Sigma New User Training Programme

Sigma New User Training Programme

 

Introduction

The Sigma New User training programme is designed to get your workforce up and running with Sigma software. Each delegate will be taken through the key features of Sigma’s end-to-end processes to ensure they get the most out of the software. The training will help new Users gain a good understanding of working with available data, setting up and maintaining various data streams, creating reporting to suit your business needs and more. This course runs over six sessions and is suitable for up to two people.
Delivered by our expert Customer Success team, this training programme can be held in the comfort of your own office, at our onsite facility in Milton Keynes, or online via Microsoft Teams or Zoom.


Who is this course for?

This course has been designed for new Users to Sigma. Whether Sigma is new to your organisation, and you require user training as part of your organisation’s onboarding to the system, or you are already using Sigma and you would like new staff trained to use the functionality. For enhanced learning, the training takes place using your own database, however a demonstration training environment is available if required.


What do users need to complete the course?

  • This course is designed to teach a new Sigma user to perform the end-to-end process, there is no pre-requisite to have previously used Sigma or another energy management solution

  • A knowledge of the Energy Industry would be advantageous but not essential

  • Access to a computer or laptop with Wi-Fi is essential

  • For remote training, access to Microsoft Teams or Zoom is essential

 

What does the course cover?

This 6 part course is designed to introduce the many features within Sigma and to help the User:

  • Understand the data, set personal preferences and use the search options

  • Set up Sigma to input data, such as Invoices and Metering data

  • Input manual and electronic Invoices

  • Manually input half hourly metering data, and/or set up automatic schedules

  • Monitor metering data for abnormalities

  • Maintain data, for example Sites, Accounts and Meters

  • Run and export Reports and Analysis based on Billing and/or Metering data

  • Create and maintain Budgets

  • Understand the capabilities of Contracts

  • Understand the capabilities of he Project Tracking section

 

The course can be structured to suit your schedule and be delivered in the following ways:

  • On site, over three consecutive days (2 sessions per day) or on 3 separate days for example, one day each month for three months

  • Through online sessions (via Microsoft Teams or Zoom). Each session is 3 hours, and we recommend 1 or 2 sessions per week for 3/6 weeks

  • A combination of the above

 

What are the learning outcomes?

During this course delegates will learn how to:

  • Input and manage energy Cost and Consumption

  • Monitor and Target energy usage

  • Use Sigma’s reporting and analysis functionality to enable exporting and scheduling

On completion of the course, delegates will:

  • Have comprehensive knowledge of all Sigma functionality

  • Be able to validate Half Hourly (HH) data and Utility Billing files

  • Know how to use the reporting and analysis capability for all Data Streams

 

What is the course structure?

The course consists of six, 3 hour sessions. The sessions are recommended to be weekly and AM or PM.

As an example. this could be 6 consecutive Tuesdays, 0900 - 1200 or 1300 - 1600, but this is negotiable.

Session (3 hours)

Subject(s)

Session (3 hours)

Subject(s)

Session 1

Getting Started, Configuring Sigma, Administration and Express

Session 2

Metering

Session 3

Billing

Session 4

Reporting and Analysis

Session 5

Budgets and Project Tracking

Session 6

Contracts and System Administration and Maintenance

Agendas are as follows:

Session 1 - Getting Started, Configuring Sigma, Administration and Express

Getting Started

  • Log in to Sigma

  • Understand the Structure

  • Navigate the Database

  • Search and use Filters for Searching

  • View/Acknowledge/Delete Notifications

  • Set Personal Preferences such as default login page

  • View a Dashboard

Configuring Sigma

  • Create and Configure Items

    • Configure a Company, Group, Site, Meter and Account

  • Import/Export details of the Items (Sites, Meters etc)

  • Import Tree Items (Sites etc)

  • View the Audit Log

Administration

  • Change a Password

  • Add/View/Amend Users (including resetting Passwords)

  • View User details

  • Edit/Delete a User

  • Reset a User’s Password

  • Add a User

  • Create/Edit/Delete Access Groups

Express

  • Access Express

  • Navigate the Express Home Page

Available Help

  • View the relevant Pages in the Online Manual

Session 2 - Metering

Collecting Data

  • View/Add Low Frequency Meter Data

  • View/Amend/Add/Delete Metering Data

  • View all Readings for a Meter

Manually Importing Metering Data

  • Import HH and NHH Data

  • Edit an imported File

  • Retry/delete/download an imported File

  • View File Errors

Scheduling Data

  • Set up automatic Imports

  • Edit/Delete automatic Imports

  • Quality Check Data

Quality Checking Data

  • Analyse Metering Data

  • Autofill missing Data

Calculated, Reporting and Weather Meters

  • Create Calculated/Reporting/Weather Meters 

  • Understand how to use Calculated/Reporting/Weather Meters

Alarms

  • View Raised Alarms

  • Configure Alarms

  • Setup Criteria for Alarms

  • Create Quickset Alarms (in bulk)

