Device Change Not Considered in Next Billing Period

[Former Member]

Hello Experts,

I have the following situation:

When there's a device modification (e.g. replacement) one day after a billing period, the removal reading is not taken into consideration in the next billing period.

I've searched for some notes, and found out the following:

514073 - Incorrect billings with technical changes

The note suggests that periodic readings should occur at the same time of the other readings that might me entered.

514963 - Device modification on day after periodic meter reading

The note describes the problem I have but can't be applied

I'm studying other alternatives (e.g. Billing Periods for Japanese Market) but would be glad to have information on what was done to solve this issue in other projects.

Best Regards,

Leonardo

[gagan_bulani2 · Accepted solution]

Hi Leonardo,

For this issue the possible solution is :

In case or device removal or replacement, we need to first check if there is meter read available for the previous day, in function exit that is being called on Save event.

i.e.  If you are performing Device replacement with Key date as 16.02.2013 , check if read is availbale on 15.02.2013 and what is the status of that read ( Billed or billable etc ).

if the read exits and/or bill document and invoice also exists, then we need to wite code for reversing the bill document and invoice.

Change the billable read to read same as the time of device removal.

i.e read billed on 15.02.2013 was 1234   and reading at the time of Device removal was 1245, then you need to change billable read to 1245 from 1234.

Re-bill and Re-invoice the account.

Hope this solution works for you. It did wokred for us.

Regards,

Gagan

[Former Member]

Hi Gagan,

Thanks for your input. I've created an incident on SAP Support Portal and I'm waiting for a standard solution.

Best regards,

Leonardo Morais

[Former Member]

Hi Leonardo,

I am also facing the same issue ,have you find the any solution

regards,

Yogesh

[Former Member]

Hello Yogesh,

Unfortunately SAP won't correct this problem. The solution we'll develop in my project is to create an installation fact with the consumption that has to to be billed.

Best Regards,

Leonardo Morais

Here is a full transcription of the incident:

27.02.2014 - 11:46:30 CET - Resposta by SAP     

Hi Leonardo,

thank you for your detailled answer and your tests. I agree with you that in case of interim meter reading, control reading and some other reading types the meter reading will be taken into account. But again, as described in consulting note 514073, in case of techical changes the meter reading on the same day cannot be considered. So, please understand my last description in this way. Again, I am very sorry that the standard does not behave in the way you desire and I appologize for any inconvenicence caused.

Kind regards,

Stephan Fünfstück

Development Support Utilities

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26.02.2014 - 18:01:48 CET -  by Consultor BASIS     

Hi Stephan,

I've made more tests considering your position about SAP standard behavior and I've found different behaviors of the system. Please check installation 3000010185 in CSD-300, where I've entered different reading reasons after the periodic reading on the same day. Some readings are taken into account on next billing period and some are not. According on what you’ve said before: "And the system is just able to consider one meter reading per day. Of course, it is possible to a meter reading time. But this cannot be taken into account because billing is designed to be correct to the day." I understood (please correct if I’m wrong) that a reading entered in previous billing period would not be taken into account on next billing period, because billing is designed that way. So, why some readings are considered and others are not? I insist SAP should correct this system error.

Thanks and Regards,

Leonardo Morais

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13.02.2014 - 10:07:03 CET - Resposta by SAP     

Hi Polyanne,

my colleague Thomas almost forwarded your message to me. I am responsible for further processing. I am very sorry to tell also you that it is not possible to consider the consumption between a periodic reading and device removal reading when booth readings are on the same day. This basically, had already been described in note 514073 and cannot be changed at all. Not by an enhancement nor by any upgrade. Please merge the meter readings or perform the device removal at another day.

Kind regards,

Stephan Fünfstück

Development Support Utilities

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12.02.2014 - 21:02:29 CET -  by Consultor BASIS     

Hi Thomas,

I need than an opinion about something related with this error. Is there any upgrade that we could make in the system that would give us the functionality we want? Maybe an Enhancement Package or even an upgrade on the version of the system. Or the installation of another component, like IS-U/CCS that could have the funcionality. Is there any way around with an upgrade of some kind?

