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52 PDF
52 PDF
Device Reading
Device reading is performed either at regular intervals as part of periodic billing or at
irregular intervals as, for example, in the case of control readings, and readings for
device replacement, removal, or disconnection, or at the request of the customer.
The scheduled dates and the meter reading type are defined in Scheduling. However, you can override this scheduling and create an order for a meter reader instead of a meter reading by the customer. In the case of irregular, or aperiodic,
meter readings, you can manually prescribe the scheduled dates.
To prepare for a device reading, you first create a meter reading order. If the meter
reading results are relevant to billing, you also create a billing order that contains
control data for billing. You cannot perform billing without this billing order.
Depending on how it is entered, the meter reading order is either printed out in
the form of meter reading documents or downloaded to an external entry system.
Similarly, the meter reading results are either entered manually or uploaded, validated, and corrected if necessary. Finally, they are passed on to Contract Billing.
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You use meter reading organization to define the sequence in which the devices
are read. This allows you to optimize the route that the meter reader must cover.
You can set up a combined street route for more than meter reading unit.
A street route is defined within a meter reading unit on the basis of the following
criteria:
City
Street
House number (connection object)
Device location
Device
Period Consumption
You can reverse meter reading orders. If meter reading results have already been
obtained when the order is reversed, you can either delete them or save them and
then use them with a new meter-reading order.
You can create meter-reading orders as
Order Creation
Individual orders
Individual orders are generally created for billings at irregular intervals, such
as for interim and control billings or if a meter reading unit is transferred to
another utility company. However, you can also create individual orders for
periodic billings, such as if a single order has to be created again due to an
error.
Mass orders
In the case of periodic meter readings, mass orders allow you to create orders
for more than one meter reading unit simultaneously.
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You do not create a meter reading order for flat-rate installations, just a billing
order, because flat-rate installations do not contain meters counting consumption.
Order Output
You can output the meter reading order in the following ways:
Print the meter reading documents using the print workbench
Make it available at a raw data interface (RDI)
Using the raw data interface, you can transfer the meter reading order to external entry systems, such as mobile data entry (MDE) devices and document
readers (downloaded), or you can print it using external print systems.
Entry
Meter reading results are either entered manually or uploaded to IS-U/CCS from
an external entry system. The upload is handled by direct input via an intermediate document interface or IDoc. IDocs are used in electronic data interchange (EDI)
between different computers and systems. A Business Application Programming
Interface (BAPI) is also available for importing meter reading results.
Manual entry can be subdivided as follows:
Fast entry
Fast entry is used to enter the large volumes of data that occur with periodic
meter readings. Fast entry can also be subdivided as follows:
Fast entry without immediate correction
Follow-up correction and release of implausible readings may be necessary.
Fast entry with correction
If implausible meter reading results are encountered, the clerk can call
up a correction screen.
Individual entry
You can enter meter reading results individually in such cases as:
Control readings
Interim readings
Interim readings with billing
Service territory transfers with billing
Final readings (for move-out)
Periodic readings
Readings taken by customers
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Every meter reading result is subject to validation, regardless of whether it is entered manually or uploaded. There are two types of validation: fixed and variable.
Fixed validation is mandatory and is performed automatically. Fixed validation
checks, for example, that the previous meter reading was plausible or that no
consumption is recorded for inactive installations. You can define your variable
validation in Customizing. The system supports the following types of variable
validation:
Validation
Zero consumption
Repeated readings by customers or estimates
This allows you to limit the number of meter readings taken by customers and
the number of automated estimates.
Absolute, relative, floating tolerance limits
This allows you to compare current consumption with a comparison period.
The consumption must fall within a specific interval.
Usage hours compared with a previous period or a fixed value
Maximum or minimum approved contract demand limit
Meter overflow
Validation checks whether the meter reading is less than the previous reading.
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Extrapolation of Meter
Reading Results
Weighting Procedures
Correction
The result of validation determines the status of the individual meterreading results. Depending on the outcome of validation, the meter reading result can be
used in billing or submitted for correction. However, you can also correct plausible results.
In some cases, meter reading results have to be checked on site. Where this is the
case, you create a new meter reading order, known as a rereading order, with
updated data.
Estimation
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If meter readings and consumption are either missing or implausible, you can
calculate the meter reading results using by means of automated mass estimation.
Monitoring
You can monitor the status of meter reading, billing, and entry. This allows you to
check the number of entered, implausible, or billable meter reading results. You
can, of course, limit the display to specific business partners, meter reading units,
time periods, and so on.
Outlook
The liberalization of the energy market as well as the development of new metering technology have led to new requirements for the utilities industry. These new
requirements have been taken into account in the ongoing development of the ISU/CCS System.
Utility companies today, especially industrial and service enterprises, are starting
to meter consumption with electronic, programmable meters called interval meters.
