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Guidelines: Challenge List

Pair-Down & Prioritize

The purpose of the attached Challenge List is to prioritize the enhancements that customers would like to see adopted on wesTTrans OASIS node. These are the guidelines agreed to by the wesTTrans Focus Group in a conference call on 1-27-2005 in regards to creating a Final version of the Challenge List.

1. All customers of wesTTrans OASIS are encouraged to participate in this endeavor helping to improve the functions of this node.

2. All companies should create one paired-down list, created using the attached wesTTrans Challenge List. Each company will coordinate the effort to compile a single document for their perspective entity.

3. The list should be paired-down using the following criteria:

• Evaluate the list according to your companies interest

• Delete any items that your company does not feel creates value

• Items that remain on the list must retain the original numerical identifier found on the unedited version (i.e. 67 remains 67 on your list)

• New items can be added to your paired down list that are not found on the unedited version and must not be given a numerical identifier. This will alert the group that this is a new item not from the original list

• All items, original or new, remaining on your paired-down list, must also be evaluated and labeled either Low, Medium or High priority to help grouping at a later date (i.e. 67. High - With regards to Resales…)

• After your company has a paired-down/short list, submit it to the wesTTrans Focus Group Chair at jdbickne@

• The due date for all lists is February 10, 2005 @ 5pm PST

After all lists have been submitted to the Chair a single list will be made of all the lists from the various companies. At that point the single list will be distributed via posting on and via the Focus Group exploder.

Thank you for your diligence in this effort and please abide by the guidelines.

Jerry D. Bicknell

Chair: wesTTrans Focus Group

wesTTrans Focus Group

Challenge List

1. We would like a calendar feature for each field where a date is to be entered and a drag/drop enhancement to copy down volumes and prices from hour to hour or day to day like OATI tagging has.  The current drag/drop functionality acts like a cut/paste instead of a copy/paste.  We can use the standard copy/paste function with the right-mouse button, but this is time-consuming.

2. Develop a better date interface. This OASIS does not allow the user to combine time filters. I am unable to restrict results on both the updated time and the active time. The user range is also awkward and it would be nice to have it similar to the NWOASIS (ESCA OASIS) where the user has the option to input time as text and the range defaults to tomorrow at 00:00hrs.

3. Eliminate the "Use DST" checkbox and add a "prevailing time option" that is on by default. For example PPT "Pacific Prevailing Time" would return times between the last Sunday in Oct and First Sunday in April in standard time, and the remaining days in daylight time. A monthly October offering would return for start/stop times as 20041001000000PD / 20041101000000PS.

4. Always default the Refresh to disabled. I've had numerous complaints from people when they try to set up a query and lose the changes when the window auto-refreshes. This is a training issue for the users, but could be simplified by changing this.

5. Send advanced warning of system or software changes to the focus group and allow for transmission customer testing in the demo environment. The changes update shown on the site when logging in is a good start, but this needs to be taken further.

6. Post outage information for all the transmission providers in one location. Allow this data to be downloaded by automated systems to csv files. Cross-check the outage data with the ATC postings to ensure outage it was included in the calculation (this may already be part of the ATC calculator).

7. Explore getting transmission providers to match together the OASIS ATC postings with the transmission requests for short-term transmission. Short-term requests should not be denied if the ATC is posted. Short-term requests should not be granted if the ATC isn't posted. Adding this validation will ensure the transmission providers are not violating FERC requirements. OASIS is intended to provide transparency. We are not seeing this done by all providers on wesTTrans.

8. The item that we found to be a problem is the change of day time period. It seems to cause a problem when you are trying to get a reservation late at night for the next day. The screen appears to be doing nothing after you have submitted your request, it returns no reservation number but when you query the reservations, your request is there. This has cause us to submit duplicate reservations.

9. The case is we will buy transmission, make a tag just like we bought the transmission and then have the control areas deny the tag claiming that we have an incorrect path. However, we tagged it just like we bought it. How would we know if we don't have a valid path based on the transmission we are buying. Also, how are we also supposed to know who all of the SE's are at each point of interchange?

10. Entering in transmission profiles takes too long - need either a drag drop function or a calendar function to click on dates. For some reason, I couldn't get the screen shot to size correctly.  A transmission profile automatically drops in based on what you type in at the top; however, to make changes to dates, hours and prices is completely manual - a lot of typing.  A drag/drop function from field to field would work as well as the option for a calendar to pop up next to each date field.

11. Need ability to open multiple windows all at once

12. When there are more than one path ending and/or starting with same POR/POD the software seems to arbitrarily pick the path it displays for user.

13. Sarbane-Oxley does not seem to be part of the requirements of this platform yet many users fall under this jurisdiction and want to know what will be done in this area.

14. Ability to resell each individual segments owned as one virtual path even if the segments are from different providers. A-B (SRP) B-C (SRP) C-D (SRP) Resell A-D

A-B (SRP) B-C (LDWP) C-D (APS) Resell A-D

15. Ability to repost multiple segments of a virtual path already owned.

16. The entire derate, and outage process is way too confusing and using RECALL is not easy for any user to follow and must be clarified on the system better.

