Designing Your TOU Map Templates for TOU Mapping

In order to help your users to create and maintain data for TOU maps, you may define TOU map templates, which can be used to generate data for a TOU map. The templates may be used to define standard data for a TOU map as well as data for special periods, such as holidays. TOU map types reference TOU map templates.

Every TOU map references a TOU map template that defines the rules for generating TOU data from that TOU map. Specifically, TOU map templates define:

  • The TOU group (defines the valid TOU periods for the template) used for the TOU map
  • The default TOU period used for periods not explicitly defined. (This means you don't have to specify dates and times for all periods. For example, if your default TOU period is "Off Peak" you only need to define dates and days and times for On Peak or other TOU periods.)
  • The specific date ranges, days of the week, and time periods designated for each TOU period. The system periodically generates TOU map data for TOU maps by interpreting the rules defined in the template.

Holidays

Many utilities categorize consumption on holidays differently than on the day of week on which the holiday falls. For example, holiday consumption might be categorized as Off-Peak regardless of the day it falls on. TOU map templates can define rules for different TOU periods for holidays by specifying the following:

  • A Work Calendar that defines when holidays start and end
  • Either:
    • A Holiday TOU period for consumption on holiday
    • A Holiday TOU Map Template that defines the TOU codes to use for different times in the year

TOU Map Template Interval Size

TOU map templates can also specify an interval size. This value specifies the duration of the individual TOU map data records, and also controls the values allowed in the Start and End Times. For example, if a TOU map template sets the interval size at 15 minutes, Start and End times must be in units of the interval size (10:00, 10:15, 10:30, etc.).

A TOU map template can be used to generate TOU map data for TOU maps whose interval size is divisible by the template's interval size. For example, a 60 minute template can be used to generate TOU data for TOU maps with an interval size of 60 minutes, 15 minutes, 5 minutes, etc. This means separate map templates are not needed for every interval size.

Refer to Creating TOU Map Templates for further information.