Review Questions Flashcards
The Dashboard’s zones always contain information about the account/person/premise whose information is displayed in the Object Display Area. True/False
True. For example, if you were to use the bill search page to find a bill that’s linked to an account that differs from the Dashboard, the system will refresh the dashboard to continue the new account’s information.
The system automatically refreshes the Dashboard zones whenever the user saves any change. True/False
True. For example, if a user changes a customer’s name, the Dashboard’s zones will be refreshed and therefore reflect the new name.
Portal preferences are used to define the zones that appear on a portal. True/False
True
Most users know how to change their portal preferences. True/False
False. Most users are typically production users and most implementations do not allow production users to change their portal preferences as it makes support and training difficult.
If a user references a template user, they cannot change their portal prefences. True/False
True. When a user references a template user, the template user’s portal preferences are inherited by the user and cannot be change.
Some zones in the Dashboard contain zones that show person/account/premise information; whilest others are tools that have nothing to do with person/account/premise information. True/False
True
The zones that appear on the Dashboard are configured on User Preferences just like the zones in any portal. True/False
True
The Work List is dashboard zone that can be populated with a column from an explorer zone in any portal. True/False
True
The Dashboard always appears on the desktop. True/False
False. Trick question. You can click the Dashboard’s title to temporatily disable it (in case you need more horizontal real estate). You can permanently disable it by changing your User Preferences. (set the Dashboard Width to 0)
There are many business rules developed on the database tier (e.g., in PL/SQL). True/False
False. In this system, business rules reside on the application server tier, not the database tier.
There are many business rules developed on the user interface tier (e.g. in JavaScript). True/False
Both True and False. While there are some rules that have been developed in JavaScript (that is, they run on the browser), these rules are considered “redundant” as the rules will be repeated on the application server prior to any updates ocurring. The reason for this redundancy is because it makes the system more pleasant to use (e.g., disabling fields, showing valid values in drop-downs, etc. are business rules that are manifest on the UI so that users can’t select /do things that they aren’t allowed to do), However, the rules cannot just reside on the UI because the system is truly service-oriented (meaning that all UIs send messages to back-end services that do the work). This design philosophy is what allows you to be confident that using a web service to update an object is identical to what happens when a web page is used.
If you see a box on an entity relationship diagram (ERD) that is not white, you can be certain that there’s a transation on of the menus for this object. True/False
True. And the color of the box helps determine the menu item.
If your users (or customers) speak mulitple languages, you can define descriptive values in an unlimited number of languages. True/False
True. When users use the system, the labels, messages and descriptive values are shown in the language they speak. Also note, a dashboard zone exists that allows you to switch your language (this is useful during multi-lingual testing and there are some customers who use this in production as some customer-facing users prefer to see the system in the language the customer speaks).
There is no limit to the number characteristics (that is, user defined fields) an object can have. True/False
True. Note, the Configuration Tools class teaches you how to tailor the user interface so that end-users cannot distinguish between an element whose values is heald in a characteristic versus one held in a dedicated column.
There are owned objects flags that have columns that can be changed regardless of the owner. True/False
True. There are several metadata objects that have columns that can be changed regardless of the owner.<br></br><br></br>A good example is the message metadata, Every error and warning is owned because the system does not want implementations to change its message text. However, you’ll find that every message has an “override text” column. This column can be changed regardless of who ons the message. At run time, if the override text is non-blank, this verbiage is shown to the end-user. The analogy is true for field labels (that is, an implementation can enter an “override label” for a field to change the label that prefixes a field on the user interface.)
<div>Control
Central is a page where a user can:</div>
<div>- search for a person,
account, or premise</div>
<div>- view information related
to the person, account and premise</div>
<div>- be alerted to anomalies
about the customer or premise</div>
<div>- navigate into other pages.
