Utility Rate Schedule - WebTMA 5

Use the Utility Rate Schedule module to establish regular charges, fees, taxes, and adjustments for your utilities. A Comments Tab is available to make notes about the particular utility if needed.

Utility Rate Schedule Identity Tab

Path: Organization > Utility > Utility Rate Schedule

Utility Rate Schedules can be set for each Utility Type. The Utility Rate Schedule window tracks information about the utility bill.

To create a Utility Rate Schedule record, use these steps:

  1. Click Add on the WebTMA toolbar.
  2. Type a Code using fifty characters or less.
  3. Type a Description of the rate schedule.
  4. Select the Service
  5. Select the Contractor name, that is, the company that provides the utility service.
  6. Complete the optional fields that apply
  7. Click Save on the WebTMA toolbar.

The next topic, Utility Rate Schedule Field Definitions, explains how and when the elective fields are used.

Utility Rate Schedule Field Definitions

Service Charge radio buttons. Click one to indicate whether a service charge is applied, and if so, how much.

Use partial and multiple month billing period averaging method. Mark this check box if the billing cycle falls in the middle of the month or if billing for multiple months is used.

Do rates change from winter to summer? Mark if rates are different in winter and summer. If so, select the dates the new rate begins for winter and summer.

Demand Tab

Path: Organization > Utility > Utility Rate Schedule / Demand Tab

Demand Charges are also called Peak Period Demand Charges because they are extra charges based on usage during peak times. These fees are paid to utility companies for the highest demand in both winter and summer.

High demands force utility companies to build larger infrastructures that are not used to capacity during most of the year. Three options are available for tracking winter and summer rates separately.

  • The first choice, No demand charge, is the default.
  • The second choice, Charge Unit, requires a demand charge per unit billed.
  • The third choice, Stepped Demand Charge, enables the Detail button below it. Click this button to set up the charge intervals on the Rate Schedule Min Entry You may set a variable or fixed step schedule.

The billing period is your final option on the Demand window. You may adjust for billing period length according to a set number of days. Type the less than or greater than number of days in the two fields.

Energy Tab

Path: Organization > Utility > Utility Rate Schedule / Energy Tab

This window tracks energy charges, i.e., the actual charge for the utility without any extra fees for peak times. Charges are tracked separately for winter and summer. Stepped values are established on the Rate Schedule Min Entry window described in Utility Rate Schedules Demand Tab. Select one of these five energy charge options:

  • No energy charge – The default when the Add button is selected.
  • Charge Unit – The set cost for each unit of energy used.
  • Step with fixed steps – Each step or rate is unchanging.
  • Step with variables per billed demand – Each step differs according to the billed demand for the invoice period. A variable step is sometimes considered a "concealed" demand charge. With a variable step, the energy user is charged a fee for highest point of demand (see Demand Charges).
  • Combination of flat, fixed stepped, and variable stepped – The last option allows you to use a combination of all the types of energy charges.

Minimum Tab

Path: Organization > Utility > Utility Rate Schedule / Minimum Tab

Minimum charges are frequently equal to the service charge specified on the Identity Tab. In larger services, it is common for the minimum charge to be much greater than the usual service charge. Any tax or adjustment charges are added to the minimum charge. Click the radio button that describes your type of minimum charge, and enter the appropriate amounts or percentages if needed.

Maximum Tab

Path: Organization > Utility > Utility Rate Schedule / Maximum Tab

This window tracks the maximum (average) charge per unit of energy consumed. Some utility companies guarantee a maximum amount regardless of billed demand. This practice protects their users from large demand charges when the energy was used only for a short period of time. If a maximum average exists, enter the dollar amount in the field for the unit of energy.

Tax & Adjustments Tab

Path: Organization > Utility > Utility Rate Schedule / Tax & Adjustments Tab

The Tax & Adjustments Tab tracks taxes and adjustments based on a full adjustment charge per unit of energy, unit of demand, or percentage using one of the several methods. If no adjustment is made, type 0.0 in the No maximum average charge provision in the rate schedule ____ % of bill field.

If the entry is a credit, use a prefix of a minus (-) sign to indicate a negative amount.

Billed Demand Tab

Path: Organization > Utility > Utility Rate Schedule / Billed Demand Tab

The Billed Demand Tab tracks how the billed demand is determined. The billed demand is frequently not the same as the demand recorded by the meter. It is common to be billed at a higher demand as a 'penalty' for having a high demand in a prior month. Select from the several options available.

 

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