Understanding Activity Types

Activities are records of a communication or event related to a device, measuring component, service point or other entity in the system. Examples of activities include smart meter command request, field activities, meter read downloads (for manually read meters) or the combined event of a "last gasp" and "power up" message sent by devices when they detects they experience an outage.

Each type of activity is assigned to an activity type category, please refer to About Activities for more information about the activity type categories supported by base product.

Activities Orchestrate Communication

Certain types of activities such as request orchestrators, field activities, and command requests coordinate a large number of child transactions that represent the communication to and from an external application. The below diagram depicts a two way communication with an external system:

Activities Orchestrate Two-Way Communication

Each object in the sequence diagram has a distinct set of duties within the context of the communication:

  • Orchestrating Activity: controls the overall intent of the communication. For example it may "Start Service" which would include initiating one-to-many specific activities to install the meter and begin the flow of the metered commodity to the service point.
  • Specific Activity: can be initiated from an orchestrating activity or directly. These activities represent a single task to be carried out such as installing a meter or a remote disconnect smart meter command.
  • Communication Out: orchestrates the communication to the external application and provides robust handling for any errors that might occur during that communication.
  • Outbound Message: represents the message payload sent to the external system and the synchronous response.
  • Communication In: orchestrates the handling of an asynchronous or unsolicited response from an external system.
  • Completion Event: carries out the results of the communication. For example, in the case of a remote connect it would create the appropriate on off history entry for the device's installation event.

The below diagram involves many of the same objects but instead represents a one-way communication with an external system. All objects maintain the same duties described above with the addition of the communication out handling the synchronous response which contains the result of the message.

Activities Orchestrate One-Way Communication

Important Activity Type System Events

The activity type supports several business object algorithm system events that relate to calculating the consumption for measuring components of that type:

  • Customer-Device Compatibility: receives information about the activity being analyzed and returns an indication of whether the customer and device are compatible. This system event is primarily used in service order management. See algorithm type Ensure Device-Usage Calculation Group Compatibility (D2-ENSDVCCMP) as an example.
  • Override Device / Task: receives information about the activity such as whether the device is installed at a service point, whether the service point is connected, where it is disconnected (if applicable), and the installation event status override. Based on those inputs it should determine the output device configuration type as well as the field activity business object and field task type. This system event is primarily used in service order management. See algorithm type Evaluate Smart Meter Opt-Out for Device Installation (D2-EVSMOPDV) as an example.

Service Order Activity and Service Order Field Activity Types and Divisions

Service order activity types and service order field activity types can specify a Division, to represent the specific operating company associated with activities of that type. If the Restrict Division setting in the Control by Division section in the MDM Master Configuration is set to "Yes", users can only access service order activities or service order field activities with a Division (or Divisions) associated with the user on the User Miscellaneous Information zone on theMiscellaneous tab of the User portal. 

Note: In Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter, the Control By CIS Division setting on the Main tab on the Installation Options portal is used to restrict data access based on divisions.

See Understanding Divisions  for more information about divisions.

Activity Type Maintenance Category

Activity types can be assigned an Activity Type Maintenance Category to specify that they should be maintained using the SOM Activity Type portal rather than the standard Activity Type portal. This option is used with the following categories of activity types:

  • Field Activity Types

  • Non-Dispatchable Activity Types

  • Orchestration Maintenance Types

  • Request Orchestration Types

Assigning activity types to the "Service Order Management Activity Type" Activity Type Maintenance Category is done via the Activity Type Maintenance Category business object option on the appropriate activity type business objects.