Customer Care and Billing Related Enhancements
This section outlines customer care and billing-related enhancements introduced in this release of Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter, including:
Note: The Steps To Enable, Tips and Considerations, Key Resources, and Role Information sections provide guidelines for enabling each feature, where applicable.
Customer Information
This section describes the new and enhanced customer information features in this release, including:
Customer 360 Portal Zones
The Customer 360 portal provides an enriched view of a customer with the following updates:
• New Program Enrollment zone:
• Allows you to review a customer's program-related contextual insights like payment methods, budget billing arrangements, e-billing preferences, and web account availability. Each program is displayed as its own contextual insight and allows you to quickly enroll the customer into a program, if required.
• Enhanced Customer Activity History zone:
• The multi-select filter enables you to choose a subset of activities to display. The filter also allows you to select and display all the activities by clicking one checkbox.
• The list of applicable activity categories for the account has been expanded to include Payment Arrangement, Service Order, Device Event activities, Cash-only and Credit Rating histories.
• The Display Icon Override Configuration master configuration's Service Agreement maintenance object option includes a Service Agreement Type for overriding the Service Agreement maintenance object icon (for example, for assigning a custom icon for payment arrangement service agreement). The master configuration also provides a new Service Agreement Relationship option for overriding the SA Relationship maintenance object icon.
• Enhanced Financial Details zone tabs:
• Enhanced Usage and Billing tab:
• The Billing and Usage Display Configuration master configuration now provides color previews when configuring the Usage and Billing tab.
• An Hourly View time scale for viewing a customer's hourly usage details on a specific day.
• Cost Graph View:
• The Bill Summary Cost bar tooltip now includes summary information about cancelled and/or rebilled bill segments that may have occurred after bill completion. Also, the ending balance is no longer displayed.
• The Ending Balance bar tooltip, for bills based on balance forward accounts, now displays various financial summary information for a bill (such as the previous period's balance, total payments, total adjustments, total billing corrections, total current billing charges, and ending balance).
• Table View:
• Related entries automatically expand by default when changing from the Graph view to the Table view.
• Enhanced Financial History tab:
• Previous and Next buttons replace the previous page navigation options.
• Expandable financial event details without having to go to the next page to see further details.
• Enhanced Payment Agreements tab:
• Support for payment arrangement for bills.
• Indicates if a payment arrangement's scheduled payment is partially received and remaining amount due. The dates of received payments are also displayed.
• Indicates if a pay plan's scheduled payment is partially received and the remaining amount due.
• New Credit & Collection tab:
• Displays the latest information for these processes in Tree view:
• Collection and Severance: Shows active collection processes or collection processes associated with active severance processes for the account. If there are no active collection processes or collection processes associated with active severance processes, the system may display the most recent inactive collection process by debt class.
• Overdue and Cut: Shows active overdue processes or overdue processes associated with active cut processes for the account. If there are no active overdue processes or overdue processes associated with active cut processes, the system may display the most recent inactive overdue processes.
• Write Off: Shows active write processes linked to the account. If there are no active write off processes, the system may display the most recent inactive write off process by write off debt class.
You can use the tree to view high-level information and transfer to the maintenance page of the record.
The enhanced Customer 360 portal zones provide you with a more complete view of the customer, which makes it easier for you to handle account maintenance requests and the most common inquiries.
Steps To Enable
Refer to the Defining Customer 360 Options section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Dashboard Portal Zones
The Customer and Premise Tree zones of the Dashboard portal provide a more intuitive user experience with the following additions or enhancements:
• Customer zone:
• The Person's alternative name is displayed if available.
• The Account drop-down does not appear for a Person with multiple accounts. The Customer Insights zone of the Customer 360 portal may be configured with an insight for this situation.
• Premise Tree zone
• The Status string of smart meters at a service point are shorter and indicate if the meters are "Connected," "Disconnected," or "Removed." Previously, the text included the commissioning status.
• The Device information string is shorter and only includes the Device ID and Device Type description
You can more accurately interact with your customers using important customer-related information displayed by the Dashboard portal zones.
Steps To Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Person ID Usage - Installation Options
You can now specify when you want to capture primary identification details for a person through the Person ID Usage drop-down in the Person tab on the Installation Options portal. You can instruct the system to capture the details if the person is linked to an account, the main customer of the account, or financially responsible for the account's debt. Previously, identification details were captured when the pre-configured option was "Optional" or "Required".
This provides the flexibility to define when to capture primary identification details based on the person's relationship with the account.
Steps To Enable
To enable this feature, refer to the Defining Installation Options section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Service Agreement Information Algorithm Type and Algorithm
The Service Agreement Information algorithm type (C1SAMOINFO) can be used to retrieve a number of fields from the input service agreement Id which can be used as substitution variables for deriving messages to be used as output Information strings. Soft parameters define the message number and corresponding substitution variables to be used for building each output information string.
The Service Agreement Information (C1SAMOINFO) algorithm, based on the C1SAMOINFO algorithm type, is configured by default on the SA (Service Agreement) maintenance object.
Refer to the Detailed Description on the C1SAMOINFO (Service Agreement Information) algorithm type for more information about this algorithm type and algorithm.
Steps to Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Contextual Insights
This section describes the new and enhanced contextual insights features in this release, including:
Financially Responsible Person
The C1-FINPER-BADGE (Financially Responsible Person) insight type enables you to surface focused alerts about the Person's financial role (Main Person, Financially Responsible Person, or Third Party Guarantor) on an account.
