Managing Unexpected Data
Unexpected data is defined as interval meter reading data that is now deemed as invalid as it has been received after a date where an asset on the energy estate is considered closed. Therefore, the channel should not be receiving any data (which may inaccurately be included in reports).
For example:
- a periodic channel has been closed from a particular date, and data is still being received after that date
- a periodic channel is associated to a Site which has been closed from a particular date, but data is still being received after that date
Adding an Unexpected Data Strategy
Adding a Monitoring Strategy
From the Strategy Configuration Tab, click 
Choose the Strategy Type from the dropdown
Click OK to take you to the Monitoring Strategy Editor
Monitoring Strategy Details
The top section of the Monitoring Strategy Editor is common to all the different monitoring strategy types that can be setup.
The details that need to be entered are as follows:
| Field | Default | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Type | N/A | The field is disabled and displays the Strategy Type being created |
| Name | Empty | Enter a name - mandatory |
| Description | Empty | Enter a description - mandatory |
| Priority | Low | Choose the importance of any notifications that are created against this strategy. Available options are:
|
| Context | Fixed | Choose from: Fixed - allows you to drag and drop individual Channels. Click here for more details Flexible - allows you to configure the set up to automatically include Channels, see below for more details |
| Status | Off | Choose On or Off to determine whether the system performs the checks |
| Empty | Tick if you want Sigma to send summary notifications that are raised on a regular basis. | |
| To addresses | Empty | Enter email address(s) to send a summary notification to. More than one email address can be entered, and will need to be separated with a comma. |
| Send to Site Contact | Empty | Tick if you want to send an email to the Site Contact (entered in the Site Editor) with a summary of notifications that relate to the assets on their site only. |
| Recurrence | Monthly | Choose from
Note, there are more options depending on which of the above you have chosen, see below for more details on the configuration options. |
Channel Context Configuration
It is possible to define which periodic channels the strategy should run for. This will help you ensure your strategies continue to run as your energy estate evolves and assets change/get added.
A monitoring strategy can have a "context" of either:
- Fixed - assign the channels you want the strategy to run for on a case by case basis. Doing it this way will only run for the channels that you have specifically assigned so it will not run against new periodic channels that you might add unless you also specifically assign them to the strategy. Click here for instructions on how to do this.
- Flexible - configure the attributes of the channel that the strategy should run for when setting up the strategy (e.g. run for all channels, run for channels of commodity type x etc.). Doing it this way will help make sure that the strategy will run for the assets you want it to as they evolve or new assets are added - you don't have to specify the periodic channel when you add new ones.
Setting up Flexible configuration:
Choose Flexible from the Context dropdown,
Click on 
to show the Flexible Context Configuration popup
Either:
Tick Yes to run for all Channels
Alternatively, leave as No and choose your own configuration using the dropdown options based on the attributes of the channel and their relates assets.
The available options are: Commodity, Data type, Unit, Site Property Keys, Meter Property Keys, Channel Property Keys.
For example, the above configuration would include all Electricity and Gas Channels that have a unit set to kWh. As new channels that match these parameters are added to your estate, the monitoring strategy would automatically include them when it runs.
Click Save to return to the Monitoring Strategy Editor to continue configuring the Strategy.
Email Options
If you want to be notified of new issues by email, you can choose how often you should get an email and who the email should be sent to.
Tick 
Enter the email address(es) you want to send the notification to. Any email addresses entered here will receive a summary of all notifications raised across the entire estate. Note: for more than one email, add a comma between the addresses
Tick 
if you want to send an email to the Site Contact (entered in the Location tab in the Site Editor). If this option is selected, the site contact will receive an email containing a summary of notifications only for the sites that they are responsible for.
Recurrence: Choose from Daily, Weekly or Monthly (each option then has further choices for the configuration to configure exactly when the email will be sent).
Emails will contain a summary of new notifications that have been raised since the last email was received. It will also contain a summary of all the outstanding notifications.
Unexpected Data Configuration section:
The Monitoring Strategy Editor also contains an Unexpected Data Configuration section that allows you to set the specific configuration to use when finding and managing the unexpected data.
| Field | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Check Closed Sites | Off | Specify whether to include the check for channels which contain data, linked to closed Sites. Choose from On or Off. Note: when enabled, the Date closed recorded against the Site will be used as the basis for checking whether data has been received after that date. |
| Check Closed Channels | Off | Specify whether to include the check for closed channels which contain data. Choose from On or Off. Note: when enabled, the Date of Closure recorded against the Channel will be used as the basis for checking whether data has been received after that date. |
| Include Zeros | No | Specify whether to include zeroes in the check the check for closed channels which contain data. Choose from Yes or No. Note: when enabled, if a channel contains interval meter readings with the value '0', then this will be flagged as unexpected data, assuming it is after the Site/Channel closure date as per the above configuration. |
Useful Information
Where both the closed site and closed channel checks are enabled for the strategy, then the system will use the earliest data of the Site closure or Channel closure.
Click OK to save the Monitoring Strategy.
Once the Strategy has been set up, Sigma will review the data each night and create any relevant notifications in the Notifications tab
Unexpected Data Notifications
If unexpected data is found for one of the strategies, then notifications will be raised that are visible in the Notification Tab.
It is expected that investigative action will be taken to determine whether the channel should indeed be receiving data still, as it may highlight that there is erroneous configuration in the setup of your estate. For example, the Channel has been linked to the incorrect Meter or is part of the wrong Site. The system will allow the you to remove the data, if required.
Resolving Unexpected Data
The "Resolve" functionality ultimately allows the unexpected data to be removed from the system.
Highlight the applicable Unexpected Data Notification(s) in the list.
Click 
to open the Resolve Notifications popup
If you select notifications which include types other than gaps, then a prompt will be displayed to confirm which strategy type you want to work with as the options available are contextual to the type of data issue being worked.
The Resolve Notifications popup will be displayed, showing a list of the Notifications selected for resolution.
The graph at the top shows the periodic data for the channel linked to the notification selected. The red area shows the period of time where data was not expected for the channel.
Drag the mouse around the area to zoom in
Click 
to reset the zoom back to the default.
Actions - Unexpected Data
Delete
Note - the data will be permanently removed if this function is used.
Rather than deleting the data by default, please consider checking:
- whether the Site or Channel has been incorrectly marked as closed and the data is actually valid
- whether the Channel is associated with a Meter that is attached to the wrong Site (i.e. the data is valid and should be linked to a Site which is active)
In each case, the necessary amendments of the Site or Channel items would need to be made to ensure the issue is appropriately resolved.
This may involve removing the closure date from the applicable Site or Channel, which can be done within the applicable Item Editor.
Or, updating the relationships within the energy estate (to move the Channel to a different Meter, or the Meter to a different Site). This can be done as follows:
- Within the Tree structure, right click on the item that needs to be moved and select "Cut".
- Select the item you wish to move it to be part of, and then right click and select "Paste".
For example, meter X should be part of Site 1, but it is currently part of Site 2.
- Meter X should be selected, right click and then "Cut".
- Site 1 should be selected and right click selecting "Paste". This would then move meter X to be part of Site 1, removing it from Site 2.
If everything is valid, and you wish to remove the data, click 
to remove all the unexpected data from the Channels for each of the Notifications.
The Resolve Notifications pop up appears:
A Note can be optionally entered if required and will be stored against the Notification.
Click OK.
The following confirmation popup will be displayed:
Cancel
Click 
to cancel without making any changes