Tags give utilities added flexibility in how to filter information related to locations and meters on the BEACON Monitor page. For a tag to appear as a Monitor page filter, it must be enabled for the utility by Badger Meter personnel. Some tags can be set using the Tags drop-down menu on each Card on the Monitor page. Others are supported in the Data Exchange specification and are set using Data Exchange files.
In addition, tags can be either Location-based or Meter-based.
- Location tags apply to all of the meters at a given location.
- Meter tags apply to individual meters.
The following is a list of supported tags, their type and function, where to set them and where appropriate some of the ways utilities have used them.
| Tag | Type & Function | Where Set | Value | Example |
| Continuous Flow | Meter Designates meters where continuous flow is expected | Card Tags buttons, Set Alert button, Data Exchange file | 0 (for No) or 1 (for Yes) | |
| Critical Needs Customer/No Valve Control | Meter Designates meters that are used for life-sustaining purposes that should not be closed. When the tagged meter is an E-Series Ultrasonic Plus Meter with Integrated Valve, the tag prevents actuation. | Card Tags buttons | ||
| Area | Location Gives utility the ability to filter searches based on the area covered by a property |
Cards Tags button, Data Exchange file | Number | |
| Ignore Threshold | Meter Alert threshold override |
Card Tags button | Number | |
| Population | Location Enables filtering based on demographic information (population size or type) |
Card Tags button, Data Exchange file | Number | |
| Turf Area | Location | Card Tags button | Number | |
| Turf Percentage (Irritaged_ Area) |
Meter Enables filtering based on turf measured as a percentage of overall area |
Card Tags button, Data Exchange file | Number | |
| Site | Location Gives utility the ability to describe or name a particular location |
Data Exchange file | String of characters | Pump House, Firestation, Residential, Campus, Shopping Mall |
| Building Type | Location Identify a location’s primary use |
Data Exchange file | String of characters | Accommodation, Apartments, Dining, Dining Common, Dorms, Greenhouse, Meeting area, Retail |
| Water Type | Location Specify what kind of water is being consumed/delivered |
Data Exchange file | String of characters | Fresh, Domestic, Cold, Fresh, Hot, Irrigation, Potable, Reclaimed, Restaurant, Sewer, Waste |
| Main Use | Location Specify principal usage |
Data Exchange file | String of characters | Fountain, Guest Room, Gym, Housing, HVAC, Irrigation, Landscape/turf, Laundry, Pool, Resort, Rest Room, Reverse Osmosis, Sewer District, Account, Waste Water, Winterized |
| Funding | Location Filter based on funding source |
Data Exchange file | String of characters | State Funded, Auxiliary, # of residents |
| Building Number | Location |
Data Exchange file | Numbers | Some utilities use this field for proprietary codes or numbers that designate all manner of things |
| Irrigation | Location Flags locations/meters where service is used to irrigate crops |
Data Exchange file | Yes or No | |
| Year Built | Location Designates when a particular property or building was built |
Data Exchange file | Numbers | |
| Pool | Location Flags sites with swimming or soaking pools |
Data Exchange file | Yes or No | |
| Bathrooms | Location Gives utility the ability to filter locations by the number of rest rooms/bath rooms |
Data Exchange file | Number | |
| Location District |
Location Sort data by district |
Data Exchange file | String of characters | |
| ET Value [month] | Location Gives utilities the ability to sort locations based on monthly Evapotranspiration value |
Data Exchange file | Number | |
| Meter Text [1-10] | Meter Gives utilities the ability to select and count meters based on custom text strings. |
Data Exchange file | String of characters |
Tags Set via Data Exchange File
The table below lists tags that are set via Data Exchange files, their type, the data exchange column name and the corresponding Monitor page filter name.
| Tag Type | Data Exchange Column Name | Name on Monitor Page |
| Location | Location_Building_Type | Building Type |
| Location | Location_Water_Type | Water Type |
| Location | Location_DHS_Code | DHS Code |
| Location | Location_District | District |
| Location | Location_Site | Site |
| Location | Location_Funding | Funding |
| Location | Location_Main_Use | Main Use |
| Meter | Meter_Continuous_Flow | Continuous Flow Expected |
| Location | Location_Area | |
| Location | Location_Bathrooms | |
| Location | Location_Building_Number | |
| Location | Location_ET_[month] | |
| Location | Location_Irrigated_Area | |
| Location | Location_Pool | |
| Location | Location_Population | |
| Location | Location_Year_Built | |
| Location | Location_Irrigation | |
| Meter | Meter_Text_[1-10] | Text 1, Text 2, Text 3 … Text 10 |
Set Tags from Meter Cards
- From the BEACON Monitor page, click the Tags button on any Card.
- Select a tag from the drop-down menu.
If you select Turf Area, Turf Percentage, Area, Ignore Threshold or Population, enter a numeric value, and click Create New Tag.
If you select Continuous Flow, click Create New Tag.
About the Ignore Threshold Tag
BEACON automatically detects and counts potential leaks of >1 gallon per hour for 24 consecutive hours from the time the meter last communicated with the system. EyeOnWater detects and counts leaks of any volume. If the utility or an EyeOnWater user sets an alert threshold, the system can send leak notifications when flow exceeds that threshold. The Ignore Threshold tag lets you override both the BEACON default threshold and whatever threshold was set by an EyeOnWater user.
Use the Ignore Threshold Tag
- Select Ignore Threshold from the drop-down menu.
- Enter a value for the Ignore Threshold.
- When the value is greater than the actual volume of the leak, the Leak banner is not displayed on the Monitor page card and the service is not included in the Flow Health module Leak Detected count on the At a Glance page.
- When the value is less than the actual volume of the leak, the Leak banner is displayed on the Monitor page card and the service is included in the Flow Health module Leak Detected count on the At a Glance page.
- When the Ignore Threshold tag is removed and a leak exists, the Leak banner on the Monitor page card will be displayed the next time the meter communicates with the system.
- Click Create New Tag.
Change Tags from Meter Cards
- From the BEACON Monitor page, click the Tags button on any Card.
- Delete the tag you want to change by clicking the X.
- Select the tag from the drop-down menu. For example, if you deleted Ignore Threshold, select Ignore Threshold from the drop-down menu, enter a new value, and then click Create New Tag.If you delete a Continuous Flow tag, no further action is needed. (The absence of a Continuous Flow tag = intermittent flow expected.)
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