Five-Minute Model Actions

The following common actions are available in the Actions Menu:

The following actions are only available in the Five-Minute Models Module in the Actions menu and on the toolbar.

Export to MetrixND. For custom models, populates the model template with load and energy data from the system and saves to a .ndm file.
Estimate. Estimates the selected model(s).
Forecast. Generates a forecast for the selected model(s).
Filter Data. Smooths actual meter data prior to model estimation and forecasting.
Import Project File. Imports a MetrixND project file with estimated coefficients. This allows generation of forecasts using parameters estimated in another instance of the system (for example, estimate in Test environment and import into Production environment).
Export Project File. Exports a MetrixND project file with estimated coefficients. The resulting file can be imported into another instance of the system using the action to Import Estimated Project File.

These actions are described below.

Export to MetrixND

The Export to MetrixND command allows the user to export a MetrixND Custom model from the system and save it as a MetrixND (.ndm) files. The project file is complete with historical and/or forecast data from the system database, transformation tables, models, group forecast objects, reports, and graphs. Settings for the export are:

Include Estimation Data. Exports the model with the data used for Estimation.
Include Forecast Data. Exports the estimated model updated with the data used to forecast.
Estimate Model. Estimates the model before the export action.

To execute this action, select a model that has MetrixND Custom Method checked. Select the Export to MetrixND option on the Actions menu or press the corresponding Toolbar button. These actions are available on all tabs of the Models module, but they will only be enabled if a single model is selected, and that model uses the Custom MetrixND Model option. These actions will open the Export to MetrixND dialog.

Set the Export Folder. The path or the export file can be entered directly or by using the Browse button. The Browse button brings up a standard Save As dialog, which allows the user to browse to the output path and to enter the file name as desired. On the Save As dialog, press the Save button to install the selected path or Cancel to abandon the browse action.
Export Level Model. To export the Level Model, select the Export Level Model box and assign the export model a file name in the box to the right. The file name should include the *.ndm extension.
Export Ramp Rate Model. To export the Ramp Rate Model, select the Export Ramp Rate Model box and assign the export model a file name in the box to the right. The file name should include the *.ndm extension.
Select the export settings. Options are Model Estimation data, Model Forecast data, and Estimate Model. Check all three options to estimate the model and to include both estimation data and forecast data. To save time, only check the Estimate Model option if you want the system to estimate the model before the export.
Export. Click the Export button to export the model to a MetrixND project file.
Cancel. Click the Cancel button to abandon the export.

Estimate

The Level and Ramp Rate models must be estimated before a forecast can be generated. On the List Tab, the Calculation Status fields indicate whether a model needs to be estimated (a yellow exclamation symbol) or not (a green check). If any of the model settings are modified (e.g. the estimation period), the models will need to be estimated. Results are presented on the Estimation Tab.

Select a model or set of models to estimate.
Click the Estimate button from the Toolbar or select the Estimate action from the Actions menu. These actions are available on all tabs of the Models module (List, Date, Estimation, and Forecast).
A dialog box is presented prompting the user to define which model to estimate (Level and/or Ramp Rate Model). The user should select the model(s) to estimate.
Select the Estimate button to estimate the model(s). Select Cancel to exit without estimating the model(s).
Press the Close button when estimation is complete. If the Auto Close check box at the bottom of Estimating dialog is checked, the dialog will auto close when estimation is done.
Go to the Estimation Tab to see the estimation results.

Forecast

The Forecast command generates a forecast for the selected Models. When executed through the UI, the Forecast command will always re-compute the forecast.

When forecasting is run as a task, the Data Last Updated and Data Last Forecasted Fields are used to determine if the forecast for an item needs to be updated. If the Data Last Forecasted date is less that the Date Last Updated date, then the forecast action will be executed for the item. Results are presented on the Forecast Tab.

