Utility management - FAQ's

Smart360 Utility Management Setup FAQs

Getting Started & Dashboard Overview

Q1: How do I access the Utility Management Setup Dashboard in Smart360?

A: Navigate to the main menu and click on "Utility Setup" from the primary navigation menu. You'll be taken to the Utility Setup Dashboard where you can view all configured utilities and their progress status.

Q2: What does the "Overall Setup Progress" percentage represent?

A: The Overall Setup Progress displays the average completion percentage across all your configured utilities. It's calculated using the formula: (Sum of individual utility progress) ÷ (Number of configured utilities). For example, if you have 3 utilities with 80%, 60%, and 100% completion, your overall progress would be 80%.

Q3: What's the difference between "Complete" and "In Progress" status?

A: The status indicator shows:

Complete: When your overall setup progress reaches 100%
In Progress: When your overall setup progress is less than 100% This helps you quickly understand if all utilities are fully configured or if work remains.

Q4: What information is displayed for each utility on the dashboard?

A: Each utility card shows:

Utility Name
Setup Progress Bar with numerical percentage
Activation Status (Active/Inactive toggle)
"Edit" button for modifying utility details
"Continue Setup" button for completing remaining configuration steps

Utility Configuration Process

Q5: How many configuration steps are required to set up a utility?

A: Smart360 requires 6 specific configuration steps to complete utility setup. These 6 steps include - core system settings ,user access management, calendar and scheduling , service areas, Tariff and plans, Id and references.

Q6: Which fields are mandatory when creating a new utility?

A: Required Fields *(marked with an asterisk *) include:

Utility Name: Enter a valid utility name.
Email: Must be in a valid format (e.g., contacts@example.com).
Contact Number: Should follow a proper phone number format (e.g., (123) 456-7890).
State: Select from the predefined dropdown options.
City: Select from the dropdown options based on the chosen state.
Address: Provide a complete address.

Optional Fields include:

GST/HST/VAGST Registration
Website URL
Logo Upload

Q7: What are the optional fields when setting up a utility?

A: Optional fields include:

Website URL: Should follow proper URL format if provided (e.g., https://www.example.com)
Logo Upload: You can upload your utility company logo using the "Click to upload logo" area
GST/HST/VAGST Registration: Alphanumeric only, maximum 30 characters

Q8: How do I create a new utility in Smart360?

A: To add a new utility:

Click the "Add New Utility" button on the Setup Dashboard
Fill in all required fields marked with asterisks (*)
Select your State from the dropdown (based on your organization's country)
Select your City from the dropdown (filtered by your selected State)
Add optional information like Website URL and GST registration if applicable
Upload your utility logo if desired
Click "Save Utility" to create the utility
Use "Continue Setup" to complete the remaining configuration steps

Progress Tracking & Status Management

Q9: How can I track the progress of individual utility configurations?

A: Each utility displays a horizontal progress bar with a numerical percentage showing completion status. You can click on any utility card to view the detailed breakdown of all 6 configuration steps.

Q10: Can I activate a utility before completing all configuration steps?

A: Yes, you can activate or deactivate utilities instantly using the toggle switch on each utility card. There's no minimum progress percentage required to activate or deactivate utilities. However, incomplete configurations may limit functionality.

Q11: How do I continue setting up an incomplete utility?

A: Click the "Continue Setup" button on the utility card. This will take you to the detailed configuration view where you can see all 6 steps and complete the remaining ones. The system will highlight which stops are mandatory versus optional.

Q12: What happens if I try to complete utility setup without finishing mandatory steps?

A: Smart360 prevents you from completing utility setup without finishing all mandatory steps. The system will clearly indicate which required steps remain incomplete and guide you to complete them before allowing final submission.

State and City Configuration

Q13: Why can't I see certain states in the dropdown menu?

A: The State dropdown shows predefined options based on the country you selected during your organization setup. If you need to add a state that's not listed, you may need to contact your system administrator or check your organization's country configuration.

Q14: The City dropdown is empty - what should I do?

Q15: Can I change the State and City after creating a utility?

A: Yes, you can edit utility information by clicking the "Edit" button on the utility card. This will reopen the form where you can modify the State and City selections, but remember that changing the State will reset your City selection.

GST/Tax Registration

Q16: Is GST/HST/VAGST Registration required for all utilities?

A: No, the GST/HST/VAGST Registration field is optional. You only need to fill this if your utility has tax registration requirements in your jurisdiction.

Q17: What format should I use for GST/HST/VAGST Registration?

A: The registration field accepts:

Alphanumeric characters only (letters and numbers)
Maximum 30 characters
No special characters or symbols For example: "@" or "><?"

Q18: What happens if I enter invalid characters in the GST field?

A: Smart360 will display a validation error if you enter special characters or exceed the 30-character limit. The system will prompt you to correct the format before allowing you to save the utility information.

File Upload & Logo Management

Q19: What file formats are accepted for utility logos?

A: While the specific formats aren't detailed in the current documentation, standard image formats like JPG and PNG are typically supported. Click the "Click to upload logo" area to select your file, and the system will validate the format during upload.

Q20: Is there a size limit for logo uploads?

A: The system includes file upload validation, but specific size limits aren't specified in the current documentation. If your file is too large, the system will display an error message with the maximum allowed size.

Q21: Can I change or remove a utility logo after uploading it?

A: Yes, you can edit the utility information by clicking the "Edit" button and either upload a new logo to replace the existing one or remove the current logo if needed.

Troubleshooting & Common Issues

Q22: Why am I getting a validation error when trying to save my utility?

A: Common validation issues include:

Missing required fields (marked with *)
Invalid email format
Improper phone number format
No State or City selected
Invalid characters in GST registration field
GST registration exceeding 30 characters Check each field against the requirements and ensure all mandatory fields are completed.

Q23: My overall progress percentage seems incorrect - how is it calculated?

A: The overall progress is the average of all your configured utilities. For example:

Utility A: 100% complete
Utility B: 50% complete
Utility C: 80% complete
Overall Progress: (100 + 50 + 80) ÷ 3 = 76.67% If this seems incorrect, check individual utility progress percentages.

Q24: I accidentally activated a utility that's not ready - what should I do?

A: Simply click the activation toggle switch on the utility card to deactivate it. You can then use "Continue Setup" to complete the remaining configuration steps before reactivating.

Q25: The "Continue Setup" button doesn't seem to work - what's wrong?

A: This could indicate:

A system connectivity issue - try refreshing the page
The utility configuration is already complete, hence click on “edit” to make any changes
There may be unsaved changes - ensure you've saved all utility information first If the problem persists, try logging out and back in.

Best Practices & Advanced Features

Q26: What's the recommended approach for setting up multiple utilities?

A: Best practices include:

Complete one utility setup entirely before starting another
Gather all required information (contact details, addresses, registrations) before beginning
Use consistent naming conventions for multiple utilities
Regularly check your overall progress to ensure balanced completion
Activate utilities only when they're fully configured and ready for use

Q27: How can I track which configuration steps take the longest to complete?

A: Smart360 tracks step completion progress bar and configuration abandonment patterns. System administrators can access analytics showing:

Average time per configuration step
Most commonly abandoned steps
Help tooltip usage patterns This data helps identify areas where users need additional support.

Q28: Can I export or backup my utility configuration data?

A: While not explicitly mentioned in the current documentation, most enterprise systems provide export capabilities. Check with your system administrator about backup procedures and data export options for your utility configurations. This is especially important before making major changes to existing utilities.