17. We need a screen that we can call up our "parent" reservation and see all WE have done to that reservation as well as what all the provider has done. (RECALL, ANNULS, REDIRECTS, RECALLS, etc.)

18. When utilizing the function REDIRECT auto-fill the bid price to max tariff of whatever time period has been chosen by user.

19. Screen for user that will track all REDIRECTS of any particular AREF for multiple paths and time periods.

20. Filters should allow searched on Exception example would be show me everything offered Except whatever I select in the filter like yearly…it would bring back everything BUT yearly.

21. Software should change price auto whenever the time increment has been changed i.e. Mthly to Yrly

22. Functions such as the credit limit can only be set by the one admin login…this does not work so the fix may be multiple levels of security.

23. Deal Wizard does not "stack" the USE into ONE deal on the Wizard screen…I should be able to make anything I want into ONE deal. Might even send multiple providers a bid on the same POR/POD and whoever answers the ONE deal first gets it. (USE should put things into a kind of online shopping cart)

24. Inc. and Dec. of the resales does not seem to function correctly. When posted it does Dec. but putting MW's back does not seem to Inc..

25. Since the Reservation is the contract in the OASIS world the "contract" should show correct pricing not some mechanism behind the scenes that does the billing. If the REDIRECT will not be charged then the contract on screen should show ZERO price not after-the-fact solutions!! (possible Sarbane-Oxley problem)

26. Emails from system are not readable in the least.

27. Email notification should allow multiple email addresses.

28. Requests sometimes take time but the user does not know what's happening so they resubmit only to find that the system really was processing the original…gotta have a "please wait while processing" alert.

29. Tags still get denied even when path has been tagged as it appears on wesTTrans…please get some kind of templates built by each company of acceptable tag paths for the path purchased.

30. All templates in wesTTrans should be either shared by all logins of a particular customer or easily transferred from login to login administratively.

31. Entering tranny profiles takes way too long…must have a drag and drop function.

32. wesTTrans participants should have: One method for requesting unposted paths and One method or central area for all outages posted.

33. Outages that effect AREFS should auto email the owner of the AREF…user should not have to look up outage info and decide if it may effect them directly.

34. RECALL function is way confusing on the customer…we need a clear way of knowing what each reservation has left either from REDIRECTS or Derates or any other thing that changes what can be used on that AREF.

35. Delete row does not seem to work as it deletes the numbers but not the row.

36. POR/POD naming convention has been broken there are two names for Palo Verde.

37. Pathing for tags: Give merchant the approved versions to be used in etag Even on offers show the path so they can pick the one they prefer and where it goes Assure that when the new approved tag versions are used we don’t get denied again

38. Bug?? Submit TSR but never get the box that says you got an AREF and they end up resubmitting and getting two of the same in the end if its all preconfirm.

39. Update wesTTrans map with all the new providers also what is the future plans for this map? Any cool functionality like picking point A then point Z and Deal tells who can make that happen?

40. Multiple Offer windows have to be allowed open under one login…Get ATC button? Need to get 1000's of MW's very quickly in real time.

41. Templates: Not sure if hourly profile remembers all 24hrs…maybe only does the 1st and 24th??

42. Huge problem with all the software fixes and enhancements UNKOWN to customers…so how are they going to make clear notification and how fixes are to be used etc.?

43. Customer Training is needed…where is the book on this thing?

44. ATC on many is inaccurate or the OASIS is not even manned…does not sound like the "news releases" we have read about this wesTTrans group. Who do we submit complaints about providers inside wesTTrans organization.

45. Providers not even answering TSR's

46. ATC is not posted but if you ask it magically appears…that does not seem right.

47. Improve the accuracy of ATC posting what IS posted and what is NOT posted.

48. More hands on training

49. More training.

50. Difficult to shape hourly transmission requests, e.g. no “off peak” shaping option, some providers force you to make two requests for a standard light load request, and not well designed for WECC two-day standard scheduling (the Fri/Sat & Sun/Mon packages)

51. Inaccurate ATC postings.

52. Several providers don’t list contact info when a request is posted

53. Need for greater speed

54. Posting all provider’s outage information in one place and providing the ability to download and audit those details.

55. Get all wesTTrans participants to post ATC correctly. Some providers grant or deny transmission requests regardless of their ATC postings, and others don’t post their transmission at all.

56. It is not very easy to purchase a standard light load transmission product without spending a lot of time filling in the profile.

57. Better standardization for outage posting, ancillary price postings, loss payback pricing. Currently you have search all over each company’s homepage to find information because they all have different ideas about where it should be listed.

58. Initiate automatic approvals for submissions that are within available ATC postings and are bid at the posted price.

59. Have all wesTTrans providers accept transmission when the system is down.

60. Ability to actually delete a row in a profile

61. Ability to ask questions about transmission outages in order for responses to be shared by all users

62. Easier way to fill in profiles – maybe add a calendar to choose dates for a multi-day profile so we don’t have to type in all dates or copy/paste – need a drag/drop function to copy MW and price values from hour to hour or day to day – copy/paste function is too slow

63. The group asked about the progress on developing a common place to post outages, and whether this will be made publicly viewable. OATI is working on this and also investigating the possibility of importing/exporting outage data with other WECC sources, e.g., NWPP. There is some reluctance to public posting of this info as a critical infrastructure issue.

