RELEASE NOTES IMS Utility Billing Version 6.300 9:13AM Sep/18/2013 PDF Bill Options Expanded: -------------------------- If the Generate PDF Reports and Generate PDF Bills options are checked at Setup, Configuration, Configuration tab, additional options are available for printing bills, at Activities, Billing Notices, Print Billing Forms. The checkboxes on the latter window control what if any PDF files containing images of the bills are generated. The boxes labeled Generate PDF File and Generate PDF Bills are not new, but their function has been changed to make them independent. In the previous release both the boxes had to be checked to enagle PDF generation. Now they work independently. If both are unchecked no PDF files will be generated when bills are printed. If the Generate PDF File box is checked a single PDF file containing inames of all bills generated will be created. If the Generate PDF Bills box is checked an individual PDF file containing a bill image will be created for each bill generated. If the Send Email and Attach Bill PDF boxes are checked the bill will be sent by email after it is generated. The PDF file will remain in the specified directory to allow viewing a customer bill. If both the Generate boxes are checked, both the PDF containing all bill images and the individual bill PDF bill images will be generated. Intelligent Mail Barcode Added: ------------------------------- The U.S. Postal Service Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) is now available on all of the Letter Laser bill forms. (It is not available on other forms because of insufficient width in the address space.) The original PostNet barcode is still available as an option. Go to Setup, Configuration, Configuration tab to set up the options. On the left of the window is a checkbox labeled Use Old Postnet. Check this and the Postnet barcode will be printed as in previous versions. If this box is left unchecked the new barcode format will be used. Before the new barcode will function you must set the Mailer ID, Barcode ID and Service Type fields on the right side of the window. You can apply for a Mailer ID here: https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=intellmailmailidapp The Mailer ID is either a 6 or 9 digit number assigned by the USPS for this customer. The acceptable ranges are: 000000 - 899999 or 900000000 - 999999999. The allowable range for the Barcode ID is 00 to 04 through 90 to 94. The last digit is always 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4. The Service Type ID ranges from 000 through 999. Full information and specifications is available at https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm. Generating the IMb requires a special set of fonts that must be loaded. These fonts may be installed using the program PNetIMBFonts.exe which is included in the install package. Two other IMb options, serialization and human readable, are not supported in this release, although they may be added in a future release. Serialization allows generating a unique number for each mail piece. The human readable option prints a decimal rendition of the barcode contents above or below the barcode. It was not included in this release because the billing forms would have to be changed to allow more room in the address space for the extra line. Copy Function Loophole Fixed: ----------------------------- The setup window at "File, Customers, Copy" now Copies no personal information to the new account if the Copy personal information box is not checked. Previously the Use Direct Withdrawal checkbox contents and the Email address were copied. Billing Spreadsheet Enhanced: ----------------------------- Billing name and billing address, phone number, and account balance are now available as fields at Activities, Make Spreadsheet, Billing. Users are reminded that this procedure can take a long time to run because it reads the transaction detail file which can contain millions of records. Facility File Added: --------------------- A new Facility file was added, including a browsing and editing procedure at Setup, Lists, Facilities. The customer browse window at File, Customers now includes a facility column, and an input field for searching for a specific facility. The customer update window at File, Customers, Change now contains a field labeled Facility Type, where the facility may be viewed or edited. When adding the facility to a customer record, the standard hot keys will invoke a popup window allowing the selection of an existing facility type, or allow creating a new one. Subdivision File Added: ----------------------- A new Subdivision file was added, including a browsing and editing procedure at Setup, Lists, Subdivisions. The customer browse window at File, Customers now includes a subdivision column, and an input field for searching for a specific subdivision. The customer update window at File, Customers, Change now contains a field labeled Subdivision, where the subdivision may be viewed or edited. When adding the subdivision to a customer record, the standard hot keys will invoke a popup window allowing the selection of an existing subdivision, or allow creating a new one. Parcel Field Moved: ------------------- The parcel field was moved from the address window (AddrStat file) to the customer record. This freed up two columns in the customer browse window formerly used for Service parcel