The document discusses installation groups, which allow utility installations to be grouped together. A primary installation transfers billing data like consumption to secondary installations. Billing sequence control defines the order bills are generated for installations in a group. For distribution-relevant groups, the secondary installation's bill cannot be generated until the primary is billed first. The billing sequence setting ensures this order is followed properly during billing runs.

1. Installation Group: Billing Sequence
Control
We can group utility installations together to create installation groups. An installation
group consists of a primary installation and one or more secondary installations. In
order to create an installation group, the following prerequisites are present:
• Enter a grouping type in the historical part of the utility installation (this would
be the primary installation).
• Enter an installation role and the primary installation in the historical part of
the utility installations (this would be the secondary installation).
The most important function of installation groups is that they support multiple-
installation billing. When primary installations are billed, we can access billing data
from secondary installations. Primary requisite been that the variant QUANTI22 is
used for writing the consumption of the secondary installation to the primary
installation.
When secondary installations are billed, we can also access billing data from primary
installations. Primary requisite been that the variant of category UTILIT( I use
UTILIT93) is used to transfer the consumption of primary installation to secondary
installation.
Point to note is that proper customization should be maintained specifying the
operands which shall be transferring the values as the operand which shall transfer
the values to should have ERCHV Operand check box checked. Also the above
variants are for transferring the consumption. There are different variants for
transferring the amount.
So enough on the utility of installation Group.
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Let’s go to the topic of this blog: Billing sequence control.
This defines the sequence in which Billing orders for an installation group is billed.
This sequence is only used for installation groups which have distribution relevant
check box ticked i.e. for those installation groups which transfer consumption from
primary installation to the secondary installation.
So when the primary installation is billed for the specified billing period then the
information for the distribution relevance is sent to the secondary installation and
then these can be billed. The below screenshot should clear the confusion on what
settings I am talking about to be had in customization.

2. So let’s take a scenario.
I have a primary installation (1953) with a grouping type 0001 that has a distribution
type maintained. I have a secondary installation (1954) with Installation role 0001 and
primary installation maintained. So this installation group is distribution relevant.
When I generate billing order for the primary and secondary installation, for the
primary installation (1953) the billing sequence control is set to ' Order can be billed'.
This is a space when we see in the ALV grid. For the secondary installation (1954) the
billing sequence control is set to 'Order cannot be billed, not activated'. This is shown
as 1 in ALV grid.
Once the primary installation (1953) has been billed the billing sequence control for
the secondary installation (1954) is changed from 1 to space. The secondary
installation can now be billed.

3. If the installation group is not distribution relevant then this billing sequence
control plays no role and is always set to the initial value of 'Order can be
billed'. Check below screenshot. Here the installation group is consumption
relevant. Billing sequence is set to initial value of ‘Order can be billed’.
If the installation is not part of any installation group then also the billing
sequence control plays no role and is set to the initial value of 'Order can be
billed'.
When final billing is executed for installation group which are distribution
relevant then the billing sequence control for the final billing order is
maintained in connection with the indicator immediate final billing (this can be
checked in the screenshot below). If this check is not present the billing
sequence control shall work as intended.

4. If this check is present then the billing sequence control would be set to initial value of
'Order can be billed' for both the installations.
Some details on immediate final billing indicator.
This check ensures that the final billing for the secondary installations can be billed
immediately and should not wait for the billing of the primary installation. And this is
relevant only for scenarios which are distribution relevant.
That’s it. ☺