Aggregation

Use Aggregation to schedule aggregation tasks. IEE uses aggregation in conjunction with formula channels to run a task that combines interval data from multiple channels. Before running an aggregation task, you must configure the following:

• Create formula channels as independent configuration objects. For more information, see UCE formulas.

• Define task-specific parameters. For more information, see Task scheduler.

After these parameters are configured, you can generate reports, graphs, and exports from the aggregated data.

To schedule aggregation tasks:

1. Go to Meter Data Management > Tools > Aggregation.

   Note: Alternatively, go to System Operations > Task Management > Task Scheduler and select Aggregation from the Task Type dropdown menu.

2. The task template defaults to DefaultAggregation.

3. Under Task specific parameters, use the dropdown menu to select an Entity Type:

• Account

• Customer

• Service Point

• Service Point Channel

The ID prompt changes based on the entity type selected. Use the Using the search utility option to locate an ID.

4. To group the entities, select the Group checkbox, displayed next to the Entity type.

   The ServicePoint Level Aggregation option will appear.

   

5. (Optional) To create a task for each ServicePoint, select the ServicePoint Level Aggregation checkbox.

   Note: Do not select the ServicePoint Level Aggregation checkbox if you want the list of service points divided into channels with individual tasks created per channel.

6. Select Time Span. Use the dropdown menu to select a time period. The screen options change based on the selected time period.

   • (Optional) Click Reading Groups to view and select a particular meter reading group. For more information about using reading groups, see Reading group selection.

   • (Optional) Click Schedule Dates to select a Time of Use (TOU) schedule. For more information, see Schedule dates.

7. Time Zone. Select the time zone for the service point, if different from the default Time Zone.

8. Only Aggregate Channels with these Statuses. Select to filter by aggregation options. You can select one checkbox under each of the following:

   • Billing

   • Load Research

   • Other

9. Select or clear the Ignore validation status conditions for register channel contributors checkbox.

   Defines whether the exporting of register channels or formula channels with register channel contributors depend on the validation status condition of the register channel data. When the checkbox is selected, validation status conditions of the register channel data do not affect whether or not the export proceeds. When the checkbox is cleared, IEE handles validation status conditions of the register channel data the same way that it handles interval channel data.

10. Select or clear the Force Complete checkbox.

    Determines if the aggregation is able to run with partial or no data. Select True to allow the aggregation to run with partial or no data. Select False to force the aggregation task to check for available data before aggregating.

11. Select or clear the Log Empty Contributors checkbox.

    Determines whether the Aggregation task logs empty contributors or not. By default, the setting is not enabled to improve performance. Logging empty contributors can be time consuming; for best results, minimize the use of logging.

12. Configure the Common Task Parameters.

    Some or all of the following parameters display in the Task Template and Task Scheduler windows. The available parameters depend upon the type of task selected.

    Common Task Template Parameters

    Requested Server

    Defines the server to use to process the task. Select First Available if it does not matter which server processes the task.

    Requested Start Date

    Defines the date and time (hh:mm) to begin processing the task. Click the dropdown arrow to open a calendar.

    Priority

    Defines the task priority (0-99). IEE processes tasks in order of priority. The lower the number, the higher the task priority. Servers process tasks with higher priority (such as 15) before tasks with lower priority (such as 75). Administrators can configure task runners (IEE 6.x) and task services (IEE 7.x and later) to process only tasks with a particular minimum priority.

    Description

    Describes the task template. Enter a unique description if you have added a new task template for the selected task type. Once saved, this description displays in the Task Template dropdown list. To run or modify this task template in the future, select the Task Type and then select this description from the dropdown list. You can create multiple task templates for each task type. It is possible to save multiple task templates with the same description, but Itron recommends using unique descriptions to make it easier to select the correct task template.

    Task Significance

    Defines the reason a particular set of data was exported. Task significance helps distinguish exports run on the same template and the same data but for different reasons. In task templates, the significance parameter typically appears at the top of the window, near the Task Type and Task Template dropdown menus. Select DoNotTrack if you do not need to track an export.

    This parameter applies only to export and aggregation tasks.

    Reschedule Properties

    Allows you to set up a recurring schedule, or to reschedule a failed task to run on a define interval for a certain number of days until it succeeds.

    Recurring Offset

    The Reschedule Recurring Tasks checkbox sets the ApplyOccurrenceOffset task parameter. Valid values are true and false. When true, if the task is running on a recurring schedule, then an offset is applied. Select Days, Hours, or Minutes and enter a value in the offset interval field to define the OffSetType parameter. The interval value you enter and the offset type you select are stored in the OffSetInterval parameter. The OffSetInterval parameter is the number of days IEE must subtract from "today" when a reading arrives without an associated scheduled read date.

    DefaultReadingXmlExport or Custom Report must be selected in System Operations > System Operations > Task Manager > Task Templates >Task Type > Task Template for this parameter to appear.

    To accommodate daylight saving time (DST) in the spring, open the Define Recurring Task Offset Parameters dialog (Task Template Parameters > Recurring Offset), select Hours, and enter 23 (for a 24-hour task template) or 11 (for a 12-hour task template). Click OK to close the dialog, make sure that the parameter option Perform and Retrieve Self Read is checked, and click Save.

    

    To accommodate daylight saving time (DST) in the fall, open the Define Recurring Task Offset Parameters dialog (Task Template Parameters > Recurring Offset), select Hours, and enter 25 (for a 24-hour task template) or 13 (for a 12-hour task template). Click OK to close the dialog, make sure that the parameter option Perform and Retrieve Self Read is not checked, and click Save.

    

    Disable Data Check

    Determines whether IEE performs validation, editing, and estimation (VEE) on data required by a task. If the value is True, the cycle ignores the data check and automatically schedules the task, regardless of data availability. Select False to run VEE on the data. Note: When manually submitting an aggregation request from the task scheduler on a group with the ‘ServicePoint Level Aggregation’ option selected or an individual service point entity, the ‘Disable Data Check’ option will not apply, but instead will trigger aggregation on all channels.

    Register Read Cycle (Days)

    Defines a search window for read cycle events. When a data driven read cycle occurs, IEE looks-back this number of days for register data.

    This parameter is related to the use of data driven schedules and only applies when the following data cutoff parameters are selected: Run tasks on data up to the time of occurrence, or Run tasks on data up to the selected time.

    Schedule an Execution Window (Minutes)

    Defines the number of minutes to allow the following actions:

    • Allow the Cycle Scheduler to schedule a task using the schedule occurrence time as the frame of reference.

    • Allow the task system to execute a task using the task’s requested start time as the frame of reference.

13. Click Run.