Meter Communications Menu

The Meter Communications menu contains commands used to export meter information and import meter readings.  The Meter Communications menu allows you to export meter information prepared for a hand-held meter reading device, and later import readings from the hand-held device to Edifice and create customer billing transactions.  Based on the information maintained in specified control records, you will generate an export work file, print an export journal and export the file to a PC.  Similarly during the import phase, based on control records, you will import the meter reader's interface file and create transactions in a work file.  Next, you will print a meter import journal and lastly you will post the meter transactions to the Billing Transaction file.

The Meter Communications routines use file definitions to determine the file format of the export files and import files.  These definitions files are very similar to the C-FAM cdd files and allow you to easily modify the text file formats exported and imported.  The extensions of the export and import files are .exp and .imp respectively, and the control records specify which file definition to use during a given process.

Summary:

• Export Process – Prepares meter information and exports it for use in a hand-held meter reading device.  
  For more information about the sequence of export procedures, click here.  

• Import Process – Imports data prepared by an external interface and builds billing transactions.
  For more information about the sequence of import procedures, click here.

Directions

To open the Meter Communications menu:

• Click Daily Work from the Menu, click Billing; and then click Meter Communications.
  Keyboard shortcut:  [ALT] [y] [b] [m]

• Or, right-click the gray bar at the top of the screen next to the icons, and then select the Import/Export Control Panel.
  
  

The table below describes the available options.