Meters

Content was last updated in 06.22.08-00

Revision History

The Meter feature in R2 can be used to record meter reading of an asset belonging to a serial item. Based on the meter reading value for an asset, a product can be flagged/ marked for service and service tickets can be generated for the same.

Meters option in the Warehouse tab in configuration module should be selected in order for the Meters feature to work properly.

Currently support is not provided to charge user based on Meter reading of an item.

How to flag assets for service based on meter reading and generate service tickets for the same

In order to generate service tickets for items based on meter reading, the following procedure has to be followed.

1. Create a meter definition with appropriate settings.

2. Create a Meter Group with a meter definition and tag it to the Item for which meter reading has to be implemented.

3. Create a Maintenance Group , with maintenance schedule of type Meter.

4. Tag the maintenance group to the Item.

Now, on adding the item to the order, system will prompt for entering a new meter value based on the Meter definition set (Rent/Return). The user can enter a new meter value either while filling the item on the order or when the items are returned using Scan Items feature in the Return Order window.

Meter reading can also be updated from within the Asset edit window by clicking on the Meters button.

On using the feature Generate Need Service in Service module, system flags the asset  as Need Service based on the difference between the meter reading present at the last service and the updated meter reading entered while filling or returning items, if it exceeds the interval value set in the Maintenance Group - Schedule.

System considers the following factors while flagging an asset as Need Service.

• Maintenance Group - Schedule settings defined for the item.

• Meter Group with respective Meter definition tagged to the item.

• Meter reading value present at the time of last service done.

• Current meter reading value of the asset.

Illustration

Consider an item with maintenance schedule of type meter having interval value set as 1000.

Table 1.0: Illustration

For a complete illustration, click here

To add a new meter to the meter List

1. In R2 launch pad, Click Maintenance.

2. Click Misc tab in the vertical tab panel, to switch to Misc module.

3. Click Meters tab in the horizontal tab panel, to switch to Meters section.

4. Click New icon to display the Meters window. Click here to see the field details.

Figure 2.0: Meters window

5. Enter the Meter ID, and Description. These fields are mandatory fields to create a meter.

6. Select the 'Prompt At' option, If the Meters dialog has to be displayed while filling or returning items on an Order.

7. Set the 'Meter Reading' properties as increases/ decreases, unit by which the reading has to be stored and the decimal places by which the value has to be displayed.

8. Click OK to save the definition.

Meter definitions can also be added while creating a new Meter Group.

Table 1.0: Meters window field details

How to create new meter group with meter definitions

1. Access Item > Edit window.

2. Click the Importable button in the Meter field.

3. R2 displays the 'Meter Group' window with existing meter group definitions and meter definitions tagged to it, if any.

Figure 3.0: Meter Group window

4. Click Add button to display 'Group' window.

Figure 3.1: Group window

4. Enter the ID and Description for the Meter Group. Click OK.

5. The newly created Meter Group will be listed in the Meter Group window.

Figure 3.2: Meter Group window.

4. Highlight the new definition and click Edit.

5. R2 displays the 'Meters' window for the selected definition.

Figure 3.3: Meters window

4. Click List button.

5. R2 displays the 'Meters' window, where in you can add / modify / delete existing definitions and also search and tag meter definitions to the meter group.

6. Search for the desired meter definitions and double click the definitions to attach it to the meter group. Click OK.

7. The selected definitions will be displayed in the Meters window. Click OK.

Figure 3.4: Meters window

4. The newly created meter group displays with attached definitions in 'Meter Group' window.

Figure 3.5: Meter Group window

To set meter for an item

Meter definition can be tagged to an Item by selecting a meter group to the item.

1. Access Item > Edit window.

2. Click the Importable button in the Meter field.

3. R2 displays the Meter Group window  with existing definitions by displaying meter group definitions and meter definitions tagged to it.

Figure 4.0: Meter Group window

4. Double click any meter group definition to tag to the item.

5. The tagged meter group name displays in the 'Item edit' window, and you can view/ modify the meter definitions present in the tagged Meter group by clicking on the Meter button.

Figure 4.1: Item edit window

To create and tag a maintenance group with meter definition to an item

1. Click the Importable button in the 'Maintenance' field.

The  Maintenance Group window displays all the existing maintenance group records. The bottom part of the window displays the details of the selected maintenance group record.

Figure 5.0: Maintenance Group window

2. Click Add. Enter ID and Description for the schedule list.

Figure 5.1: Schedules window

3. Click List. The 'Schedules List' window will be displayed.

Figure 5.2: Schedules List window

4. Click Add. Enter ID and Description for the new schedule.

Figure 5.3: Schedules List window

5. Set the Schedule Type option as Meter.

6. Tag a the Meter Definition in the Meter field, set the Interval value in the Interval field by which the Item has to be marked for service.

While using Maintenance Schedule in conjunction with the Meter Group to flag item for 'Need Service',  the Meter definition tagged for the meter should be tagged for the maintenance schedule also.

7. Set the Est. Duration value .(Estimated duration the item would be in service).

8. Add Service Group (created in the Service module ) to the new schedule. The tagged service group will be considered while generating service work order for the same.

9. Click OK to save the newly created Schedule  and return to the  Schedule List window.

10. From the Schedule List window, tag the schedule record to add it to the schedule list.

11. Click OK. The newly created schedule  will be displayed in the Schedules window.

12. Click OK  to save the Schedule List . The newly created schedule List will be displayed in the Maintenance Group window.

13. Double-click (to tag) on a schedule list record to add it as the Maintenance Group of Item.

Illustration - Flagging an Asset for Need Service based on meter reading value

The assets would be marked for Need Service based on the difference between the meter reading present at the last service and the updated new meter reading exceeds the interval value set for the Maintenance Group - Schedule.

1. Create an serial item [Item#1] , receive one asset [Item-1#1]

2. Tag  meter group with meter definition [MT-#1] to the Item.

3. Tag a maintenance group having schedule list with a schedule having the meter definition [MT-#1] and interval set as 500.

4. Create an Order [Order#1] , add the item [Item#1] to the order.

5. Fill the asset [Item-1#1] on the Order, system will display the dialog box for updating the meter value with existing meter value if any.

6. Edit the value in the Reading column to update the Meter Reading value. (Update the meter reading as 250).At this time if the feature "Generate Needs Service " feature is used in Service module, the asset [Item-1#2] will not be marked as 'Need Service' as the current meter reading value does not exceed interval value set in the Maintenance Group- Schedule.

7. Dispatch the asset [Item-1#1] on the order.

8. Open Return Order window , Click Scan Items button to open the Return Items window.

9. Enter the Asset ID [Item-1#1] to return.

10. System will display the dialog box for updating the meter value with existing Meter reading value.

11. Update the value to 550.

12. Open Service module, click Generate Need Service icon.

13. Now, the Asset [Item-1#1] will be marked as Need Service as the updated meter reading exceeds the Interval value defined in the Maintenance - Schedule.

For more information on Generating Needs Service and flagging an Asset as Needs Service click here