</div>
<div><br></br></div>
<div>With these
points in mind, please choose the specific functionality embodied within
Control Central (please choose all that apply):</div>
<div><br></br></div>
<div>a. Find an
account or premise by entering the account’s account number.</div>
<div>b. Find an
account or premise by entering a telephone number.</div>
<div>c. Find an
account by entering an address.</div>
<div>d. Drill to the
page where a bill can be added, canceled, or rebilled.e.Identify the premise
where a customer wants to start service.</div>
<div>f. Drill into
Start/Stop.</div>
<div>g. View
financial transactions (e.g., payments, adjustments, bill cancellations) that
have been created since the last bill was completed.</div>
<div>h. View all
customer contacts associated with a person.</div>
<div>i. Find an
account by entering a social security number.</div>
<div>j. Display the
account’s payments and bills.</div>
<div>k. Display
alerts highlighting anomalous things about the account (e.g., active collection
process, account has multiple premises, etc.)</div>
<div>l. Drill into
the page used to start and stop service.</div>
<div>m. Modify an
account’s customer class.</div>
<div>n. Drill into
the account page to modify this information.</div>
<div>o. Display an
account’s arrearage history.</div>
<div><span>a, b, c, d, g, h, i, j, k, l, o.</span><span></span></div>
<span><div><span>The aged</span><span>debt bar in the
Context zone does show the account’s arrearage in “buckets.” You can view
arrearage to the day by drilling into Account –Financial Balances.</span>in the
Context zone does show the account’s arrearage in “buckets.” You can view
arrearage to the day by drilling into Account –Financial Balances.</div></span>
What is the significance of a comma (,) in the name field?
A comma designates a human name as opposed to business name. All human names should be entered in the format Last Name,First Name (with no space between the comma and the first name).
Many add and update dialogs default the person/account/premise that was last selected on Control Central. True/False
True. When you use the context buttons to transfer to other pages (in add or update mode), the system assumes you want to add or update information for the object associated with the context button.
If a user types in the name “Jones,Pam” in Control Central - Main and there is more than one customer with this name, what happens?
The scroll area at the bottom of the page is populated with one row for each account with the name Jones,Pam. The user would select the row they really wanted. They can use the ID information adjacent to the customer name to pinpoint the customer in question. When an account is selected, the user can use “Next Item” and “Previous Item” to scroll through the other matches.
There are many different ways to navigate to a page from Control Central. List them:
<div><span>- You can push a go to button or a link.</span><span></span></div>
<span><div><span>- You can click many nodes in the trees.</span></div></span><span></span><span><div><span>- You can click a context menu button.</span></div></span><span></span><span><div><span>- You can click the start and stop buttons.</span></div></span><span></span><span><div><span>- You can click a bar in the Bill Graph zone.</span></div></span><span></span><span><div><span>- The dashboard has numerous ways to drill into other pages</span>as numerous ways to
drill into other pages</div></span>
If Rick Bush has a small business and a residence in the utility’s ervice territory, he may have one or two accounts, but will only have one person record. True/False
True. It’s important to stress that Rick is the sole financially responsible individual for both entities (the residence and the small business). This means that there is only one financially responsible individual. This individual has his demographic information recorded on a person record.<br></br><br></br>This person may choose to have all of his obligations on one bill or to segregate them onto two bills. Their choise will dictate if he has one or two accounts.
If a customer moves without paying their debt and then returns two years later and tries to resume service, the system will be able to highlight this to the customer service rep. True/False
True. This is because an account stays with a customer from cradle to grave. When debt is written off, a write-off service agreement is created and uncollectable debt from the account’s regular service agreements is transferred to it. You should associate an alert with the write-off SA type so that the system will warn the user when an account has an active write-off service agreement.
It’s important to know who the customer is before a premise can be added to the system. True/False
False. You can add a premise to the system without knowing the customer.
If there are two water meters at a property, there will be two water service points linked to the premise. True/False
True. A service point is a socket into which a meter is plugged. You can only plug one meter into a socket. Therefore, if there are two meters, there must be two service points.
The system requires an account to exist before a service can be started. True/False
True. In the system the customer dictates how they want to be billed (that is, the number of accounts). This means we have to know which account will be billed for service before the service is connected (it;s a little late after hte connection crew has returned from the field and the customer is no longer on the phone). Also we need to know, while the customer is on the phone, if we are going to reuse an existing account or create a new one.
Most service agreements are added using the service agreement page. True/False
False. Most Service agreements are created behind the scenes when an operator starts service using the “Start/Stop” service page.
