Billing error messages
This section describes known error messages in connection with smart-me Billing and possible solutions.
General
The configuration of smart-me Billing is described here: Billing
In smart-me Billing, error messages are displayed in two places:
When calculating virtual rates (if configured).
When creating invoices
Calculation of virtual tariffs
Where can I find the error messages of the virtual tariff calculation. Login to the portal : Configuration --> Create bill --> Configuration --> Edit property --> Virtual tariffs --> Blue box
Created invoices
Where can I find the error messages and warnings of the created invoices. Login in the portal : Configuration --> Create invoice --> Configuration --> Edit property --> Invoices --> Invoices --> Orange error with warnings (Appears only when there is an error)
Error when Calculation of virtual tariffs
Calculation starts soon..
Possible causes:
If another error message is displayed below the text "Calculation will start soon ...", the error message below must be taken into account.
It can take up to one minute until the calculation starts.
No valid tariff is defined for the current year.
Not the entire period is defined with a tariff. e.g. For the year of commissioning of the meter, e.g. 2019, there is no longer a tariff.
For the solar or battery tariff, the solar or total consumption meter is not added.
In the solar or battery tariff, a folder has been incorrectly selected for the solar or total consumption meter.
The folder structure of the property is single-level (only billing units), but should be two-level (property and billing units).
Waiting for meter values of .... Last values at.... (UTC))
Problem
If the date is not from today, it means that a meter is no longer providing load profile data.
If the total consumption meter (virtual) for solar or battery includes a meter that no longer supplies load profile data. (offline)
Note: If the date is still from today, it can be ignored.
Possible causes:
Check if the meter is offline. If the meter is offline, it must be used online again. You can find instructions on how to do this here: Meter offline
There must be at least one normal virtual tariff active, but for ValuePeriod { ... } there is none
The tariffs must cover the entire period in which smart-me meters have supplied data.
Solution 1: Define tariffs e.g. from 1.1.2000, then press "recalculate".
Solution 2: Define tariffs for the current year (e.g. until 31.12.2023), then press "recalculate".
The following residential commercial units are defective: - '....': the following assignments are defective: - Meter with id '....' does not exist
A meter can no longer be found.
Select the billing unit that is indicated in the error message.
e.g. In this example it would be WHG1 --> The following residential commercial units are defective: - 'WHG1'...
Delete or edit the name of the meter that is "not found".
For ValuePeriod ... the following virtual tariffs are active but erroneous: - Solar tariff ... is invalid because of: Solar Meter: Meter with id ....' does not exist
For the solar tariff, either the solar or battery meter or the total consumption is not stored.
Solution 1: Billing --> Configuration --> Select solar tariff --> Edit --> Add meter --> Save
Solution 2: Billing --> Configuration --> Select solar tariff -> delete meter assignments (even when empty) -> re-add meters
Failed to load meters of folder '...': - Erroneous virtual meter '....: - Meter with id '....' does not exist
The virtual counter consists of counters that have been deleted.
Not more than one conditional normal virtual tariff must be active at a time, but for ValuePeriod ... there are the following ones: - ...
At the end of the error message it is shown which two tariffs are active at the same time.
Our system is based on the fact that two tariffs of the same type must not be active at the same time.
The if-then configuration of the tariffs must be checked.
The calculation is stuck at a specific date
Possible causes:
A meter relevant for billing has not sent any data (check the last connection of the meters and bring it back online).
Incorrect meters are stored for the tariff (e.g. meters from another property).
Not all meters in the configuration may have the load profile or meter reading certification required by law for virtual tariffs.
This note is only informative. It has no influence on the calculation.
With this note we want to make sure that the biller is aware that he is responsible for the compliance of third-party measuring devices.
Note: This message cannot be deactivated.
Error when creating the invoices
The virtual tarifs do not match the total consumption
Possible causes:
The most common cause is that the virtual tariffs have not been calculated yet. Please check if the "Last calculation" is on today's date. You can find this under: Configuration --> Create invoice --> Configuration --> Edit property --> Virtual tariffs --> Blue box.
The billing period (From) must not include the installation day.
The billing period (To) must not be set to today's date.
The configuration was changed (e.g. folder structure, tariffs, etc.) and "recalculate" was not clicked.
A meter was offline for more than 2 months and the billing period starts or ends in the period in which the data is no longer available. (Gap)
A meter was billed above or below 100% (e.g.: The general meter is divided among the billing units on a percentage basis and also 100% in the general folder, so it is billed at 200%).