This contextual insight can help you can elevate your customer service interactions by increasing your knowledge about the customer in the most appropriate screens.
Steps To Enable
Configure the insight type on the appropriate Insight Groups. Refer to the Insight Groups section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Highlight In Progress Start/Stop/Transfer Requests
The C1-CSRQSST-LIST (Highlight In Progress Start/Stop/Transfer Requests) insight type allows you to surface focused alerts about the following process flows for the customer or premise in context:
• Start Service Request
• Stop Service Request
• Transfer Service Request
Steps To Enable
Configure the insight type on the appropriate Insight Groups. Refer to the Insight Groups section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Highlight Premise Service Information
The C1CSRTPREMSI (Highlight Premise Service Information) algorithm type can surface additional service point and meter details that can be used on contextual insights. The Control Central Alert algorithm type is used by the C1-PREMSVC-LIST (Highlight Premise Service Info - List) insight type.
You can elevate your customer service interactions by providing Premise service contextual insights on the most applicable screens.
Steps To Enable
Configure the insight type on the appropriate Insight Groups. Refer to the Insight Groups section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Pending Start/Stop Service Agreements
These Insight Types enables you to surface focused intelligence about pending Start/Stop service agreement information:
• C1-PNDSTR-BADGE (Highlight Pending Start) - Badge insight for pending Start service agreements
• C1-PNDSTR-LIST (Highlight Pending Start) - List insight for pending Start service agreements
• C1-PNDSTP-LIST (Highlight Pending Stop) - List insight for pending Stop service agreements
You can elevate your customer service interactions by providing pending Start/Stop badge and/or list contextual insights on the most applicable screens.
Steps To Enable
Configure the insight type on the appropriate Insight Groups. Refer to the Insight Groups section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Person and Premise Life Support/Sensitive Load
The following Control Central Alert algorithm-based Insight Types allows you to surface focused alerts, for Premises and Persons with life support or sensitive load information, on applicable screens:
• C1-PERLSSL-BADGE (Highlight Person Life Support/Sensitive Load)
• C1-PRMLSSL-BADGE (Highlight Premise Life Support/Sensitive Load)
You can use these alerts to more effectively interact with customers within the context of the current business process.
Steps To Enable
Configure the insight type on the appropriate Insight Groups. Refer to the Insight Groups section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Insight Classes
Additional Insight Classes were added to designated areas within corresponding UI Maps for specific zones, which enables you to configure new Insight Types with defined valid visual structures and render these in the designated areas. Insight Classes serve as placeholders within specific zones for rendering contextual insights.
You can elevate your customer service interactions by providing quick access to key information from the most appropriate zones.
Steps To Enable
Refer to the Customer 360 - Customer Insights section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Program Enrollment Contextual Insights
The following Insight Types enable you to surface focused alerts about various programs a customer may or may not be enrolled in and to initiate the appropriate actions where required:
• C1-APAYENRL-LIST (Auto Pay Enrollment)
• C1-BUDGENRL-LIST (Budget Billing Enrollment)
• C1-EBILLENRL-LIST (E-Bill Enrollment)
• C1-WEBENRL-LIST (Web Enrollment)
These contextual insights can help you elevate your customer service interactions by increasing your knowledge about the customer in the most appropriate screens.
Steps To Enable
Configure the insight type on the appropriate Insight Groups. Refer to the Insight Groups section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Start, Stop, and Transfer Service Request Processing
This section describes the new and enhanced start, stop, and transfer service request processing features in this release, including:
Agent Contact Scripting for Start/Service/Transfer Service Request Process Flows
The Customer Service Request Type enables you to define contact scripting for call center agents. Your agents can use the contact scripting as they work through a Start, Stop or Transfer Service Request process flow for a customer who is on the phone. The agents can also read the contact script to the customer to handle requests for customer data or for information-only notices.
You can specify the contact script text to display in predefined locations or script points related to the following in start service request process flows:
• For the type of person linked to the start service request process flow (Person or Business):
• New Customer Identification Introduction
• Identification Request
• Date of Birth Explanation
• Life Support/Sensitive Load
• Phone Number Advisory
• Email Address Advisory
• For the Customer Class for the account linked to the start service request process flow:
• Other Persons on Account
• Paperless Billing Advisory
You can specify the contact script text to display in predefined locations or script points related to the following in stop service request process flows:
• For the type of person linked to the stop service request process flow (Person or Business):
• Life Support/Sensitive Load
• Phone Number Advisory
• Email Address Advisory
• For the Customer Class for the account linked to the stop service request process flow:
• Other Persons on Account
• Paperless Billing Advisory
You can specify the contact script text to display in predefined locations or script points related to the following in transfer service request process flows:
• For the type of person linked to the transfer service request process flow (Person or Business):
• Life Support/Sensitive Load
• Phone Number Advisory
• Email Address Advisory
• For the Customer Class for the account linked to the transfer service request process flow:
• Other Persons on Account
• Paperless Billing Advisory
Steps To Enable
Refer to Adding Custom Text to the Start, Stop, and Transfer Processes in the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Tips And Considerations
If your implementation has added custom elements through data area extensions, the extensions can reference custom script points. To implement custom script points, ensure your map fragment’s class attribute is set to “contact-script-point” and the scriptPoint attribute is set to the CM script point extendable lookup value. For example, <div class="contact-script-point" scriptPoint="CM-NewScriptPoint"/>.
