Revise DMA Zones

Q: After configuring DMA Zones, we used a Data Exchange file to move some Demand Meters to different zones. We also reassigned a Supply Meter as a Demand Meter. After importing the Data Exchange file, the Demand Zone changes took effect. BEACON, however, seems to have ignored our Supply Meter change. The Supply Meter card shows it as both a Supply and a Demand Meter.

What happened?

A: Your Data Exchange file imports reveal what happened. Your first file (Table 1) configured the Meter named South Well as a Supply Meter.

Table 1. This file assigned the meter called South Well as a Supply Meter with a Zone ID of 1-A.

When you “changed” the Supply Meter to a Demand Meter with a Zone ID of 2-A, you left the Supply_Zone_ID field blank (Table 2).

Table 2. This file was used to assign the meter called South Well as a Demand Meter with a Zone ID of 2-A.

A blank cell in a Data Exchange file tells BEACON to “leave the current value unchanged.” Because there was a value in the Supply_Zone_ID field in the earlier import, that value along with the new Demand_Zone_ID value are displayed on the card.

Create a third Data Exchange file, and put the _CLEAR_ command in the Supply_Zone_ID column (Table 3). This will remove the Supply_Zone_ID from the South Well meter, and create the configuration you want.

Table 3. This file will remove any value entered in the Supply_Zone_ID column via previous Data Exchange files.

Q: We recently swapped a demand meter. After updating BEACON with a data exchange file, the new meter was no longer associated with the DMA zone. What happened?
A: DMA zones are meter-centric, not location-centric. As a result, when you change out meters be sure to include Demand_Zone_ID and Supply_Zone_ID information in the data exchange file.

Table 1. This file assigned the meter 1111111 as a Demand Meter with a Zone ID of 1-A.

Table 2. This file replaced meter 1111111 with meter 2222222 at location XYV. Including the Demand_Zone_ID information assigned the meter Demand Zone 1-A.