Summary

The Winter Averaging process is used to calculate an average consumption for UB customer accounts based on previous consumption. The previous consumption included in the winter average calculation is selected using meter read periods and meter reading dates. Depending on how the service rates attached to the UB customer accounts are set up, the calculated average consumption is billed instead of the actual consumption when bills are generated in the New Billing process (UB> New Billing). The calculated winter average will only replace the billable consumption on the customer account. The minimum and tax amounts attached to service rates on the customer account will bill as usual, but the consumption will be using the calculated winter average consumption amount.

Winter averages can only be calculated on Active and Suspended status accounts. You cannot calculate a winter average on Vacation, Delete or Final status UB customer accounts. Before you use the Winter Average process, make sure you set up the UB module and service rates to use the winter average process.

Springbrook users generally use the Winter Averaging process in two ways:

• Calculate a winter average on accounts based on consumption during the fall months. The calculated winter average is then applied to accounts during the winter months.
• If sewer usage is calculated based on water usage, some Springbrook users apply a summer sewer average so that customers are not charged a higher sewer rate based on increased water usage during the summer months. An average is calculated on spring water usage, and then the average is applied to the sewer service rates during the summer months.

The Winter Average process calculates the winter average consumption amount using the prior meter readings on a device. The prior meter readings that should be included in the winter average calculation are selected during the Generate step (UB> Winter Average> Generate). The meter readings are selected by meter read period and meter read date. Only meter readings of both the selected meter period and meter read date will be included in the winter average calculation. For example, a meter reading with a read date of 06/15/2021 and a read period of 05 will only be included in the winter average calculation if both read period 05 and read date of 06/15/2021 are selected. If only the read date or the read period is selected, the meter reading will not be included in the winter average calculation.

Organizations can also use Percentage Based Cons Levels functionality to encourage or discourage consumption that exceeds the winter average levels. This is enabled via the Percent Based On field on the General tab of the Service Rate Maintenance window.

Prior meter readings on a device attached to other customer accounts will not be included in the winter average calculation. For example, if a new customer moves into a lot, the meter readings attached to the previous resident on the lot will not affect the winter average calculation of the new customer.

The billed status of a meter read does not affect whether it will be included in the winter average calculation. The winter average calculation treats billed and unbilled readings the same. For example, if you would like to include unbilled readings in the winter average calculation, just select the read period and read date of the unbilled readings in the Generate step (UB> Winter Average> Generate).

There is an option on the Generate step (UB> Winter Average> Generate) that allows you to include the meter readings of removed meters in the winter average calculation. This option allows you to include the meter readings of meters that have been removed or changed-out in the winter average. The meter readings on the removed meter will have to pass the same meter read period and meter read date filter that is applied to the other meter readings. For example, if a meter has been changed-out, the meter readings of that meter will only be included in the winter average if the Use Removed Meters toggle is checked (UB> Winter Average> Generate) and those meter readings occurred during the selected read period and read date range. If the meter readings are from a previous account on the lot, the meter readings will not be included in the winter average calculation.

After the winter average has been calculated using the Generate step, the calculated winter average can be modified using the Winter Average tab on the Account Master Maintenance window (UB> Maintenance> Account). Once the Winter Average batch is committed, the calculated winter average consumption amount will be used instead of the actual consumption during each billing period set up as a winter average period on the service rate (UB> Maintenance> Service Rate> Winter Average / Taxes tab).

Before you use the Winter Average process, make sure you set up the UB module and service rates.

Step by Step

1     Create a new Winter Averaging batch.

• Open the Winter Averaging Batches window (UB> Winter Averaging). The Batches window will display all the open Winter Averaging batches.
• Click the Create New Batch button to create a new batch. This will open the Create Batch window.
  • If there are open batches in the Winter Averaging process, you can create a new batch without affecting the open batches.
• The Batch Month and Batch Year fields default to the current date and are used for reference only. The effective date of the winter average calculated in the Winter Average process is set up in the Generate step (UB> Winter Average> Generate> Effective Date field).
• Click Create to create the new Winter Averaging batch.

2     Open the Batch Overview page.

• The Batch Overview page provides a general overview of the selected batch.
• The left navigation menu displays all the steps in the Winter Averaging process.
• In the main section you'll see information about batch steps that are currently processing, next available batch steps, and the last completed batch step.
  • Batch steps that are currently processing will display a blue indicator bar to alert you that the step has not yet completed.
  • Once the preceding batch step is complete, the next available batch steps will be enabled and you can select the next step you would like to run.
    • While some batch steps are optional, any batch step that includes the Required tag must be completed before the batch is allowed to proceed through to the Commit step.
• The Batch Outputs section on the right will display any reports or exports that have already been generated in the Winter Averaging process.

