Bill format details and examples

Bill line types

Bill line types with units can result in a line item having:

  • Cost
  • Use
  • Demand
  • Use and cost
  • Demand and cost

Empty line items are not saved 

If cost is not entered, the field is removed from the bill after the bill is saved. 

Add a zero to keep the cost line item

You can enter a zero to keep cost as part of the line item.


If use is not entered it appears as zero use. 

When are bill formats used?

  • If an account/meter has only imported or chargeback bills (no manually entered bills), you are presented with the bill format from the most recent imported or chargeback bill.
  • If an account/meter has a manually entered bill, you are presented with the bill format applied to the meter.
  • If you apply a bill format to an account/meter with no manual bills but with imported or chargeback bills, the format is not used for manual bill entry.
  • If this is the first manually entered bill you are presented with a simplified template based on the meter's use unit (native use).

Vendor account lines

You can define account line items that you want to always appear on new bills on the vendor Properties page. This helps keep all new bills consistent for reporting. You can also copy account line items from one vendor to another.

  • Vendor account lines cannot be removed from a bill with the edit bill lines dialog.
  • If no value is entered the vendor account line is not saved.
  • Vendor account lines can only be modified from the vendor Properties page.

Copy account lines to other vendors

You can save time and ensure consistency by copying vendor account lines from one vendor to another. 


When you copy account lines to another vendor any existing account lines are replaced.


Copy bill formats 

You can reuse a bill format.

  1. Open a bill with the existing format and apply the format to other meters.
  2. From the Actions menu select Apply Bill Format.
  3. Select the meters to apply the format.
  • Account line items are not copied.
  • This does not adjust existing bills, the change is only applied to new bills.

How to enter your first bill

  • Enter line items as needed to the simple format.
    or
  • Open a bill from from the same vendor and rate schedule and apply the bill format to the new meter.

Bill Formats and Bill CAPture

Bill formats are only used for manually entering bills and won't affect your Bill CAPture bill imports.

This pdf shows the most commonly used bill line types and recommendations on which line type to use and not use.

 

Example bill formats

Use these bill format example as a starting point to create the bill formats you need for manual bill entry.

Make sure the units on the bill format match the units on your utility bill.

Electric with billed demand

Previously FD_KWH_S_Y_T1_01 (transmission and delivery).

These line items replicate the common lines needed to manually input your bill into UtilityManagement. 

This basic format captures the essential elements of an electric bill. If the bill does not show separate values for metered/actual and billed demand, enter the demand value as the metered/actual and leave the billed demand blank or eliminate the line item. (Some rate schedules have ratchet penalties where metered peak demand one month continues to be billed in subsequent months, regardless of the metered demand. It can be valuable to identify these ratchet charge situations.)

Natural gas 

Previously FD_CCF_S_N_01.

This is a basic gas bill format. Note the line item types are the same as the electric format but the label and use units are different. 

Line item type Use is the most used bill entry line.

Electric supply only

Previously G_KWH_01.

This bill format is used for deregulated scenarios. When entering deregulated bill, special line items must be used. 

Generation Use is a special electric line item that lets you track kWh use on the Supply bill. This use is not added to the meter consumption because the meter consumption is tracked on the distribution bill. In other words, the distribution bill has a Use line item that counts and the supply bill has a Generation Use line item that doesn't count. The Generation Use is informational and can help you verify the kWh billed by the supplier equals the kWh delivered by the distribution company.

Generation Billed Demand is a similar supply-side informational line item, although seldom used because demand is not typically shown on supplier bills.

Electric combined T and D with separate supply line 

Previously FD_KWH_A_Y_T2_01.

Some bills may bundle distribution and supply line items. This bill format illustrates both distribution and supply on the bill. Distribution is split into on and off peak use and demand. Supply is split into one line for generation use and another for supply charge.

Note the blue vertical bar on the left indicates an informational line item and is not added to the meter consumption.

Electric time of use

Previously FD_KWH_S_Y_T2_01.

This bill format is similar to the one above. Separate line items are available for on and off peak use and demand, plus a simple Total Cost line rather than itemized line-by-line charges.

The meter consumption for the month is the sum of the on and off peak kWh. However, the monthly demand shown on many reports and charts in NOT the total of on and off peak; it is the max value.

Water and sewer broken out

Previously FD_CCF_S_N_01.

Sewer charges are typically based on water consumption and often appear on the same bill. Sewer service points can be set up as separate meter to have high visibility of sewer on reports and charts as a separate commodity or when tracked as a line item on the water bill as shown in this example.

Notes on this example: 

-The commodity chosen here is water/sewer to indicate combined tracking of total cost

-To report on sewer cost user Report-18 line items

Natural gas supply only

Previously S_CCF_S_N_01.

"Information only use" on an electric supply bill is Generation Use, the "information only use" on a gas supply bill is Wellhead Use. 

Choose the Wellhead Use line item to track supply gas volume for verification versus the counted Use line item on a distribution gas bill.

Natural gas combined

Previously FD_CCF_A_N_01

The bill format combines gas distribution and supply on one bill. The Use line item counts while the Wellhead Use line item verifies supply volume compared to the delivered volume.

PV solar net meter, no third party dereg supplier, no PPA (self-owned) 

Previously FD_KWH_A_Y_T1_05
See Renewable Tracking for a complete explanation. Note the Use - Green/Renewable line item, this is a special information only line item that serves a special purpose. The GHG emission equivalents of this use are deducted from GHG reports. In other words, the Use line item(s) show total consumption at the meter and are converted to gross GHG emissions and then any green/renewable kWh is backed out of the GHG. This results in net GHG emissions attributable to the consumption at the meter.

PV solar net meter w/third party dereg supplier, no PPA (self-owned PV)

Previously FD_KWH_A_Y_T1_06.

See Renewable Tracking

PV solar net meter w/PPA, no third party dereg supplier

Previously FD_KWH_A_Y_T1_08

See Renewable Tracking

PV solar net meter w/third party dereg supplier, w/PPA

Previously FD_KWH_A_Y_T1_07

See Renewable Tracking