These meters measure different units (such as kW or kVAr) in time intervals. An
interval is typically 5 minutes to 1 hour, but can be programmed for any period in
a day. Interval meters are read by Automated Meter Reading (AMR) systems using different transmission methods. AMR systems store the meter reading data as
interval data. Such time series of energy consumption readings are also referred
to as a load profile. Starting with large industrial customers, the traditional mechanical meters or first-generation programmable meters are gradually being replaced by interval meters.
Interval data must be supplied to systems that process the data further. Depending on the companys role, the interval data can be forwarded to other internal
systems (such as billing systems). Alternatively, the interval data can be transmitted to third parties via electronic data exchange.
Meter reading data is assigned a unique code within the company, a delivery
point ID, to ensure correct allocation. The delivery point is usually the customers point of receipt or a power plants point of delivery for the grid. The delivery
point can also be the interchange tie point between grids.
The IS-U/CCS System is being continuously developed to cover the functional
scope outlined in the following. However, since development is ongoing, the descriptions below have been kept general. SAP AG reserves the right to change the
functional scope at any time. IS-U development news and release notes contain
more detailed information about release dates.
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Categorized load profile data for relative periods (such as working days, weekdays, or weekdays and months according to season) can be stored instead of realtime interval data. Load profiles with a certain error tolerance can also be stored
for a large number of customers using only a small amount of storage space. This
is accomplished by assigning the load profile data category to the delivery point
ID and by means of a usage factor. The usage factor is relative deviation of metered consumption from predefined consumption according to interval data category. In this way, load profiles can be used for residential customers as well.
The MRW not only stores the load profiles, it can also import and store data from
external systems or export the data to other systems.
The import function allows meter readings to be transferred from other systems.
It is currently possible to transfer meter readings from traditional meters (see the
section on Meter Reading). Automated meter reading systems retrieve the interval
data from local interval meters. The AMR systems forward the interval data directly to the MRW without making changes to the data. The MRW stores the interval data with the appropriate delivery point ID.
The MRW is used predominantly for data processing. Processed data can either
be sent to another component of IS-U/CCS or be exported to an external system
via electronic data exchange (such as EDIFACT). If new interval data is created
during processing, it can be stored in the MRW. The MRW offers the following
processing functions:
Validation and, if necessary, correction of meter reading data
Alteration of stored interval data, such as the addition of plausible data when
data is missing. The origin of the added data can be indicated.
Conversion of meter readings into billable quantities (energy or demand) for
electricity and gas
Creation of new interval data; in order to derive interval data for a future
period using metered interval data. The method used to create the new interval data can be indicated.
Aggregation of metered interval data in different ways, such as addition, subtraction, or averaging. For example, interval data added together may serve
as a basis for billing a chain of branches of a major customer. Forecasted interval data can also be aggregated in order to forecast the total consumption of a
chain of branches, for example. The aggregation of interval data in different
ways allows for statistical analyses or load profile forecasts of different types.
These analyses and forecasts can be carried out dynamically and provided to
the requesting units or they can be stored in the MRW with an indicator of
creation method.
Analysis of interval data of all types according to typical criteria such as total
consumption, maximum, minimum or average demand according to the
specifications of the company requesting the analysis.
Provision of interval data created as above or of interval data analyses in a
certain format defined by the company requesting the data (export function of
the MRW).
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Check to ensure that the company has authorization to access the data requested. The check is carried out based on authorization criteria stored in the
MRW for the particular company.
Use of standard electronic data exchange formats (such as EDIFACT) for transmission of data as already described to the requesting unit.
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Contract Billing
Contract billing is the core of IS-U/CCS. It allows you to perform billing for your
companys utility services and other services. The functional scope and flexibility
of IS-U/CCS enable you to bill nonresidential and residential customer contracts
in a single system. IS-U/CCS also provides a range of procedures with a variety of
selection and control options for billing contracts. Examples include:
Annual consumption billing and periodic monthly billing cycles
Billing for different divisions
Numerous bill forms
Simulation of billing
Validation of billing documents and bills
Due to the complexity involved, the following section discusses only the basics of
billing.
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This method of indirect rate allocation using a rate type offers a number of advantages:
When you want to access new rates using an installations rate types, you
only have to enter one new rate category for the installation. You do not have
to make time-consuming changes to the rate types for each individual register.
In the case of mass changes, you only have to change the rate determination
not the rate data for the installations in question.
Rate steps are processed in a particular sequence. You define that sequence in the
billing schema. The results of a rate step can be passed through operands to the
next rate steps to be processed.
You define the billing master data described above in Customizing under rate
structure.
