Managing Tariffs (SAP Library - Billing of Unmetered Services) Page 1

Managing Tariffs
Use
You use this business process to create a rate construct that contains the billing rules of your utility company, and to check the appropriate billing master data
(rates, billing schemas, rate determination) for consistency.
The individual rate elements must be created or maintained in a specific order, which is determined by the relationships between the individual elements:
· Rate type
· Operands
· Prices
· Rates
· Schemas
· Rate categories
· Rate determination
Operands and prices can either be created in advance or directly from the rate. It is also possible to define discounts and surcharges.

Process Flow

The following business process runs in SAP R/3:

1. Create rate type
In this step, you create the necessary rate types. The rate type classifies the register for billing and is therefore generally defined the installation structure.
A separate rate type must be created for every register that is billed using its own rate. You enter the rate type in the register. It can also be stored in the
rate category or in the installation, for example, in the case of flat-rate installations.
2. Create rate
In this step, you create the rates. A rate consists of a key, header data, and at least one rate step (variant programs). The variant program is the core of
the rate and maps the utility company’s billing rules. Operands are allocated to the variant programs as input and output parameters. All variant programs
that carry out calculations provide the result as an output parameter in the form of amounts. The rate is not entered in the master data (installation,
installation structure) but is determined dynamically from the rate type of the register and the rate category of the installation.
3. Create billing schema
In this step, you create the necessary billing schema. Schemas determine which rates are billed and in what sequence the rates and rate steps (variant
programs) are executed. A schema is a summary of one or more rates.
4. Create facts
In the facts, you allocate values to the operands. For example, for price operands, you specify the price key and the system supplies the operand value
indirectly. You can define prices in the facts for the:
¡ Rate
¡ Rate category
¡ Installation
5. Create rate category

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Managing Tariffs (SAP Library - Billing of Unmetered Services) Page 2

In this step, you create the rate categories. In the Utilities Industry component (IS-U), the term rate category corresponds to a “rate for utility companies”.
An example of a rate category is electricity (residential, commercial). The rate category is entered in the installation and, along with the rate type from the
register, forms the basis for rate determination. It contains data that controls the cross-rate processing of meter reading data and billing. The data can be
overridden by individual entries in the installation.
6. Create rate determination
In this step, you create the rate determination. The rate is not entered in the master data. Instead, it is determined dynamically from the rate type of the
register and the rate category of the installation. Rates are determined historically. This has the advantage that any rate reforms can be easily
implemented. The rate types and rate categories do not have to be changed in the master data. Instead, a new rate is determined from a new start-date.

Result
At the end of tariff management, a rate model is available. In the next step, you can use the rates in the master data. That is, you can link the billing parameters
to the master data objects in IS-U.

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