Explaining the Device Installation Process

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to analyze the scope of device installation and apply this knowledge to set up new devices.

Device Installation

Device Installation controls the technical and billing-related installation as well as rate data maintenance in the installation structure.

The device is technically positioned into the IS-U device location, matching with a functional location in PM. For billing purposes, the device is installed into the utility installation, which operates as a pure IS-U data object.

The lesson explains the pure IS-U processes for installing, removing, replacing, and altering devices. The previous generation, execution, and confirmation of orders is detailed in the Inspection lesson.

Overview of device installation work order processing, covering master data, execution actions, and installation structure components.

The following example steps illustrate the overall process:

  • The device specialist generates work orders to replace 10 devices of the periodic replacement list.
  • The warehouse clerk posts a stock transfer to the van stock of the technician for the 10 replacement devices.
  • The technician replaces the devices at the customer site and confirms the replacement with device numbers, date and meter readings.
  • The technician returns the old devices to the warehouse and posts the work order confirmation in PM.
  • The back-office clerk posts the replacement in IS-U including the two integrated MM stock transfers:
    • for the new device to a fictitious grid storage location with movement type U61
    • for the old device to a physical storage location with movement type U62

Executing the device installation needs the input of aperiodic meter reading results, which are automatically integrated by the quantity conversion function of the following billing.

The development of the installation structure comes from the mechanical installation and mainly from installing devices in a billing-related manner. Once it's set up, the installation structure can be updated using functions such as rate maintenance, device allocation, and maintaining the register relationship.

Master Data

Device Location

The device is installed technically into the IS-U device location which corresponds to a functional location in PM.

Essential master data components for a device location: Address, Connection Object, Location, Maintenance Plant, and Notes.

The device location:

  • is the exact place in a connection object where any number of real devices with technical equipment data of any division are installed technically
  • is only relevant for meter operators and distributors who perform field service activities such as meter reading or device replacement
  • is not relevant for suppliers that use reduced device master data, known as device info records

When creating a device location, a connection object is required. The device location inherits its address and maintenance plant from the connection object. Additionally, it can be enhanced with configurable notes for field service and can include additional location data for further description.

The notes to field service is a configurable text pool with placeholders (&) which can be printed on meter reading- and work orders, for example:

  • Beware Dog
  • Please ring at &
  • Key Number &

Utility Installation

The device is installed billing-related into the utility installation which is a pure IS-U data object.

Utility Installation master data, including site details, contractual elements, and device/register configuration for billing.

The utility installation manages key control data for the Meter-to-Cash (M2C) core processes of meter reading and billing within the same premise and division. It requires a premise and inherits the connection object's address, as well as regional proposal values such as the meter reading unit. The utility installation is linked to the point-of-delivery to connect technical and deregulation master data, and to the contract to connect technical and business master data. Like the contract and device, the utility installation is dependent on the division.

The utility installation manages important time-dependent data which are stored in table EANLH.

  • The billing class together with the division classifies the installation and all allocated rate data for billing and for sales statistic.
  • The meter reading unit and the underlying portion control when and how often the installation is read and billed.
  • The rate category corresponds to the utilities product of a certain division and billing class.
  • The rate category is used in conjunction with the rate types to determine the rates.

The device can be allocated to several installations at the same time because the billing-related installation is logical and not physical.

The installation structure is the result of the installation of devices and registers.

  • The table EASTL includes all device-related rate data such as device rate type, price class and the Rental Price indicator.
  • The table EASTS includes all register-related rate data such as register- or interval meter rate type, fact group and register discount.
  • The table ETDZ includes all register-related technical data such as register category, interval length, register code and gas factors.
  • The rate types are used in conjunction with the rate category to determine the rates.

Device Installation Execution

Variants

The specific technical and organizational properties of utility companies require several variants of device installation.

The full installation enables technical installation at the device location and billing-related allocation to the utility installation in one single step.

Metering instruments like meters, remote meters, or correctors, are applicable to all market roles. For the meter operator and distributor, these metering devices are administrated as actual devices and are thus installed completely. On the supplier's side, metering devices are overseen as device info records and are consequently installed for billing purposes only.

Device installation execution types: Technical, Full, Billing-Related, and combined technical/billing approaches.

Controlling apparatus like transformers, ARCR, or pressure regulators are ordinarily supervised solely by the meter operator or distributor. Generally, these controlling devices are actual devices, not device info records, and they are usually set up technically, not for billing-related purposes. To ensure automatic allocation of the winding ratio of transformers and the measurement pressure of pressure regulators to the respective registers of indirectly measuring electricity meters or the gas meters, it is crucial that controlling devices are installed prior to metering devices.

The supplier allocates those billing factors directly to the meter device info records, without device info records of controlling devices.

