Meter Device Management (MX01US02)

1. Problem Statement

Meter Supervisor/Device Manager

• Manual tracking of meter assets leads to inconsistent and incomplete records
• Difficulty monitoring meter performance and identifying issues before they escalate
• Lack of visibility into meter history makes maintenance planning reactive rather than proactive
• Challenge coordinating meter replacements and work orders efficiently
• Limited tools for tracking technical specifications and maintenance history
• Inefficient inventory management of available and deployed meters
• No system for tracking meter consumer allocation history

Core Problem: The utility lacks a centralized, comprehensive meter lifecycle management system that tracks devices from procuring from OEM, installation through maintenance to replacement, resulting in operational inefficiencies, increased costs, and potential service disruptions.

2. Who Are the Users?

Meter Supervisor/Device Manager: Responsible for managing the utility's meter inventory, specifications, and lifecycle. Oversees and certification processes. Manages meter inventory, replacement programs, and asset maintenance. Ensures regulatory compliance for meter accuracy and performance.

Users who should have access to this feature: The Meter Supervisor/Device Manager role is the primary user, with system administrators having oversight access for configuration and support.

3. Jobs To Be Done

For Meter Supervisor: When I need to track the entire meter inventory in our system, But I lack visibility into meter statuses, locations, and technical specifications, Help me access a centralized inventory management system with detailed meter data, So that I can make informed decisions about procurement, maintenance, and replacement.

For Meter Supervisor: When I need to plan meter replacements, But I don't have clear data on meter age, performance history, and maintenance records, Help me view comprehensive lifecycle data for each meter, So that I can prioritize replacements and optimize asset management.

For Meter Supervisor: When I need to create service orders for meter maintenance, But I struggle with tracking work order status and completion, Help me manage the full work order lifecycle with status updates and documentation, So that I can ensure timely completion of critical maintenance activities.

For Meter Supervisor: When I need to manage meter allocation to consumers, But I struggle with maintaining accurate records of historical assignments and transfers, Help me access a complete allocation history with timestamps and customer details, So that I can ensure accurate billing and resolve customer inquiries.

4. Solution

The Meter Lifecycle Management solution provides a comprehensive platform for tracking, managing, and optimizing utility meters throughout their lifecycle. The solution addresses the identified pain points through these key capabilities:

Meter Inventory Management

• Centralized Meter Registry: All meters tracked in a central database with unique identifiers and searchable attributes
• Status Tracking: Visual indicators for Assigned, maintenance, Disposed, and unassigned meters
• Batch Operations: Ability to add and manage meters in bulk for efficiency

Individual Meter Tracking

• Detailed Meter Profiles: Comprehensive information page for each meter showing specifications, history, and current status
• Technical Specifications Library: Detailed technical information including certifications, accuracy class, and physical characteristics
• Meter Type Classification: Clear categorization by meter type (manual, photo, smart) with specific attributes for each

Consumer and Location Management

• Premise Allocation: Track where meters are physically installed with address and geolocation data
• Consumer History: Historical record of all consumers assigned to a particular meter
• Allocation Tracking: Clear visibility of meter reassignments and transfers between premises or consumers

Work Order Management

• Service Order Creation: Ability to create and track different types of meter-related work orders
• Maintenance Scheduling: Plan and schedule regular maintenance activities
• Service History: Track all activities performed on meters from installation through replacement

Consumer Usage Tracking

• Consumption History: Basic log of consumption data for reference
• Historical Data Access: Ability to access past consumption for context
• Consumer History: Track previous customers associated with each meter

Maintenance and Lifecycle Tracking

• Maintenance Records: Document all maintenance activities performed on each meter
• Lifecycle Events: Track key events like installation, calibration, and service activities
• Alert Management: Automated alerts for meters requiring attention based on age, readings, or maintenance schedule

Reporting and Analytics

• Meter Performance Metrics: Track key statistics like days in service and reading quality
• Consumption Reporting: Consumption bar graph of last 6 consumption
• Export Capabilities: Extract data for further analysis and reporting

