About Service Issue Monitors

Service Issue Monitors are service tasks that analyze service points to determine if service is needed. If service is determined to be needed, the Service Issue Monitor creates a Service Investigative Order.

Device events, VEE exceptions, failed smart meter commands, and other events can trigger the creation of a service issue monitor (the type of service issue monitor created is based on the Service Issue Monitor Type specified on the device event type, exception type, or activity type). Once created, service issue monitors analyze the service point where the device associated with the device event, VEE exception, or failed command, based on evaluation criteria specified on the service issue monitor's type. If the criteria are met (in other words, if a specified number of command failures, device events, or VEE exceptions are found for the service point), the service issue monitor creates a service investigative order.

Service Issue Monitor Creation

This section provides an overview of the process that takes place when service issue monitors are created.

Note: The process outlined below has been simplified for illustrative purposes, and does not reference every step performed in this process.
  1. One (or more) of the following takes place:
    • A device event or reader remark is received, whose type specifies a Service Issues Monitor Type
    • A VEE exception whose type specifies a Service Issues Monitor Type is generated during VEE processing
    • A usage transaction exception generated during usage calculation
    • A smart meter command fails whose type specifies a Service Issues Monitor Type
    • A business flag is received whose type specifies a Service Issue Monitor Type
  2. The object received in item (1) creates a service issue monitor based on the referenced Service Issue Monitor Type

  3. The service issue monitors analyzes the service point based on the Discard Rules and Evaluation Criteria defined on the service issue monitor's type to determine if a service investigative order should be created or if the service issue monitor should be discarded.

    The "Discard Rules" on the service issue monitor's type are evaluated to determine if the new service issue monitor should be discarded (new service issue monitors are always discarded when created if an existing service investigative order initiated by a service issue monitor of the same type exists for the service point.)

    If the service issue monitor type was configured to require approval, the service issue monitor generates a To Do to notify the appropriate individuals that approval is necessary.

    If the service issue monitor is approved or if no approval was necessary the service investigative order will be continue.

  4. The service issue monitor then executes the evaluation criteria defined on the service issue monitor's type. If those criteria are met the Service Investigative Order activity is created. If the criteria are not met the service issue monitor is discarded.

  5. If the service issue monitor has completion criteria defined the service issue monitor will wait for the service investigative order to complete. Once complete the the service issue monitor will execute the completion criteria to evaluate if the service investigative order achieved the desired results.

    If either there were no completion criteria or they were satisfied the service issue monitor will complete.

    If the completion criteria were not satisfied the service issue monitor enter an inconclusive investigation state from which manual intervention will be required.