Weighting Procedure

 

You can only extrapolate from a base period, if it is representative. Whether a period is representative or not is a result of the original weighting procedure.

Weighting procedures are internal procedures that are used during extrapolation and proration of existing meter reading results or period consumption and period demand to determine the expected values.

Features

The weighting procedure is predefined as one of the following:

  • Linear weighting

  • Weighting of energy feeding

  • Degree day weighting

  • Sprinkling water portion

  • General weighting

You must make the following definitions for the weighting procedures in Customizing:

  • Define Weighting Keys

You define the weighting key in Customizing for SAP Utilities under Start of the navigation path Device Management Next navigation step Meter Reading Next navigation step Weighting Procedures Next navigation step Define Weighting Key(s) End of the navigation path.

You can allocate customer-specific weighting keys to the weighting procedures provided by SAP.

For more information, see the documentation in Customizing.

  • Weighting Unit

You define the weighting units in Customizing for SAP Utilities under Start of the navigation path Device Management Next navigation step Meter Reading Next navigation step Weighting Procedures Next navigation step User-Defined Weighting Next navigation step Define Weighting Units End of the navigation path.

A weighting unit is a fixed value, such as a feeding volume of energy or water delivered in the service territory during the period specified.

The periods for the distribution of weighting units are indicated by month and day, and are not dependent on the year.

The weighting portion of a period is the result of the ratio of the weighting units for that period to the weighting units for the year.

Example Example

The total of the weighting units for one year is 1,000.

Weighting units valid from 01.01. (100) : Total of the weighting units (1,000)

= Weighting portion from 01.01. to 01.02. (10%)

End of the example.

For more information, see the documentation in Customizing.

You must also make the following entries in the menu for the Utilities Industry:

  • Minimum portion in percent

You enter the minimum portion in percent in the rate. You can find the rate in the menu for the Utilities Industry under Start of the navigation path Billing Next navigation step Master Data End of the navigation path.

The minimum portion in percent is used to determine the minimum requirements to ensure the base period is representative.

If you enter a small minimum portion in percent, the system uses meter reading results from a short period for the extrapolation.

If you enter the value 100 percent for the minimum portion in percent, the system only uses existing meter reading results as the basis for the extrapolation if they are available for a complete billing period.

  • Period length of portion

You enter the period length in the portion. You find the portion in the menu for the Utilities Industry under Start of the navigation path Scheduling Next navigation step Scheduling Master Record End of the navigation path.

The period length of the portion determines the interval in which the corresponding contracts are billed.

Linear Weighting

The linear weighting procedure does not take seasonal fluctuations into account. For linear weighting, the weighting units are distributed evenly over the year, and the system takes one weighting unit into account for each day. The total of the weighting values is 365 days for one year, or 366 days for a leap year.

Energy Feeding or Degree Day Weighting

This weighting procedure takes seasonal fluctuations into account.

The sum of the weightings for one year is 1,000.

The weighting portion for the month of January is 200 : 1,000 = 20%

The weighting portion for the month of February is 150 : 1.000 = 15%

.

User-Defined Weighting

You can define your own weighting procedures in addtion to those predefined by SAP.

The sum of the weightings for one year is 1,200.

The weighting portions for the months from January to December are : 1,200.

Mixed Weighting Procedure

The mixed weighting procedure also takes seasonal fluctuations into account.

You enter the weighting key for an energy feeding or degree day weighting procedure or for the sprinkling water share in the rate and enter a consumption portion to be weighted as a linear value or a consumption portion to be weighted as a percentage.

The consumption potion to be rated as a linear value is a fixed value for each day, that is not weighted independently of the linear weighting procedure for extrapolation (for example 5 weighting units a day).

The consumption potion to be rated as a percentage is a percentage share of the total weighting units for each day, which is distributed as a linear value for the extrapolation independently of the weighting procedure (such as 20% of the weighting total for each day).

In the case of the water division, it specifies the absolute sprinkling water or percentage of this not applied in the waste water calculation. The difference between the amount of fresh water used and this sprinkling water portion yields the portion of waste water to be billed.

If you enter a consumption portion to be weighted as a linear value, you should also enter the period in which this portion is to be observed for the weighting.

The sum of the weightings for one year is 1,100.

The weighting portion for the month of Januray is 150 : 1,100.

The weighting portion for the month of February is 125 : 1.100.

.

Determining Whether a Period is Representative

Whether a base period is representative or not is determined as follows:

Minimum portion in percent * Length of meter reading period

= Minimum length of base period

or

Weighting portion of period = Minimum portion

Example Example

  • The following meter reading reasons exist:

Periodic meter reading

Final meter reading

Meter reading at move-in (M)

Meter reading at installation (I)

Interim meter reading without billing (Y)

Interim meter reading with billing (Z)

Control meter reading

  • The period length of the portion is 1 year (365 days)

  • The minimum portion defined in the rate is 50%

End of the example.

The minimum requirements to determine whether the base period is representative are determined in the following way:

Minimum portion in percent (50%) * Length of meter reading period (365 days)

= Minimum length of base period (182.5 days)

In the example, the previous period must be at least 182.5 days long to be representative.

or

Weighting portion of period = Minimum portion

In the example, the base period must have a minimum weighting portion of 50%.

The period from P to Y is not representative because it does not have the minimum weighting portion (only 20% rather than the required 50%). This means that this period alone cannot be used as a basis for extrapolation. The system goes back to the next meter reading (I). The period from P to I is representative because it has a weighting portion of 20% + 60% = 80%. The period from P to I can be used as a basis for extrapolation.