Invoices are generated empty or not at all.
Possible causes:
No valid billing address was stored for the corresponding billing unit (note the time period) -> our system otherwise assumes that no tenant lives in the flat and accordingly does not generate a bill.
No meters for billing were assigned to the billing unit.
The folder structure is incorrect (See: 2. Create folder structure and assign counters).
For virtual tariffs: The tariffs are not valid in the desired billing period (adjust the tariff period if necessary).
There is no billing address for the period.
No values found for the start date or end date
Possible causes:
A billing-relevant meter is offline.
The billing period (From) corresponds to the installation day and/or the billing period (To) is set to today.
The billing period (From) is before the installation day and/or the billing period (To) is in the future.
A meter has been offline for more than 2 months and the billing period starts or ends in the period where the data is no longer available. (Gap)
The selected year is incorrect
The added or subtracted value results in an un-representable DateTime. Parameter name: value Index was outside the bounds of the array.
Your Bexio login is no longer valid. You need to log in again.
Topics explained in more detail:
Why does the Virtual Tariff generate a difference if the meter has not delivered any data at the time of the billing start (From) or billing end (To)?
Possible reasons:
Commissioning was not completed
Meter was offline and did not supply load profile data
Meter was defective
Data basis for determining the error:
The smart-me Billing carries out a check when creating a bill. The sum of the virtual tariffs (e.g. high, low, solar tariff) is compared with the electricity consumption. If there is a difference there, an error message is displayed.
Display of meter readings
The determination of meter readings is not displayed with a time specification in smart-me Billing when creating a bill. In order to check whether the meter has delivered data at the desired time, a report must be created.
For the report, the property can be selected and a detailed PDF consumption report can be generated. The data of all billing units (flats) are exported at once.
Select property --> Select report at the top right --> Report type --> Detailed consumption report (PDF)
Now you can check whether the period of the report differs from the period of the reference quantity total of one or more meters. If this is the case, no load profile data are available for the desired period.
Display of virtual tariffs
The determination of virtual tariffs is displayed in smart-me Billing when a bill is created in the tariffs.
Different handling between meter readings and virtual tariffs:
Meter readings: smart-me Billing uses the physical meter readings generated on the meter for electricity consumption. If no meter reading is available at the time of the start or end of billing, smart-me Billing uses the meter reading closest to the requested date.
Virtual tariffs: smart-me Billing calculates the virtual tariffs based on the load profile data (physical meter readings). If no load profile data is available, e.g. for 1 week, it is interpolated. This means that our system takes the meter readings and assumes that consumption is constant every 15 minutes (load profile data). The virtual consumption is then calculated from this.
Simplified calculation example with correct data:
Flat 1 has sent a meter reading (load profile data) on 01.10.2023 00:00 and on 31.10.2023 00:00
Meter reading on 1.10.2023 00:00: 5200 kWh
Meter reading on 31.10.2023 00:00: 5250 kWh
The meter reading is determined 5250-5200 = 50 kWh
The virtual consumption is calculated. The split between high, low and solar tariff is 50 kWh.
Simplified calculation example with missing data:
Flat 1 sent a meter reading (load profile data) on 01.10.2023 00:00, this was done up to and including 25.10.2023 00:00. From 25.10.2023 00:00 until 15.11.2023 00:00 there is no load profile data.
Meter reading on 1.10.2023 00:00: 851 kWh
Meter reading on 25.10.2023 00:00: 902 kWh
Meter reading on 15.11.2023 00:00: 950 kWh
The meter reading for 31.10.2023 00:00 is not available. The closest meter reading to the date is 25.10.2023 00:00, so this is used for display and calculation in smart-me billing.
The meter reading is determined. 902-851 = 51 kWh (The consumption of 51 kWh is shown in the bill at "Your share").
The virtual consumption is calculated. Between 1.10.2023 00:00 and 25.10.2023 00:00 a consumption of 51 kWh is divided between high, low and solar tariff. Since data is missing from this point onwards, the missing load profile data is interpolated. The outage is 21 days. During this time 950-902 = 48 kWh were consumed. With interpolation, this results in 2.29 kWh per day. In smart-me billing, therefore, 6 days of 2.29 kWh each are billed in addition to the 51 kWh, which results in 51 + 13.71 = 64.71 kWh.
Now there is a difference between the meter reading 51 kWh and the virtual tariff 64.71 kWh in smart-me billing. This leads to the error message.