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Record Numbering Scheme
A Record Numbering Scheme in TariffShark allows you to number your Tariff Records and Tariff Record Versions in a user-friendly way. Doing so enables TariffShark to send FERC the Tariff Record Collation Value and the Tariff Record Parent Identifier, which are required fields in the FERC XML file.
Record Numbering Schemes are customizable in the following ways:
- Number of Levels
You may select the number of levels in the scheme. For example, a shallow scheme would allow you to number a section as "2.3" and a deep scheme would allow you to number a section as "5.3.1.1.7.2". - Level Maximum Values
You may select the maximum value for each level in the scheme. For example, consider a numbering scheme with levels a.b.c. You might know that your tariff will never have more than 10 sections, so you could choose 15 as the maximum value for level "a". To further the example, section 7 of your tariff has 42 subsections and no other section has more subsections, you could choose 63 as the maximum value for level "b". - Level Formatting
You may specify the format for the number at each level in the scheme. For example, consider a numbering scheme with levels a.b.c. You might want the format of level "a" to be an upper case letter and the format of level "b" to be a number. Configured like this, example sections might be numbered as "B", "A.3", and "Z.7".
You may specify a prefix string and a postfix string for each level in the scheme. Extending our example, you might also want the format of level "b" to wrap the value in parenthesis. If you configure level "b" with a prefix value of "(" and a postfix value of ")", example sections might be numbered as "B", "A.(3)", and "Z.(7)". - Inter-Level Separators
You may specify a character string to use to separate one level from the next. For example, consider a numbering scheme with levels a.b.c. You might want the format of level "a" to include a separator character of "." and level "b" to include a separator character of ">". Configured like this, example sections might be numbered as "B", "A.3>", and "Z.7>2".
Levels
A Record Numbering Scheme can have as few as 2 and as many as 7 levels.
The top-most level (level 1) is mandatory and is called the Tariff Collation. The Tariff Collation is a value you enter when you create a Tariff. The top-most level is also invisible. When you create Tariff Records within a Tariff, the first visible level is actually level 2 of the Record Numbering Scheme. Consider for example a Tariff created with a Tariff Collation of 3. When creating the first section (Tariff Record) within this Tariff, it would commonly be number as Record Number 1. Note that the number "3", associated with the Tariff, does not appear in TariffShark as you work with this first section. Internally, TariffShark stores the Record Number as "3.1" (because it's the record #1 and belongs to Tariff Collation 3), but only displays it as "1".
Level 2 (also mandatory) is the first visible level in a Record Numbering Scheme. Levels 3 through 7 (also visible) are optional.
Maximum Values
When defining a Record Numbering Scheme, you must select a maximum value for every level in the scheme. Based on the maximum value selected, TariffShark allocates a number of "bits" to the level. The bits in a numbering scheme are sort of like the points system used by Weight Watchers. Just as you are allocated so many points worth of food that you may eat in a day, a TariffShark numbering scheme allows you to use up to 31 bits in its configuration. Bit values work like this:
Bits | Maximum Value |
|---|---|
2 | 3 |
3 |
7 |
4 |
15 |
5 |
31 |
6 |
63 |
7 |
127 |
8 |
255 |
9 |
511 |
10 |
1,023 |
11 |
2,047 |
12 |
4,095 |
13 |
8,191 |
14 |
16,383 |
15 |
32,767 |
As an example, let's consider an imaginary tariff that will be numbered down to 3 levels -- like x.y.z -- or 5.2.13. In TariffShark, you must create a numbering scheme that is 4 levels deep because the first level is reserved for the tariffs that you will be creating. Continuing the example…
Level 1: Let's assume that there will only be one tariff…a Volume No. 1. We'll allocate 2 bits to this level as that is the smallest number of bits allowed by TariffShark.
Level 2: This level represents the highest order breakdown of tariff content (for example, Preliminary Statement, System Map, Rates, etc.). In our imaginary tariff, let's say that there are 7 major sections. That's 3 bits.
Level 3: Now it gets a little trickier. In configuring this level of the numbering scheme we need to consider all of the sections of our tariff at level 2. In our imaginary tariff, let's say that the General Terms and Conditions section of the tariff has 46 subsections. That's 6 bits.
Level 4: In our imaginary tariff, the Nominations section within the General Terms and Conditions is 16 pages long. That feels long enough to break it into subsections. Let's say that the Nominations consists of 12 subsections. That's 4 bits.
Adding it all up, that's 2+3+6+4=15 bits.
A Record Numbering Scheme can use no more than 31 bits. The example scheme above uses less than half of the available bits. Because there is no benefit to using fewer than 31 bits and because Record Numbering Schemes cannot be changed once they are used in a Tariff, it's a good idea to use extra bits at each level you define and perhaps to also add an additional level for growth.
Tariffs
that reside in the same Tariff Database may all be defined with different Record Numbering Schemes. However, it is mandatory that each of the Record Numbering Schemes used by the Tariffs in a Tariff Database have the same maximum value (number of bits) defined for level 1 (the Tariff Collation level).
TariffShark enforces this rule. When you create the first Tariff in a Tariff Database, TariffShark allows you to select among all of the Record Numbering Schemes. When you create the second Tariff (and all subsequent Tariffs) in a Tariff Database, TariffShark limits your selection to the Record Numbering Schemes that have the same number of bits allocated to level 1 as is seen in the Record Numbering Schemes already in use by existing Tariffs.
Once you define a Record Numbering Scheme and use it in a Tariff, it cannot be changed. Therefore, it is very important that you carefully consider your record numbering needs for today and for tomorrow within each Tariff.
Formats
The following number formats are provided for levels 2 through 7 of a Record Numbering Scheme:
- Numbers from 1 to n: 1, 2, 3, ...
- Numbers from 1 to 99 with a leading zero: 01, 02, 03, ..., 99
- Upper case letters: A, B, C, ..., Z
- Lower case letters: a, b, c, ..., z
- Upper case roman numerals: I, II, III, IV, ...
- Lower case roman numerals: i, ii, iii, iv, ...
If you create a Record Numbering Scheme and designate it as applying to a sheet-based Tariff, you do not need to select the number of levels or the formats for each level. These settings are built into TariffShark such that the resulting Record Numbering Scheme will adhere to the sheet numbering standards established by FERC in the early 1990s.
