EDM configuration of usage factor

[Former Member]

Hi experts,

As per a requirement received, we need to use synthetic profiles to transform a normal consumption (introduced in EL28 tx code) into a profiled consumption to be used in RTP interface. After reviewing the SAP information regarding synthetic profiles, I have some queries regarding how to trigger this usage factor / synthetic profile:

1) Amounts must be calculated using a RTP interface assigned at installation level with a LIMIT02 formula.

If I want to bill using a synthetic profile, how many profiles do I need to assign at installation level?

2) At rate steps, to bill the RTP interface, we use the following steps:

- QUANTI14 to calculate a non relevant for accounting amount as per the RTP interface.

- QUANTI06 to calculate the average price.

- Some intermediate steps to update the average price as per some facts.

- QUANTI01 to calculate the relevant for accounting amount using the consumption from RTP interface and final price.

If I want that the consumption to be used for billing is the total profiles total consumption using a synthetic profile, I have seen that I have to use the variant QUANTI24, but I dont see how to link this variant with the current rate steps. I have added it before QUANTI14 but usage factor does not seem to be used during the billing simulation tests done. This problem is related with the same question.

3) I have done some tests using the synthetic profile assigned at load profile at installation, but billing seems to ignore the usage factor even if I have assigned a usage factor value. Could it be that some configuration points need to be activated in order to trigger the synthetic profile usage factor? (We have not configured any source - target role relationhip)

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,

Rafael

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Not sure about your requirements.

The synthetic profiles are generally used in order to settle the consumption of certain group of customers.

These non-interval based connections are billed by their periodic reads (eg. yearly).

In billing you update the usage factor by means of variant QUANTI24.

Settlement, allocation / reconciliation, then uses the updated usage factor to calculate consumption for the period of settlement.

[Former Member]

Hi,

We have certain customers whose consumption is not registered using profiles. For those clients, we only have the total consumption for the related billing period. We want to convert that total consumption of that billing period into a profile basis using synthethic profiles (these synthetic profiles maintains the common profile shape for that kind of customers) and bill them using the RTP interface.

We have the problem during the allocation and trigger of synthetic profile. We are not able to trigger the usage factor and we think it could be due to some configuration missing or incorrect profile allocation. That´s why I hope answering the questions made above someone can give us the hints we need to finish oir configuration.

Thanks

[Former Member]

Hi Rafael,

Thanks for the detailed info.

I guess your main issue is now with the update of the usage factor.

so for starters I generally use quanti24 once, just after quanti01 with the same operand used in quanti01.

Also there is no configuration for usage factor as such.

In your first post you have mentioned about simulation; Well update of the usage factor only happens for normal billing execution for the current billing period and you would need to allocate only one load profile in the Installations.

Hope this helps

Cheers,

Rakesh..

sapisurdg.wordpress.com

[Former Member]

Hi Rakesh.

Thanks a lot for your reply.

Debugging the calculation, and using the info you provided, I could see that the code was raising an exception due to synthetic profile not found. I found that was due to an incorrect profile role allocation (I dont know which check the standard makes here). I changed it to role 0001 (consumption metered) and that issue was solved.

Now the usage factor appears updated at load profile but synthentic profile values are still the same ones.

Can you tell me how to apply the usage factor value during RTP rate execution?

What I want is that if i have a synthetic profile with total consumption 100 kWh, and a registered consumption of 120 kWh, the usage factor must be 1,2 and the RTP interface should calculate using a profile whose total consumption is 120 kWh.

Thanks a lot in advance,

Kind regards

Note: In the load profile screen, the load profile allocation tab shows a usage factor updated after each billing, but the load profile factor tab remains empty (no entries or usage factor status appear after the billing).

[Former Member]

Hi Rafael,

First if you double click on the entry in the load profile allocation tab then you would be able to see the updated usage factor status in the load profile factor tab.(Check attachment)

Second usage factor is updated after Billing processes, so working on it before or during the billing execution is not possible. One can ofcourse go for enhancements.

Period Consumption and Usage Factor Concepts - Energy Data Management - SAP Library

The history table for usage factor is EUFASS. Also check exit 'EXIT_SAPLEEDM_USAGEFACTOR_003' and ES 'ISU_EDM_USAGEFACTOR'.