  • Viewing a list of Raised Alarms

  • Manage Raise Alarms

Available Help

  • View the relevant Pages in the Online Manual

Session 3 - Billing

Setting up for Bill Validation

  • Check the Contracts are valid

  • View Portfolios

  • Understand the available Validation

  • Set up EDI Configuration

Accounts

  • Create individual Accounts

  • Create Accounts in bulk

  • View/Edit/Delete Accounts

  • Check/Associate Meters with a Contract

  • Add Contracts to Meters in bulk

Invoices

  • View Invoices by Account, Site, Commodity etc

  • Add new Invoices

  • View the Invoice History for an Account

  • Edit/Delete and other Actions for Invoices 

  • View available Bulk Actions

  • Import Invoices in bulk

EDI Billing

  • Load EDI Files

  • Work through an EDI Batch, including

    • Accept the Batch, Failures, Queries, Invoice Details, Loading and Complete the Batch

  • Create an Accounts Payable File for an EDI Batch

Accounts Payable Exports

  • Create Accounts Payable Files for Manual Invoices

    • Create a Test Accounts Payable Files for Invoices

    • Create a Live Accounts Payable Files for Invoices

  • Manage Accounts Payable Files

    • View/Review/Delete previous Account Payable Runs

    • Re-generate an Accounts Payable File

    • Check the Invoice export Date

Queries

  • Create Queries from a Site, Meter, Account and/or Invoice

  • View/Update/Delete Queries individually and in bulk

  • Report on Queries

Invoice Reporting

  • Create Invoice Analysis Reports

  • Create Invoice Comparison Reports

  • Create Data Export for Cost and Consumption Reports

Available Help

  • View the relevant Pages in the Online Manual

Session 4 - Reporting and Analysis

Reports

  • View the different Reports available in the Report Wizard

  • Run Reports and view as a PDF, Excel etc

  • Run a different Report

Report Templates

  • Report Templates

  • Create/View/Run Reports from Templates and view as a PDF, Excel etc

  • Edit/Delete Templates

Scheduling Reports

  • Create Report Schedules to run periodically

  • View/Edit/Delete/Run Report Schedules

Energy Analysis Reports

  • Understand the different Analysis Report Types

  • Run Analysis on screen

Analysis Templates

  • Create/View/Edit/Delete Templates

  • Run on-screen Analysis from Templates

Scheduling Analysis Reports

  • Create Analysis Schedules to run periodically

  • View/Edit/Delete/Run Analysis Schedules

Exporting Data

  • Create an Export Template

  • Export Metering Data

  • Create/Run a Schedule

Dynamic Reporting

  • View/Export Analysis Dynamic Reports

  • Create/Edit/Copy/Delete Dynamic Reports

  • Schedule Dynamic Reports to run periodically

  • Run an individual Analysis Template

Rollup Reporting

  • Run Rollup Reports

  • Schedule Rollup Reporting

Reporting/ Analysis in Express

  • Recap Reporting in Express

  • Recap Analysis in Express

Available Help

  • View the relevant Pages in the Online Manual

Session 5 - Budgets and Project Tracking Overview

Budget Profiles

  • Understand the Profile options, including

    • Even Split, Heating Inc Hot Water etc

Budget Types

  • Understand the available Budget Types

    • Cost, Consumption, CO2 and CO2e

Budgets

  • View/Create/Copy/Delete Budgets

  • Create Budgets on Mass (Quickset Budgets)

  • Import Budgets

Analysing Budgets

  • Run Budget Analysis

    • Create/Use Budget Analysis Templates

    • Schedule a Budget Template

  • Run Energy Analysis

  • Run Rollup Reporting

  • Budget Dashboards Widgets

Project Tracking Overview

  • Understand Policies

    • View/Add Policies

    • View the Project Summary

  • Add a Project

  • Analyse Policies

    • Analyse a Policy and Project Performance

    • Analyse Opportunities

Available Help

  • View the relevant Pages in the Online Manual

Session 6 - Contracts and System Administration

Contracts

  • Understand what they are used for

  • View the Contract associated with a Meter

  • View/Create Contracts

  • Update Contract Histories

  • Delete/Copy Contracts

  • Energy Analysis using Contract Costs

  • Use Contracts in Validation

  • Create a Contract

Blended Rates

  • View/Add/Edit/Export/Project Blended Rates

  • Use Blended Rates

  • Delete Blended Rates

  • Energy Analysis using Blended Rate Costs

System Administration

  • Perform simple Meter Exchanges

  • Perform complex Meter Exchanges

  • Perform individual Account Number and/or Supplier changes

  • Perform Account Number and/or Supplier changes in bulk

  • Perform individual Meter Number changes

  • Perform Meter Number changes in bulk

  • Perform individual Contract changes

  • Perform Contract changes on multiple Meters

System Maintenance

  • Check Data Quality

  • Check Imports

  • Check Alarms

  • Check Queries

  • Update Contracts

Available Help

  • View the relevant Pages in the Online Manual