- Revision History
- Overview
- Feature Summary
-
- Digital Self Service Transactions
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- Amount Past Due Alert
- Auto-formatting of Inputs for Start, Stop, and Transfer Service
- Automatic Payments to Charitable Organizations
- Default Mailing Address to Service Address
- Demand and Reactive Power Visualization
- Enhanced Look and Feel for Bill Summary
- Improved Service Transition Support
- Invite Guest User Enhancements
- Kubra Outage Preferences
- Manage Web Account - Edit Login Details
- Next Best Action
- Past Due Charges Callout in Account Balance
- Payment Arrangement Enrollment Configuration
- Water and Wastewater Billing History in Bill Comparison
- Water and Wastewater Usage Forecast in Bill Forecast
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- Digital Self Service Transactions
This document will continue to evolve as existing sections change and new information is added. All updates appear in the following table:
| Date | Product | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 AUG 2020 | Digital Self Service Transactions |
Updated document. Revised feature information. | |
| 11 AUG 2020 | Digital Self Service Transactions |
Invite Guest User Enhancements | Updated document. Revised feature information. |
| 11 AUG 2020 | Digital Self Service Transactions | Automatic Payments to Charitable Organizations | Updated document. Revised feature information. |
| 11 AUG 2020 | Digital Self Service Transactions |
Demand and Reactive Power Visualization | Updated document. Revised feature information. |
| 11 AUG 2020 | Digital Self Service Transactions |
Water and Wastewater Billing History in Bill Comparison | Updated document. Revised feature information. |
| 11 AUG 2020 | Digital Self Service Transactions |
Water and Wastewater Usage Forecast in Bill Forecast | Updated document. Revised feature information. |
| 27 JUL 2020 | Created initial document. |
Oracle Utilities Digital Self Service - Transactions includes a suite of digital experiences that empowers customers to perform self-service transactions on any desktop or mobile device and reduces cost to serve. The responsive design allows customers to complete all transactions on any device or screen size and orientation, and ensures a consistent brand experience across access channels.
This guide outlines the information you need to know about new or improved functionality in this update, and describes any tasks you might need to perform for the update. Each section includes a brief description of the feature, the steps you need to take to enable or begin using the feature, any tips or considerations that you should keep in mind, and the resources available to help you.
NOTE: The Oracle Utilities Opower What's New document has information about Digital Self Service - Energy Management features and other features that may also be available to your utility.
Column Definitions:
Features Delivered Enabled
Report = New or modified, Oracle-delivered, ready to run reports.
UI or Process-Based: Small Scale = These UI or process-based features are typically comprised of minor field, validation, or program changes. Therefore, the potential impact to users is minimal.
UI or Process-Based: Larger Scale* = These UI or process-based features have more complex designs. Therefore, the potential impact to users is higher.
Features Delivered Disabled = Action is needed BEFORE these features can be used by END USERS. These features are delivered disabled and you choose if and when to enable them. For example, a) new or expanded BI subject areas need to first be incorporated into reports, b) Integration is required to utilize new web services, or c) features must be assigned to user roles before they can be accessed.
| Ready for Use by End Users Reports plus Small Scale UI or Process-Based new features will have minimal user impact after an update. Therefore, customer acceptance testing should focus on the Larger Scale UI or Process-Based* new features. |
Action is Needed BEFORE Use by End Users Not disruptive as action is required to make these features ready to use. As you selectively choose to leverage, you set your test and roll out timing. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feature |
Report |
UI or |
UI or |
|
||
Auto-formatting of Inputs for Start, Stop, and Transfer Service |
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Digital Self Service Transactions
The Digital Self Service - Transactions alert for past due charges displays the amount past due by default. Previously, the alert only displayed the number of days that a payment was past due. This update improves the customer experience by making it easier for the customer to identify their bill status and take action to resolve charges. This feature is available automatically.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Auto-formatting of Inputs for Start, Stop, and Transfer Service
Digital Self-Service - Transactions includes formatting assistance to help customers more efficiently enter personal identifiers such as their SSN, driver's license, employer ID, or phone numbers. Customers no longer have to enter special format characters and will receive feedback on errors before they are able to move to subsequent steps in the flow.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Automatic Payments to Charitable Organizations
Customers can make a monthly donation to one or more charitable organization of their choice through Digital Self Service - Transactions. Utilities can customize the charitable organizations donation amounts, and set charitable organizations by division or have the same organizations available across multiple divisions. Each charity a customer signs up for will generate a a new service agreement that is rolled into the next billing cycle.
Steps to Enable
Cloud configurations and a patch install are required to enable this feature.
To install the patch:
- Locate the applicable patch. See Supported Versions And Required Patches And APIs For Oracle Utilities Opower Digital Self Service for a full list of available patches.
- Install the applicable Customer Care and Billing patch and make the required Customer Care and Billing configuration updates.
To open a service request for Cloud configuration:
- Go to My Oracle Support (https://support.oracle.com). Click Cloud Support and log in.
- Click the Create Service Request button and follow the prompts to complete the Service Request.
Default Mailing Address to Service Address
Customers can set their mailing address for Start, Add, and Transfer Transactions in their contact information. This features allows customers to default their mailing address to their new premise address or supply an alternate mailing address.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Demand and Reactive Power Visualization
The Data Browser Demand graph includes demand units (kW) and reactive power (kVAR) data for commercial and industrial customers. This feature provides customers with demand and reactive power time series data and their highest demand interval in the billing period. Highest demand days are also highlighted in the Energy Use Bill view.
Steps to Enable
Data integration is required to enable this feature. Work with your Service Delivery Manager to complete the required data integration detailed in the Opower Data Transfer Standard.
Open a Service Request in My Oracle Support to coordinate integration and configuration of the feature.
