Usage calculation groups are used to define how usage data are calculated, validated, and exported for different purposes, such as billing, settlement, or analysis. Usage calculation groups can have different components that specify the logic and parameters for performing various operations on usage data. According to the Oracle Utilities Meter Data Management Business User Guide, some examples of components that can be configured in usage calculation groups are:

• CIS rates: These are rate schedules that are defined in the customer information system (CIS) and imported into Oracle Utilities Meter Data Management. CIS rates can be used to specify which bill determinants or usage calculations should be applied for different rate schedules or customer classes.
• Bill determinants or usage validations: These are rules that check the quality or accuracy of usage data and assign condition codes or flags to indicate any issues or errors. Bill determinants or usage validations can be used to ensurethat usage data meet certain criteria or standards before they are exported to CIS or other systems.
• Bill determinants or usage calculations: These are rules that perform various calculations or adjustments on usage data, such as dividing usage into time-of-use periods, applying factors or multipliers, or deriving net usage. Bill determinants or usage calculations can be used to generate different types of bill determinants for billing purposes.

References: Oracle Utilities Meter Data Management Business User Guide, Chapter 8: Usage, Section 8.2: Usage Calculation Groups

To calculate the power factor for a bill, you can use the Vector and Quantity Math rule to derive the power factor from the kWh and kVArh channels. The Vector and Quantity Math rule is a usage calculation rule that facilitates the configuration of complex vector calculations. It is based on a series of underlying services with vectors configured as input to the calculations. The power factor is a ratio of real power (kWh) to apparent power (kVAh) that indicates how efficiently a device uses electricity. The power factor can be derived from the kWh and kVArh channels by using a mathematical formula.

You do not need to use a virtual meter to perform the calculations, which is a configuration that defines how measurements from multiple devices or service points are aggregated or disaggregated. A virtual meter is not used to calculate derived values from measurements, but to create new measurements from existing ones.

You do not need to use a measuring component derivation algorithm to calculate the power factor, which is a custom logic that can be developed by using Groovy scripting language or Java programming language. A measuring component derivation algorithm is not used to calculate derived values from measurements, but to create new measuring components from existing ones.

It is not true that power factor can only come from the meter and cannot be calculated. Power factor can be calculated from other measurement channels, such as kWh and kVArh, by using usage calculation rules.

To build a new Service Order process that includes meter commands, you need to configure the following options:

• Measuring component type: This defines the type of measurement that a device can record, such as scalar, interval, or event. You can associate meter commands with measuring component types to perform actions on devices that have those types1.
• Activity type: This defines the type of work that needs to be performed on a service point or device, such as installation, removal, or inspection. You can associate meter commands with activity types to trigger actions on devices when an activity is completed1.
• Communication type Message sender: This defines the communication channel and protocol that is used to send meter commands to devices. You can configure message senders for different communication types, such as AMI, AMR, or manual1.

You do not need to configure device configuration type, which defines the physical characteristics and attributes of a device, such as manufacturer, model, or serial number1. Device configuration type does not affect meter commands.