Utility Billing

Consumer Utility Accounts & Meter Billing

Consumer utility cooperatives (e.g. electric, water, gas, or broadband co-ops) govern services for subscriber members. The Utility Metering & Billing module (shown for utility / energy cooperatives) keeps a roster of member meters, records readings, and bills each reading's consumption.

1. Meters & Readings

Monitor utility usage:

• Meter Roster: Administrators register each meter with its meter number, the member it serves, and its type: electricity (kWh), water (gallons), broadband data (GB), or natural gas (therms).
• Reading Logs: Enter each new meter reading and its date by hand. OwnFold calculates consumption since the previous reading and marks the reading as unbilled.

2. Billing Readings

An administrator bills each unbilled reading:

• Per-Unit Rate: Enter the rate per unit (e.g. $0.12 per kWh). The billed amount is consumption × rate, and a reading can only be billed once.
• Ledger Posting: Billing posts Dr. Accounts Receivable, Cr. Sales Revenue. Tiered rate steps and fixed monthly base charges aren't calculated automatically; apply them through your rate choice or a manual journal entry.

3. Usage-Based Patronage

Consumer co-op dividend returns are usually tied to how much each member uses or buys. At year end, total each member's billed amounts and enter them as purchase volumes in the Patronage Engine's consumer model so surpluses are returned in proportion to usage.