Manual estimation and scaling procedures

  1. Go to Meter Data Management > Tools > Estimation > Manual Estimation.

    Note: Manual estimation is also available from the reading validation queue and the AMI billing export queue. However, initiating manual estimation from a queue does not allow you to change estimation sets, preview estimation results before saving, change the time period of the data to estimate, or change validation slots. When initiating manual estimation from a queue, IEE uses the estimation set assigned to the service point channel.

  2. In the Search pane, enter the parameters for the readings you want to view. These readings can include readings before and after the time period of the readings you plan to estimate or scale.
    • Service Point ID. Enter the ID and click Load to populate the SP Channel # dropdown menu, or click Search to locate the Service Point ID. For more information, see Using the search utility.
    • SP Channel #. Select a service point channel. Interval-only channels, register channels, and stored formula channels are eligible for manual estimation. Interval channels are eligible for scaling.
    • Define the time period of the readings you want to view. Use either a reading group or a custom start and end time.
      • Reading Group. Click Reading Groups to enter a start time and end time based on the reading groups that contain data for this channel.
      • Custom Start Time and End Time. Enter the date and time of the earliest reading and the latest reading to view.

        Note: The maximum time period for manual estimation is one year.

    • Time Zone. Select the time zone to apply to the start and end times.
  3. Click Get Readings. The Readings pane displays the daily consumption values on a graph and in a table below the graph. Each row in the table displays summary information by day. Expand a row to view details of each interval included with that day. The table shows which readings have failed validation, passed validation with a warning, been estimated, are missing, or have been estimated but not scaled with register readings.
  4. (Optional) To highlight readings with those status codes on the graph, click Select Statuses. Select the checkbox of each status to highlight. Click OK.
  5. (Optional) To filter whether to display the original and suspect readings on the graph, select or clear the Original checkbox. The original, raw readings display on a solid black line. Suspect readings display on a red dashed line.
  6. (Optional) Select or clear the Estimated checkbox to filter whether to display estimated readings in the Readings pane.
  7. (Optional) Force estimation of specific interval or register reads.
    • Interval. Select the Readings tab of the graph. Select the Estimate checkbox of each interval to estimate.
    • Register. Use the Register Reads table below the graph. Select the Estimate checkbox of each register to estimate.
  8. In the Action pane, click the down arrow of the Action menu to expand the dropdown list and select whether you want to Estimate or Scale the reads.
    • Estimate. IEE allows the use of calculated reads as boundary reads if the Use Calculated Meter Reads system setting is enabled. The are displayed next to the start and end times. The parameters box shows the boundary reads, the boundary read tolerance, and whether Use Calculated Meter Reads is enabled (True) or disabled (False).
    • Scale. If a calculated read is used for scaling, IEE marks that read with a Calculated status.
  9. Select the boundary reads to use for the estimation or scaling operation.
    • To use the default boundary reads, enter the Start Time and End Time of the period you want to estimate. This can be a subset of the readings already selected, or it can match the dates entered in the Search pane.
    • To use other reads within the period, right-click the read in the Register Reads table and select Set as Start Read or Set as End Read.
  10. Select the Validation Slot that includes the validation set with the estimation routines you want to apply to these readings.
  11. Select which readings to estimate:
    • All Intervals. Includes all intervals within the designated time period.
    • Only needing estimation. Includes all intervals marked as needing estimation, but excludes all other readings.

      Note: IEE allows the use of calculated reads as boundary reads if the Use Calculated Meter Reads system setting is enabled. If a calculated read is used for scaling, IEE marks that read with a Calculated status.

  12. Click Preview. The results summary displays in the Result pane. Click View Details to see more information about the results.

    Note: You have 10 minutes to save the results. After 10 minutes, you must click Start Over and run Preview again to re-enable the Save function.

    • To run a different estimation routine or choose a different time period, click Start Over. This clears the Estimation pane but does not reset the Search or Readings panes.
    • To accept the estimated readings regardless of validation status, select the Manual Accept checkbox. If you have more estimation to do on this channel, click Save. Click Save at any time to save your estimation progress.
    • To accept the estimated readings that did not fail validation, clear the Manual Accept checkbox. If you have more estimation to do on this channel, click Save. Click Save at any time to save your estimation progress.