders are not created previously:
  • Installation
  • Removal

The status (billable, for example, or automatically blocked) is set by the system. You can also deactivate meter reading results (manually or during upload). This allows you to enter meter reading results for a period that has already been billed.

The ID of the meter reading document is the key field for the upload. This ID is transferred to the external system during the download and must be managed by this external system.

If the device number (and not the meter reading document number) is passed on in the IDoc, the system checks if a meter reading order already exists. If a meter reading order does exist, data is entered on the basis of this order. If not, the meter reading result is created without an existing meter reading order.

The IDoc type ISU_MR_UPLOAD contains information such as the following:

• Meter reading type
• Meter reader
• Meter reader notes

Of course, these values can also be input by manual entry.

You can also use the SAP enhancement EDMMR001 to include customer-specific fields in the table of meter reading results. You can upload this customer-specific data or enter it manually and monitor and correct it.

• A meter reader can enter notes instead of or in addition to meter reading results. These notes serve as additional information and they can initiate follow-up actions.
• You can allocate the following control functions to the notes:
  • Device replacement
  • Reset meter reading result
  • Accept unchecked meter reading result
  • Automatic estimation of meter reading result
  • Storage of card for meter reading by customer
• You define these notes in Customizing
• Notes should be available with their SAP-key in the external MDE-device

If a device replacement takes place during a periodic meter reading period, then an order may have already been created and/or output. Therefore, the meter reader will not find the device listed in the meter reading order. The following options are available in this case (depending on the Customizing):

• The system detects during entry that the device in the meter reading order is no longer current. The data is recorded based on the new device data.
• The device replacement is only taken into account when the meter reader enters a note to this effect.

• Meter reading category 03 Automatic Estimation
• Meter reading category 04 Meter reading interpolated
• You can select meter reading results for specific:
  • Devices
  • Business partners
  • Meter reading units
  • Meter reading categories
  • Planned meter reading dates
• Customizing
  • Estimation parameters

• Correction
  • Implausible results upon entry
  • Implausible reset results
  • Plausible results
• You can do the following:
  • Reset the results
  • Correct the results
  • Release the results
  • Estimate the results
  • Print out a correction order
  • Print out a control meter reading order

You can process implausible results for individual objects (portion, installation, and so on), or you can generate a list of all the implausible results for several portions, meter reading units, or a period.

The Fiori App Resolve Implausible Meter Readings can be used to display a worklist to resolve implausible meter reading results, including the related Business Process Exception Management (BPEM) clarification cases. A due date helps to prioritize the work

• Meter reading data
  • Current meter reading
  • Previous meter reading
  • Consumption
• Forecast data
  • Forecast period
  • Expected values
  • Source of the forecast values (previous period, period consumption)
• Inspection results
• Other detailed information on the validations

• You can select an entry for reversal by:
  • Meter reading unit
  • Installation
  • Contract
  • Device
  • Planned meter reading date
  • Meter reading reason
• The following objects are deleted:
  • Meter reading order
  • Meter reading result
  • Billing order

The reversal function deletes the meter reading result entirely from the database.

You should use the SAP enhancement EDMLELSV to save the meter reading result in a customer- specific table during the reversal function.

The system carries out fixed validations automatically.

SAP provides the following checks:

• Check for implausible previous meter reading:

  If the meter reading result from the previous meter reading is implausible, the current meter reading is deferred.

• Check for deviations from fixed value:
  • The installation is inactive (no contract).
  • The installation or device is blocked.
  • The meter reading from a previous reading is exceeded when the device is installed.
• Check for resetting registers

  The number of resettings must agree with the number of meter readings.

Independent validations refer to exactly one register. The independent validations are allocated to the register rate.

• Check parameters: Consumption-dependent tolerance limits
• SAP enhancement EDMLELDV

SAP provides the following independent validations:

• Zero consumption
• Permissible number of estimations and customer readings exceeded
• Usage hours exceed usage hours of previous period/fixed value
• Tolerance limits absolute/relative/moving
• Meter overflow

The following key points apply to tolerance limits:

• They can be defined for warnings and error messages.
• They can be defined differently for positive and negative deviations.
• They can be defined differently for different intervals of meter reading results.

Dependent validations refer to two registers. The dependent validations are allocated to the register relationship.

SAP enhancement EDMLELDE

SAP provides the following dependent validations:

• Control register validation

  Sum of the consumption of the registers = the consumption of the control register

• Serial switching validation

  Sum of the consumption of the secondary installations = consumption of the main installation

• Cosine phi validation

  The cosine phi is calculated from the reactive power registers using the following formula:

  cos phi = active power / apparent power

  apparent power = root (reactive power² + active power2)

• Consumption ratio validation (on-/off-peak)

  The consumption values of the registers are qualified accordingly.

