Define Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Programs

You can create new programs as well as modify existing programs. This involves:

You can use the system’s search functionality to find existing programs, and can archive programs that are no longer in use.

Create Applications for Programs

You can create new applications for programs as well as modify existing applications. Application editing is facilitated by way of a hierarchy map used to quickly access the associated measures, incentives and service orders.

When creating an application, you specify which of the program’s measures the applicant wishes to implement. In addition, you specify or calculate the contribution of the measure to the program’s goals and the incentives the utility company is to provide. You can associate the application with a premise and link the application to individuals with different partner roles. In addition, you can associate notes and attachments to the application.

Finally, you can use the system’s search functionality to find existing applications

Review Applications for Programs

You can carry out individual or sequential processes that determine which applications are qualified for participation in a program. Such processes include an automated eligibility check routine, service order creation requesting on-site inspection by a technician, and completion of an integrated questionnaire.

Manage the Program Enrollment Process by Creating Agreements

You can create new agreements for programs as well as modify existing agreements. Agreement creation is carried out automatically by approving application or by specifying the agreement details manually. Agreement editing is facilitated by way of a hierarchy map used to quickly access the associated measures, incentives and service orders.

When creating an agreement by way of approving an application, the system replicates all relevant application data (such as measure and incentive information) into the agreement, however you can add additional information to the agreement if required.

When creating an agreement manually, you specify which of the program’s measures are to be implemented. In addition, you specify or calculate the contribution of the measure to the program’s goals and the incentives the utility company is to provide. You can associate the agreement with a premise and link it to individuals with different partner roles. In addition, you can associate notes and attachments to the agreement.

You can use the system’s search functionality to find existing agreements.

You can carry out individual or sequential processes that determine which of the agreement's measures have been carried out as required. Such processes include the creation of a service order that requests on-site inspection by a technician and the completion of an integrated questionnaire.

Process a Program's Incentives

Once the measures of the agreement have been carried out, the DSM system can send an outgoing request containing DSM information to the SAP ERP billing system (FI-CA). The system creates billable items and sends them to a third-party system for invoicing. You can then create invoices, service orders or purchase orders for the incentives, create print requests and execute a payment run. In addition, the system can automatically create a confirmation letter to be sent to the utilities customer, to inform him or her of incentive fulfillment.

Once an incentive has been sent for processing, the you can reverse incentive payment, if required.

Agreement information can also be sent, using enterprise services (SOA) to a third-party system. Additionally, a CRM for Utilities user can access DSM information directly from an interaction center or key account manager business role. It is also possible to create billable items with extended attributes and item category determination

Monitor and Analyze Program Performance

You can extract DSM program, application and agreement data and create reports describing program performance using the Info Providers in SAP Business Intelligence.