Custom Panel Elements in Start/Stop/Transfer Service Request Process Flows
Extension-related data areas enable you to add custom elements at the bottom of panels for the Start Service Request, Stop Service Request, and Transfer Service Request process flows. The panels to which you can insert implementation-specific elements and user interface hints or fragments are as follows:
• Start Service Request
• Move To Premise Address
• Customer Identification
• Services To Start
• Person and Account Details
• Stop Service Request
• Services To Stop
• Person and Account Details
• Transfer Service Request
• Move To Premise Address
• Services to Start
• Services to Stop
• Person and Account Details
Similarly, Customer Service Request business objects related to these process flows now have their own corresponding extension-related data areas. Your extended data areas must match the corresponding extensions in the process flow panels. The processing associated with each process flow will pass the implementation-specific elements to the applicable Customer Service Request-related records.
Steps To Enable
Refer to Capturing Custom Elements in the Start, Stop, and Transfer Processes in the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Review and Submit Panels for Start/Stop/Transfer Service Request Process Flows
The Review and Submit panel replaces the Summary panel on process flows that are based on application-owned Process Flow Types for start, stop, and transfer service requests. The panel allows you to review information captured from previous panels, go back to the appropriate panel to update specific information, and then submit the information to process the service request and create and/or update the appropriate customer records.
This table lists the information appearing on the Review and Submit panel per service request process flow.
Service Request Process Flow Section
Section
Start
Starting Services
Person and Account Details
Stop
Stopping Services
Person and Account Details
Transfer
Starting Services
Stopping Services
Person and Account Details
In addition, these Customer Service Request Type business objects have been enhanced to support the Review and Submit panel on process flows:
• C1-StartServiceRequestType (Start Service Request Type)
• C1-StopServiceRequestType (Stop Service Request Type)
• C1-TransferServiceRequestType (Transfer Service Request Type)
The C1-StartServiceRequestType business object allows you to override the Start Services Review section, C1-StopServiceRequestType allows you to override the Stop Services Review section, and C1-TransferServiceRequestType allows you to override the Start Services Review and Stop Services Review sections with your custom replacement UI sections. All three business objects also allow you to override the Person and Account Details Review sections with your custom replacement UI sections, and the Navigation Option and Label so you can choose to navigate to an alternative page instead of Control Central after the process flow finishes.
Steps to Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Key Resources
Refer to the Setting Up Start, Stop and Transfer Request Types section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Enhanced Customer Identification Process Flow Panel for Start Service Requests
A number of improvements have been made to the Customer Identification panel on process flows that are based on the application-owned Process Flow Type for start service requests. These can be summarized as follows:
• Allows you to reuse your search information to create a new Person record for the start service request using the Create New Customer button when there is no person in context and Person Search does not return any records. You can specify the Person Contact Type for the phone number, Email Contact Type for the email address, and update the ID Type for the identification details.
• Allows you to perform one of these actions when there is no person in context but Person Search returns records:
• Run a search with updated information if the customer's Person record is not returned
• Use the Create New Customer button to add a Person record
• Select from the results and use an existing Person record
• Advises you if the Person record is without valid primary identification details when there is a person in context or you selected a Person Search result. You can enter these details on the panel and continue progressing the process flow. The Accounts for Service section also displays a message for each account that is ineligible for service if you selected the "Existing" option or a new account is not allowed for a start service request.
• Enables you to review the outcome of various checks or assessments through messages appearing after the following user actions (these are defined in specific configuration settings or plugin spots on the Customer Service Request Type referenced by the process flow):
• Determining if an ID/Credit Check should be performed (triggered by the new Continue button)
• ID/Credit Check (triggered by the existing Verify ID button)
• Determining if a deposit is required (triggered by the new Check Deposit Requirement button)
• Defaults the Customer Class from the Installation Options based on the Person or Business flag set on the process flow.
There are also several changes to the C1-StartServiceRequestType (Start Service Request Type) business object:
• For Primary Identifier Types, the "New" option in the Usage drop-down is now "New and Non-Identifying". You can use this option for ID Types to be used as a primary identifier for new persons but are not considered valid when performing ID/Credit Checks as their values may not be unique for verification purposes.
• You can specify one of these Date of Birth Usage options to indicate when to be prompted for the person's date of birth on the Customer Identification process flow panel:
• Always
• For ID/Credit Check
• For Starting Service
• The Store Date of Birth on Person label replaces the Date of Birth Characteristic Type label to make it clear where the information may be stored.
Steps to Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Key Resources
Refer to the Setting Up Start, Stop and Transfer Request Types section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Enhanced Deposit Required Algorithm Types
The following algorithm types for processing start or transfer service requests streamline the deposit assessment processes:
• C1REQDEPBACR (Require Deposit Based on Account's Credit Rating) - When the account's credit rating meets or exceeds the threshold, a message is no longer displayed
• C1DEPEXBAGE (Deposit Exemption Based On Age) - If the customer is exempt from a deposit based on age then subsequent algorithms plugged into the same plugin spot are not performed.
• C1DEPEXMPBAH (Deposit Exemption Based On Account History) - When the account does not have an active or recent service, this advises you that a deposit is required.
• C1REQDEPAID (Require Deposit Based On ID and Credit Check) - Indicates whether a deposit is required:
• Since an ID or credit check was not performed
• Since the ID or credit check did not pass
• Since the ID or credit check indicates that the information provided is possibly fraudulent
• Based on an external credit score
Steps to Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Key Resources
Refer to the Setting Up Start, Stop and Transfer Request Types section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Start/Stop Date Validation in Start/Stop/Transfer Service Request Process Flows
A message now appears when the applicable date validation algorithm, based on the C1VALSVCSD (Validate Service Start Date) or C1VALSVCSTD (Validate Service Stop Date) application-owned algorithm type, determines that the start or stop date on a process flow (based on an application-owned Process Flow Type) is not within the predefined range and the algorithm is configured to allow you to still proceed.