and billing parcel. The parcel field is now on the customer update window rather than in the address window. When this version is installed the database will be changed, moving the parcel from the AddrStat to the Customer file. Special Utility Added: ---------------------- Also included in this release is a standalone utility MoveFields.exe. This utility can only be used after the latest UB 6.300 version has been installed and the data conversion completed. The utility has two functions. The first function performed is to move the text from the address notes field to the new subdivision field in the customer record. This is invoked from the menu at File, Move Subdivision. This utility is only for customers that stored subdivision names in the address notes field. The second function is to move non-numeric text from the Parcel field to the Facility Type field. The contents of the Parcel field is moved only if it does not contain any numeric characters. This function is invoked from the menu at File, Move Facility. This utility is only for customers that were storing facility names in the parcel field. Customer Flags Added: --------------------- Flags were added to the Customer table to control individually whether an account receives an email bill, and whether it receives a printed, email, or no consumption notice. Latitude And Longitude Fields Added: ------------------------------------ The latitude and longitude coordinates of the meter location were added to the MetrStat table, and fields added to the meter update window for display and editing the coordinates. These coordinates are available for inclusion in all standard reports that include meter data, as well as queries, reports and spreadsheets that include meter data. The decimal format is used for display and storage. Customer Type Options Expanded: ------------------------------- The customer type options of residential and commercial were expanded to include other-residential and other-commercial. All reports that support customer type selection were updated to support the added customer types. Spreadsheets Enhanced: ---------------------- Billing name, billing address, phone number, and account balance are now available as fields at Activities, Make Spreadsheet, Customers + Check Register + Meters. This was added to the Billing and Rates spreadsheets in a previous release. The duplicate meter flag now available in meter reports for spreadsheets. Users are reminded that generating some of these spreadsheets can take a long time to run because of reading the transaction detail file which can contain millions of records. Consumption Summary Report Enhanced: ------------------------------------ An option was added allowing inclusion of the service name, address and parcel to the ASCII version of the consumption summary report. This report is comma delimited, and is typically loaded into Excel for use as a spreadsheet. Conservation Module Added: -------------------------- Several procedures were added that implement a water conservation package that monitors consumption, generates violation and fine notices. The purpose of this module is to provide for monitoring customer compliance to irrigation restriction schedules. This is an optional licensed module. The highlights of the conservation module are described below. A total of eight user defined conservation flags were added to the Customer table. The names assigned to the flags may be edited using Setup, Configuration, Index Keys. The flag names also appear on the customer update window on the newly added conservation tab. A checkbox for each flag is used to indicate if the initiative has been implemented, and if so, the date it was implemented is displayed. When customers are moved using File, Customers, Copy, the setup window includes the ability to select whether the conservation flags stay with the original account or move to the new account. Any flag implementation date may be selected for inclusion in standard reports, specialty reports and spreadsheets. A notes field was added to the conservation tab of the customer update window. The note capacity is more than 64,000 characters. A conservation tab was added to the customer update window. The tab contains the conservation flags and notes, the restriction schedule for each metered service, and a list of violations. The security access level can be set individually for each tab on the customer update window. A system for implementing schedules for water comsumption restrictions was added, which provides the foundation for violation tracking. Two files were added to the database, a schedule file and a restrictions file. The restrictions file defines the minimum quantity used to trigger a violation, the date range the restriction applies, the days of the week where watering is allowed, and for each day the times where water use is prohibited. The schedule file maintenance procedure is located at Setup, Lists, Irrigation Schedules. An unlimited number of different schedules may be created, and each given a unique name. Each schedule is linked to a specific metered service, allowing separate schedules for potable and irrigation water for example. The schedule defines only the name and metered service with which it is associated. The actual restrictions are contained in the restrictions file which defines date range over which the schedule is effective, the days