Regards,

Polyanne Ribeiro

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12.02.2014 - 08:54:28 CET - Resposta by SAP     

Hi Leonardo,

thank you once again for your kind answer and contacting other utilities companies. May I again explain you the design of SAP for utilities? It is just possible to enter one billing relevant meter reading (e.g. periodic billing, interim billing, final billing) per day. And the system is just able to consider one meter reading per day. Of course, it is possible to a meter reading time. But this cannot be taken into account because billing is designed to be correct to the day. Therefor we created the consulting note 514073: It describes how to proceed in this case to fulfill your requirements if there are a billing relevant and a device removal meter reading at one day and the

meter reading value is different. It is obligatory to merge booth meter readings and take the higher meter reading value. Other way would be to do the device removal at another day. Last please notice that this is not a program error, cannot be changed and the recommendations from 2002 are still valid. I am very sorry that we cannot fulfill the way you would like to process the multiple meter reading handling at one day. Utilities billing is designed to be exact to the day and therefor please use just one meter reading result at one day. I would kindly appologize for any inconvenience caused.

Kind regards from Germany,

Stephan Fünfstück

Development Support Utilities

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11.02.2014 - 21:23:20 CET -  by Consultor BASIS     

Hi Stephan,

I verified with every company in Brazil and even some in other countries and all of them had to develop GAPs to deal with this situation which is a system error. SAP note 514073 is from 2002, and SAP should have already corrected this issue. Is that the final position from SAP?

Thanks and Regards,

Leonardo Morais

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11.02.2014 - 17:19:38 CET - Resposta by SAP     

Hi Leonardo,

thank you very much for your example. I checked it once again but the result is the same: We cannot change the current system behaviour. In case of there is a device removal on a day where a billing relevant meter reading exist and a device installation on the following day the billing document will get the device installation reading as start meter reading with its value. As already stated in my last answer this behaviour is described in consulting note 514073. Please read it carefully. Also you will find solutions of how to receive your requirements.

Kind regards,

Stephan Fünfstück

Development Support Utilities

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10.02.2014 - 18:13:41 CET -  by Consultor BASIS     

Hi Stephan,

Please refer to installation 3000010134, billing documents 500000001611 and 500000001612. For the first one there were no replacement on billing period and both periodic readings are considered. For the second one the periodic reading of previous period is not considered and neither the removal reading.

Thanks and Regards,

Leonardo Morais

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10.02.2014 - 16:49:36 CET - Resposta by SAP     

Hi Leonardo,

thank you again for your answer. May I kindly ask you to provide me two examples in your system - one where the periodic reading will be taken into account in next billing period and one example where not? I will analyze it and check the possibilities.

Thank you and kind regards,

Stephan Fünfstück

Development Support Utilities

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10.02.2014 - 14:32:11 CET -  by Consultor BASIS     

Hi Stephan,

I’m sorry but I’ll insist this is an error. The system have two different behaviors. If there’s no replacement, the periodic reading is

taken into account in next billing document, but is there’s no replacement it is. Again, this is a system failure and it’s not acceptable for the company.

Thanks and Regards,

Leonardo Morais

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10.02.2014 - 11:17:19 CET - Resposta by SAP     

Hi Leonardo,

thank you for your answer. I really see your points and the affect on billing. But again I am very sorry to tell you that we are unable to take the meter reading for device removal into account when it is at the same day as a billing relevant meter reading (e.g. periodic reading). The consulting note 514073 (which can be found as attachment at this incident) has been created, describes the issue in detail and I kindly ask you read it carefully. As you can see it is not an error but intended that meter reading can be created by the minute but billing is just exact to the day and therefor I recommend to adjust your business processes to this. May I am very sorry for any inconvenience caused and I thank you very much for your understanding.

Kind regards,

Stephan Fünfstück

Development Support Utilities

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07.02.2014 - 19:14:52 CET -  by Consultor BASIS     

Hi Stephan,

I understand the limitations of the system on that, but it’s not acceptable for the following reason: If there’s no replacement the previous periodic reading is used in next billing period even though it’s not within the billing period. This MR result determines the closure of the last billing period and every MR result entered after It must be considered on next billing period. You’ve proposed two different approaches to avoid this issue, but both cause impact on billing. I’m sorry, but it’s about time for SAP to correct this failure on its system.

