AMI billing system settings

The AMI billing system behavior settings define billing windows, queue preferences, and billing validation for each external system.

Configuring AMI Billing System Behavior Settings

1. Go to System Administration > AMI Billing System Settings.

2. From the Select External System dropdown menu, select the billing system the settings apply to. You can set different behavior settings, thresholds, and custom data quality checks for each billing system.

3. Configure the following parameters:

   Billing Window Start

   Defines the start time from which the deadline dates are calculated. Valid values must be entered exactly to operate properly. The values are case and space sensitive. For example, MidnightOfReceivedDate is correct; Midnight of received date is incorrect. The valid values are as follows.

   • MidnightOfReceivedDate. The billing window length parameter is the number of hours to add to midnight of the received request date.

   • ReceivedDatetime. The billing window length parameter is the number of hours to add to the date and time of the received request.

   • NoBillWindow. Do not calculate a deadline date.

     Note: If the parameter is set to NoBillWindow and a deadline date is not included as part of the request, IEE logs an exception and immediately exports the request. (The absence of a deadline date is a critical exception and results in a failure notification.)

   Billing Window Length (hrs)

   Defines the number of hours that IEE adds to the Billing Window Start to calculate the deadline date. For example, to set the deadline date to 5:00 p.m. each day, set BillWindowStart to 12:00 a.m. of the received date and BillWindowLength to 17 (12:00 a.m. + 17 hours = 5:00 p.m.).

   Register Window Lag (min)

   Defines the number of minutes back that IEE searches when an external system requests a register read. This parameter defines the start of the read window for register reads (billing stop date - lag minutes). The register window lag value is the number of minutes to offset from the bill stop date. The bill stop date minus this value defines the start of the read window.

   Register Window Lead (min)

   Defines the number of minutes forward that IEE searches when an external system requests a register read. This parameter defines the end of the read window for register reads (billing stop date + lead minutes). The register window lead value is the number of minutes to add to the bill stop date. Add this number of minutes to the bill stop date to define the end of the read window.

   End Time Adjust Limit (min)

   Defines the maximum number of minutes that the bill determinant calculation process can adjust the end time for a request.

   Stale Data Check Severity

   Defines the severity level that will be used by the rate engine when logging messages related to stale data. The valid values are as follows.

   • None. (Default) Do not perform stale data checking.

   • Information. Stale data checks are performed. The rate engine logs stale data results with Information severity.

   • Warning. Stale data checks are performed. The rate engine logs stale data results with Warning severity.

   • Error. Stale data checks are performed. The rate engine logs stale data results with Error severity.

   Do Not Queue

   Determines whether IEE creates queue items when errors occur in the AMI billing process. Select the checkbox to prevent IEE from creating queue items for processing errors. Clear the checkbox to create queue items.

   Billing Validation Enabled

   Determines whether the AMI billing validation is enabled. Select the checkbox to enable or clear the checkbox to disable. Utilities implement billing validation through a customized stored procedure that evaluates the billing determinants prior to export. Billing validation is custom to each utility.

   Fail On Open Reading Validation Queue

   Determines how IEE handles exceptions when there are open reading validation queue items for the same entity and billing period as the request. When this setting is enabled, IEE raises an exception and delays export until the exception is resolved or the request’s deadline is reached. Select the checkbox to enable the setting or clear the checkbox to disable the setting.

4. Click Save.