Steps to Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Postal Code Defaults and Mailing/Seasonal Address Validation in Start/Stop/Transfer Service Request Process Flows
Start, stop, and transfer service request process flows based on the application-owned Process Flow Types now automatically defaults the city, county, and state of the related Postal Code Default administration record if the postal code is changed on the Person and Account Details panel. In addition, if the existing Address Validation capability is enabled, you can use the Validate button(s) on the Person and Account Details panel to validate the mailing and/or seasonal address details.
Steps to Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Key Resources
Refer to the Implementing Address Validation section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Paperless Billing Validation in Start/Stop/Transfer Service Request Process Flows
The system automatically notifies you when the Paperless Billing option is selected and the customer does not have an active email address.
This ensures that customers with paperless billing provide an active email address before the system initiates email interactions.
Steps To Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Initiate Start or Transfer Service Request Process Flow with a Starting Premise
You can identify a move-to (starting) premise prior to initiating a process flow for a start or transfer service request. A process flow, based on an application-owned Process Flow Type for a start or transfer service request, can receive a Premise ID to prepopulate on the Move-To-Premise Address panel of the flow.
Steps to Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Start Service Request Process Flow Cancellation - Auto Person/Account Clean Up
Canceling (deleting) a Start Service Request will automatically delete the Person and/or Account record created by that process flow.
Auto Person/Account Clean Up reduces the number of Person and/or Account records to maintain for customers you do not have an immediate ongoing relationship with.
Steps To Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Customer Service Request Maintenance Object
You can now capture creation and completion details associated with start, stop, and transfer service requests like Created by User, Final Date/Time, and Final User in new fields on the C1_CSREQ (Customer Service Request) maintenance object.
This feature enables you to extract additional information through the Generalized Data Export for use by external systems.
Steps to Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Tips and Considerations
For upgrading implementations, you can run the C1-UPCSR (Update Customer Service Requests) batch process to populate the following fields on the Customer Service Request table:
• Created by User (C1_CREATED_BY_USER)
• Final Date Time (C1_FINAL_DTTM)
• Final User (C1_FINAL_UESR).
Service Agreements to Start Determination
The system determines the Service Agreement Types for new service agreements based on the previous services, regardless of status, when the previous services are on the same account. The Start SA switch on the service agreements to start reflects the services that are currently switched on or off. When all services are switched off, the service agreements are defaulted to start.
Previously, when previous services have different statuses such as an active electric service and a stopped water service, the new electric service was based on the active electric service and the water service was based on the initial Service Agreement Types defined for the service point's Service Point Type. If Service Agreement Types were not configured as initial for the Service Point Type, service agreements for the service point were not shown and prevented the start service on the service point via the Start/Stop function.
Steps To Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Service Agreements to Start for a Service Point Derivation
The system only includes the service agreement to start based on the Service Agreement Type from the current or recent service for the service point. Additionally, the system automatically notifies you when starting the service to indicate that the Service Agreement Type is not the default for the service point's Service Point Type.
Previously, the system included the Service Agreement Type matching the current or recent service (defaulted to start) and the initial Service Agreement Type for the service point's Service Point Type (defaulted not to start), thus more than one service agreement could be unintentionally started for the service point.
Steps To Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
"Add All SA Type When None Are Initial" Feature Configuration Option Type
The "Add All SA Type When None Are Initial" option type, for the Customer Information Options feature configuration type, provides control over the behavior when you are starting service for the first time at a service point and initial Service Agreement Types have not been configured as initial service agreement types on the service point's Service Point Type.
Steps To Enable
To enable this feature, configure the "Add All SA Type When None Are Initial" option type on the applicable Customer Information Options feature configuration type.
• If the feature option type is set, an entry for each Service Agreement Type for the service point's Service Point Type is created in lieu of a single row without a service agreement type. All entries default to not starting and you must select the service(s) to start from the collection.
• If the feature option type is not set, a single entry is added to the service agreement collection to be started and linked to the service point. The added service agreement allows you to select the Service Agreement Type for the service agreement to start.
Customer Interactions
This section describes the new and enhanced customer interaction features in this release, including:
Template-based Outbound Notifications
You can now initiate template-based outbound notifications to an external system for communication delivery (for example, via email or SMS) and include customer-specific information to provide more personalized interaction. Previously, only message-based notifications were available based on application-owned business objects.
These new application-owned business objects enable you to create Notification Types for template-based notifications:
• C1-NotifTypeTmplSubscription (Template-Based Subscription Notification Type) - Customers must sign up or subscribe to receive these types of notifications
• C1-NotifTypeTmplParentPush (Template-Based Parent Push Notification Type) - Customers do not need to sign up to receive these types of notifications
• C1-NotifTypeTmplIndividualPush (Template-Based Individual Push Notification Type) - Customers do not need to sign up to receive these types of notifications
Notification Types based on the C1-NotifTypeTmplSubscription or C1-NotifTypeTmplIndividualPush business object allows you to:
• Optionally plug in an Override Delivery Information algorithm to override the logic that retrieves active contact preferences or the default contact information for an account. The application-owned C1OVINVGSTDI (Override Invite Guest Delivery Information) algorithm allows you to only use email as the delivery type if required.
