What is a Schedule?

A Schedule is a template to automate the generation of Instructions of a specific type. A Schedule can only be associated with one Instruction type.

Each Schedule must have only one Frequency.  The Frequency determines the anniversary of the generation of the Instruction. For example, a weekly Frequency will generate an Instruction once a week.

Valid Schedule frequencies are:

• Weekly. 
• Monthly.
• Quarterly.
• Semi-Annually.
• Annually.

Every Schedule must indicate the Days before the Start, which signifies the number of days before the start of the Schedule Cycle. The Schedule Cycle begins on the anniversary of the Schedule Cycle Frequency. Every new anniversary creates a new Schedule Cycle. For example, a monthly Schedule that starts on the 5th of January 2022, with Days before Start at 20, means that the Schedule Cycle will begin on the 5th of January 2022 and the Days before Start will begin on the 16th of December 2021. Thereafter, each successive Cycle will start on the 5th or each subsequent month, and each day before the Start will begin 20 days before each start date.

The Days before the Start is important because it allows for the assignment of Meters to either a Contractor or the Agents of the Utility, before the start of the Cycle. The system does not allow for the Days before the Start to be greater than the Cycle Frequency days. For example, if the Frequency is 1 week, the Days before the Start has to be 7 or less.

How the Schedule Cycles are closed must be set on the Schedule configuration.

There are two ways to close off a Schedule Cycle:

All Instructions generated by the Schedule can automatically expire at the end of the Cycle. If this setting is not selected, Instructions will not automatically expire. If the Schedule is set to Auto Close, the Instructions will expire, by default, at the end of the Cycle.

At any time from the Days before the Start, a Cycle can start. To start a Cycle, Meters should be associated with the Schedule. If the Schedule is a Consumer Schedule, once Meters are associated with a Consumer Schedule there is no need to assign the Meters. However, for all other Schedules, the Meters need to be assigned either to a Contractor or an Agent.  

Meters that have been assigned can be reassigned. The reassignment will only take effect in the next Cycle, not in the current Cycle. Reassignment options are as follows:

• From Contractor A to Contractor B.
• From Agent A to Agent B.
• From Agent A to Contractor A.
• From Contractor A to Agent A.

There are two types of Schedules, Consumer and Ordinary.

For more information: Consumers Schedules.

For more information: Ordinary Schedules.