How Does the UtilityAPI Dashboard work?

Here is a quick guide to the four main parts of our web dashboard. If you ever have questions about our dashboard (or anything else UtilityAPI-related), you can email support, or talk to a real, live, friendly human being at (510) 907-0009.

1. Request Data

Let's focus on the Request Data button, at the top of the dashboard (and also on the action bar, at the far left). This is where you start in order to request data from your prospective customers. You can start sending data requests — which are always free — within minutes of creating your UtilityAPI account.

You have many options for getting your authorization form in front of your customers. But they're all easy to do, and free. There's no complicated setup or integration. We won't ask you to fill out long forms. 

To learn more about requesting data, click here.

2.  Change settings

You can personalize or change many features of your dashboard in Settings. You can: 

• Insert your company logo on your authorization form instead of the default UtilityAPI logo. Learn more about customizing your logo here.
• Save money by changing to a cost-saving subscription plan (or update your payment information). If you plan on getting data for more than 3-4 meters a month, you'll save money by getting on pre-paid subscription package.
• Customize your unique authorization link.
• Change your visibility settings so you can see gas meter data, if it's available. Learn more here.
• Generate corporate account invite links and API tokens.

3. Get the Data

After a customer authorizes access to their data, you'll be able to see the full meter list automatically. . It's (still) free for you to see the meter list. We only charge you for meters that you specifically activate and get data for. Here's what a meter list looks like:

To select ALL meters associated with a data request, click on the box to the left of the data request, in the light blue box at the top. If you only want data for certain meters, click the box in the white section, to the left of the meter number (SAID), for each meter you want. 

Once you've selected the meters whose data you want, you're ready to get data. Click on the blue Get Data button. UtilityAPI will collect the data. Once the data has been collected, the button will turn green. Click on green See Data button to see the data UtilityAPI collected. While UtilityAPI is collecting data, the button will turn orange. You don't have to wait for collection to finish in order to see what data has been collected so far. (Go ahead. Click the orange button. It’s ok!) 

To view the data available for each utility that we cover, click here.

4. Filters 

The menu on the left of the dashboard lets you to filter your data authorizations by status. 

Data Authorization Statuses on the Dashboard

Requested - You have sent these data authorizations to the utility account holders, but they have not yet completed them. If an authorization has been pending for a few days, it's very easy to click on the 'Resend' link next to the customer email address in the authorization.  Authorized - When the utility account holder successfully fills out the form, we consider the request authorized. You will now be able to see the meter list and get data for the meters you choose.  Unactivated - The meter has been authorized, but you have not collected data yet. Clicking here will show you only authorized meters with no data.  Expiring Soon - Authorizations that will be expiring in the coming two weeks. No Meters - The utility account holder only partially filled out the authorization or made a mistake with their login credentials (if an authorization is incomplete you'll often see this message "Login credentials don't seem to work"). If you see this message, resend the authorization to the customer with a note explaining what went wrong, or follow up with them directly by phone. If there is a utility-side error where meters were not available, or a customer did not complete their online account, these attempted authorizations will show up here as well.  Expired/Declined - Authorizations that have expired, have been revoked or have been declined by the utility account holder Users - This filter option allows account administrators to view data collected by a specific user within their organization.   Utilities - This filter option allows you to sort data that has been collected by specific utilities.