To open a Service Request:
- Go to My Oracle Support (https://support.oracle.com). Click Cloud Support and log in.
- Click the Create Service Request button and follow the prompts to complete the Service Request.
Enhanced Look and Feel for Bill Summary
The look and feel of the Bill Summary page was updated to better differentiate between past charges and payments, unpaid balance and new charges.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Improved Service Transition Support
Customers can schedule a start service transaction for a new premise and place the current resident's service in a pending stop. Previously, the service prevented start service transactions for premises with an active service status. This feature improves the customer experience by making it easier for them to manage their service transitions.
Steps to Enable
A patch install is required to enable this feature.
To install the patch:
- Locate the applicable patch. See Supported Versions And Required Patches And APIs For Oracle Utilities Opower Digital Self Service for a full list of available patches.
- Install the applicable Customer Care and Billing patch and make the required Customer Care and Billing configuration updates.
Invite Guest User Enhancements
Two enhancements were made to the invite guest user feature in Digital Self Service - Transactions:
- Utilities can enable the invite guest feature to display the guest user’s role as the relationship-type on the main account-person record within the Customer to Meter application. This update makes it easier to identify the relationship of other authorized users on the main account.
- Guest user persons can be configured to require manual creation by a utility Customer Service Representative within the Customer to Meter application. Previously, guest users were created automatically. This update gives utilities additional flexibility to configure the guest user process to fit their business practices.
Steps to Enable
A patch install is required to enable this feature.
To install the patch:
- Locate the applicable patch. See Supported Versions And Required Patches And APIs For Oracle Utilities Opower Digital Self Service for a full list of available patches.
- Install the applicable Customer Care and Billing patch and make the required Customer Care and Billing configuration updates.
Utilities with the Kubra outage service can embed the Kubra outage preferences widget in Digital Self Service - Transactions. This feature allows customers to set their Kubra contact preferences and receive notifications on any outages that may occur as part of a cohesive user experience.
Steps to Enable
To enable this feature you need to log a Service Request (SR).
Open a Service Request in My Oracle Support to coordinate configuration of the feature.
To open a Service Request:
- Go to My Oracle Support (https://support.oracle.com). Click Cloud Support and log in.
- Click the Create Service Request button and follow the prompts to complete the Service Request.
Manage Web Account - Edit Login Details
Customers can access their login details within the utility’s internal identity management system from the Manage Web Account tab in Digital Self Service – Transactions. Utilities have the option to add a link to the Login Details section which redirects customers to the utility's identity management system where customers can manage their login details.
Steps to Enable
To enable this feature you need to log a Service Request (SR).
Open a Service Request in My Oracle Support to coordinate configuration of the feature.
To open a Service Request:
- Go to My Oracle Support (https://support.oracle.com). Click Cloud Support and log in.
- Click the Create Service Request button and follow the prompts to complete the Service Request.
Next Best Action displays a series of recommended actions to customers, as defined by the utility. The banner was updated to support multiple banners on the same page, and the use of static informational banners to highlight key recommendations. Start and end dates can be applied to seasonal banners to ensure that they only appear when seasonally appropriate.
Steps to Enable
Contact your Service Delivery Manager to coordinate configuration of the module.
To contact your Service Delivery Manager:
- Log in to Opower (https://inside.opower.com). This is your portal for questions and information related to your program.
- Go to the Community tab and contact the Service Delivery Manager using the information provided.
Past Due Charges Callout in Account Balance
The Account Balance Overview was updated to display a separate callout for the past due balance when the customer has an unpaid past bill. This feature improves the customer experience by making it easier for customers to differentiate between charges that they need to pay immediately and new charges.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Payment Arrangement Enrollment Configuration
The Payment Arrangement program allows customers to spread an unpaid balance over future bills. Utilities can disable the option for customers to modify their enrollment in payment arrangement. Customers can still view their payment arrangement status, but must request enrollment modifications from the utility.
Steps to Enable
To enable this feature you need to log a Service Request (SR).
Open a Service Request in My Oracle Support to coordinate configuration of the feature.
To open a Service Request:
- Go to My Oracle Support (https://support.oracle.com). Click Cloud Support and log in.
- Click the Create Service Request button and follow the prompts to complete the Service Request.
Water and Wastewater Billing History in Bill Comparison
The Bill Comparison allows water and wastewater customers to compare their current water bills to their previous water bills, and to the same bill from the same time period the previous year. They can also select historic bills to review past bill comparisons. This feature requires a Digital Self Service - Energy Management Cloud Service license.
Steps to Enable
Data integration is required to enable this feature. Work with your Service Delivery Manager to complete the required data integration detailed in the Opower Data Transfer Standard.
Open a Service Request in My Oracle Support to coordinate integration and configuration of the feature.
To open a Service Request:
- Go to My Oracle Support (https://support.oracle.com). Click Cloud Support and log in.
- Click the Create Service Request button and follow the prompts to complete the Service Request.
Water and Wastewater Usage Forecast in Bill Forecast
The water and waste water usage forecast shows AMI customers their use so far in the billing period, their projected total use for the period, and whether they are likely to have high usage compared to the same time period the previous year. This feature enhances the customer experience by providing the customers with an up-to-date understanding of their ongoing water use. This feature requires a Digital Self Service - Energy Management Cloud Service license.
Steps to Enable
Data integration is required to enable this feature. Work with your Service Delivery Manager to complete the required data integration detailed in the Opower Data Transfer Standard.
Open a Service Request in My Oracle Support to coordinate integration and configuration of the feature.
To open a Service Request:
- Go to My Oracle Support (https://support.oracle.com). Click Cloud Support and log in.
- Click the Create Service Request button and follow the prompts to complete the Service Request.