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 Notes to Notifications

This basic workflow allows you to capture information and update the status of the Notifications, as per your own business processes.

This is expected to be used to help you keep track of any investigative and follow-up actions which are been taken as a result of the Data Monitoring Notifications.

For example:

where there is ongoing investigation to determine the cause of the problem, the status may be changed to "Under Investigation" and there maybe a series of notes capturing what has been happening
where the issue has been referred to a metering agent to resolve, the status may be changed to "Assigned to Third Party" and there maybe a note to capture details of any conversations with the agent

Highlight the Notification(s) you would like to update. Notifications can be selected in bulk, even across different strategy types.

Click which will display the Work Notification pop up:

The Status will default to In Progress and is not editable - the Resolve and Ignore features will update the status.

If you want to update the Sub-status, select the required option from the drop down list. The default options are:

Under Investigation
Assigned to Third Party
Pending Resolution

You can customise the options available for selection to suite your needs here by using the Database Object Setup activity.

You can also create reports in Energy Intelligence to keep track of the Notifications and their status, filtered as required to show the information as per your needs.

If you want to update the Note for the Notification(s), then Tick Update Note and enter the note in the text box.

Click OK to Save.

Ignoring Notifications

This will update the status of the Notification to "Ignored" and will also prevent the same notification (for the same period and Impact) from being raised by the system again.

Highlight the Notification(s) you would like to update. Notification(s) can be selected in bulk, even across different strategy types
Click to open the Ignore Notifications pop up appears:

If you want to update the Note for the Notification(s), then Tick Update Note and enter the note in the text box.

Click OK to Save

Editing Items

Highlight the Notification
Click to open the Periodic HFD Channel Editor

You can view the Channel / amend the interval reading Data associated to the notification, if required.

Please note, this option is only available if a single Notification is selected.

Click OK if you have made changes
Click Cancel to return to the Data Monitoring Activity

Editing Monitoring Strategies

Highlight the Notification for which you would like to edit the underlying monitoring strategy configuration.

Click to open the Monitoring Strategy Editor. Note, this is only an available option if Notification(s) relating to a single strategy are selected.
Amend the Monitoring Strategy as required. Please see Data Gaps, Overdue Data or Unexpected Data for additional help.
Click OK to Exit and Save

Exporting to Excel

Click to download an Excel Spreadsheet of everything you see in the table

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

Creating Managing Unexpected Data Strategies