• Validation classes for independent validations
• Validation groups for dependent validations
• Define validation parameters, such as:
  • Error class
  • Tolerance limits
  • Deviation from cosine phi
  • Operands for usage hours
  • Operands for services agreed upon in contract

Note the following key points about extrapolation:

• Existing meter reading results have the highest priority for extrapolation since they best reflect consumption patterns.

• Period consumption has the second highest priority.

  If you change the period consumption, however, then it has the highest priority.

• This reference value will no longer exist in the actual version of SAP for Utilities. Therefore, you will have to specify the period consumption during the installation process.
• You can use the SAP enhancement EDMLELHR to create extrapolation procedures of your own.
• You can use the SAP enhancementEDMLELAH additionally to compare and prioritize with SAP extrapolations.

Existing meter reading results are useful for extrapolation only if the results go back far enough in time. If the time period for existing results is too short, then they do not represent the consumption pattern of the customer, and should not be used. You specify the minimum length of this time period using the percentage minimum portion in the rate. The system then calculates a minimum interval using this percentage minimum portion during the extrapolation.

You can also specify in Customizing that various rates and therefore various weighting procedures can be assigned to a device.

If the existing meter reading results are from a time period that is shorter than the minimum interval, they are not used for the extrapolation. If the meter reading results are from a time period that is longer than the minimum interval, they form the basis of the extrapolation. When the minimum percentage rate is small, then even meter reading results from a short time period will be used for extrapolation. If, on the other hand, the minimum percentage rate is 100 percent, then existing meter reading results will be used for extrapolation only if they encompass a complete billing period.

The base period category specifies whether the prior period or the period of the previous year serves as the basis for the extrapolation.

The Weighting procedures are as follows:

• Weighting linear
• Weighting of degree days
• Weighting of energy feeding
• Weighting with Sprinkling water portion
• Weighting general
• Weighting user-defined

The energy feeding volume per period is used 1) for weighting in the case of a time-based breakdown of consumption, and 2) in thermal gas billing for calculating a weighted average.

For weighting of degree days, you define temperature areas that have approximately the same air temperatures. You then specify degree day coefficients for these areas and for each degree day.

You can define the general weighting as you please. In other words, you can define both the periods and the weighting as you please.

For user-defined weighting, you must program the BAdI ISU_BENDEF_WEIGHTING . A good example is the weighting with synthetic load profile.

• Fixed, linear portion in addition to another weighting
• Maintained in the installation structure
• Absolute value or percentage
• Define validity periods

A weighting is set according to degree day coefficients for a gas rate. However, a linear portion of 4 kWh/day for connected gas stoves must also be taken into account in the extrapolation.

The following image shows an example of a weighting with fixed linear portion:

• Validity periods for linear and percentage consumption portion
• Weighting key basing on the SAP weighting procedures
• Weighting of energy feeding
  • Define average monthly energy feeding
  • Define energy feeding per time period

You define the validity periods of the linear portion.

You define weighting keys, and allocate the standard weighting procedures to them. This enables you to assign your own weighting keys and descriptions to the weighting procedures provided in the SAP standard to suit the requirements in your company.

You define the average monthly energy feeding on the basis of weighting key and division category. This is the average quantity issued or the energy feeding volume of energy or water that was supplied to an area in a specified month. Within this month, the energy feeding volume is divided linearly among the individual days. The values for average monthly energy feeding are used in weighting for dividing consumption into periods, and for calculating a weighted average for thermal gas billing.

The energy feeding per time period is the quantity issued or the energy feeding volume of energy or water that was actually supplied to an area in the period specified.

• Weighting of degree days
  • Define temperature areas
  • Define average degree day coefficients
  • Define degree day coefficients
• User-defined weighting:

  Define weighting portion

Temperature areas are sections of a supply area with roughly the same air temperatures. Temperature areas are used for the weighting of degree days as well as for thermal gas billing as criteria for differentiation. You enter temperature areas in the regional structure.

You define average degree day coefficients for each temperature area and degree day. The degree day coefficient is a value that is determined according to a certain procedure from the measured daily temperature. You generally only maintain average degree day coefficients once. They are based on past values. Normally, the values from the table of degree day coefficients for an exact number of days are used for calculations. If there are not enough exact daily values, the average degree day coefficients are used for calculation.

On the basis of the weighting key, you define exact daily degree day coefficients for each temperature area and degree day. Unlike the average degree day coefficient, you enter the actual measured values. Therefore, the year is also specified for degree days.

In a user-defined weighting, you define a weighting portion for each weighting key that is valid for a certain period of time. This means that you can divide an annual weighting into as many sub-annual partial weightings as you like, and select any periods.