Custom Utility Software Development for Public Organizations

We created a customised management software for water utilities for public organizations in Ireland. The system makes easier administration, accounting, customer information, data management. Our solution guarantees considerable cost savings to various businesses and vertical markets. This utility software simplifies communications with customers and systemizes the whole workflow including the billing. 

Client request

Our client, an Irish company, approached Abto with an idea to help water utility companies with their day-to-day tasks.

With several water providers on the Irish market, they all have similar routines. All they need to gather readings from customers, generate invoices, track payments received, and customer’s balance. A universal system to standardize workflows and simplify communication with customers was sought after.

Our utility software

Our team based the system on Microsoft Dynamics CRM. This CRM has built-in support of customers, invoices, customization of reports. What is also important, it allows writing custom plugins using C# .NET which can help with complex algorithms.

First, readings should be entered into the system. We customized a built-in grid allowing inline edit. After readings are in the system, operators can save them all at once and related routines will run. Such routines can do the necessary calculations. For example, recalculating average values per meter or identifying potential tampering.

Then invoices must be generated for all customers. There might be different tariffs per company, specific discounts. Also, the utility software should account for taxes. Charging might have different tiers depending on the water usage. Several companies had their rules on how to encourage customers with free units of water. Customers who are paying in time can get a discount.

Sometimes a meter can be changed for a customer or, vice versa, a customer for a meter. These events have to automatically start predefined processes like generating an invoice for an old customer, reset readings for a meter. In other cases, automatic deactivation of the old meter and registering a new one are required.

Features

Our management software for water utilities has the following features:

• Bill generation
• Payment tracking
• Fault and leak detection and location
• Financial reporting
• Customers meters replacement
• Lodgments’ and Bank Account management

It is possible to customize different kinds of reports such as usage, invoices, payment receipts, account statements for each company.

Conclusions

The utility software was successfully released and used by several companies. The system allows these companies to save costs by automating their daily workflows.

Read more about Abto Software .NET Development services here.