5. Major Steps Involved

For Meter Supervisor

1. Access Meter Inventory
   • Navigate to the "Meters" section from the main navigation
   • View summary metrics of total meters, assigned meters, unassigned meters, under maintenance, and Disposed meters
   • Filter meters by type (Manual, Photo, Smart) using the toggle filters
   • Search for specific meters using the search bar
2. Add New Meters
   • Click "Add Meter" button from the meters list view
   • Meter Status (Physical, Assignment, Reading)
   • Enter Device Number, Utility Service, Meter Type, Category, and Sub-Category
   • Specify installation location details including Premise, Floor, Location
   • Add geolocation data (Latitude/Longitude) if available
   • Set Installation Date
   • Assign to Consumer (optional at this stage)
   • Record First Reading if applicable
   • Enter Manufacturer Details
   • Click "Add Meter" to save or "Add & Next" to continue adding meters
3. View Meter Details
   • Click on a meter from the list to access its detailed profile
   • Review Key Stats (Days in service, Installation date, Alerts, Last maintenance)
   • Check Technical Specifications (Basic Info and Technical tabs)
   • View Consumer allocation history and premise details
   • Monitor reading history and consumption patterns
   • Review maintenance and work order history
   • Access activity log showing all actions performed on the meter
4. Manage Meter Lifecycle
   • Identify meters requiring service based on alerts
   • Click "Service Order" to create maintenance, uninstall or replacement work orders
   • Specify Service Type, SOP, and Reason
   • Track work order status and completion through the Work tab
   • Update meter status appropriately (Assigned, Maintenance, Unassigned)

Additional Meter Supervisor Steps

1. Review Consumer Allocation History
   • Access the "Allocation" tab for specific meters
   • View current and all historical consumer assignments
   • Check consumer details including account numbers and contact information
   • Track premise history and location details for the meter
2. Access Technical Documentation
   • Navigate to the "Details" tab for technical specifications
   • Review certification status and compliance information
   • Check physical specifications for replacement planning
   • Verify manufacturer details and model information for procurement
3. Monitor Meter Status Changes
   • Track meter status transitions through the life-cycle
   • Document reason codes for status changes
   • Maintain history of all status modifications
   • Generate reports on meter status distribution across inventory

6. Flow Diagram

7. Business Rules

General Meter Management Rules

1. Each meter must have a unique identifier in the system
2. Meters must always have one of the following statuses: Assigned, Maintenance, Unassigned, Disposed
3. A meter can only be assigned to one consumer and one premise at a time
4. Historical consumer and premise allocations must be preserved when a meter is reassigned
5. Meter installation date must be recorded and cannot be after the current date
6. Meters cannot be permanently deleted from the system, only marked as disposed
7. All changes to meter data must be logged with timestamp and user information
8. System should hold all the data related to meters even when the meter is disposed

Meter Data Management Rules

1. Technical specifications must be standardised by meter type and manufacturer as mentioned in settings do not pick in this sprint show NA until the settings is created
2. Historical installation and maintenance data must be preserved for the life of the meter
3. Meter status changes must be documented with reason codes and timestamps
4. Technical specifications cannot be modified after initial entry without management approval (Pick after settings ticket is released)
5. Manufacturer and model information must be selected from pre-approved lists (Pick after settings ticket is released)
6. Unique device numbers must be validated at entry to prevent duplication.
7. Installation dates must be recorded accurately and cannot be after the current date
8. Meter location data must follow standardised format and include option for GPS coordinates

Work Order Rules

1. All physical changes to a meter require a corresponding work order
2. Work orders must include service type, scheduled date, and reason
3. Work orders must have one of the following statuses: Pending, In Progress, Completed, Cancelled
4. Completed work orders must include completion date and technician information (do not pick now)
5. Meter status must be updated automatically based on work order completion
6. Maintenance records must be associated directly with the meter they apply to
7. Work order history must be preserved for the life of the meter
8. Standard service types must be predefined in the system (Maintenance, Replacement, Uninstall)

Consumer and Premise Rules

1. A premise can have multiple meters but each meter can only be at one premise
2. Consumer reassignment must preserve the historical consumption data for billing purposes
3. When a meter is reassigned, a final reading must be recorded for the previous consumer
4. Premise location data should include standardized address format plus optional geolocation
5. Any change to consumer assignment must be documented with reason and authorization
6. Consumer information must include account number and contact details
7. Commercial/residential classification must be maintained for each consumer