• Plug in one or more Template Data algorithms to retrieve information to include in the outbound template-based notification. These application-owned Template Data algorithms are available for use if these meet your implementation-specific requirements:
• C1GUESTNTFTD (Guest Notification Template Data) - Retrieves guest-related details such as guest name, guest email, and so on
• C1BILLINFTMP (Bill Information Template Data) - Retrieves bill-related details such as Bill ID, due date, amount due, and so on
• C1PAYINFTMPD (Payment Information Template Data) - Retrieves payment-related details such as payment amount
• C1COLLNFTMP (Collection Notification Template Data) - Retrieves collection-related details such as amount due and arrears date
• Define one or more Template Names for each Delivery Type per Language and use on the resulting outbound notifications.
The following algorithms now support message- and template-based Notification Types:
• C1-BLDNTFPRF (Build Notifications For Notification Preference) - Used on the Notify state of these service task-related business objects:
• WX-NotifyBillDueTask (Bill Due Notification Task)
• WX-NotifyBillReadyTask (Bill Ready Notification Task)
• WX-NotifyLatePayTask (Late Payment Notification Task)
• WX-NotifyPayReceivedTask (Payment Received Notification Task)
• The Lead Event Completion algorithm based on the C1-LECNTPF (Create Notification Using Notification Preferences) algorithm type. Used on the C1-LeadEvtTypeUseNotifPref (Notify Customer Using Communication Preferences) business object.
• Algorithms based on the C1-DETTOPUP (Determine If Top Up Needed) algorithm type. Used on the Determine if Top Up Needed state of the C1-PrepayBillerTask (Prepay Biller Task) business object.
• Algorithms based on the C1-CHKBSSTAT (Check PPB Bill Segment Status) algorithm type. Used on the Calculating Bill Segment state of the C1-PrepayBillerTask (Prepay Biller Task) business object.
Note: The application-owned C1-NotificationType business object has been updated to indicate that it is used for message-based notifications. In this release, you can plug in an Override Delivery Information algorithm for subscription and individual push-related message-based Notification Types.
Template-based outbound notifications elevate your customer interactions with more personalized digital communications.
Steps to Enable
To enable this feature, refer to the Setting Up Notification Preference Options section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Oracle Responsys Integration for Transactional Outbound Notifications
The integration to Oracle Responsys enables you to send Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter initiated transactional notifications and correspondence to customers via email or SMS based on their preferred communication channel(s). This end-to-end solution provides the capability to:
• Define template-based Notification Types for each type of outbound notification or correspondence in Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter
• Define algorithms to extract the data required for each type of outbound notification or correspondence in Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter
• Configure the corresponding Notification Templates in Oracle Responsys
• Use Notification Hub for notification queues, enrichment, and communication with Oracle Responsys
The Oracle Integration Cloud-based Notification Hub manages the communication between Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter and Oracle Responsys.
Steps to Enable
To enable this feature, refer to the Configuration Guide related to the integration for more information.
Rating and Billing
This section describes the new and enhanced rate and billing features in this release, including:
Enhanced Stepped Service Quantity Calculation Rule Type for Prorated Bill Segments
The Override SQ Algorithm plugin spot allows you to specify an algorithm to override a step service quantity calculated by a step rule on rate calculation rules based on the C1-SteppedSQ (Stepped Service Quantity) business object. This may be useful in billing scenarios, involving a tiered rate schedule with a unit rate change, resulting in applicable service quantities not adding up to a tier's upper limit. Additionally, you can define Step Group values in the STEP_GROUP_FLG (Step Group) lookup to enable combining step rules for evaluation and adjustment as a group.
You can use the application-owned C1-OVRDSTPSQ (Override Step Service Quantity) algorithm in the plugin spot to ensure that the total calculated step service quantities do not exceed the step limit (prorated due to rate version or value break) and the calculated service quantities sum up to the billable service quantity. If the algorithm does not meet your specific requirements, you can configure a custom implementation-specific algorithm for the plugin spot.
Note: This feature only applies to Stepped Service Quantity based calculation rules where the Seasonal attribute is set to "No."
This reduces end customer complaints or calls and frees up your call center agents by ensuring service quantities in a prorated bill are consistent at all levels.
Steps to Enable
To enable this feature, refer to the Detailed Description on the C1-OVRDSTPSQ (Override Step Service Quantity) algorithm.
Rate Calculation Rule - Derive Value Algorithm Types
The following Calculation Rule - Derive Value algorithm types are provided for use in various calculation rules:
• C1MDMACRED (MDMA Credits) - Creates an appropriate Characteristic Type and Value to handle credits issued to a customer. Issuance of credits is a result of the customer's meter being read by a third-party service provider.
• C1SEASDAY (Seasonal Days in a Billing Period) - Creates an entry in the service quantity (SQ) array that contains the number of days in the current bill period that fall in a defined season.
• C1CALCDA (Calculate Characteristic Type/ Value if Service Agreement Relationship Types Exist) - Defines the types of parameters supplied to a service quantity rule that creates an appropriate Characteristic Type and Value.
• C1MOMSCRED (Meter Ownership and MSP Credits) - Returns the number of meters that are not owned by the company.
• C1BILLCRED (Bill Credits For Electric Consolidated Billing) - Define the types of parameters supplied to a service quantity rule that creates an appropriate Characteristic Type and Value
These algorithm types will help reduce implementation-specific extensions when migrating from the component-based rating engine to the rules-based rating engine.
Steps to Enable
To enable these features, refer to the Detailed Description on the new Calculation Rule - Derive Value algorithm types.