3     Generate the winter averages.

• The Generate step is used to generate the calculated winter average amount. The Generate step is where you set up how the winter average will be calculated and which meter readings will be included in the calculation. The Generate step is required unless you are using the Import step below to import the winter averaging data.
• Select the Generate from the Winter Averaging navigation menu. This will open the Generate window.
• Select the meter readings to include in the winter average calculation. Meter readings are included in the winter average calculation if both the read date and read period of the reading are selected. For example, if a meter read has a read date of 06/15/2022, but a read period of 05, the meter reading will only be included in the winter average calculation if the read date and read period are included. If there are prior readings on a meter that are attached to the previous UB customer account on the lot, those meter readings will not be included in the winter average calculation. For example, if a customer moves into a new lot, the meter readings on the previous customer on that lot will not affect the calculated winter average on the new customer.
• The Periods field is used to select the meter reading periods that will be included in the winter average calculation. Check the meter reading periods you would like to include in the winter average calculation.
  • Click SELECT ALL or DESELECT ALL to select or deselect all the displayed periods.
• The Bill Types field is used to select the meters you would like to generate a winter average on. Winter averages will only be calculated on meters that are attached to the selected bill types. If a meter is attached to a bill type that is not selected in the Bill Types field, no winter average will be calculated.
  • You can view the bill type attached to a device using the Device Maintenance window (UB> Maintenance> Device> Meter tab> Device Type section> Bill Type field).
• The Cycles field is used to select which UB customer accounts you would like to include in the Winter Average batch. Check the toggles of the billing cycles you would like to include. Final and Vacation status customer accounts in selected billing cycles will not be processed in the Winter Average batch.
  • Billing cycles are created in UB> Maintenance> Cycle Code and attached to accounts on the Account tab of the account maintenance window (UB> Maintenance> Account> Account tab).
• The Consumption From and Consumption To fields are used to select the meter reading dates you would like to include in the winter average calculation. For example, if you would like to include meter readings with a read date between 04/01/2022 to 06/30/2022, enter those dates in the Consumption From and Consumption To fields.
  • A meter readings will only be included if the winter average calculation if both the meter read date and meter read period are selected in the Generate window.
• Enter an Effective Date. The effective date is the date the calculated winter average will take effect. Billing batches generated with a period begin date after the effective date will bill the calculated winter average rather than the actual billing amount on the account.
  • If there are multiple winter averages that apply to a UB customer account in the same billing period, only the most recent average will apply. For example, if there is a winter average with an effective date of 11/15/2022 and the account has a previous winter average, a billing that begins on 11/01/2022 will only use the winter average with the effective date of 11/15/2022. The winter average will not be prorated on the billing. The billing will apply the entire 11/15/2022 winter average amount.
• Use the Rounding drop-down menu to select how you would like the winter average calculation to be rounded.
  • Select Off if you would like to round the calculated winter average to the nearest consumption unit using standard rounding. For example, if the calculated winter average is 100.5, it will be rounded up to 101. If the winter average is 100.40, it will be rounded down to 100.
  • Select Up if you would always like to round the calculated winter average up to the nearest whole consumption unit. For example, if the calculated winter average is 100.1, it will be rounded up to 101.
  • Select Down if you would always like to round the calculated winter average down to the nearest whole consumption unit. For example, if the calculated winter average is 100.9, it will round down to 100.
  • Select Nearest Ten if you would like to round the calculated winter average to the nearest ten digits using standard rounding. For example, if a calculated winter average in 105.00, it will be rounded up to 110. If the calculated winter average is 104.99, it will be rounded down to 100.
• The Average drop-down menu is used to select how the winter average will be calculated.
  • Select Monthly Average to divide the consumption by the number of months selected (i.e. if the months of November through April are selected and there are only three meter readings periods within this period of time, the consumption will still be divided by six).
  • Select Period Average to divide the total consumption by the number of periods with the meter reads selected (i.e. if the months of November through April are selected but there are only three meter reading periods within the months selected, then the total consumption would be divided by 3).
    • This option is generally used by organizations that do not bill every month.
