With configurable deviation settings, you decide what should happen when no meter reading is available exactly on the invoice period end date.
This helps you keep billing moving without giving up control: you decide whether Zero Friction may use a nearby reading and how far it may look for one. The result: fewer blocked invoice runs, less manual follow-up, and more predictable billing decisions.
You are in control of two choices:
The deviation window - how many days Zero Friction may look around the invoice period end date for a usable reading (from 0 to 5 days).
Allow estimation - whether Zero Friction may use an estimated reading when nothing is found within the selected window.
How does the deviation work?
When there is no reading on the exact invoice period end date, Zero Friction can use a reading close to that date.
The deviation applies to invoices only, never to end notes.
When Zero Friction uses a deviated reading as the end measurement of one invoice period, that same reading is used as the start measurement of the next invoice period.
This carries consumption forward correctly, so no part of the consumption is left uninvoiced.
Choose how much deviation is allowed
You define the deviation window yourself.
You can set it anywhere from 0 to 5 days.
A smaller window gives you stricter control and more predictable behavior.
A larger window gives you more flexibility to keep invoice generation automated.
This lets you balance accuracy, predictability, and operational speed based on how your metering setup works in reality.
⚠️ Important: deviated measurements are used for invoices only, never for end notes.
A good fit for teams that want fewer billing exceptions
This setting is especially useful if you regularly deal with:
delayed meter readings;
measurements that do not arrive exactly on the billing date;
invoice runs that get blocked by missing input data;
manual work to recover incomplete billing cases.
By making this configurable, you adapt the process to your operational reality instead of changing your workflow around system defaults.
Problem | Solution |
Invoice runs get blocked because there is no reading on the end date. | Set a larger deviation window (up to 5 days) so Zero Friction may use a nearby reading. |
A reading further from the end date than desired is being used. | Reduce the deviation window for stricter control, or set it to 0 days to only use the exact end date. |
Nothing is found within the window and billing stalls. | Enable the option to allow an estimated reading when no measurement is found within the window. |
The deviation does not seem to apply to an end note. | This is correct: deviated measurements apply to invoices only, never to end notes. |
Does this change how invoices are calculated when the exact end-date reading is available?
No. When the correct end-date reading is available, billing continues as usual.
Can I switch deviation off completely?
Yes. Set the deviation window to 0 days if you only want to use a reading on the exact invoice period end date.
Can I allow estimation if no nearby reading is found?
Yes. You can choose to allow an estimated measurement when nothing is found within the selected window.
Is this used for every billing situation?
No. Deviated measurements are used for invoices only, never for end notes.
Why would I choose a smaller deviation window?
A smaller window gives more predictable billing behavior and tighter control over how far Zero Friction may move away from the original invoice period end date.
Will consumption be lost if a deviated measurement is used?
No. If Zero Friction uses a deviated measurement as the end of one invoice period, that same measurement becomes the start of the next period. This keeps consumption aligned across periods so nothing is left uninvoiced.