Documentation Conventions and Common Data Formats
The data transfer documentation uses conventions to describe data fields in a consistent manner. Additionally, the data fields rely on common data formats, such as date, time, and Boolean values. These formats should be strictly followed so as to minimize errors in the data transfer process. Use the sections below to understand the conventions you will encounter and the data formats expected by Oracle Energy and Water.
Example and Allowed Values
Throughout the documentation you will see field descriptions that include Example Values or Allowed Values labels. The Example Values are meant to give you an idea or recommendation of the data you can send. However, you are not required to follow the examples. You can send other values instead.
The Allowed Values label denotes a set of values that is exhaustive and must be strictly followed. You must choose from the list provided, and cannot use other values.
Empty Fields and Null Values
Each field description in the documentation includes an indication of whether the field can be empty when you send data to Oracle Utilities. This is shown in the Can Be Empty? label.
If the label is followed by Yes, the field can be left blank or a value of NULL can be used.
If the label is followed by No, then a value must be provided or the data import will fail. A value of NULL is not acceptable in such cases unless the field has a default value that the system can revert to.
Date and Time Handling
All fields containing date or date time values must fully specify an exact point in time rather than a local date or date and time. The following table shows how Oracle Energy and Water will use default time and offset values if these are not provided:
| Format | Description |
|---|---|
YYYY-MM-DD<T>hh:mm:ss-<timezone> |
The exact value specified will be loaded after adjusting the date time offset to UTC. Note that the offset itself will not be preserved. Time zones should be specified according to the TZ database name column in List of tz database time zones (Wikipedia).
Example:
Oracle Utilities Opower uses the time zone to calculate the time in UTC, resulting in the value |