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Analyzing Market Communication Strategies by Role

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to demonstrate the effective use of market communication tools for the meter operator, distributor, and supplier.

Overview

SAP Market Communication for Utilities provides specific processes for the following german-specific market roles.

The Meter Operator is responsible for operating the metering devices of a metering location (MeLo).
The Distributor is responsible for operating the distribution grid and the network location (NeLo).
The Supplier is responsible for the billing of energy to- and from a market location (MaLo).
The Settlement Coordinator is responsible for energy quantity settlement.

A flowchart titled Market Communication in General with several sections. The first section includes Message Exchange, CONTROL and APERAK, Aggregation, Reversal, and Partner Management. The second section, Market Communication by Role, lists Meter Operator, Distributor, Supplier, and Settlement Coordinator. Utilities Business Data section includes Master Data, Energy Data, Process Data, and Settlement Data. The final section is SAP Fiori Apps with Monitoring and Configuration. The chart has a blue and white color scheme.

SAP Market Communication for Utilities follows the guidelines of the EDI@Energy expert group an their application manuals for the data formats:

UTILMD Utilities Master Data
MSCONS Meter Consumption
REMADV Remittance Advice
INVOICE Invoice
ORDERS Order
ORDRSP Order Response
APERAK Application Error
CONTRL Control Error

The following link shows the official EDI@Energy website with all relevant application manual: BDEW Forum Datenformate

The following link shows the overview of all market communication processes for all roles: SAP Help Portal: Market Communication Processes by Role

Meter Operator

The figure shows the diagrams of the most important market communication processes from meter operator view in the electricity division.

SAP Help Portal: Processes for the Meter Operator

The image is a diagram with a light blue background, divided into three sections with blue headers. The first section is titled Meter Operation Service and contains the processes: Registration, Metering Point Takeover, and Termination. The second section is titled Device-Related Processes and includes Device Replacement, Device Takeover, Device Configuration, and Device Repair. The third section is labeled Energy Data and lists Mass-Upload Meter Values, Send Aggregated MSCONS, and Receive Meter Reading Request. Each process is in a light blue box beneath the section headers.

Meter Operation Service Registration: The Meter Operation Service Registration process triggers and controls the meter operation service registration. The MaCo cloud checks the supply scenario and point of delivery, informs the distributor and triggers the Metering Point Takeover process.
SAP Help Portal: Registering Meter Operation Service for Electricity - New MOS View

Metering Point Takeover: The Metering Point Takeover process is triggered by the Meter Operation Service Registration process. The MaCo cloud collects the details for a new installation and passes them on to the affected market partners. The MaCo cloud triggers the Device Takeover or Device Replacement process and informs the distributor.
SAP Help Portal: Taking Over Metering Points for Electricity - New MOS View
Device Replacement: The Device Replacement process is triggered by the Metering Point Takeover process. The MaCo cloud requests the device replacement from the old meter operator and, on a confirmation, informs the affected market partners.
SAP Help Portal: Replacing Devices - New MOS View

Device Takeover: The Device Takeover process is triggered by the Metering Point Takeover process as well. The MaCo cloud requests a quotation from the old meter operator and, on a confirmation, handles the takeover from the old meter operator.
SAP Help Portal: Taking Over Devices - New MOS View

Device Configuration: The Device Configuration process is triggered by the receipt of a configuration change request from the distributor. The MaCo cloud checks the request and passes it on to the business system.
SAP Help Portal: Changing the Device Configuration

Mass Upload Meter Values: The Mass Upload Meter Values process sends meter readings, energy amounts, load shapes or gas property data, on a regular basis. The MaCo cloud checks the values and schedules their dispatching and aggregated sending.
SAP Help Portal: Mass-Uploading Meter Values

Send Aggregated MSCONS: The Send Aggregated MSCONS process checks and sends meter reading data to the distributor and supplier in aggregated MSCONS messages.
SAP Help Portal: Sending Aggregated MSCONS

Receive Meter Reading Requests: The Receive Meter Reading Requests process receives meter reading value requests from the meter operator of the superordinate MaLo. The MaCo cloud collects the values from the business system and sends them to the requesting MaLo.
SAP Help Portal: Receiving Meter Reading Requests (MOS MeLo View)

Distributor

The figure shows the most important market communication processes from distributor view in the electricity division.

SAP Help Portal: Processes for the Distribution System Operator

The image shows a flowchart with four main categories of services and processes. At the top, Meter Operation Service includes Registration and Termination. Below that, Supply Service lists Start of Supply, Start of Backup Supply, Start of Feed-In Supply, and End of Supply. Process Data is next, featuring Receive Meter Reading, Receive Load Shape, Send Grid Usage Bill, and Send MEMI Quantities. At the bottom, Master Data involves Send Master Data Change and Receive Master Data Change. The categories are arranged vertically, each containing related terms horizontally. The background is light blue with darker blue headers.

