Creating Calculated Accounts Using Submeter Readings or Estimated/Calculated Consumption
EnergyCAP has a Calculated Account feature that enables the user to create 'bills' from (1) actual monthly submeter readings and (2) estimated monthly consumption. The account is created using the Calculated Account wizard. The Calculated Account must be located in a cost center. The Calculated Account can have one and only one meter associated with it.
To create the Calculated Account:
1. Highlight the parent cost center, then right-click to select New and then Calculated Account. This will launch the wizard. This is the only way to properly create a calculated account. There is an advanced, and complex, EnergyCAP feature for calculated accounts that uses Visual Basic scripts. This wizard process is much simpler.
2. Enter basic account information. A calculated account is a utility account, the same as other accounts. One difference, though, is that it is most often used for chargeback or internal billing purposes, so the “vendor” is often your organization (the Facilities Dept in this example) and the “customer” is the end user (a tenant Bookstore in this case). When you are done, click Next to open the Method
tab.
3. There is only one method available at this time: Calculate bills from meter readings.
This method can be used both for submeter readings and estimated consumption quantities.
Click Next to open the Meter/Channel tab. The Meter/Channel tab holds key data.
First, highlight the parent building in the Tree View in the left pane. Next, assign a meter code and display name.
A meter is either odometer or trip. An odometer meter “rolls forward” month-to-month, so the usage is calculated by subtracting the prior reading from the current reading and checking for rollover back to zero. A trip meter is reset to zero each month so there is no rollover and no subtraction.
If you have no physical submeter – if you will enter estimated or calculated consumption each month – use the trip rule.
Enter the number of meter dials, the rollover point, and the multiplier. The rollover and number of dials are irrelevant for Trip meters. You can also enter the meter’s serial number (optional).
Enter the units of measure (Usage Units) for the selected commodity. When creating a Calculated Account, select the Usage Unit combination for the desired result. The readings themselves will be tracked in a Reading Use|Value Channel.
Finally, you can assign this meter to a meter reading route. If you read many submeters at once, you can assign all to one route and (later) set the reading sequence. Even if you only have a single meter you should assign it to a route – it will be easier to enter the monthly readings. Use the + button to create a new route. (Routes are explained in step #8.) Then click Next
to open the Bill Calculation tab.
5. The last step is to set a method for the cost calculation. You have two choices:
Calculate the Bill Total Cost using the average unit cost (AUC) from the most recent bill for this meter:
i.e. calculate the cost of this submeter by multiplying the usage times the average cost per kWh of the main utility company meter at this building.
! NOTE: Account Level Charges are NOT included in the Average Unit Cost calculation! Only charges directly associated with the METER are used to determine AUC! If an Account Level Charge needs to be included in the AUC, the bill entry template should be changed to include a bodyline for this charge, in order to associate the charge with the appropriate meter.
Calculate the Bill Total Cost using this Rate:
You can create a simple rate using the rate wizard (see Accounting – Rates).
When done, click Save.
6. Your calculated account is now visible in the Account Manager
Tree View. The PowerView panel displays relevant information. You can click on account properties to set normal properties (same as other accounts) or click on Calculated Account Properties to see settings specific to the account-submeter setup. Notice also that it indicates which account and meter are the sources for average unit cost.
7. From the Facility Manager view the submeter is visible at the selected building.
8. Routes are maintained in Setup –Routes. You can create a new route, assign meters to routes, and, most importantly, enter meter readings. Highlight the route and click Edit Readings to enter the meter reading form. You can quickly enter the monthly readings in the Value column.
If you are entering estimated or calculated consumption amounts (you have no physical submeter), simply enter the consumption quantity in the Value column.
9. You can also enter readings from the Facility Manager by highlighting the submeter and clicking Edit Readings. Use the + key to enter a new readings and be sure to click the Save button.
10. After readings have been entered, the final step is to create the bills. You can create bills for a single account by highlighting the account, right click and then Calculate Bills, or you can do all at once by using the Tools – Processors menu at top of screen.
11. Normally you will process all readings in order to ensure that bills are created for all readings and submeters. Note: If your Work Flow Wizard is set to batch mode, you must have an open batch.
12. Bills will appear in the bill list (the creation method will be shown as ‘Automatic’) and they will appear in Work Flow Manager lists including batches (if batch mode is used).
13. The bill screen will show previous and current readings, multiplier, calculated usage and total cost.
