Pass the Oracle Utilities Customer Cloud 1z0-996-22 Questions and answers with ExamsMirror

 Initial measurement data (IMD) is the raw data that is received from external systems and processed by the system to create final measurements for billing and analysis. IMD goes through two major stages of processing: IMD Seeder and Specific IMD. The IMD Seeder is the common interface point that receives all IMD information and performs critical validations and conversions. The critical validations include checking the validity of the device and measuring component identifiers, the date and time format, the unit of measure, and the measurement status. If the IMD passes the critical validations, it is sent to the appropriate specific IMD business object for further processing. The specific IMD business object performs additional validations and calculations based on the type and category of the IMD. These validations include multiplier check, high/low check, sum check, and VEE rules. If the IMD passes all the validations and calculations, it is marked as “Final” and the final measurements are created. Therefore, if the IMD is not in the “Final” measurement status, it means that it has passed the critical validation, but not the other validations and calculations. References: Processing Initial Measurement Data, Initial Measurement Data, Configuring the Initial Measurement Algorithms

The Fallback VEE Group is a configuration option that allows you to specify a VEE Group to be used when no other VEE Group is found for a measurement. This ensures that the measurement is processed by the VEE rules defined in the Fallback VEE Group, which can include estimation rules. The Fallback VEE Group is assigned to a VEE role, which is a logical grouping of VEE Groups based on the source and type of measurement data. For example, you can create a VEE role for estimated measurements and assign a Fallback VEE Group that contains the estimation rules you want to apply to them. This way, you can ensure that the estimated measurements are validated and edited according to your business requirements. References: Configuring VEE Roles, Understanding VEE Rules

 A change in rate schedule does not cause price proration, but rather calculation period proration, which is a different process that splits the bill segment into sub-segments based on the effective dates of the rate versions. A change in bill factor alone does not cause price proration, unless it is associated with a calculation rule that also changes during the bill period.

Change in Rate Schedule only: A change in rate schedule does not cause price proration, but rather calculation period proration, which is a different process that splits the bill segment into sub-segments based on the effective dates of the rate versions.

References:

Effective Dates and Price Proration

Calculation Period Proration

Consumption Period Proration

 According to the Oracle Utilities Customer Cloud Service User Guides, the D1-IMDSeeder business object is responsible for performing critical validations whenever initial measurements are loaded into the system1. The D1-IMDSeeder business object validates the following aspects of the initial measurement data (IMD):

The IMD is not a duplicate of an existing IMD.

The IMD is not overlapping with another IMD for the same measuring component and service quantity identifier.

The IMD is not missing any required fields, such as the measuring component identifier, the service quantity identifier, the unit of measure, the start date, and the end date.

The IMD has a valid measuring component identifier that matches an existing measuring component in the system.

The IMD has a valid service quantity identifier that matches the service quantity identifier of the measuring component.

The IMD has a valid unit of measure that matches the unit of measure of the measuring component.

The IMD has a valid condition code that matches one of the predefined condition codes in the system.

The IMD has a valid start date and end date that are within the range of the measuring component’s effective dates.

The IMD has a valid interval length that matches the interval length of the measuring component.

If any of these validations fail, the D1-IMDSeeder business object rejects the IMD and logs an error message. The rejected IMD can be viewed and corrected using the Initial Measurement Data Errors screen1.

The other business objects listed in the question are not involved in the validation of the IMD. They have different functions, such as:

D1-IMDRetry: This business object is used to retry the processing of the IMD that was previously rejected by the D1-IMDSeeder business object2.

D1-GenericIMDMain: This business object is used to load the IMD from a generic XML file into the system3.

D1-IMDPreVEE: This business object is used to perform the pre-validation, editing, and estimation (VEE) process on the IMD before transforming it into final measurements.

D1-IMDPeriod: This business object is used to store the period information of the IMD, such as the start date, the end date, and the interval length.

References:

About Initial Measurement Data

Retrying Initial Measurement Data Processing

Loading Initial Measurement Data from a Generic XML File

[About Pre-Validation, Editing, and Estimation (VEE)]

[D1-IMDPeriod Business Object]

A Service Agreement Type (SA Type) is a configuration entity that defines the properties and behaviors of a service agreement, such as what service is provided, how it is priced, how it is billed, and how overdue debt is collected1. Therefore, the following statements correctly describe what a SA Type controls:

A. It controls the Late Payment Charge Calculation Method. A SA Type specifies how late payment charges are calculated for overdue bills, such as using a fixed amount, a percentage of the bill, or a combination of both1.

B. It controls the Service Type to be billed. A SA Type determines what type of service is supplied to the customer, such as electricity, gas, water, or sewerage1. A service type also defines the characteristics and measurements of the service, such as the unit of measure, the measuring component type, and the service quantity identifier2.

C. It controls the valid Rates that can be applied to the service agreement type. A SA Type defines the rate eligibility rules that determine which rates can be assigned to a service agreement of that type1. A rate is a pricing structure that determines how a service is charged based on various factors, such as consumption, demand, time of use, or fixed charges3.