  • Select User Defined to enable an edit box and input a value of your choice to divide the consumption by.
    • This will enable the High Percentage field to the right. This field is used to specify a value that will be the divisor for the total consumption on the account.
• Check the Exclude partial reads toggle to exclude consumption amounts based on a meter reading not included in the winter average.
  • Assume you are creating a winter average that begins in the month of November. If a device has a reading in October, and November, the consumption calculated on the November reading depends on the October reading. For example, if the October reading is 100, and the November reading is 250, the November consumption is 150 based on the October reading. If you check the Exclude partial reads toggle, the November reading will not be included in the winter average.
    • If there are two meter readings in the month of November (for example, a meter reading from a Read Meter service request), then the later meter reading will be included in the winter average even if the Exclude partial reads toggle is checked. The reading will be included because the consumption on that reading is dependent on a reading included in the winter average. For example, if a device is read on 11/05/2022 with a consumption of 200, and on 11/15/2022 with a consumption of 35, the reading on 11/15/2022 will be included in the winter average because the consumption is calculated based on a reading included in the winter average.
• Check the Use removed meters toggle to include the meter readings of meters that have been removed or changed-out in the winter average.
  • The meter readings on the removed meter will have to pass the same meter read period and meter read date filter that is applied to the other meter readings.
• Check the Use Consumption Range average if threshold amount is exceeded toggle to expand the range used to calculate the winter average if the average for the selected periods exceeds a specified amount. This will enable the Threshold Amount toggle below. If the value entered in the Threshold Amount field is exceeded, the winter average will be calculated by averaging consumption across the consumption range rather than by averaging consumption for the selected periods.
  • For Example:
    • Periods selected: January, February, March
    • Consumption range: 04/01/2022 - 03/31/2023
    • Threshold: 11,200
    • Maximum: 15,000
    • Account A
      • Periods selected Winter Average: 11,100 - Threshold not met
      • Calculated Winter Average: 11,000
    • Account B
      • Periods selected Winter Average: 12,000 - Threshold met
      • Consumption range Winter Average: 11,000
      • Calculated Winter Average: 11,000
    • Account C
      • Periods selected Winter Average: 12,000 - Threshold met
      • Consumption range Winter Average: 16,000
      • Calculated Winter Average: 15,000
  • This setting will not override any Maximum default values set below.
• The Defaults section is used to set up the minimum and maximum winter average values and modify the default winter average amount. The values entered in these fields will affect the calculated winter averages.
  • The value in the Default column is the winter average that will apply if a UB customer account has less than two readings during the selected meter read dates and periods.
    • The value in the Default column can be modified in this window, but it populates based on the value entered in the Winter Average fields on the Setup window (UB> Utilities Setup> Device tab> Winter Average 1-6 fields).
  • If the calculated winter average is greater than the value in the Maximum field, the maximum amount will replace the calculated winter average. For example, if the calculated winter average is 135 and the maximum amount is 100, the UB customer account will be assigned the maximum amount of 100.
    • If the winter average is assigned the maximum value, an information line will display on the Exceptions step (UB> Winter Average> Exceptions).
  • If the calculated winter average is below the value entered in the Minimum column but above zero, the minimum amount will replace the calculated winter average. For example, if the calculated winter average is 50 and the minimum amount is 100, the UB customer account will be assigned the minimum amount of 100.
    • If the winter average is assigned the minimum value, an information line will display on the Exceptions step (UB> Winter Average> Exceptions).
  • If the calculated winter average is zero, the system will replace the calculated amount with the value in the Default column.
  • The number of rows that will display in the Defaults section is the number of usage periods. Usage periods are generally used to separate consumption into peak and non-peak usage. If the Utility Billing module is not set up to use multiple usage periods, there will only be one row labeled “Period 1.” The column is labeled “Period 1” because all consumption is applied to usage period one. This does mean that the default, minimum, and maximum values entered in the Defaults section will only be applied to period one of the winter average.
  • If you are set up to use multiple periods of use, enter a default, minimum, and maximum amount for each usage period.
• Click the Submit button   to calculate the winter averages or click the Schedule button   to schedule the batch to generate at a later time.
  • You can view the progress of the process on the Job Viewer window (SS> Utilities> Show Scheduled Jobs).
  • When the Generate step is complete, you will be able to open the Exceptions window and generate the Winter Average Proof List.

