Utilities Energy Management

 

Technical Data

Technical Name of Business Function

CRM_UT_ER_3

Type of Business Function

Enterprise Business Function

Available As Of

SAP enhancement package 3 for SAP CRM 7.0

Technical Usage

CRM Core

Application Component

Utilities Industry (CRM-IU)

Required Business Function

Utilities Energy Retailer 2 (CRM_UT_ER_2)

Utilities, Meter Reading in Contract Management (CRM_UT_MR_VAL)

Utilities, Interaction Record Quick View in Identification (CRM_UT_CC_IREC_QV1)

Utilities, Interaction Record Quick View in Account Overview (CRM_UT_CC_IREC_QV2)

Utilities, Interaction Record Improved Search (CRM_UT_CC_IREC_SCH)

This business function provides you with new features and various enhancements to existing features that are used as part of the SAP CRM Interaction Center for Utilities.

Integration

The enhanced owner allocation workflow feature and the Meter Reading Move-In/Move-Out feature have been implemented under switch ISU_LOC_CI_EHP7 (Business Function ISU_LOC_CI_4).

Prerequisites

  • You have installed the following components as of the version mentioned:

    Type of Component

    Component

    Is Needed Only for the Following Features

    Software Component

    BBPCRM 713

  • You are using SAP enhancement package 7 in SAP ERP 6.0, Industry Extension Utilities.

  • You have activated business function CRM_UT_ER_2 Utilities Energy Retailer 2.

  • You have activated business function CRM_UT_MR_VAL Utilities, Meter Reading in Contract Management.

  • You have activated business function CRM_UT_CC_IREC_QV1 Utilities, Interaction Record Quick View in Identification.

  • You have activated business function CRM_UT_CC_IREC_QV2 Utilities, Interaction Record Quick View in Account Overview.

  • You have activated business function CRM_UT_CC_IREC_SCH Utilities, Interaction Record Improved Search.

  • You have made the relevant settings in Customizing for SAP Customer Relationship Management under Start of the navigation path Industry-Specific Solutions Next navigation step Utilities Industry Next navigation step Settings for User Interfaces End of the navigation path.

  • You have made the relevant settings in Customizing for SAP Utilities under the following sections:

    Start of the navigation path Customer Service Next navigation step CRM Integration End of the navigation path

    Start of the navigation path Customer Service Next navigation step Process Execution End of the navigation path

Features

The business function Utilities Energy Management provides you with the following functions:

Product Modeling for Utilities (PMU)

The Product Modeling for Utilities (PMU) provides you with the possibility to quickly and easily model Utilities products. The process is simplified by the use of controlled templates and reference products. For the modeling process, you can access historical and current market data.

Product Finder and Configurator

The Product Finder and Configurator (PFC) is a flexible tool used to search for, select and configure product packages, individual products and materials. The process is performed before and independently of the sales process. However, the determined packages, products andmaterials can then be transferred and used for the sales process.

The search and filter criteria are determined using the product definition object and its hierarchy.

New Product Search

The existing input help for product search using the set type CRM_ISU_PROD has been replaced with a new utilities product search. You can now search using utilities configuration attributes and product role.

In the Utilities Sales for Key Account Management business role (UtIL_SALES), the new product search is now the default search in all respective applications. In the Utilities Interaction Center Agent (Util_IC) user role, however, the PFC replaces the product search in all applications.

New Product Configuration View

The existing table-based configuration view has been replaced by a new configuration form, which allows for new features, for example, tooltip, graphical icons and various render types like radio button groups, tabs, and links.

Price Object

The function Price Object provides you with an open price interface that is connected to different price sources, for example, spreadsheet applications, BRFplus rules, competitor products orbackend system simulations. The price object consolidates the price determination. The results of the price determination are returned as price components.

Premise Overview

The Premise Overview provides you with a quick overview of the data environment of a premise. You can review the contract history of a premise, as well as details about the current owner, past owners and business agreements. You can also view details regarding the technical data of the premise, including information about the connection object, point of delivery, installation, meter reading history, and so on. The information contained in this view is not restricted to the current business partner living at the premise or to the currently confirmed business partner.

Meter Reading in the Interaction Center

The enhancements to the meter reading feature allow you to do the following:

  • Entermeter reading reasons for move-in and move-out (part of the contract management process)

  • In the Meter Reading work center

    • Enter new meter readings

    • Change existing unbilled results

    • View meter reading validation results

    • Release implausible meter readings

    • Estimate meter reading results

    • View and filter meter reading history by meter reading order, meter reading results, and unbilled meter readings

  • In the Premise Overview

    • View historical meter reading data for a selected POD or contract

    • View meter reading information for business agreements

Account Management in the Interaction Center

The enhancements to the account management function allow you to do the following:

  • Createnew accounts quickly by using previously entered search criteria

  • Assign related accounts to business partners and business agreements

  • Validate postal address data

  • Carry out duplicate checks for business partners

  • Use additional view configurations respecting the North America address format

Clarification (Business Process Exception Management) Case Integration into the Interaction Center

The clarification case feature allows you to view current and historical clarification cases and create new clarification cases from several different views in the Interaction Center.

Automatic Owner Move-In

The automatic owner move-in feature allows you to automatically create a contract for the owner in case a premise becomes vacant. You can create a contract by using an enhanced workflow template and perform additional checks for pending contracts.