Valid Device Configuration Types Processing for Rate Schedules
Creating or updating a service agreement triggers a validation process to check if the Rate Schedule defined on the service agreement relates to a valid device configuration type (or types) based on the devices installed at the service points to be billed.
The Rate Schedule portal provides a new Device Configuration Type section that allows you to review the list of valid device configuration types. The system only displays the section when you define the rate schedule in the D2-CCBRateScheduleLookup (CCB Rate Schedule) extendable lookup. The list of valid device configuration types is a combination of:
• Device configuration types defined in the extendable lookup with an Override Calculation Usage Group
• Device configuration types for the default Usage Calculation Group defined in the extendable lookup
Steps to Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Payment Processing
This section describes the new and enhanced payment processing features in this release, including:
Support for NACHA’s Web Debit Account Validation Rule
Automated Clearing House (ACH) originators of web debits, are required to validate a customer's checking or savings account prior to using the account for the first time for an electronic payment. This release enhances several business objects, entities, and batch controls to provide support for the web debit account validation rule.
Business Objects (associated with Inbound Web Services (IWS))
• WX-AutoPayTask (Automatic Payment Setup Task)
• The CXAutoPaySetUp (Auto Pay Setup) and WXAutoPaySetup (Auto Pay Setup) inbound web services create an automatic payment self-service task for setting up the customer's account with auto-pay details.
• The WX-AutoPayTask business object includes the "Account Validation" lifecycle state that provides:
• A Business Object: Enter algorithm that calls the Web Debit Account Validation plugin spot when the service task's Web Debit Account Validation flag is set to "Yes" and the account number is not referenced on the account's existing Auto Pay options or Person Self-Service Options.
• A Business Object: Monitor algorithm checks the status of the account validation process and transitions the self-service task to the next appropriate state such as Process Auto Pay Set Up, Account Validation Error, or Rejected.
• The WX-AutoPayTask business object also includes the "Account Validation Error" state that provides:
• A Business Object: Enter algorithm that creates a To Do Entry error.
• A Business Object: Monitor algorithm for retry processing.
• A Business Object: Monitor algorithm for wait timeout processing that checks if the service task has been in the current state for too long, based on the Wait Timeout Threshold configured on the service task type. If the threshold is exceeded, the algorithm creates a To Do Entry using the To Do Type or To Do Role configured on the service task type and transitions the service task to the Discarded state.
• The related WX-AutoPayTaskType (Automatic Payment Setup Task Type) business object provides an attribute to indicate whether or not the account (first time to be used for an electronic payment) requires web debit account validation.
• The Main tab of the Automatic Payment Setup self-service task includes an Account Validation Details section with the following fields:
• Web Debit Account Validation Status - Specifies the validation status of the account.
• Error Wait Timeout Date/Time - Automatically populated if the service task in in the Account Validation Error state.
• WX-OneTimePayTask (One Time Payment Task)
• The CXMakePayment (Make One Time Payment) and WXMakePayment (Make One Time Payment) inbound web services create a One Time Payment Task self-service task for managing an immediate or scheduled one-time payment. The created task is based on the WX-OneTimePayTask (One Time Payment Task) business object.
• The WX-OneTimePayTask business object includes the "Account Validation" lifecycle state that provides:
• A Business Object: Enter algorithm that calls the Web Debit Account Validation plugin spot when the service task's Web Debit Account Validation flag is set to "Yes" and the account number is not referenced on the account's existing Auto Pay options or Person Self-Service Options.
• A Business Object: Monitor algorithm checks the status of the account validation process and transitions the self-service task to the next appropriate state such as Process Auto Pay Set Up, Account Validation Error, or Rejected.
• The WX-AutoPayTask business object also includes the "Account Validation Error" state that provides:
• A Business Object: Enter algorithm that creates a To Do Entry error.
• A Business Object: Monitor algorithm for retry processing.
• A Business Object: Monitor algorithm for wait timeout processing that checks if the service task has been in the current state for too long, based on the Wait Timeout Threshold configured on the service task type. If the threshold is exceeded, the algorithm creates a To Do Entry using the To Do Type or To Do Role configured on the service task type and transitions the service task to the Discarded state.
• The related WX-OneTimePayTaskType (One Time Payment Task Type) business object provides an attribute to indicate whether or not the account (first time to be used for an electronic payment) requires web debit account validation.
• The Main tab of the One Time Payment Task self-service task includes a Web Debit Account Validation Details section with the following fields:
• Web Debit Account Validation Status - Specifies the validation status of the account.
• Error Wait Timeout Date/Time - Automatically populated if the service task in the Account Validation Error state.
Entities
The Auto Pay Clearing Staging Record provides a Prenote switch. The base-provided algorithm for Web Debit Account Validation that performs ACH prenotification sets the switch to "True" when the prenotification auto pay staging record is created.
The following entities provide a plugin spot for the Web Debit Account Validation algorithm:
• Auto Pay Route Type
• CIS Division in the Auto Pay Route Type Override Controls
You can use the plugin spots to validate the checking or savings account to be used for the first time for web-initiated one-time payments or recurring bill auto pay enrollments. In addition, the base product provides an algorithm for one type of prenotification method for account validation. The Web Debit Account Validation algorithm creates a pre-notification auto pay staging record (request) with a zero payment amount and the rest of the auto pay information that includes the new account number.