64. Customers would like to see a map of available routes that you pick as you navigate along segments/TPs in the deal entry displays. OATI will enter this into the list of possible enhancements. Focus Group input will be sought once commitment to develop this functionality is made.

65. Some would like TSR entry to have POR or POD select lists conditioned on POD or POR already selected; this prevents picking illegal POR/POD pairs. Also have this behavior for offerings. Possible for TSR entry, but may significantly limit query flexibility in viewing Offerings. Legal POR/POD pairs can be selected by simply selecting path instead of POR and POD.

66. With regards to Resales, request to credit seller and bill buyer was raised. This is being discussed in NAESB as a new TSR request type, TRANSFER. OATI will support this option once the NAESB standard is developed.

67. There is some confusion on POR/POD naming, specifically for Palo Verde. wesTTrans providers worked hard on trying to eliminate the ambiguity of different names for the same point across providers

68. When Customer’s buy paths over two TPs, can run into problems tagging because one of the paths may not be a legitimate tagging path. The WECC ISAS is working on making a tag template for each commercial path offered by a TP to show how it should be tagged. Exact format to present this data has yet to be finalized. Note that these templates will be posted on the wesTTrans website when finalized.

69. When there are multiple, parallel/alternate paths between the same POR and POD, it would be nice if there was a more obvious visual cue that these exist. Suggestion from the floor to also have a way to see why there is a difference between path x and path y leading from same POR to POD. OATI will consider possible options to clarify the multiple paths.

70. Users have noted that sometimes on TSR entry you don’t get the “TSR submitted” popup. Users hit submit again and get 2 TSRs. Seems to be happening more at night around midnight. Once it happens, seems to continue to happen. Also noted that on 2nd submittal they get a warning that can’t submit while sending data, but get 2 TSRs anyway. OATI will investigate this behavior.

71. A lot of customers wanted the ability to have multiple windows open at once – particularly for different views of query offerings. OATI will investigate possible solutions to this limitation.

72. When will an updated map showing the latest new providers in wesTTrans be available? This is being actively worked on by WAPA and the wesTTrans technical committee.

73. Customers have noticed that if you save a template with a profile and then recall the template, you only get the 1st and last segments of the profile. OATI will investigate.

74. A better method of notification when software fixes are applied was wanted. OATI does update the “news” page; other fixes are described in release notes given to the TPs. OATI also tries to notify TCs directly when their problems are fixed.

75. The ability to have more flexibility in date selectors for querying. For instance, allowing query based on “update since” AND “queued since”. OATI will investigate possible solutions to limitations on the date filter.

76. A known problem with the counteroffer popup display not using correct default timezone was discussed. Also, a known problem that Outage Manager and Outage Summary have different timezone conventions was discussed. (webTrans issues)

77. E-mails notification sends TSR template formatted data. Customers would like to have a configuration option to send an “English” (readable) version instead. OATI will look into this option. Also, customers would like to be able to have multiple emails notified. Note that customers may do this by establishing email list servers (exploders) at their facility to accomplish this action today.

78. A desire for a better mechanism to deliver customer training was expressed. Suggested that maybe OATI could run another training course, or possibly develop a computer based training program.

79. Customers expressed a concern about how to make sure posted ATCs are right. This type of issue needs to be discussed with the TPs. May involve some tighter coordination between the wesTTrans TPs on ATC methodology.

80. There was a question posed to the group as whether the TCs would like the TP to counteroffer with a profiled TSR set to the limit of ATC when insufficient capacity exists to accept the total request. If TCs would like this functionality, OATI may have some options to ease operational burden on TPs.

81. Hit a problem trying to offer a TSR for resale.  Problem is can only offer resale on the same path as purchased (reasonable limit so they don’t implicitly redirect on you when reselling).  But, when migrated TSRs from old OASIS, webOASIS created “inactive” paths for services that didn’t line up with new path definitions.  End result is user can’t post an offer for resale on an inactive path. A couple of options to get around this problem.  1) could annul the existing reservation and reenter it using “transassign” or have user resubmit it (gets new aref). Or 2) you could provide user with a list of old TSRs and correct new, active path/por/pod designations, and OATI would execute a backend script to update the database for those TSRs (keeps old aref).

82. Customers would like to see a map of available routes that you pick as you navigate along segments/TPs in the deal entry displays.

83. TC's are buying path segments from several TP's on wesTTrans to make a continuous larger path. At times one of the pieces will be curtailed or taken by a TP rendering the whole path useless. Would the wesTTrans TP's consider, as a business practice, annulling the "Deal" when this happens if we use Deal Maker to put it together?

Copy Drag-n-Drop ATC Posting Multiple Windows

Outages Email Problems Tagging

Training Issues Software Updates

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