Meter List View

1. Should contain 4 tabs All, Manual, Photo, Smart with numbers indicating how many meters are there in every tab
2. Search should work for Meter Number, Consumer Name, Account Number
3. Filter should work for Utility Service, Status and Type
4. Last reading should be fetched from the last reading collected for the meter and the date it is collected on and unit is fetched form onboarding
5. Status List
   1. Assigned
   2. Unassigned
   3. Maintenance
   4. Disposed
6. Consumer Name and Account Number should be displayed same as assigned data if meter status is unassigned display NA for both
7. Meter Number should be automatically created by the system while adding meters to the system
8. Install Date should also same as the date mentioned while adding the meter
9. Bulk Add button should navigate user to data upload module
10. Dashboard
    1. Total Meters: Total meters in the list
    2. Assigned Meters: Total unassigned meters in the list
    3. Under Maintenance: Total meters under maintenance
    4. Disposed Meters: Total disposed meters in the list

Add/ Edit Meter Form

1. On the top of the add form meter number should be displayed which is auto generated by the system based on the num format set, Same meter number in case of edit
2. A status card should be displayed at the top of the form with Physical Status: Installed, Assignment Status: Unassigned, Reading Status: Normal in which Assignment Status will change to Assigned if the user assigns meter to consumer at the end of the form
3. Add form should contain the following
   1. Device Number, Mandatory, Non Editable
   2. Utility Service (dropdown with the options selected in the onboarding), Mandatory, Non Editable
   3. Meter Type (Dropdown with Manual, Photo, Smart), Mandatory, Non Editable
   4. Category (Searchable Dropdown based on the configuration of category in onb), Mandatory, Editable
   5. Subcategory (Searchable Dropdown based on the configuration of subcategory in onb), Mandatory, Editable
   6. Premise(Searchable Dropdown based on the configuration of Premise in onb), Mandatory, Editable
   7. When selected premise the form should display the route and cycle this meter would go into based on the premise selected, Editable
   8. Floor (Input Field), Editable
   9. Installation Date (Input Field), Mandatory, Non Editable
   10. Latitude, Longitude, Editable
   11. Consumer Assignment section should consist a toggle button which opens fields to enter data
   12. Consumer assignment should contain Select Consumer (Dropdown of consumer list based on the Category, Subcategory, Premis and floor entered),Mandatory, Editable
   13. In edit if the toggle is turned off then a dialogue pop up should appear saying are you sure you want to unassign (Device Number) to (Consumer Name)
   14. With options below Yes/ No, if yes then toggle turns off and the assignment status goes to unassigned and meter gets unassigned to the consumer
   15. 
   16. First Reading (Input field), ,Mandatory, Non Editable
   17. First Reading Date (Prefill with installation date and can be changed), ,Mandatory, Non Editable
   18. Manufacturer Details should contain Manufacturer (Dropdown fetched form settings with add new button at the bottom of the dropdown which on click allows user to enter new manufacturer name in a single field form with option to save), Non-Mandatory, Editable
   19. 
   20. 
   21. Model (Dropdown fetched form settings based on the manufacturer selected, if manufacturer is added then model field should be converted to input field instead of dropdown field), Non-Mandatory, Editable, upon selecting model technical specifications details should be displayed, model also consists of the same functionality to add new as manufacturer and works the same
   22. Based on the manufacturer and model technical specifications of the meter should be displayed if any one of the both field is added then input fields are displayed fetched form settings based on the meter type selected.
   23. 
   24. If add meter is clicked then form should be submitted and user should be navigated to meter list
   25. if add and next is clicked then form should be submitted and new fresh form should be opened for new meter entry.

Meter Detailed View

Meter Status

1. Assigned, Unassigned based on the assignment status of the meter

Consumption Tracking

1. Meter type should be mentioned and consumer name should be displayed beside it
2. Last Month Consumption (34m³) must be recorded with percentage change (5%)
3. Monthly consumption is tracked with historical data presented in chart format
4. Last reading, date should be gathered form the read cycle of the meter
5. Uploaded by is the name of the meter reader in both manual and photometer case, name of the OEM in smart meter case
6. Validator name is gathered form the validation based on the person validated the reading
7. Reading status (Normal, Faulty, RCNT) fetched for the validation
8. Monthly average consumption (198m³) must be calculated and displayed calculated for 12 months if data for 12 months is not available then calculate for as many months as available
9. Days since last reading (672) must be tracked and displayed
10. Premise should be displayed as in add meter form
11. Next reading date is automatically fetched based on read cycle

