Export Billing Reads

Q: How do we get reads from BEACON AMA that can be imported into our billing system?

A: Use one of the following to get billing reads from BEACON:

• The Billing Read module on the At a Glance page (Configured Importer users only).
• The Monitor>Actions>Export Data>Billing Reads function.
• BEACON Export Data Service API.

Use the following procedure to export reads with the Billing Read module on the AAG page:

1. Export a Data Exchange Specification-compliant spreadsheet file from your CIS with accounts that require billing reads.
2. In BEACON, click the At a Glance tab and locate the Billing Reads module.
   
   
   
   
3. To display a list of all previously run billing reads, click Billing Read.
4. To create a new billing read file, click Get Billing Read.
5. Input the Date required for the billing period. Notice the system automatically displays the current date.
6. Set the Read Time Tolerance using the drop-down menu. Read time tolerance determines how far back in days the exporter will look. For example, setting the tolerance to 5 days will cause BEACON to export billing reads 5 days back from the date selected. A tolerance of “Today” exports billing reads from meters with reads from midnight “today.” Previously, “Today” was labeled “24 Hours.”
   
7. To select a Billing Upload File do one of the following:• Click Choose File and browse for the file created by your CIS in step 1. Once the file is chosen,  the name of the file will appear next to the Choose File button.
   • Check Last Imported to use the most recent Data Exchange file as the Billing Upload File.
8. Click Get Billing Read to start the process. When the process is complete the results are displayed:
   • Billing Reads Retrieved shows the number of reads returned versus the number of records in the Billing Upload File.
   • Missing Current Read counts meters that are in the system, that is the combination of Location ID + Service Point ID, Meter ID and Endpoint SN match the record in the Billing Upload File, but no read fell within the specified read tolerance.
   • No Read Found counts the number of meters that were not in the system. That is, the system either:
     • Could not find a match for the combination of Location ID + Service Point ID, Meter ID and Endpoint SN specified in the Billing Upload File.
     • Found a duplicate Service Point ID, Meter ID or Endpoint SN in the Billing Upload File.
       
       • Click Download Billing File to download the file.
       • Click Done to return to the Billing Reads module home screen.
       • Click Back to return to the previous screen.
       • Click Download Billing File to download the file.
9. Import the billing file into your CIS.