Correct me if I am wrong : If your scenario is that you want to compare a non interval consumption with a fixed interval consumption then it would be better to skip synthetic profiles and use normal profiles and execute this check using variants in the rate steps.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Rakesh..

sapisurdg.wordpress.com

[Former Member]

Thanks a lot for your replies!

There is one point I dont understand. I thought synthetic profiles were the recommended solution for my scenario. Let me explain it in detail:

We want to bill all our customers using profiles and RTP interfaces.

The RTP interface to be applied is a simple LIMIT02 that uses hourly consumptions and hourly prices to get the amounts to be billed.

The problem we have is that for some customers, we dont have hourly consumptions as they have assigned old meter devices. We only have the total consumption for the billing period.

How can we convert this periodic reading into a profiled reading? It sounds as a very common requirement (you dont read a customer using profiles, but still you want to bill using profiles).

As we know which is the common curve for that kind of customers, we had created a synthetic profiles with this curve.

The idea was to convert the registered consumption into a profile consumption using this synthetic profile (the example I wrote in my previous comment).

In order to make this, I had assigned at RTP interface the synthetic profile as consumption profile, and also the same synthetic profile at load profile allocation tab.

After the tests done and your comments above, it seems my understanding of the synthetic profiles is not correct (I have read your amazing blog but still has not found any clue to solve this scenario).

Could you please let me know your opinion regarding which you think is the best way to manage this requirement? (Please, note that I don´t want to compare non interval consumption with a fixed interval consumption, but to convert the consumption read into a profiled consumption).

Thanks a lot!

[Former Member]

Hi Rafael,

Thanks for the detailed info.

The basic premise of Synthetic Profile is in Settlement and Forecasting. Here the usage factor comes into play. Now if you have normal meters the question arises on how would you trigger the RTP Interface. The rate to trigger should be Interval meter permissible(that I know off).

Also check the synthetic profile which stores values generated on the day/annual profile. 2 things with this : RTP Interface has this as input profile but these are not the actual values on which it is to be billed and one cannot allocate Synthetic profiles to register/devices, so the profile allocation won't work.

Usage factor would need to be multiplied to the profile values which doesn't get updated to Installation facts or reach the RTP interface in anyway.

You can have a look into class CL_ISU_EDM_SETTLSTEP_0016 and method IF_ISU_EDM_TMP_PROFILE_METHODS~READ_DATA which is used in the settlement run for non interval meters. It has the logic to use synthetic profile with the usage factor to get the settlement consumption curve.

I can think of custom development through a RTP formula (would involve an effort and might just slow the system/process) or break the billing & invoicing process (which is against the full automation scope of SAP )

Cheers,

Rakesh..

sapisurdg.wordpress.com

[Former Member]

Thanks a lot for this helpful info.

As you suggest, we will stop trying to use synthetic profiles for this purpose. We will try to use a FM in a RTP interface or using the FM in replacement values logics to cover the requirement.

Regards!

[Former Member]

Hi Rafa/Rakesh,

We have exactly same requrement for our client, as they want to bill the residential customers with normal meters those do not have an interval data consumption and only have total billing consumption for the billing period.

In this thread you mentioned that you will try to use an FM in RTP interface or using the FM in replacemtn values logics to cover that requirement. Can you please let me know what exactly you did to cover that requirement so we can also use for our client.

Regards,

Gunjan

[Former Member]

Hi Gunjan,

In order to cover our requirements, at the end we used the replacement values functionality. There we  defined different criteria to calculate interpolated values for our clients.

Basically, we maintained in the system some profiles whose values we used as reference profiles. When we had to bill one customer for which we only had the billing period and the total consumption, we used the replacement values functionality to distribute that total consumption into the profile period using the shape of the reference profile.

The same can be done in the RTP interface, because in the FM that controls the interface you can define these logics, but we found that replacement values procedures gave to us more control and flexibility over our processes.

Regards

[Former Member]

Thanks Rafa!!!. We are planning to suggest the same thing to our client.

Regards,

Gunjan