The meter reading manager provides a general operations management function, where you can manage and monitor the work in progress.

Supervisors see instantly what routes are being read, their progress in real time, which routes readers are assigned to, reading day status, data transmission method, quick visual progress bar, number of meters read or estimated, total in route and whether the completed route has been exported to the utility's billing system.

A progress bar shows:

• Blue: Route completed
• Green: Route in progress on time
• Red: Route is late (action required)

Supervisors can click between different geographical areas of operations or meter reading teams to view progress and manage their areas by exception.

System security is provided to allow regional supervisors the ability to see and manage only their area. Management may view all areas to audit and check progress.

You can identify what routes exist in which reader's handheld device, allowing work to be re-allocated to another reader in sufficient time to prevent any late route submission.

Error messages are displayed in the alert message box when a route is late, allowing the supervisor to resend or reassign a route.

The system shows which ICPs (Installation Control Points), MPRs and MPANs belong in which route or sequence, the day they will be read and which reader they are assigned to.

You can select the routes scheduled to be read on any particular reading day and assign them to the designated readers, or another temporary reader, should the regular reader be unavailable.

Customer base additions and deletions are added or removed automatically from the route or sequence in the file interfacing process between SevenX and the utility billing system.

Read days are calculated as a number from 1-20 representing Monday to Friday x4 in any given month. SevenX will handle any varying cycle of reads e.g. 20 day (monthly), 21 day, 40 day (bi-monthly), 60 day (quarterly), six monthly and annually.

You can monitor and manage non-scheduled work as it is captured by the system in real-time.

Jobs are tracked as accepted, pending, completed or declined. Utility customers can be given access to the real time job tracking information or have it presented via a website for the utilities customers to view.

SevenX receives work requests direct from utility customers and automatically selects the most appropriate field worker for the job.

The system dispatches the job to the field worker's PDA wirelessly for the contractor to accept or decline.

Once the reading takes place, the system processes it, closes the job and transfers the information to the utility.

You can edit the frequency and cycle of each reading route, change the reading order of the route or sequence and import new ICPs / MPRs / MPANs into the route or sequence.

SevenX also provides a history log of a property within the route or sequence.

SevenX holds a system reading order and a contractor reading order. This allows SevenX to interface and exchange files in the particular order format that the utility customer requires. It also allows the meter reader to have a separate user-driven reading order for themselves.

Operators have the choice of fully integrated industrial devices or off the shelf hardware with a DataCol assembled fully industrial-strength case.

DataCol provides a low cost model with faster maintenance and replacement turnaround. You can take advantage of the latest handheld PDA technology giving better ROI and competitive edge.

DataCol PDA cases are developed to USA military specification and with the PDA inside are fully water proof, drop proof and weather resistant.

DataCol's real time wireless PDAs provide:

• Instant work allocation
• Work progress tracking and monitoring
• Sharing of work between readers and field staff
• Wireless version upgrade fluidity
• No interruptions to workforce
• Upgrades, patches loaded seamlessly and automatically

All data is automatically backed up in handheld and database.

Customers are 'switched' in and out or from retailer to retailer as they change service provider. Daily, weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, six monthly or annual updates are captured from the retailers to determine which properties they service and must be read.

The full details pertaining to each property, including access notes, readers' personal notes, health and safety issues, key location, meter location, customer contact details, route number, reading frequency, as well as reading history is available from the system, as well as recording the GPS coordinates.

SevenX contains complete details for all readers and contractors including their reading history performance (KPI reporting), equipment issued, messages sent and received and personal human resource details.

This enables the meter reading supervisor to gain access to specific, relevant information of the performance of each person on the reading team, thus simplifying the process of performance management.

Example key performance indicators are:

• Attainment: records the number of actual readings gained, versus those not read, as a percentage of the total that were required to be read in the route.
• Accuracy: records the percentage accuracy, versus error rate.
• Timeliness: records the percentage of routes read on time, and late routes returned, against the total number of routes attempted.

Of particular benefit to contracting companies when performing work for more than one retailer or utility, is the ability to manage estimate or 'no-visit' codes.

Typically different retailers and utilities all use different codes developed within their own organisations. Managing this in a consolidated field force is difficult when trying to ensure the contractor always uses the appropriate code for the particular customer.

SevenX manages this, utilising one set of codes for the field force and relating those to individual sets as preferred by the customers. All reporting to the customer includes only those codes that are pertinent to their business.

SevenX is very flexible in allowing the user to set up all necessary route classifications and billing values to determine the value of each reading or field service task undertaken and by whom. SevenX interfaces direct to the operators' accounting package for streamlined accounts reporting, removing another level of data entry.

SevenX generates invoices or schedules on behalf of field contractors. A process can be applied to facilitate on-line account approval by the utilities' key personnel and field service providers. Billing is automated, providing a paperless back office system.

With SevenX you can configure whatever reports you need in addition to the system's many standard reports.

Some reporting examples include:

• Key performance indicators
• attainment
• accuracy
• timelines
• Time installations are left on holding sequence
• Time before metering sequences are returned
• Completion of sequences
• Cost codes
• File exchange log
• Industry requirements

The calendar function is available to authorised meter reading contractors to enable them to fill in and manage the readings schedule on a rolling 12 month basis.

The read date set for each route or sequence can drive the data exchange between SevenX and the utility billing engine.

Designed as a multi-user, multi-retailer and multi-utility management system, security has been very carefully and rigorously structured. This ensures integrity of data between retailers and users, with no possibility of access to wrong or sensitive information.

All users have log in identification and password protection. Transactions are time, date stamped and logged per user to allow for full audit capabilities.

The system has been designed to be fully compliant with the relevant industry requirements and can be modified to suit any specific legislative requirements in place in the country of deployment.

SevenX is very flexible with all table data able to be updated by the appropriate user.

This includes network types, read cycles, charge types, charge classes, reasons for decline, ICP sequence status and so on.