Defining Service Quantity Identifiers (SQI)
Consider a rate that contains a charge per "meter day" where the total number of meter days equals the number of days in the billing period multiplied by the number of customer-owned meters at the premise. At billing time, you'd need an SQ Rule to count the number of customer-owned meters and multiply this value by the number of days in the billing period. You could instruct the SQ Rule to place the resultant number of meter days in some unit of measure (meaning you'd have to create a UOM called "meter day"). Alternatively, you could instruct the SQ Rule to place the resultant number in a service quantity identifier (SQI) (meaning you'd have to create an SQI called "meter day"). The choice is yours. As a rule of thumb, we'd recommend creating an SQI for those things that are not measured by a meter.
SQIs exist to support calculations performed by rate components. This means that you must design your rate components before you can design your service quantity identifiers. We strongly recommend that you design "on paper" how every rate's rate component looks before you attempt to set up your SQIs.
If you create an SQI, you must also have a corresponding SQ Rule to calculate the amount of the SQI to be priced by the rate. If not, it is impossible for the system to generate a bill line for the SQI because there will be no quantity associated with the SQI.
To define service quantity identifiers, open
Description of Page
Enter a unique Service Qty. Identifier and Description for every SQI.
Enter the appropriate number of Decimal Positions for each SQI. The rate application process uses this information to round the calculated service quantity prior to applying appropriate rate components.
Where Used
An SQ Rule may use an SQ Identifier to describe what it generates. Refer to Setting Up Service Quantity (SQ) Rules for more information.
A Service Quantity Rate Component may use an SQ Identifier to describe what it is pricing. In this situation, the rate must contain an SQ Rule that generates a quantity for this SQI; otherwise there will be a price without a service quantity. Refer to Rate Component - Main Information for more information.