Key Stats

1. Days in service: total number of days the meter is in service from installed to disposed
2. installed date from add form
3. Alerts (3 months): the number of times alerts have been received related to the meter
4. Last Maintenance: last maintenance date if no maintenance is done display installation date

Reading Cycle

1. Route: Name of the route in which this meter is in
2. Cycle: Name of the cycle in which this meter is in

Action Permissions

1. System must support multiple actions: Dispose, Service Order, Change Premise, Reassign, Edit
   1. Edit should open add form in edit mode and fields editable are mentioned above
   2. Service order button should open a form to create service order as mentioned in the UI below all fields are mandatory.
   3. Dispose button is disabled until the status is unassigned
   4. When clicked should open a dialogue box saying "This meter will be disposed, Do you still want to proceed" with options Yes and NO if yes is selected display a field called reason which is mandatory and then submit
   5. 

Readings Tab

1. Consumption history should display previous 6 consumptions with the date range of the consumption and number of days, date range should be dates of current reading taken and previous reading taken
2. Below should be a list of readings collected for this meter till date view all readings should display the readings that are not displayed on the screen with pagination.

Details Tab

1. Meter Information
   1. Device Number
   2. Type
   3. Status
   4. Premise
   5. Installed
   6. Meter Type
   7. Consumer

Basic Info

1. These info is gathered from settings based on the manufacturer and model selected so for now display the fields with NA as value

Technical

1. These info is gathered from settings based on the manufacturer and model selected so for now display the fields with NA as value

Allocation Tab

1. This tab should display consumer details that is attached to the meter
2. Consumer Information:
   1. Current/Previous status: Indicates if this is the current or previous account holder
   2. Name: Consumer's full name
   3. Account: Account identification number
   4. Date range: Service period dates
   5. Phone number: Contact phone
   6. Email: Contact email
   7. Consumer type: Classification (Domestic/Residential or Non-Domestic/Commercial)
   8. Address: Physical location
   9. View Details: Button to see more information
3. Premise Details:
   1. Premise : Premise Name
   2. Area: Geographic/administrative zone
   3. Sub Area: More specific location subdivision
   4. Utility Service: Type of utility being provided
4. Route & Reading Cycle:
   1. Route ID: Meter reading route identifier
   2. Read Cycle: Reading schedule information
   3. Total Consumption: Amount of utility used (in cubic meters for water)

Alerts

1. Display alerts regarding meter in cases of RCNT, Faulty, Exemptions received for the meters
2. Alert card should contain the name of the alert, date the alert is created on and clicking on details button should open the meter validation page of the particular alert.
3. Alerts are logged after the validation process is completed.

Service Orders

1. Each work order shows:
2. Service type (in bold/larger text): "MAINTENANCE"
3. Notes: Notes added while creating service order
4. Created By: "John Smith" and "Mike Johnson"
5. Date: "2024-12-10" and "2025-04-15"
6. Status indicator: "COMPLETED"
7. All information can be gathered from service order creation form
8. Status will be fetched from service orders (WX)

Activity Log

1. System should display all the activities that are done related to the meter

Notes

1. System should allow user to create notes and view notes created by others with information like created by and created on

Error Handling Rules

1. Validation failures must provide clear error messages indicating the specific issue
2. Critical operations (disposal, reassignment) require confirmation before proceeding
3. Duplicate meter numbers must be prevented at the time of entry
4. Date inconsistencies (maintenance date before installation) must be flagged
5. Invalid meter status transitions must be prevented (e.g., cannot go from Disposed to Assigned)
6. Technical specification inconsistencies must be flagged during data entry
7. Work orders cannot be completed without all required fields
8. Alert notifications must be persistent until acknowledged by an authorised user
9. System must prevent creation of work orders for already disposed meters

8. Sample Data

Meter Data

Serial: WM-23456
Type: PHOTO
Status: ACTIVE
Location: 456 Oak Ave, Somewhere
Installed: 2022-05-22
Read Type: Photo Meter
Consumer: Sarah Johnson
Route: S05-DMA01-V-MANASE-B1
Read Cycle: R06-DMA01-V-LEPA