4     Import winter averages. This is an optional step.

• Open the Winter Averaging Import window (UB> Winter Averaging> Import).
• Any winter averaging records created in the Generate step will be overwritten when using the Import.
• Select the Configuration of the import file.
  • The Configuration drop-down field will display all of the import configurations created in the application.
    • Import configurations are customized import layouts that will take the data from an from a third-party application export file and reconfigure it to meet Springbrook layout requirements.
    • Import file configurations are created and maintained on the Import Configuration Maintenance window (SS> Maintenance> Import Configuration).
  • Once a configuration is selected, you can click VIEW LAYOUT/FORMAT to display additional information about the expected layout of the import file.
    • If the import file does not match the expected configuration, the import process will encounter an error and the file will not be imported.
• Click the Select File button to browse for the import file or drag and drop the import file to the right of the button.
• The Effective Date field is the date the calculated winter average will take effect. Billing batches generated with a period begin date after the effective date will bill the calculated winter average rather than the actual billing amount on the account.
  • If there are multiple winter averages that apply to a UB customer account in the same billing period, only the most recent average will apply. For example, if there is a winter average with an effective date of 11/15/2022 and the account has a previous winter average, a billing that begins on 11/01/2022 will only use the winter average with the effective date of 11/15/2022. The winter average will not be prorated on the billing. The billing will apply the entire 11/15/2022 winter average amount.
  • The Effective Date will default to the current date.
• The Notes field is used to enter and save notes related to the import step. These notes will populated the Notes field next time the Import step is opened.
• Click the Submit button to import the file.

5     View the exceptions generated on the batch. This is an optional step.

• The Exceptions step is an optional step that displays the errors and information messages generated by the Generate or Import step.
• Open the Exceptions window (UB> Winter Average> Exceptions).
• The Exceptions window will display all of the error and information messages generated during the Generate or Import step.
• The Exceptions window will display an information message each time a calculated winter average is greater than the maximum set up on the Generate step (UB> Winter Average> Generate> Defaults section> Maximum column). If the calculated winter average is greater than the maximum, the maximum amount will be assigned to the UB customer account.
• The Exceptions window will also display an information message each time a calculated winter average is less than the minimum amount set up on the Generate step (UB> Winter Average> Generate> Defaults section> Minimum column). If the calculated winter average is less than the minimum amount, the minimum amount will be assigned to the UB customer account.
• The Exceptions window will display an information message for each UB customer account included in the batch with less than two meter readings during the selected meter read periods and meter read dates. These UB customer accounts will be assigned the default winter average amount.
• The Exceptions window will not display an information or error message if there are Final or Vacation status UB customer accounts in the billing cycles selected during the Generate step (UB> Winter Average> Generate> Cycles field).

6     Print a proof list of the Winter Average batch.

• Print a proof list to see the calculated winter averages once the Generate step is complete.
  • You can also view the calculated winter averages from Winter Average tab of the Account Maintenance window (UB> Maintenance> Account> Winter Average).
• Select Proof List from the Winter Average navigation menu. This will open the Proof List window.
• The Winter Average Proof List can be printed in detailed or summary format.
  • The summary format will display the total consumption included in the winter average calculation, the number of reads, and the calculated winter average for each UB customer account included in the Winter Average batch.
  • The detail format will display the consumption included in each month of the winter average calculation, the customer account information, and the calculated winter average.
    • If you check the Include average for the date range toggle, the report will also include a date range average value and indicate which months or periods contribute to the winter average value.
    • This toggle will not be enabled when processing imported winter averaging data and the report will simply reflect the contents of the imported file.
  • Select the version of the report you would like to generate.
• Once the required report settings have been specified, click the Print button   to print your report.
• Click the options arrow on the right side of the Print button to see other print options.
  • Select Send PDF to Job Viewer to print the report in the default Springbrook format.
  • Select Send Excel to Job Viewer to export the report data to an Excel spreadsheet as unformatted data.
  • Select Send Excel (Formatted) to Job Viewer to export the report data to an Excel spreadsheet that includes much of the Springbrook formatting found on the printed version of the report.
• Click the Schedule icon   next to the Print button in order to schedule the report to generate at a later date and time.
  • Enter a Date and Time to generate the report and click SUBMIT.

7     Modify the winter average using the Account Maintenance window. This is an optional step.

• The Winter Average tab can be used to modify the calculated winter average on the UB customer accounts included in the Winter Average batch. You will not be able to modify the winter average on the customer accounts after the Winter Average batch has been committed.

8     Commit the Winter Average batch.

• Before committing the batch make sure that you have already made all of the modifications to the calculated winter averages on the accounts. Once the Winter Average batch is committed, you cannot make modifications to the winter average from the Account Maintenance window. You will have to generate a new winter average batch.
• Select the Commit from the Winter Average navigation menu.
• Click the Commit button to commit the batch.
• Committing a winter average will not create a history line item on the customer accounts (UB> Maintenance> Account> History tab). The winter average will only display on the Winter Average tab of the Account Maintenance window (UB> Maintenance> Account> Winter Average).