Batch Controls
The following batch controls can populate the Entry Details section of an ACH extract record with the "28 (Check Debit Prenote)" or "38 (Savings Debit Prenote)" Transaction Code if the related Auto Pay staging record is a pre-notification:
• APAYACH (Auto Pay Extract – ACH)
• C1-APACH (Auto Pay Extract – ACH (with offset days parameters))
In addition, these batch controls use the Prenote switch to stamp the specific transaction code on the checking or savings debit prenotification.
These enhancements reduce the need for implementation-specific extensions to support NACHA's web debit account validation rule.
Steps To Enable
Account Validation Error State
The Business Object: Enter algorithm for creating a To Do Entry error is an instance of the F1-TDCREATE algorithm type (Oracle Utilities Application Framework), which specifies the new C1-AVETD To Do Type as soft parameter. To use the Retry Account Validation monitor algorithm (instance of F1-TODORETRY algorithm type) plugged in to the Account Validation Error state, add an algorithm parameter instance that also specifies the Retry Frequency (parameter 11).
The Business Object: Monitor algorithm for retry processing is an instance of TODORETRY algorithm type (Oracle Utilities Application Framework). To use this Account Validation Error state algorithm, add an algorithm parameter instance that specifies the Maximum Retry (parameter 1).
Entities
If your implementation will not use the base package supplied Web Debit Account Validation algorithm, plug in your custom algorithm for initiating that validation process.
Receipt Printing Using Point-of-Sale Printers - Additional Samples
Additional BPA Script and UI Map samples for Payment Event, Payment Quick Add, and Payment Event Quick Add transactions enable you to use additional fields for printing receipts or endorsements when using the sample receipt printer functionality as a starting point. The additional fields include information related to organization, payments, tender, and endorsements.
The new BPA Scripts and UI Maps include the following:
• BPA Scripts
• C1-PyEvtPrt (Payment Event Print)
• C1-PyEvQAPrt (Payment Event Quick Add Print)
• C1-PyQAPrt (Payment Quick Add Print)
• UI Maps
• C1-PaymentEventPrint (Payment Event Print)
• C1-PaymentEventQuickAddPrint (Payment Event Quick Add Print)
• C1-PmtQuickAddPrint (Payment Quick Add Print)
Each BPA Script calls the appropriate sample UI Map to open Print Options. Selecting an option (for example, Endorse, Receipt, or Stub) launches the browser's printer dialog.
In addition, updates to the Point of Sale (POS) Printer Integration master configuration provide the ability to capture the following information used by the BPA Scripts:
• Company Name
• Company Premise
• Payment Receipt and Endorsement Messages
These additional samples reduce the need for implementation-specific extensions.
Steps to Enable
To enable this feature, refer to the Receipt Printing section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Optional Products Installation Guide for more information.
Tips and Considerations
For upgrading implementations, you can run the C1-UPPSC (Update Point of Sale Integration Config) batch process to update the enhanced Point of Sale (POS) Printer Integration master configuration with the existing Point-of-Sale related configuration from Installation Options.
These existing BPA Scripts and UI Maps are not planned to be enhanced but the descriptions have been updated to indicate for network printer use:
• BPA Scripts
• C1-PEAddPrt (Payment Event Print - for network printers)
• C1-PEQAddPrt (Payment Event Quick Add Print - for network printers)
• C1-PyQAddPrt (Payment Quick Add Print - for network printers)
• UI Maps
• C1-PayEventAddPrint (Payment Event Print - for network printers)
• C1-PayEventQuickAddPrint (Payment Event Quick Add Print - for network printers)
• C1-PaymentQuickAddPrint (Payment Quick Add Print - for network printers)
Credit and Collections
This section describes the new and enhanced credit and collections features in this release, including:
Use SA's Service Type Parameter on COLL EVT SEV Algorithm Type
You can set the Use SA's Service Type (Y/N) parameter in algorithms based on the COLL EVT SEV (Nominate A Single SA To Sever) algorithm type to define the service agreement to sever when different service agreement Service Types are associated with a single service point's Service Type. For example, when water and wastewater service agreements are both associated with a "water" service type. Setting the parameter to "Y" instructs the system to use the service agreement's Service Type. Setting the parameter to "N" instructs the system to use the service point's Service Type and choose the service agreement with the highest balance to sever, regardless of the service agreement's Service Type. Note that when service agreements and service points have the same service type, the setting of the parameter does not have any impact.
The new parameter provides additional flexibility to determine the service agreement to sever as part of collections processing.
Steps To Enable
To enable this feature, complete these steps:
1. Update algorithms based on the COLL EVT SEV (Nominate A Single SA To Sever) algorithm type.
2. Set the Use SA's Service Type (Y/N) parameter to the value that meets your business requirements.
Key Resources
Refer to the How To Nominate A Single Service To Sever (Rather Than Sever Everything That's In Arrears) section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Support for Digital Communication-related Collection Process Events
The application-owned C1COLLEVTNOT (Collection Event Notification) algorithm type enables you to initiate the creation of template-based notifications to be sent to an external system (for example, Oracle Responsys) for communication delivery. C1COLLEVTNOT-based algorithms can be configured on applicable Collection Event Types, which can then be defined in the required Collection Process Templates, enabling you to include digital collection events as part of your collection processes to trigger outbound notifications to encourage customers to pay their outstanding debt (for example, communication via email and SMS).
This algorithm type lowers your collections costs and increases customers' likelihood of paying off outstanding debt.
