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Entering EM Meter Readings

EM Meter Readings records mileage (odometer) and hour-meter readings by date. Open it from EM Programs, or use the Meters button on EM Work Order Update. Current readings live on EM Equipment; history is written as meter reading history with source EMMeter.

Current readings drive standard maintenance scheduling. Miles accumulate when odometer readings update (cost-per-hour and miles-per-gallon stats). Hours normally accumulate from usage (EM Usage Posting or PR Timecard Entry), not from routine entries on this form.

Before you start​

  • Equipment number, reading date, and new odometer and/or hour values.
  • Prefer this form (or usage/fuel posting per company options) over typing meters directly on EM Equipment — direct edits write history with reading date = system date and skip proper posting history.

Steps​

  1. Open EM Meter Readings and start or open a batch.
  2. Enter Seq # (N, New, or + for the next number, or an existing sequence).
  3. Action on new lines locks to A-Add. On existing lines: C-Change (already processed) or D-Delete (deletes from related module files). Toolbar / Records delete only removes the batch line.
  4. Enter Reading Date. First line of a new batch defaults today; later lines default the prior transaction’s date. May be before or after Last Read Date. Retro dates must fall after that meter’s Previous Date and before Next Date. Must be on or before the last day of the batch month (no future dates). Two readings on the same date are allowed only if one has hours 0.00 and odometer > 0.00, and the other has hours > 0.00 and odometer 0.00.
  5. Enter Equipment (F4).
  6. Enter Odometer: New Reading and/or Hour New Reading. Accept the default if unchanged so the new date still updates EM Equipment. Leave 0.00 if that meter is not used. A value below the previous reading warns but is allowed: it writes history and does not update the equipment master. Retro date/value must fall between Previous Date/Reading and Next Date/Reading.
  7. Review on-form displays (not entry fields): Meter Reading History (previous/next — next only for retro readings), Equipment Master last date/reading, Last Usage Reading (informational from EM/MS/PR usage; does not drive Reading Date here). Difference shows previous vs new (after a replaced meter, the first post-replacement difference is the new amount).
  8. Save lines, then process the batch (validate, preview, post).

New readings default from previous Meter Reading History; if null, from Equipment Master Last Reading; if Last Reading is 0.00, new reading defaults 0.00. Retro readings default 0.00, not Last Reading.

How equipment and history update​

  • Hour and odometer new readings, plus Reading Date, update the matching EM Equipment fields.
  • Unchanged mileage or hours still update EM Equipment when a new reading date is entered.
  • Reopening a previously posted transaction updates equipment only if Reading Date is after the equipment hour/odometer date and the reading is not 0.00, or dates are equal and the new reading is greater than the stored reading.
  • Deletes of posted readings must be LIFO or history is wrong. Prefer a same-day correcting entry. Neither approach updates EM Equipment on delete.

Hour and odometer dates are tracked separately, so you can enter an end-of-month odometer after hours were already posted from usage (or the reverse).

Usage and fuel vs this form​

Skip routine hour posting here when Update Hour Meter is checked on EM Revenue Rates by Equipment (or by category) for hour-based revenue codes. Automatic hours then come from usage posting. Company parameter Meter Updates groups (Equipment Usage, Costs Adj and Parts Posting, Fuel Posting) each offer:

  1. Update meters and reading date only when the new reading/transaction date is after the last reading date.
  2. Always update meters; never update reading date (dates only via EM Meter Readings).
  3. Always update meters; update reading date only when the post date is after the last reading date.

EM Usage Posting updates meters when the batch record is created; PR Timecard Entry and MS Ticket Entry update when that batch posts. EM Fuel Posting follows the Fuel Posting meter option.

Notes​