watering is allowed and the blackout time range where watering is prohibited. This design allows different restrictions during different months of the year. Each schedule may have any number of linked restrictions, but typically will have only one or two. If a schedule has more than one restrictions record there should be no date overlap (where more than one restriction schedule includes the same date) between any restrictions contained in a schedule. Whenever a schedule restriction is changed a test will be made for overlaps and a warning message displayed if an overlap is found. When checking for violations, if the overlap is not corrected the first schedule including the target date will be used. The water restriction schedules are linked to a customer by way of the metered service. At File, Customers, Change, Meters, Change Meter the schedule name that applies to this customer for this metered service will be shown at the lower right area of the window. To add or change the schedule the standard right click or F3 key may be used to bring up a list of schedules for the metered service. The water restriction schedule for a customer may also be seen at File, Customers, Change, Conservation. A schedule may be viewed, changed or edited there also by selecting the schedule to be edited and using the right click, F3 key, or pressing the Enter key. Conservation Components and How to Use Them: -------------------------------------------- 1. Setup, Conservation, Set Conservation Letters: This window provides for setting the letter to be sent and the fine amount for each violation instance. This allows different letters to be printed for each violation in a single run. 2. Setup, Lists, Form Letters, Change: This pre-existing procedure was expanded to support violation letters as well as other letter types. If the Conservation module is installed, a field labeled Graph will appear on the Images tab. This is used to set the location of the consumption graph on the letter. This allows placing the graph at any location on the letter that will not contain text. When the Test button is used to display the letter as it will appear, the graph location will be indicated by a box representing the location and size of the graph. 3. Activities, Conservation, Manage Violations: This window is used to control all of the periodic violation processing activities. Each time a download from the meter data server is processed, any violations will appear in the violations browse list. Filters are provided so that the violations shown are only the most recent ones that need handling. The space bar is used to select a violation for letter printing. Pressing the space bar again will deselect the violation. It matters not which metered service or irrigation schedule is involved, all violations that need to be processed may be printed in a single operation by pressing the Print Letters button. For each violation processed, the letter printed and fine assessed will be recorded in the violation table. The letter will also be entered in the list of letters that appears in File, Customers, Change, Deposits, Form Letter History. If UB is configued for PDF reports a PDF file will also be generated for each letter printed. As each letter is generated the violation is marked by setting the Archived flag so it will not be processed again. The procedure also provides for a Void flag which will prevent a letter from being printed. The graph generated when letters are printed is a bar graph that shows the hourly consumption over a 24 hour period as specified by the Start Date and Start Time fields in the violation record. Installation: ------------- If this version is to be installed on a Vista or Windows 7 or 8 system where UAC will be used, the following procedure is recommended: Before installing this version, start UB and go to Setup, Configuration and set Data File Path to where the data files are currently located, even if it is currently the same folder as where the programs reside. (If the programs and data are in the same folder the Data Path will probably be blank.) Click on OK and exit UB. Install this version of UB to the directory where the UB data files are located so the data can be converted. Once Utility Billing has been started and the data files converted, you may exit from UB and move programs and/or data as required to adhere to the requirements for UAC, including copying ub.ini from the Windows directory to c:\Users\Public\Public Documents\IMS\UB. Future versions of install packages will address the dual location issue so the post-installation moving of files will not be required. If installing to a Windows XP system or if UAC is disabled none of the above procedures are necessary. Install as for previous versions. Transfers from this version of Utility Billing will require General Ledger version 4.506 or later. All UB data files that have been changed since the version being replaced will be automatically converted from any version back to 6.14. Be aware that the space required by the database tends to grow with subsequent versions, and that prior versions of changed data files are saved from each subsequent version. Be sure there is enough free disk space before starting UB. This release requires the Pervasive SQL database. Compatibility Requirements: --------------------------- General Ledger: 4.514 or later. Inventory Work Order: 2.210 or later.