How to manage meters in Backpack after account creation
Benefits of Using the "Manage Meters" Feature in Backpack
One of the main features of Backpack is the ability to pull in utility data from providers and bills and push that data to a Backpack Administered Energy Star Portfolio Manager account. This automated process saves time and money - the work is done for you.
Once meters are created in Backpack, users can:
- Add custom names to meters - like "Main Building Meter", "Parking Garage lighting Meter", "Irrigation Meter", etc.
- View all meter numbers in one place in the software
- Know that the meter numbers are up-to-date because they come directly from bills
- Add notes to each meter like "Located on Floor 1 adjacent to suite 100"
- Review all the active and inactive meters in Backpack and see quickly what is sync'd to Energy Star
- View the data source to better understand where the data comes from
- View last date data was recieved for each meter
Meter Management
- From the home page search for the building you would like to view
- Navigate to the 'UTILITIES' page, and scroll down to select the black 'MANAGE METERS' button. A new window will open displaying active on one tab and inactive meters on another
- Active meters are connected to the Energy Star Portfolio Manager Account
- Inactive meters are not connected to the Energy Star Portfolio Manager Account (these meters are typically no longer in use, vacant or have been replaced with a new meter)
- On each tab of the pop-up the following information is displayed:
- One row for every meter associated with the building
- The meter number and special naming convention (if no name is entered the meter number will appear twice. During onboarding the Onboarding Coordinator will add Meter Names when available. We encourage customers to add/update meter names.
- The last date information was received for that meter (last observed date)
Editing Data
Editing Data is easy! Be mindful that not all fields are editable and some are tied to Energy Star Portfolio Manager & should be treated with caution. To edit data click on the pencil icon on the far right of the row for the meter you would like to edit. A new popup will display. In this view, users can view/edit these fields.- Meter number: NOT editable, meter number direct from bill data
- Meter Name: Editable, this is the general name for the meter (Main Meter, Retail Suite 150, etc.)
- Elected Method: How the meter data gets to backpack. Choices are outlined in this article: Utility Account Types & Syncing
- Frequency - when bills/bill data is expected: Monthly, Quarterly, etc.
- Active toggle - Moves meter between Active & Inactive tabs & sends communication to Energy Star Portfolio Manager about meter status
- Used in Score toggle - Toggle on for a meter utilized in the score, off for a meter that is active but not used in the Energy Star Score.
- Measurement Data - for Waste, Water & Gas there are two additional fields:
- Water - water usage (potable, non-potable, etc.) & water type (indoor, outdoor, mixed)
- Waste - waste usage (trash, recyle, compost) & tonage
- Notes - the notes section is for users to add anything related to this meter. All notes will remain until deleted.
Questions?
Reach out to our team at support@backpacknetworks.com.