D. It controls debt age. A SA Type defines the debt aging rules that determine how overdue debt is tracked and reported for a service agreement of that type1. Debt aging rules specify how debt is categorized into different aging buckets based on the number of days past due, and how interest is applied to each bucket4.

The following statement is incorrect:

E. It controls where the bill is to be sent. A SA Type does not control where the bill is to be sent. This is determined by the bill routing option that is configured for the account or the service agreement. A bill routing option specifies the delivery method and the destination of the bill, such as email, paper, or third-party service.

References:

Defining Service Agreement Type (SA Types)

Understanding Service Types

Understanding Rates

Understanding Debt Aging Rules

[Understanding Bill Routing Options]

 The major entities that hold the key geographic, demographic, and financial information related to a customer who is financially responsible for a property are:

Account: An account represents the financial relationship between a customer and the utility. It contains information such as the account number, account type, account status, billing cycle, payment plan, and balance.

Customer Class: A customer class is a grouping of customers based on common characteristics, such as residential, commercial, or industrial. It determines the default values for various attributes, such as rate schedules, service agreements, and billing options.

Person: A person is an individual who is associated with an account, such as the account holder, a contact, or a guarantor. It contains information such as the name, address, phone number, email, and identification number of the person.

Premise: A premise is a physical location where a utility service is provided. It contains information such as the premise number, premise type, premise status, address, coordinates, and service point.

Service Agreement: A service agreement is a contract between a customer and the utility that defines the terms and conditions of the service, such as the service type, start date, end date, rate schedule, and billing frequency.

These entities are linked together in a hierarchical structure, as shown in the following diagram1:

References:

Oracle Utilities Customer Cloud Service Business User Guide, Chapter 2: Customer Information, Section 2.1: Understanding Customer Information

[Oracle Utilities Customer Cloud Service Administrative User Guide], Chapter 2: Configuring Customer Information, Section 2.1: Configuring Customer Information Entities

A Start Option is a configuration option that allows you to define the default values for certain attributes of a service agreement when it is created. A Start Option is linked to a Service Agreement Type (SA Type), which is a template for a service agreement that specifies its characteristics and behavior. A Start Option can default the following attributes of a service agreement:

Service to be billed: This is the service point and the measuring component that are associated with the service agreement and determine the billing and metering of the service. The service to be billed can be defaulted from the Start Option based on the service point type and the measuring component type.

Contract Quantities: These are the quantities that are agreed upon between the customer and the utility for the service agreement. They can include the contract demand, the contract capacity, the contract energy, and the contract power factor. The contract quantities can be defaulted from the Start Option based on the rate schedule and the service point type.

Rate: This is the rate schedule that defines the charges and adjustments that apply to the service agreement. The rate can be defaulted from the Start Option based on the service point type and the measuring component type.

References: Start Option - Main, Oracle Utilities Customer Cloud Service - Get Started, Service Agreement - Main

According to the Oracle Utilities Customer Cloud Service User Guides, a subtractive measuring component is one that records the cumulative usage of a service point or a device over time1. A consumptive measuring component is one that records the usage of a service point or a device for a specific interval of time2. The difference between these two types of measuring components is how the consumption is calculated. For a subtractive measuring component, the consumption for a given period of time is the end measurement minus the start measurement1. For a consumptive measuring component, the consumption is simply the measurement itself, and represents the consumption for the period of time since the previous measurement was taken2. Subtractive and consumptive measuring components can be associated with any type of service, such as water, gas, or electric, and any type of meter, such as deductive or non-deductive12. References: About Measuring Components, Physical Measuring Components, [Oracle Utilities Customer Cloud Service - Get Started]

 Specifications are sets of attributes that define the physical and functional characteristics of an asset or a component. Specifications can be used to store information such as dimensions, weight, color, model, serial number, manufacturer, and so on. Specifications can also include peer specifications, which are specifications that are related to the same asset or component, but have different purposes or scopes. For example, an asset can have a specification for its installation details, and another specification for its maintenance requirements. Peer specifications can be linked by using the peer specification type and the peer specification ID fields. The other options are not true because specifications do not include the inspection history of an asset, which is stored in the asset history business object. Specifications can apply to both assets and components, as long as they have the same specification type. A single specification can be used on multiple assets or components, as long as they have the same specification type and specification ID. References: Specifications, About Specifications, Peer Specifications

A usage subscription defines the relationship between a service point and a usage recipient, such as a service provider or a billing system1. A usage subscription must exist before usage transactions can be calculated for a specific service point2. The usage recipient is configured in the usage subscription type, which is a template for creating usage subscriptions3. The usage subscription type specifies the default usage recipient, the usage rule type, the usage subscription status, and other attributes for the usage subscriptions of that type3. References:

1: Usage Subscriptions

2: Usage Transactions

3: Usage Subscription Types