For the following organizational reasons, some utility companies seperate the installation of real devices into a technical and a billing-related part:

  • if meters are first technically installed in an apartment building and only later allocated to utility installations
  • if both steps are done by different clerks (metering specialist and billing specialist)

For the following billing-related reasons, one technical installed meter could be allocated to several utility installations:

  • billing of 2-contracts-model (distributor and supplier in the same system)
  • billing of water and waste-water installation
  • billing of serial-switched installations
  • billing of feed-in installations in combination with supply installations

Device installation requires the entry of aperiodic meter reading results for the following meter reading reasons:

  • 08 Installation Technical
  • 21 Installation Billing-Related

Further Processes

Just like the installation, the removal process is also split into technical, billing-related, and full categories. Removal proportionally distributes rate data and device allocations, including billing factors, into the device's historical master record. When the final metering device from an installation with a valid contract is removed (but not replaced), this action triggers a warning alert.

The replacement should be used if the new device has the same properties as the old device, for example, in the case of periodic replacement.

Device installation execution types: Technical, Full, Billing-Related, and combined technical/billing approaches.

The logical register number manages all important billing-related and technical properties of installed registers and transfers this data to the corresponding registers of the new device during the device replacement. The logical register number is the key of the following tables:

  • Register Rate Data (EASTS)
  • Register Billing Factors (EZUZ)
  • Register Technical Data (ETDZ)

The replacement should not be used, if the new device has different properties than the old device, for example, if the customer receives a new rate in combination with a new metering technology. In this case you could carry out the following steps:

  • Move-Out with final bill from the old contract
  • Removal of the old device without warning message because there is no more contract
  • Allocation of the new rate category to the utility installation
  • Installation of the new device with new characteristics
  • Move-In to the new contract for the same customer

If a device has been installed incorrectly, it must not be removed technical because this results in undesired time slices for subsequent billing. If a device has been installed incorrectly, you must carry out the following steps:

  • Removal billing-related of the wrongly installed new device
  • Reversal of the technical device installation

If a device has been replaced incorrectly, you must carry out the following steps:

  • Removal billing-related of the wrongly installed new device
  • Reversal of the technical device replacement
  • Re-Installation billing-related of the wrongly removed old device

The modification enables you to configure and change technical properties and, if necessary, to correct dependent billing-related data.

The modification can be done for installed devices, but also of devices that have not been installed.

The removal, replacement and modification require the entry of aperiodic meter reading results for the following meter reading reasons:

  • 12 Removal Technical
  • 22 Removal Billing-Related
  • 24 Replacement, Installation Part
  • 25 Replacement, Removal Part
  • 16 Modification, Before
  • 11 Modification, After

Installation Structure

The structure of the installation is set up by technically placing devices and significantly through their billing-related installation. When it is established, this structure can be managed subsequently utilizing functions such as rate maintenance, device allocation, and relationships of the register.

Device installation execution data: rate data, device allocation specifics, and register relationships.

The rate data is the result of the billing-related installation of devices and registers.

  • The table EASTL includes all device-related rate data such as device rate type, price class and the Rental Price indicator.
  • The table EASTS includes all register-related rate data such as register- or interval meter rate type, fact group and register discount.
  • The table ETDZ includes all register-related technical data such as register category, interval length, register code and gas factors.

The device allocation describes billing-relevant dependencies between devices.

The controlling device is either an ARCR, transformer or pressure regulator and the controlled device is always a meter.

The controlling device should only be installed technical and always before the controlled device, so that the attribute values are automatically allocated during the installation of the meter on device level (table EZUG) and above all on register level (table EZUZ).

SAP provides the following preconfigured device allocation types and attributes:

  • The ARCR controls a double rate electricity meter via the attribute Command.
  • The transformer controls an indirect measuring electricity meter via the billing-relevant attribute Winding Ratio respectively Billing Factor.
  • The pressure regulator controls a gas meter via the billing-relevant attribute Measurement Pressure.

The register relationship outlines the dependencies between registers needing cross-verification during meter reading. Only post device installation can a register relationship be established using a distinct transaction. The register relationship points to a check group designated for dependent meter reading plausibility assessments. The serial switching relationship necessitates the secondary register be installed, for billing purposes, into the utility installation of the principal register, enabling the calculation of deduction consumption during billing.

SAP provides the following preconfigured register relationship types as well as the corresponding dependent meter reading plausibility check groups:

  • The serial switching relationship calculates and checks the consumption ratio between primary and secondary register.The serial switching relationship also determines the deduction consumption during billing.
  • The active/reactive relationship calculates and checks the cosine phi value from the consumption ratio between active and reactive register.
  • The on-/off-peak relationship calculates and checks the consumption ratio between on-peak and off-peak registers.
  • The control relationship calculates and checks the consumption ratio between a billing-relevant register and its control register.
  • The usage hour relationship calculates and checks the usage hours as a quotient between measured consumption and measured demand.

Example

The installation structure's rate data is vital for billing and thus is compulsory for residential and business customers. However, the device allocations and register relationships within the installation structure are only pertinent to industrial customers. The given example showcases a complicated installation structure for industrial customers, complete with rate data, device allocations, and register relationships.

Device installation execution showing two meters linked via ARCR and a transformer: commands flow through ARCR, winding ratio via transformer, and active/reactive, on/off, and usage-hours signals between meters.

Learning

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