Steps to Enable
To enable this feature, refer to the Setting Up Collection Event Types section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Data Synchronization
This section describes the new and enhanced data synchronization features in this release, including:
Synchronization of Notification Contact Preference Information
Activating or deactivating an account's push- or subscription-based notification’s contact preference information triggers the creation of a synchronization request to initiate the sending of an outbound message to the edge application (for example, Oracle Utilities Network Management System) that requires or used that notification contact preference information. The Edge Application Notification section of the Notification Preferences master configuration allows you to define the Notification Types and External System related configuration of the other edge applications to be notified after activation or deactivation of the appropriate notification contact preference.
Note: The C1-NCPIL (Notification Preference Sync Initial Load) batch control creates initial Notification Contact Preference synchronization request records that can be used for initiating the initial loading of notification contact preference information into other Edge applications.
This synchronization will help decrease project implementation costs, duration, and risk.
Steps to Enable
To enable this feature, refer to the Other Edge Application Notification section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide for more information.
Synchronization of Person’s Life Support/Sensitive Load Information to Metering Contact Record
The system automatically synchronizes the Life Support/Sensitive Load information on a Person record to the related metering Contact record. Note that the metering Contact record is not viewable and editable on the user interface. Previously, the system only synchronized the Life Support/Sensitive Load information on a Premise record to the related metering Service Point record.
Steps to Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Web Services
This section describes the new and enhanced web services features in this release, including:
Additional and Enhanced REST APIs for the Integration Suite Web Service Category
The following REST API Inbound Web Services expose various customer-related entities and data, and provide capabilities to create, manage, and/or view data:
• C1-Adjustment (Adjustment) - Creates, maintains, and displays adjustment information
• C1-Budget (Budget) - View account's budget information
• C1-Case (Case) - Creates, maintains, and displays case information
• C1-CollectionProcess (Collection Process) - Creates, maintains, and displays collection process information
• C1-CutProcess (Cut Process) - Maintains and displays cut process information
• C1-LandlordAgreement (Landlord Agreement) - Maintains and displays landlord agreement information
• C1-NotificationPreferencesForAccounts (Notification Preferences for Accounts) - Retrieves notification preferences for a collection of accounts and notification types
• C1-OverdueProcess (Overdue Process) - Creates, maintains, and displays overdue process information
• C1-PayPlan (Pay Plan) - Creates, maintains, and displays pay plan information
• C1-SeveranceProcess (Severance Process) - Creates, maintains, and displays severance process information
• C1-WebUser (Web User) - Creates, maintains, and displays web user information
• C1-WebUserAccount (Web User Account) - Creates, maintains, and displays web user’s account information
• C1-WriteOffProcess (Write Off Process) - Creates, maintains, and displays write off process information
Steps to Enable
Refer to the Oracle Utilities REST API documentation.
Tips and Considerations
The REST web service library for the Integration Suite web service category requires a separate Integration Suite license. The REST inbound web service references a service script that requires an Application Service for security purposes.
Role Information
System administrators should grant users submitting the REST service with security access to the Application Service. System administrators should also set New Inbound Web Services from Inactive to Active.
Oracle Utilities Network Management System Integration
This section describes the new and enhanced Oracle Utilities Network Management System integration features in this release, including:
Oracle Utilities Network Management System Integration
The Oracle Utilities Network Management System ensures a seamless automated flow of outage information and makes relevant outage information visible to you from a single application. The productized integration supports the following key business processes:
• Synchronization of customer data and trouble calls from Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter to Oracle Utilities Network Management System.
• Query job history, trouble call history, and planned outages from Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter.
Steps to Enable
To enable this feature, refer to the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Integration to Oracle Utilities Network Management Implementation Guide for more information.
Data Migration Enhancements
This section describes the new and enhanced features related to data migration in this release, including:
Batch Processes for Migrating Initial Master Data and Scalar Meter Reads
New data migration related batch processes provide the capability to migrate data from specific Oracle Utilities Customer Care and Billing master data objects to specific Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter metering and asset related objects. You can migrate Oracle Utilities Customer Care and Billing data such as person, service agreement, meter, item, service point, service point/meter history, service point/item history, and contract option/event to corresponding Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter metering and asset related objects like contact, usage subscription, device (asset), service point (or node), install event, and dynamic option/event.
These initial data migration processes also cater for migrating scalar meter reads to measurements.
This reduces project costs, configuration time, and migration timelines. It also simplifies migration from the Oracle Utilities Customer Care and Billing data model to the Oracle Utilities Customer To Meter data model.
Steps to Enable
To enable this feature, refer to the Initial Master Data Conversion section of the Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter Administrative User Guide.
Miscellaneous
This section describes the new and enhanced miscellaneous features in this release, including:
Attachments Zones
The application-owned Attachments zones in the Portal-related tab pages for the following entities enable you to add, change, view, and delete attachments:
• Person
• Account
• Premise
• Service Agreement
These zones reduce the need to integrate with a separate system to store attachments.
Steps to Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.
Tips and Considerations
If your system has implementation-specific Attachments zones related to these applicable entities:
• Disable the application-owned Attachments zones to continue using your existing implementation-specific zones.
• Disable your implementation-specific Attachments related zones and use the application-owned zones.
Restricting Implementation-Specific Values in Notification Controlled By Lookup
The NTF_CTRL_FLG (Notification Controlled By) Lookup contains specific predefined values that allow a service task, bill route, or quote route to control an outbound notification for a specific Notification Type. The Custom switch is now unchecked so you cannot add implementation-specific values to this lookup.
This restriction reduces the capture of redundant data.
Steps to Enable
No steps are required to enable this feature.