Thanks and Regards,

Leonardo Morais

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07.02.2014 - 11:22:25 CET - Resposta by SAP     

Hi Leonardo,

my colleague Thomas forwarded your message to me. Now I am responsible for further processing. the mentioned problem is caused by the fact that the periodic reading (reason 01) and the reading for device removal (reason 22) are taken on the same day. Unfortunately I've to tell you that this situation can't be handled correctly within the billing program. The reasons for this are very technical, but they are based on the fact that the billing process is day oriented. Although we can manage different readings on the same date if they are within the billing period, it's not possible to handle this situation, because the day of the periodic reading and the removal reading belongs to the last billing period and not to the current one. What can you do? There are two possible approaches to avoid this: The first would be to

remove the device on the day after the periodic reading. Whenever possible you should go this way if the periodic reading is not identical to the removal reading. The second possibility would be to combine the periodic reading and the removal reading, so that only one reading (with the higher value) exists that contains two reading reasons. To obtain this situation you should just do the removal reading first before creating the periodic meter reading. Then both readings should be aggregated and only ONE reading appears on the data base that will be used in the periodic billing. I am sorry but unfortunately we cannot provide any automatic solution here.

Kind regards,

Stephan Fünfstück

Development Support Utilites

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06.02.2014 - 09:54:38 CET -  by SAP     

Dear customer, Your ticket has been forwarded to the next support level.

Yours sincerely,

SAP support

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05.02.2014 - 19:22:06 CET -  by Consultor BASIS     

Hello Thomas, The informed notes refer to another error (not the one that is subject of this incident). Please verify in billing document 500000001613 that the consumption of 38,5840 from MR reason 22 in 12.10.2013 is not taken into account.

Thanks and Regards,

Leonardo Morais

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05.02.2014 - 18:41:35 CET -  by Consultor BASIS     

Hi Thomas, Listen, The ERP we've installed is in a SP above the note 1614738. You could take a look in this before advising about it. And the note 1895896, even so it is in a SP above ours, the problem is not the same (I've applied the note, but there's no result in solving

the issue). Maybe there's been a failure in communication between us. Perhaps you should call and we could talk about what's really happening. That way we could find a better solution together.

att,

Polyanne Ribeiro

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05.02.2014 - 16:57:31 CET - Resposta by SAP     

Dear Polyanne,

sorry it is my mistake! The provided notes are 1614738, 1895896.

Kind regards

Thomas Sommer

SAP Active Global Support

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05.02.2014 - 16:37:44 CET -  by SAP     

Contact Person: Ms. Poliane

Call time: 2014.02.05 / 16:33:43 / CET

Call back Y/N:

Subject of Call:

Customer requests a speed up and a call back

Issue is impacting an implementation project.

Customer needs the SAP notes numbers in order to correct the issue.

This information is missing on the solution provided.

Product:  ERP. Users affected:23

Project phase: Go live. Financial losses:  Unable to estimate

Go live date is on: Go Live 31/ January/2014

Consultants involved: 23. Workaround: No

Contact person: Poliane

Telephone:  + 55 31 3265 1120

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05.02.2014 - 13:29:32 CET -  by Consultor BASIS     

Thomas, Which notes?

Kind regards,

Polyanne

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05.02.2014 - 12:14:10 CET - Resposta by SAP     

Hello Leonardo,

could you please consider the provided notes which will fix the issue?

Kind regards

Thomas Sommer

SAP Active Global Support

Contact Information Note: 560499

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30.01.2014 - 13:48:01 CET -  by Consultor BASIS     

Hello Thomas, Please use client CSD-400. The following installation is already billed:

Installation: 3000000060

Billing document: 500000000681

Thanks and Regards.

Leonardo Morais

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29.01.2014 - 13:55:09 CET - Resposta by SAP     

Hello Leonardo,

I received your support message for additional checks. What is the related system id and the client to do analyses?

Kind regards

Thomas Sommer

SAP Active Global Support

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28.01.2014 - 12:36:10 CET -  by Consultor BASIS     

Hello Kenny, Here is more datail on the matter: When there's a device modification (e.g. replacement) one day after a billing period, the removal reading is not taken into consideration in the next billing period. We've searched for some notes, and found out the following: 514073 - Incorrect billings with technical changes The note suggests that periodic readings should occur at the same time of the other readings that might me entered. 514963 - Device modification on day after periodic meter reading The note describes the problem I have but can't be applied The fact is: every reading entered after the reading that closes the billing period must be considered in the next billing period.

Best Regards,

Leonardo

[Former Member]

Thanks a lot Leonardo.

Yogesh Kumar