Summary

The Backflow Device Maintenance window is used to create and maintain backflow device types. Device types define the bill type, manufacturer, model number, size and unit type of a specific kind of device.  When a device is created (UB> Maintenance> Device> Create), the device will populate with the information from the selected device type. Device types reduce the amount of data entry when creating a new device because the device type functions as a template. You should create a device type for every device model that will be installed on UB customer accounts.

The bill type attached to the device type determines which service rate will be billed for the consumption of a device attached to the device type. When a bill is generated on a customer account, the consumption on a meter will be billed using the service rate with the same bill type as the meter. For more information on bill types see the Bill Type Overview document.

Step by Step

1     Open the Backflow Device Type Selection window (UB> Maintenance> Backflow Device Type).

• The Backflow Device Type Selection window will display all backflow device types that have been created.
• Select a backflow device using the arrow keys on the keyboard or the mouse.
  • Click the Modify icon to open the selected device type.
  • Click the Delete icon to delete the selected device type.
    • You will not be able to delete a device type that is attached to an existing device.
  • Click the Create icon to create a new backflow device type. This will open the Backflow Device Type Maintenance window.
• You cannot modify any of the fields that display in the Backflow Device Type Selection window, including the Device Default toggle. You must open the device type before you can modify it.

2     Complete the General tab.

• Enter a Manufacturer from the drop-down menu or enter a new one. If you enter a new manufacturer, it will be available in the drop-down menu the next time you create a backflow device type.
  • The Manufacturer field can be up to 30 alphanumeric characters long.
• Enter a Model Number from the drop-down menu or enter a new one. If you enter a new model number, it will be available in the drop-down menu the next time you create a backflow device type.
  • The Model Number field can be up to 30 alphanumeric characters long.
• Click the Bill Type field label to select a bill type from a list. This will open the Bill Type Selection window.
  • The bill type attached to the device type determines what service rate will be used to bill for the consumption on a device. When a New Billing is generated, the billing engine will bill the consumption on a device using the service rates with the same bill type. The bill type on the device is inherited from the device type. For example, if there is consumption on a device with a bill type of BACKFLOW, all service rates with the BACKFLOW bill type will be used to calculate the billing on the device.
  • Bill Types are created and maintained on the Bill Type Maintenance window (UB> Maintenance> Bill Type).
  • Select a bill type that is set up to be used by backflow devices.
    • Bill types are set up as backflow device bill types in the Device Type drop-down menu (UB> Maintenance> Bill Type).
    • You will receive a validation error when you try to save the device type if the bill type is not set up as a backflow type.
• The Default Change-out, Default Remove and Default Add fields are used to add a default service request code to the device type. When a service request is created on the Account Master Maintenance window (UB> Maintenance> Account> Device tab> Change-out icon  ), the default service request will populate on the Service Request input Wizard. For example, if you select a backflow device of this device type on the Device tab of the Account Master Maintenance window and click the Remove icon, the service request code selected in the Default Remove field will populate in the Request Code field of the Service Request Input Wizard that launches. The default service request code only acts as a default because you will be able to change the service request code that populates on the Service Request Input Wizard.
  • The Default Change-out, Default Remove and Default Add fields are all optional.
  • You can set up security on the Service Request Code field using the DB Security feature (SS> Security> DB Security) so that it is read only and users will be forced to use the default service request code set up on the device type.
  • Click the Default Change-out field label to select the default service request code for change-out device service requests created on the device type from the Account Master Maintenance window (UB> Maintenance> Account> Device tab> Change-out icon  ).
  • Click the Default Remove field label to select the default service request code for remove device service requests performed on the device type.
  • Click the Default Add field label to select the default service request code for add device service requests performed on the device type.
• Enter backflow device type notes in the Notes field.
  • The Notes field is an optional field. The Notes cannot be included on a QBE Report.
• The Round Precision field is used to specify how precise to round reads imported from this device.
  • The value in this field will determine how many decimal places the reading will be rounded to. For example, if the reading was 55.6779 and the Round Precision field is set to 2, the imported read will be rounded to 55.68. If the Round Precision field is set to 3, the imported read will be rounded to 55.678
  • This field will only be enabled if the Round Reads on Import toggle is checked below.
• Check the Default Type toggle if you are creating the default device type.
  • When a new device is created, the information attached to the default device type will populate on the new device. For example, if you are creating a new water meter device in the Device Maintenance window (UB> Maintenance> Device> Create icon), the water meter default device type information will populate on the new device. If the default device information does not apply to the new water meter, you will be able to select a new device type and overwrite the default device type information on the device.
  • You will not be able to save the device type if there already is a default device type set up.
• Check the Retain New Reads on Import toggle to prevent imported meter readings from overwriting existing new and unbilled readings on the account.
  • This toggle will be unchecked by default as the standard functionality is to overwrite existing readings on import.
• Check the Round Reads on Import toggle to enable rounding on imported meter reads from this device.
  • When this toggle is checked, the Round Precision field above will be enabled and the rounding can be configured.

3     Complete the Backflow tab.

• Enter a size or select one from the Device Size drop-down menu.
  • The device size field will display the sizes of other backflow devices that have already been set up (UB> Maintenance> Backflow Device Maintenance).

4     Complete the Miscellaneous tab.

• The Miscellaneous tab is used to enter information on a backflow device that is outside the scope of the current application. Information entered in these fields can be used in reporting when using the QBE Reporting tool (UB> Maintenance> QBE Builder).
• The field labels of the miscellaneous fields are set up in Miscellaneous Field Labels window (SS> Utilities> Miscellaneous Field Labels).
• Click the Save icon when complete. The Save icon will only be enabled if there have been changes made to the device type.