Technical Specifications

Manufacturer: HydroTech
Model: PhotoRead 200
Material: Composite
Connection Size: 3/4 inch
Dimensions: 180 × 110 × 160 mm
Weight: 0.9 kg
Dial Length: 95mm
Dial Count: 6
Max Flow Rate: 15 m³/h
Accuracy: Class C (±1%)
IP Rating: IP67
Certifications: ISO 4064, OIML R49

Consumer Allocation

Current Consumer:
Name: John Smith
Account: AccNo1
Period: 2023-05-15 - Present
Contact: +1 555-123-4567
Email: john.smith@example.com
Type: Non-Domestic / Commercial
Address: 123 Main St, Anytown

Previous Consumer:
Name: Maria Rodriguez
Account: AccNo2
Period: 2022-01-10 - 2023-05-14
Contact: +1 555-987-6543
Email: maria.rodriguez@example.com
Type: Domestic / Residential
Address: 123 Main St, Anytown

Reading History

Date: 2025-03-25
Month: January
Reading: 34 m³
Status: NORMAL
Reader: MX
Validator: kaushal

Date: 2025-02-25
Month: December
Reading: 32.5 m³
Status: NORMAL
Reader: MX
Validator: kaushal

Date: 2025-01-25
Month: November
Reading: 30.2 m³
Status: NORMAL
Reader: MX
Validator: kaushal

Service History

Type: READING
Date: 2025-03-25
Description: Manual reading recorded: 34
By: kaushal

Type: MAINTENANCE
Date: 2024-12-10
Description: Completed maintenance check
By: John Smith

Type: INSTALLATION
Date: 2022-05-22
Description: Initial installation
By: Mike Johnson

Work Orders

Type: MAINTENANCE
Description: Regular maintenance check
Assigned To: John Smith
Status: COMPLETED
Date: 2024-12-10

Type: CALIBRATION
Description: Annual calibration
Assigned To: Mike Johnson
Status: PENDING
Date: 2025-04-15

9. Acceptance Criteria

1. The system must display a dashboard showing counts of meters by status (Assigned, Maintenance, Disposed, Unassigned)
2. The system must allow filtering of meters by type (Manual, Photo, Smart) with accurate counts
3. The system must provide a search function to find meters by serial number, consumer name, or location
4. The system must display a detailed view of individual meters with tabs for different information categories
5. The system must track and display meter technical specifications including manufacturer, model, and physical characteristics
6. The system must maintain and display complete consumer allocation history for each meter
7. The system must allow users to create service orders with specific types, dates, and reasons
8. The system must track meter reading history with validation status and validator information
9. The system must display consumption history in both tabular and graphical formats
10. The system must maintain a complete activity log of all actions performed on a meter
11. The system must allow users to add and view notes associated with each meter
12. The system must support work order tracking with status updates and completion records
13. The system must allow reassignment of meters to different consumers with historical tracking
14. The system must track alert conditions and display the count of active alerts per meter
15. The system must support bulk addition of meters through the "Bulk Add Meters" function
16. The system must allow editing of meter information while maintaining change history
17. The system must display key statistics including days in service, installation date, and maintenance history
18. The system must provide export functionality for meter data and consumption history
19. The system must prevent invalid state transitions (e.g., from Disposed to Assigned) with appropriate error messages
20. The system must require reason documentation for key actions such as meter disposal or status changes

10. Process Changes

11. Impact from Solving This Problem

12. User Behavior Tracking

Meter Supervisor Tracking

Questions Answered:

• How efficiently are meters being added and managed? What is the quality of data entry?
• Are meters being replaced based on optimal criteria? What factors trigger most replacements?
• How quickly are meter alerts addressed? What types of alerts are most common?
• How are supervisors analyzing the meter inventory? What metrics are most important for decision making?

Technical Management Tracking

Questions Answered:

• Which technical specifications are most frequently referenced? What documentation gaps exist?
• How effectively are certification renewals being managed before expiration?
• What is the completeness level of technical documentation across meter types?
• What technical issues occur most frequently and how quickly are they resolved?

Wire frame

• Wireframe: https://www.figma.com/design/UXn9POA1FLExntE2A48YHZ/AX-Wireframes?node-id=689-1458&t=a9sVl7m9Aw06dqeK-1
• Reference: https://preview--bynry-meter-flow-control-68.lovable.app/meters/2