Other types of billing master data include the following:
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Prices
Prices are allocated to the following four price categories:
Quantity-based prices
Time-based prices
Rental prices, for example, for rental of devices and meters
Flat rates
For any of the prices, you can specify special rounding rules and price adjustment clauses that control the price adjustment factor. This factor is multiplied
by the basic price or added to the basic price to arrive at the current price. You
can also define blocks or scales for quantity-based and time-based prices. In the
case of quantity-based prices, you can adapt the blocks to the billing period.
Rates
Among other things, rates define:
How meter reading results and consumption values are extrapolated and
prorated
Which reference values are billed
Which prices are used
Which constants, factors, and variables are included in the calculation
The general ledger accounts to which the results of the calculations (billing
line items) are posted
How the billing line items are handled statistically
How the time portions of the periods to be billed are calculated (to the day
or month-related)
The divisions and billing classes to which the rate is allocated.
Rate categories
Rate categories contain data that controls billing for multiple rates. Rate categories:
Define which billing schema is used
Control period-end billing and floating backbilling
Define the outsorting checks
May contain additional data relevant to billing (such as quantities, demand
values, prices, or flat rates agreed on between the utility company and
customers).
In some cases, you can override data by making individual entries in the installation.
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All discounts and surcharges appear as separate billing line items in the document and can therefore given an appropriate bill form layout appear separately on the bill.
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Billing, Simulation,
and Testing
Not only can you perform automatic billing for contracts, you can also simulate
and test them. Specifically, you have the following options:
Billing
To execute billing, you must have a billing order, which is deleted following
successful billing. In the event of a reversal, you can regenerate the billing
order and bill it again.
Billing simulation
Billing simulation allows you to give customers information about the expected amount of their bills. The prerequisites for a billing simulation are a billing
order and existing meter reading results.
Simulation
You can run a simulation for any given period without a billing order. If no
meter reading results exist for the period in question, the system extrapolates
them.
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Overall check
Overall checks examine billing in a way similar to simulation. Unlike the other procedures, an overall check ignores minor errors. Those errors are collected in a log to be used in a comprehensive status analysis. Serious errors, on
the other hand, result in premature termination of an overall check.
You can, of course, execute these functions not only for individual contracts but
also for a large number of contracts. You can run mass billing and mass overall
checks in the background overnight, for example. You select the contracts based
on a variety of criteria, such as:
Contract accounts
Portions
Billing procedure (periodic billing, period-end billing, service territory transfer, and so on)
Division
Company code
With the individual bill function, you can not only execute billing for individual
contracts, you can also perform invoicing, and print or display the bill at the same
time. You can also simulate this individual bill.
Simulations allow you to perform the following extrapolations and forecasts:
Extrapolation of billing with existing meter reading results
Extrapolation of billing with the meter reading result estimated automatically
Extrapolations and
Forecasting
Billing Procedures
Periodic billing
Periodic billing is consumption billing that is performed on a regular basis;
this can be every month, every two, three, four, or six months, or annually.
Floating backbilling
Floating backbilling is a form of monthly periodic billing. The past months of
a billing year are recalculated month for month and backbilled with a current
value.
Period-end billing
Period-end billing is performed separately following the end of a billing cycle. This cycle generally covers one year, but may also be for two, three, four,
or six months. If necessary, the system recalculates periodic billings and performs backbilling.
Interim billing
Interim billing is not subject to the scheduling function. You can initiate it at
any time in response to a customer inquiry. The subsequent periodic billing
begins at the time of the interim billing. Interim billing is not possible for
floating backbilling or period-end billing.
Final billing
Final billing is initiated for a customer move-out, a service territory transfer,
or manually when requested.
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Billing Periods
The billing period for which the utility company bills the customer for a service
can be calculated for an exact number of days or on a month-related basis. In the
case of month-based periods, the system distinguishes between the following procedures:
Month-based using a key date
Month-based using an interval
In the case of a move-in or move-out, you can bill for an exact number of days
even with month-related procedures. In addition, you can control whether leap
days are taken into account.
Functions of Billing
Multiple-Division
Billing Functions
There are certain common aspects in billing regardless of the division concerned.
You can therefore use the following approaches to billing with some restrictions
in all divisions:
Billing using energy prices
Billing using demand prices
Billing using basic and service prices
Billing using rental prices
Billing of usage hours
Best-rate billing
Billing using block prices, scale prices, or pricing quantities
Billing using seasonal values
Billing using seasonal variant programs
Decision variants
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IS-U/CCS supports the flat-rate procedure for billing household waste disposal
charges (Release 1.2 or 4.51). The basis for the calculation is the container, which is
emptied by a waste disposal company either periodically or on request.
Waste Management
Flat-rate charge for a given period: A flat rate is charged for a specific period regardless of the actual quantity of waste and the actual number of collections (for
example, x $/year per container).
Flat-Rate Example
Other requirements for calculations based on actual collections, weight, or fill level are modeled in Service Management.
In addition to billing, the system supports the following functions:
Service orders for the collection of containers to order
Route planning with dispatching and scheduling systems
This area is described in greater detail in the section Waste Management.