Select a model or set of models for which to execute forecasts.
Click the Forecast button on the or select the Forecast option from the Actions menu. These actions are available on all tabs of the Models module (List, Date, Estimation, and Forecast).
A Forecasting Models progress dialog box appears showing the progress of the forecast calculations.
Press the Close button when the forecast process is complete. If the Auto Close check box at the bottom of Estimating dialog is checked, the dialog will auto close when the process is done.
Go to the Forecast Tab to see the forecast results

The technical discussion of the forecasting method is in the Five-Minute Model Forecast Framework section.

Filter Data

The Filter Data command filters smooths through historic data to remove anomalies. Two filters may be applied based on the Kalman Filter Settings setting and the assigned TOU Parameter Set (Manage TOU Parameter Sets). The filter first applies the Kalman Filter (if enabled), then applies the TOU Parameter Set, Filter Method. The results are presented on the Data Tab as the Filtered series.

Select a model or set of models for filtering.
Select the date range to use for computing filtered values.
A progress dialog box appears showing the progress of the data filtering.
If the Auto Close check box is checked, the dialog will auto close when the data filtering is complete.

The technical discussion of the Filter Data command is in the Data Filtering Method section.

Import Project File

Custom models are normally estimated by assigning a MetrixND Template to a model. The Template provides all the framework for variable transformations and the model specification, but it does not have estimated coefficients. The Estimation step opens the template, populates it with data, estimates the model coefficients, and saves the estimated model to the database. The Forecast step then generates a forecast using the estimated model.

In some cases, it is useful to bring in a MetrixND project file that has been estimated externally or in another environment. This is done using the Import Project File action. When this action is executed, the external MetrixND project file is imported and saved to the database. The Forecast step will then generate a forecast using the coefficients that came with the externally estimated model. Note that if there is a Template assigned, the Estimate action will overwrite the externally estimated model with an internal model estimated using the Template-based process.

To import an externally estimated project file:

Select the model(s) to which the estimated project will apply. These models should all use the Custom modeling method. As part of the import process, a warning will be generated for any models included in the import action that use other methods.
Select the Import Project option from the Actions menu. This action is available on all tabs of the Models module (List, Date, Estimation, and Forecast).
This brings up the Browse for Folder dialog. Select the folder that contains the estimated project file(s) that you wish to import. Note that if multiple models are selected, the project files for these models must all be in the same folder.
Press the OK button to proceed with the import. This will open a progress dialog (Importing…) showing the progress of the import process. For each model, the system looks in the selected Folder for a file that is named ModelID.ndm, where ModelID is the ID for that model.
Press the Close button when the import process is complete. If the Auto Close check box at the bottom of importing dialog is checked, the dialog automatically closes when the process is complete.

Export Estimated Project File

This action is provided to support exporting an estimated project file from one environment and importing that project file in another environment using Import Estimated Project File. The result of this export action is different from the Export to ND action. Export to MetrixND allows the user to export historical and/or forecast load, weather, and calendar data as part of the exported file. Export Estimated Project File creates a MetrixND file that has no historical or forecast data. It does contain all of the data table and transformation table configuration information, and it does contain all of the estimated model coefficients in locked models.

To export one or more internal estimated project files from the system:

Select the model(s) to which the export action will apply. These models should all use the Custom modeling method. As part of the export process, a warning will be generated for any models included in the export action that use other methods.
Select the Export Estimated Project option from the Actions menu. This action is available on all tabs of the Models module (List, Date, Estimation, and Forecast).
This brings up the Browse for Folder dialog. Select the folder to which you want the estimated project file(s) to be exported.
Press the OK button to proceed with the export. This will open a progress dialog (Exporting…) showing the progress of the export process. For each model, the system will create a file that is named ModelID.ndm, where ModelID is the ID for that model.
Press the Close button when the export process is complete. If the Auto Close check box at the bottom of the progress dialog is checked, the dialog will auto close when the process is done.

This type of export can also be executed as a task. There are two versions. The first is named ExportAllModelProjectFiles. The second is called ExportModelProjectFiles and includes a filter that allows exporting a selected subset of projects based on model properties and custom fields.