Navigating the Utilities Page

The Utility page is a powerhouse of Backpack data; it's here that all your utility data comes to life!

Sections in this article:

• Utility Page Details

• Utility Chart Features

• Utility Bill Management

• Utility Account Automation & Management

Utility Page Details

The page includes:

Utility Usage Overview

• The page displays Month-over-Month and Year-over-Year utility usage and cost data, reflecting the most recent complete month of information. If bills or aggregated data are missing for a month, that month will not be included. 
  
  • For example, if only two of the last six months have complete utility data, the comparison will use those two months—even if they are not consecutive (e.g., May 2025 vs. February 2025). If you’re unsure how to interpret the comparison, our support team is happy to walk through it with you.

Utility Data Visualization

• A dynamic graph shows all utility data in two formats:

  • Month View: Data is normalized to the corresponding calendar month, regardless of billing service dates.

  • Invoice Date View: Data is shown according to the date on each utility bill.

• Hovering over the data reveals Year-over-Year cost comparisons, trends, and weather information to help contextualize consumption patterns.
• You can also filter data by utility type, energy (electricity and gas), water, waste, and more, and view consumption using the units most relevant to each utility (e.g., kWh, gallons, cubic yards). When multiple meters exist for a utility, you can view them individually or combined.
• Additionally, users can download utility bills (when available), export data to CSV by source, and manage utility account login information directly from the page.

Utility Chart Features

The primary Utility Graph presents utility data in a bar chart, making it easy to visualize usage. Key features include:

• Hover: Reveal detailed data for each bar, including cost, consumption, and YoY comparisons.

• Year Selector: Toggle which years appear on the chart.

• Separate Meters: Turn this option on or off to view individual meters with an accompanying legend.

• Unit Selector: Choose your preferred unit of measurement. Backpack automatically adjusts all values based on your selection. Supported units include

  • Energy: kWh, Joule (J), kBTU

  • Water: Gallons (gal), CCF, cGal, kGal

  • Waste: Cubic yards (yd³), tons

Understanding Utility Data in the Chart

Utility data can be viewed in two ways:

• Monthly Normalized Data (Bar Chart)

• Invoice Data (Line Chart)

Monthly Normalized Data Graphic

Backpack normalizes consumption and cost to align with calendar months—an approach often used by engineers and sustainability teams. This method provides a clearer view of what was consumed during each month, independent of billing cycles.

• How normalization works (example):

  • A water bill covers 11/15/22–12/16/23 and shows 130,000 gallons of consumption.

  • Service period: 32 days

  • Daily usage: 130,000 ÷ 32 = 4,063 gallons/day

  • Since the service period begins in November, the bill is assigned to November.

  • November has 30 days → 4,063 × 30 = 121,890 gallons of normalized November consumption.

• • • • A water bill is received with service dates of 11/15/22 - 12/16/23 and consumption of 130,000 gallons

        • 11/15/22 - 12/16/23 = 32 days (including the end date)

        • 130,000 divided by 32 days = 4,063 gallons/day
        • The service dates start in November so this is considered a November bill, November has 30 days in the month
        • 4,063 gallons/day x 30 days = 121,890 gallons
        • 121,890 gallons is the "normalized" consumption for the month of November

Hovering over the bar chart reveals additional details, including YoY cost and temperature changes to help evaluate seasonal or weather-driven impacts.

Invoice Data (Line Chart)

The second tab shows invoice-based cost data in a point graph—ideal for tracking changes over time using actual bill dates. The same hover features apply.

Utility Bills

Within the Utility Bills section, users can:

• View detailed bill information

• Export or import data

• Manage meter settings

• Manage utility account credentials

View Bill Data 

Viewing individual bill data is easy in Backpack.  Invoices are arranged by date with the most recent bills at the top of the page.

• Bills are listed from newest to oldest. Click any bill date to expand and reveal service dates and other details.
• Clicking "Manage Bill" will provide additional information, including the option to download a PDF (when available).
  • Not all acounts will include a PDF of the bill, contact support@backpacknetworks.com if you have questions about about data collection methoods for Backpack. 

• All bill details shown on this page are also included in data exports.

Exporting Data

Users can export all utility data into a CSV for further analysis or sharing. Each export includes all available utility data in one file. To export data:

1. Click Export Data on the far right side of the bill data table
2. In the pop-up window that opens, select

   • Units of measurement for each utility (defaults match the provider’s units, but you can change them—e.g., export water in CCF instead of gallons).

   • The data types you’d like to include, such as invoice data (cost, invoice dates) or meter data (consumption, calendarized data).

     • The invoice data will include cost, invoice date, etc.  Meter data is focused on consumption by meter & also has the option of calendarized data (more on that here.)
3. Click download and save the file as .XLS or another editable format if you plan to modify it.

Importing Data

A self-serve import option is available using a CSV template. This is primarily used during onboarding but can be used at any time. Contact support if you’d like help uploading data.

Meter Management

During onboarding, your Onboarding Coordinator helps configure meters, credentials, and data connections. Meters can later be managed directly from the Utilities page.

Because this section contains many advanced tools, it has its own dedicated article. Click here to learn more about meter managment.

Utility Account Automation & Management

The Utility Account Management tab (the second tab in the Utility details section)  allows you to connect your building’s utility provider accounts directly to Backpack. If your utility provider offers an online portal, you can link it so that data syncs automatically—no manual uploads required.

During onboarding, your Backpack representative can assist with setup and even enter login information for you, or you can manage everything independently within the software.  

Account Connection Management

You can connect Backpack to any electric, gas, or water provider with an online portal. While automated connections to waste providers are not currently supported, you can still track waste accounts and usage directly in Backpack. To learn more about which account types you can manage on the Utilities page, see:  What type of Accounts Can I Track in the Utilities Page?

To set up a new utility account follow these steps:

1. Open the Utility Account Management tab.
2. Choose one of two setup options:
   
   • Link Utility Accounts (automated sync using login credentials)
   • Manual Bills (upload PDFs—upload 12 months if available, but fewer is fine)

3. Select your provider (contact our support team if yours isn't listed), enter your login credentials, and click Next.

4. Backpack will attempt to connect the account. You may close the processing window or continue adding accounts.

If any issues arise, our team will reach out within 24 hours.

Updating Login Information:

1. Click the pencil icon next to the account.
2. Re-enter your username and password (both fields must be completed).
3. Backpack will attempt reconnection automatically.

Updating Providers:

If you switch providers, simply add the new provider following the steps above. You can remove old credentials once final bills have been received. If timing is unclear, it’s okay to leave the old provider connected, Backpack will notify you of any issues.

Questions?

Contact our support team at support@backpacknetworks.com