In addition to their standard services, many utility companies offer their customers other services, for example:
Other Services
Convergent Billing
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Special Functions
Gas Billing
Note
With these gas billing types, IS-U/CCS supports the major standard procedures, as
defined in national standards, for billing gases in specific states (for example, as specified in DVWG sheet G 685 for Germany and the AGA standards for the US).
The system calculates the gas volume correction factor with a volume correction
factor procedure, and it calculates the calorific value with a calorific value procedure.
The volume correction factor procedure takes into account the following factors:
Temperature
Fixed temperature
m Arithmetic annual average
m Weighted annual average
m Arithmetic average for the billing period
m Weighted average for the billing period
Air pressure
Annual air pressure
Air pressure recorded monthly
m Arithmetic average air pressure for the billing period
m Weighted average air pressure for the billing period
Gas law deviation factor
The gas law deviation factor is the quotient of the real gas factors in operating
conditions and in normal conditions. It can be predetermined for a device or
calculated using pressure and temperature. This procedure is similar to the
supercompressibility factor used in North America.
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The calorific value can be calculated using the following averaging types:
Weighted monthly average
Arithmetic monthly average
Weighted annual average
Arithmetic annual average
Arithmetic average for the billing period
Weighted average for the billing period.
The calorific value to be billed for a specific calorific value procedure is maintained manually for billing.
In billing, you can suppress the calculation of time-based quantities for periods of
disconnection relevant to billing.
Disconnection Periods
A franchise contract specifies the fees that a utility company must pay to a political entity. In exchange, the utility company is given the right to supply customers
in the area of that municipality directly and, in the process, to use public traffic
routes for laying and operating power lines. Billing uses the franchise contract to
calculate the franchise fee to be paid.
Franchise Contract
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Outsorting
Following billing and invoicing, you can outsort billing documents or orders for
bill printout from automatic processing. Outsorted billing documents and print
automatically initiates outsorting.
You can outsort billing documents and print orders as a result of the following
validations:
Amount check for the net amount
Absolute deviation from the budget billing amount
Percentage deviation from the budget billing amount
Estimation
Existing billing line items
User-defined validations
Billing Reversal
You can reverse any form of billing with the billing reversal function. Reasons for
using billing reversal include an incorrect meter reading or a defective meter. You
can select the documents you want to reverse based on a number of different criteria.
You can use adjustment reversal to bill invoiced billing documents again without
canceling the invoicing. This is useful if more than one billing document is included in the invoicing document and only one of those billing documents needs to be
reversed. The adjustment reversal thereby allows you to create a type of correction bill for a bill that already exists.
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Invoicing
Invoicing links contract billing with the Contract Accounts Receivable and Payable
component. Invoicing:
Creates accounting documents for bill receivables or credit memos from billing documents
Settles accounting documents against down payments received, in particular
budget billing payments
Formats the data for bill printout
Creates new budget billing plans
Supports the calculation of taxes
Billing sends billing documents, credit memos, backbillings, and the basis for budget billing plans to invoicing. You can also use documents from billing in the Sales
and Distribution application component as of Release 1.2 and from non-SAP billing systems as of Release 4.51. Invoicing then sends accounting documents and
budget billing plans to the Contract Accounts Receivable and Payable component,
which reports open items back to invoicing.
Fig. 5-19: Interaction of Billing, Invoicing, and Contract Accounts Receivable and Payable
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Invoicing Execution
Invoicing Units
In invoicing execution, you create bills for the contracts of a contract account. You
either invoice the billing documents of selected contracts or create bills for budget
billing amounts (debit entries). You can combine the contracts that belong to a
contract account to form invoicing units according to the following criteria:
Contracts whose documents must be invoiced together. (They share a common budget billing plan.)
The billings for these contracts should always appear together on a single bill
(for example, the contracts of a residential customer for electricity, gas and
water).
Contracts whose documents can be invoiced together and for which budget
billing payments can be requested together.
Contracts whose documents must be invoiced individually or for which budget billing payments are requested on separate bills.
The goal is to create a bill that includes as many of the customers contracts as
possible.
Budget Billing
When budget billing payments are requested, you can create debit entries in
Contract Accounts Receivable and Payable, or you can process budget billing payments that have no effect in the general ledger (statistical postings).
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When billing documents are invoiced, budget billing payments that have been
made or budget billing requests are taken into account for each contract and settled against the receivables from the billing documents. The bill items can be settled during invoicing against other line items in the customer account and cleared.
If the customer still has a credit after settlement, you can either pay out that credit
or settle it against other receivables.
Simulation
The system calculates legally mandated taxes during billing. If, however, there
are changes during the course of a billing period, the system takes those changes
into account in invoicing and includes them in the bill.
Calculation of Taxes
Reversal
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