Creating Aggregations
This topic explains how to create an Aggregation to convert the usage data collected by your Meters into numerical measures, which you can then use to set up usage-based pricing for your Products or for other business purposes.
Understanding Aggregation Options! We strongly recommend that you review the options available for configuring Aggregations before you attempt to create them. See Reviewing Aggregation Options.
To create an Aggregation:
1. Select Usage>Aggregations. The Aggregations page opens.
2. In the Product drop-down, select the Product for which you want to create the new Aggregation.
Tip: Global Aggregation? You can create a Global Aggregation, which is not tied to a specific Product. Global Aggregations allow you to charge across several Products on the basis of the Aggregation. If you remove the selection, (Global) will show for Product.
3. Select Create Aggregation. The Aggregations>Create page opens:
4. Configure the Aggregation details:
Enter a Name and Code for the Aggregation.
Meter. Select the Meter whose Data Field or Derived Field you want to use as the basis for the Aggregation. Note that only those Meters created for the selected Product will be available. If you're creating a Global Aggregation only Global Meters will be available.
Target Field. When you select a Meter, the Target Field drop-down list automatically populates with the Codes of any fields set up on that Meter. For example, select gb_stored.
Aggregation. Select the method for aggregating the data collected by the selected Target Field. For example, if you want to use the summed value of gigabytes used, select Sum.
Unit. For example, enter gigabytes. This will be used as a label for billing to indicate to your customers what they are being charged for.
Rounding. Select your preferred rounding method for the Aggregation value.
Quantity per unit. Enter the quantity by which you want to charge for the measured value. For example, if you want to charge your customers on a per-500 gigabytes used basis, enter 500.
Default Value. If required, enter a default value to be used for the Aggregation if no usage-data is available from the selected Meter Target field. Note that if you intend to reference the Aggregation in a Compound Aggregation and the Aggregation might have null values since no usage data is collected by the Meter Target field, then set Default Value to 0. This ensures any null values will be passed in correctly.
Segments. If you've set up non-numeric fields on the selected Meter and want to configure a segmented Aggregation using this, open the Segments panel. See Segmented Aggregations.
5. Add any required Custom Fields to the Aggregation. For more on Custom Fields, see Adding and Editing Custom Fields. We strongly recommend reviewing Working with Custom Fields before you create and use Custom Fields.
Important! Aggregation Custom Fields not supported for calculations. Creating Custom Fields for Aggregations is intended to support financial reporting use cases. Although you can define Custom Fields at both the Organizational level and individual Aggregation level, they are not supported for use in Derived Field and Compound Aggregation calculations.
6. Select Create Aggregation. You are returned to the Aggregations page where your new Aggregation is listed.
Important! If you intend to reference the Aggregation in a Compound Aggregation and the Aggregation might have null values because the Meter Target field fails to collect any usage data, then set Default Value to 0. This ensures any null values from the simple Aggregation are passed in correctly to the Compound Aggregation with value = 0.
Next: Compound Aggregations