Over time, a given porperty’s owner may be linked to several different parties as customers move in and out. True/False
True. Over time, a given service point may be contractually obligated to any number of parties.
The consumption measured on one service point could be added or subtracted from the consumption measured on a different service point in order to derive the total amount of consumption to be billed on a service agreement. True/False
True. You can use a field on the SA/SP relationship (see the service agreement page) to handle this type of subtractive metering requirement.
A user must choose a start option for eash service to be started. True/False
False. Only some SA types use start options (which ones depend on how the system has been set up).
What is a SQI?
A SQI (service quantity identifier) is a third identifier that can be used if UOM and TOU code do not clearly define the type of measurement. Examples include kWh, on peak, and energy <u><b><i>consumed</i></b></u> versus kWh, on peak, and energy <b><i><u>generated</u></i></b>.
How is scalar meter read data different than interval data?
Scalar meter reads are often read on a sporadic basis, like March 15, April 16, or May 13. While interval data is fixed and provides consistent readings every hour, every 30 minutes or every 15 minutes.
What is the difference between consumptive and subtractive metering?
Consumptive readings provide measurement values like KW. While subtractive meter devices only provide a stop reading and C@M must calculate the consumption (<i>(Stop Read - Previous Read) * Meter multiplier(s)</i>)
What is admin data?
Admin data is administrative data that does not change very often. This includes MC and SP types. Admin data (or refernce data or control data) defines the types of master data that may exist. This data is accessed via the admin menu option.
What is master data?
Master data is non-transactional data that defines a busines entity. Examples inclued data about devices, device configurations, MCs, etc. Most master data objects have a corresponding admin objest. Master data is accessed from the main Menu.
What is a usage subscription?
A record that defines how the system will want usage summarized.
Are usage subscriptions for billing only?
No, a usage subscription can be used for other purposes like sending usage to other edge applications like load research, forecasting, etc.
Can a service point be assigned to more than one usage subscription?
Yes
What is a condition code?
Measurements have condition codes, used to indicate the source and quality of measurement. For example:<br></br>- Regularly recorded measurements might have a condition code of “Regular”<br></br>- Missing measurements might have a condition code of “Missing”<br></br>- Estimated measurements might have a condition code of “External Estimated” or “System Estimated” based on where the estimation was performed.<br></br><br></br>Both Pre VEE and Post VEE values have their own condition code, which can also change during VEE processing
What is the difference between Pre and Post VEE IMD values?
The Pre VEE IMD values show the data as it came into the MDM. Post VEE IMD values are after the data has been change by a user or the MDM system.
Can I change final measurement directly?
No, a new IMD must be created that replaces the incorrect final measurement.
Must derived values originate from the original measurement values?
No, while derived values are usually based on the final measurement other items can also be derived. The derivation formula for each value on a final measurement is held in an algorithm and therefore can derive anything, e.g. a profiles value for the period.
Can I manually add meter reader remarks to a finalized initial measurement?
Yes.
Can I manually add meter reader remarks to non-finalized initial measurement?
No, the initial measurement must be in a “Finalized” state.
Can I use the device event upload XML format for meter reader remarks?
No, you must use the scalar initial data measurement XML nodes for meter reader remarks
Are meter reader remarks used to note problems with interval meteres?
No, currently meter reader remarks can only be used with scalar initial measurements.
A specific user is assigned to a To Do entry when it is in the state of Being Worked on. True/False
True
Only the user assigned to a Being Worked On To Do entry may see the entry in the To Do Summary Page. True/False
True
Assume there is an entry that highlights an account without a bill cycle. When a user assigns a bill cycle to the account, the To Do entry will be completed automatically by the system. True/False
True. The answer is true, but it’s important to understand that the system will only automatically complete the entry the next time the background process responsible for the creation and completion for such a To Do entry executes. If a user wants to mark it as Complete before the process runs, they can.
A supervisor is a user who is part of a To Do role who also has access to the supervisor pages. True/False
True. There is no specific attribute on a user that designates them as a supervisor.
The system issues a warning if you attempt to assign a To Do entry that has a special skills requirement to a user that doesn’t have these skills. True/False
True