Meter Operation Service Registration: The Meter Operation Service Registration process is triggered by receiving a registration request from the new meter operator. The MaCo cloud handles the communication of the distributor with the new and the old meter operator.
SAP Help Portal: Registering Meter Operation Service for Electricity

Start of Supply: The Start of Supply process is triggered by receiving a supply request from the new supplier. The MaCo cloud handles the communication of the distributor with the new and the old supplier.
SAP Help Portal: Starting the Supply for Electricity

Start of Backup Supply: The Start of Backup Supply process provides a basic or backup supply for customers. The business system checks whether a basic or backup supply is necessary, if a supplier requests to end the supply. The MaCo cloud receives initial data from the business system and then handles any further communication.
SAP Help Portal: Starting the Basic or Backup Supply for Electricity

Start of Feed-In Supply: The Start of Feed-In Supply process is triggered by receiving a supply request for a feed-in tranche from the new supplier. The MaCo cloud handles the communication of the distributor with the new and the old feed-in supplier.
SAP Help Portal: Starting the Supply for Feed-In

Receive Meter Reading: The Receive Meter Reading process is triggered by receiving meter reading results from the meter operator of the MaLo. The MaCo cloud checks the values and if they are OK, sends an update request to the business system.
SAP Help Portal: Receiving Meter Readings

Receive Load Shape Values: The Receive Load Shape Values process is triggered by receiving load shape values from the meter operator of the MaLo. The MaCo cloud checks the values and if they are OK, sends an update request to the business system.
SAP Help Portal: Receiving Load Shape Values

Send Grid Usage Bill: The Send Grid Usage Bill process triggers the sending of a delivery note from the business system to communicate billing quantities to the supplier as part of grid usage billing.
SAP Help Portal: Sending Delivery Notes
Send MEMI Quantities: The Send MEMI Quantities process is triggered by receiving settlement quantities that have to be send to the supplier. The MaCo cloud forwards the settlement quantities to the supplier and requests the business system to update the settlement data reference.
SAP Help Portal: Sending MeMi Settlement Quantities

Send Master Data Change: The Send Master Data Change process triggers the sending of various types of master data changes to market partners. The Maco Cloud receives the master data from the business system, checks it, and sends it using the appropriate UTILMD message.
SAP Help Portal: Sending Master Data Changes

Receive Master Data Change: The Receive Master Data Change process is triggered by the receipt of any type of master data change from market partners. The MaCo cloud receives the UTILMD messages from the market partners, checks them and forwards them to the business system.
SAP Help Portal: Receiving Master Data Changes

Supplier

The figure shows the most important market communication processes from supplier view in the electricity division.

SAP Help Portal: Processes for the Supplier

Flowchart titled Supply Service showing three sections. The first section, Supply Service, includes four items: Start of Supply, Start of Backup Supply, Start of Feed-In Supply, End-of-Supply. The second section, Process Data, includes four items: Receive Meter Reading, Receive Load Shape, Receive Grid Usage Bill, Receive MEMI Quantities. The third section, Master Data, includes two items: Send Master Data Change, Receive Master Data Change. All text is presented on light blue backgrounds.

Start of Supply: The Start of Supply process triggers the registration of the new supplier with the distributor. The MaCo cloud receives the supply request from the business system and handles the communication with the distributor.
SAP Help Portal: Starting the Supply for Electricity (SUPN View)
Start of Backup Supply: The Start of Backup Supply process is triggered by receiving a request for starting the basic or backup supply from the distributor. The MaCo cloud checks the request, forwards it to the business system, and sends the response to the distributor.
SAP Help Portal: Starting the Basic or Backup Supply for Electricity (SUPN View)
Start of Feed-In Supply: The Start of Feed-In Supply process triggers the registration of the new supplier for a feed-in tranche with the distributor. The MaCo cloud receives the request for a feed-in tranche from the business system and handles the communication with the distributor.
SAP Help Portal: Starting the Supply for Feed-In
Receive Meter Reading: The Receive Meter Reading process is triggered by receiving meter reading results from the meter operator of the MaLo. The MaCo cloud checks the values and if they are OK, sends an update request to the business system.
SAP Help Portal: Receiving Meter Readings
Receive Load Shape Values: The Receive Load Shape Values process is triggered by receiving load shape values from the meter operator of the MaLo. The MaCo cloud checks the values and if they are OK, sends an update request to the business system.
SAP Help Portal: Receiving Load Shape Values
Receive MEMI Quantities: The Receive MEMI Quantities process is triggered by receiving settlement quantities from the distributor. The MaCo cloud handles the communication with the distributor and the business system.
SAP Help Portal: Receiving MeMi Settlement Quantities
Send Master Data Change: The Send Master Data Change process triggers the sending of various types of master data changes to market partners. The Maco Cloud receives the master data from the business system, checks it, and sends it using the appropriate UTILMD message.
SAP Help Portal: Sending Master Data Changes (Template Process)
Receive Master Data Change: The Receive Master Data Change process is triggered by receipt of any type of master data change from market partners. The MaCo cloud receives the UTILMD messages from the market partners, checks them, and forwards them to the business system.
SAP Help Portal: Receiving Master Data Changes (Template Process)

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